To Be A Pirate King--Endgame and Fade into Sunset 9/3/09

The Story behind the cool photos; GREAT STUFF!

Week 13--Huge Sea Battle in the Pirate Current! Boss Pilla is killed by Slayer Pirates!

Wrecking. The Bloody Boys, the Ghosts, the Privateers and the Sea Patrol raced each other through a foggy night to challenge Red Beard the Slayer Pirate for a fat wreck in the Pirate Current. Red Beard had found the wreck first or else the drunken pirate had sailed the large merchantman into the shoals himself. Either way the Dwarfs had not re-floated her before other pirates got wind of the wreck.
The fog favored the Sea Patrol. They had the wind as well as better night sight than all the human cannon crews searching the fog for targets. The Patrol actually tried to set the wrecked hulk alight or sink her, but the huge ship resisted the battering. The Slayers took many casualties from elven arrows and human crossbows. (Most of the Dwarfs were stunned by a missile, fell overboard and then slipped beneath the waves.)
The Privateers and the Bloody Boys reached the wreck first. Gunter elected to board rather than suffer the searching arrows of the elves but the crew were unable to shift from marksman to boarding parties so Lucky Luigi led the first wave. A Slayer tossed Luigi's unconscious body back into the ship and fired his pistol in the face of Grootka the Ogre.
The Bloody Boys swarmed across the wreck's gunwales but the Slayers met them at the rails. Boss Pilla gained the hulk's main deck but was cut down by waves of Slayer Pirates. The Bloody Boys kept pushing but the Slayers and the Ghosts bled them from lar'board and starboard. Eventually the Bloody Boys were forced to abandon ship and row into the night.
The Privateers gained a purchase on the main deck of the hulk but Gunter, Sonja and Aplphonse were all shot off the decks of the Empress. Alphonse slipped under the waves, unconscious but was rescued later. Gunter and Sonja were both hit too hard to fight on. In just seconds the aftcastle was cleared of officers and marksmen. Senor Capone fell overboard as did the new Slayer Pirate that Gunter had recruited before sailing from Vermunte. Odo held the men for awhile as Sanjir Khaine battled Slayers on the hulk's aftcastle. Khaine defeated Redbeard in personal combat, although Redbeard fell overboard so the sharks got him. Khaine gutted another Slayer and ran a Bloody Boy through. But the Druchi had to suffer the indignity of being rowed to safety by the traitor High Elves that made up the rest of his boarding party when Odo struck the Empress' colors.
Grootka survived a shark attack, but Baldo the Blade and Senor Capone were both captured by the hated Patrol. Sonja took a chest wound and Alphonse failed to win a Pit Fight and lost all of his possessions.
The Ghosts fought their way across the decks of the Bloody Boy's ship and fell upon the surviving Slayer Pirates. The Slayer's could not stand against the Ghosts, but the Ghost's victory was short lived. The Patrol sailed out of the dark spitting arrows and crossbow bolts. Ghosts' crew went down in droves, but the survivors fought doggedly on to hold their prizes. Eventually the Ghosts abandoned both captured ships and attempted to sail off with the treasure. The Patrol had by this time sailed completely around the stranded hulk. The Patrol suffered cannon and small arms fire, but despite taking a few good hits the elves were able to push their ship in front of the Ghosts and prevent their escape. Faced with a grueling boarding action against a relatively un-blooded foe the Ghosts struck their colors.
The Ghosts suffer 3 crew killed or captured. The Ghost Captain suffers an Old Battle Wound. The Bloody Boys lost another hero to Ghost swords (in addition to the loss of Pilla), but one of the lads steps up to replace the fallen heroes. A High Elf is blinded in one eye by a lucky harquebus shot from the Privateers. The Patrol gains 4 prizes and many pirates are carried off to the dock. (Mostly Slayer Pirates who had no surviving mates to row them to safety, although Baldo and Senor Capone were caught in the net as well.)

Sharks! Only one school of sharks appeared during the battle, but the gluttonous sharks swam 'round the wreck gobbling dwarf, ogre and man. The sharks got Redbeard and 2 of his Slayer crew. Grootka the Ogre, a Bloody Boy crew and a Cursed marksman.

Standings in the Wilderness, Caves and Islands after week 11:

Caves of the Damned:
Dark Elves: 6 BP
Ghosts: 5 BP
Sea Patrol: 5 BP
The Wastelanders: 4 BP
The Khorne Raiders: 1 BP

The Skull Sands:
Sea Patrol: 12 BP (Captured!)
Wastelanders: 7 BP
Dark Elves: 3 BP
Ghosts: 2 BP

The Osso Hills
Khorne: 12 BP (Captured!)
Ghosts: 9 BP
DE: 6 BP
Sea Patrol: 6 BP
Wastelanders: 3 BP
Da Mob: 2 BP

The Pirate Current:
Wastelanders: 6 BP
Sea Patrol: 5 BP
Dark Elves: 4 BP
The Ghosts II: 4 BP
The Khorne Raiders: 1 BP

Next week is the climatic final battle for Sartosa. Yarr!

It was a cool, very foggy morning. Word had gone around that another unsuspecting ship had run aground on the rocks. Four ships set sail to investigate. There was no thought of rescuing the crew, only the cargo.
The Sea Patrol had the wind to their back and, being High Elves, could see farther than most. They spotted the Bloody Boys far off to their left with the Ghosts on the close left. The Privateers were on their right.


The Ghosts' undead spot the Bloody Boys but the cannon crew and The Cursed are only human and can't see them yet.


The Bloody Boys can't see a dang thing but they home in on the sound of a ship in trouble.


The Sea Patrol sees everything, and everything is going to plan.


Suddenly the fog lifts and the battle starts.


The Privateers get to the wreck first followed quickly by the Bloody Boys.




The Ghosts stand off a bit to watch the Bloody Boys and Dwarfs take each other out.
Oh, and to shoot the Bloody Boys as much as they can to soften them up.
And don't forget the Privateer's Dark Elf fighting alone on the poop deck.


The Privateers' row boat heads for the wrecked ship to get some cover from the shooty elves, who seem to be enjoying themselves imensly.
"Quick, help me up!"


The Bloody Boys start to put a hurt on the Slayer Dwarves.
Then, "Hey, there's a Dark Elf over there. Let's get him."


The Sea Patrol just keeps away and just keeps shooting!!!


Meanwhile, the Ghosts grapple on and charge the Bloody Boys.


The Sea Patrol put such a hurt on the Privateers that they cut loose and leave their Dark Elf to fend for himself.


When the Ghosts start taking over their ship the Bloody Boys know they are in trouble but keep on fighting.


As the Privateer's Ogre gets shot, falls out of the ship and gets into a loosing fight with a shark
The Privateers reconcider their plan, wondering if setting out this morning was such a good idea.


Left onboard, the Dark Elf fights for his life against the Bloody boys.


The row boat crew do the same with a Dwarf.


The Privateers loose nerve and numbers and wisely rout.

</A>
The Bloody Boys quickly follow.


The Ghosts sieze the ship and start to unload the cargo.
The Sea Patrol thinks otherwise and circles around to intercept. And to shoot.


The Sea Patrol blocks the way off the table. The only options the Ghosts have left are:
to fight hand to hand with an untouched warband against a depleted one, not a good option,
or to rout.
The Ghosts decide they've had enough for one day and rout, leaving the cargo to the Sea Patrol.
</A>

LOVE THOSE PHOTOS! Another win for the Pointy Eared Pansies...AND the sharks!

I do think the sharks are way to powerful.

Week 14--The Final Conflict!
After the debacle in the fog last week the four crews retired to the town of Sartosa. There the 3 pirate crews tried to assert their patrons' authority over the most important port on the island. The Sea Patrol decided to make a dramatic entrance into the port by sailing boldly into the harbor right under the gun of the last armed fortification.
The Ghosts and the Privateers had the best chance of reaching the gun before the elves could disable or capture it. The Ghosts lost many of their marksmen (indeed they lost most of their crew!) But the stubborn undead reached the elves first and fought them hammer and tongs along the quay.
The Privateers occupied the Temple of Mannon. Odo and the marksmen used the upper roof to snipe at the Sea Patrol's ship until it moved out of sight behind other buildings. The rest of the heroes occupied a closer building and used it to good effect as a shooting platform.
The Bloody Boys moved up behind both the Ghosts and the Privateers to threaten their patrons' flags. The Boys took the main sanctuary of the Temple but could not gain the Privateer's flag. The Bloody Boys also had some success against the depleted Ghosts.
The Sea Patrol sailed along the docks shooting down any pirate that showed him (or her) self. The Patrol shot down all but one of the Ghosts marksmen, but Sonja and Johann the Knife dodged the clouds of arrows that sought them. This gave Ali and Gunter the opportunity to strafe the Patrol's decks with crossbow bolts. Elf heroes started to fall and the hail of return fire slackened.
As 9 o'clock neared the Ghost's Old Smuggler finally succeeded in climbing to the Bloody Boys flag. The Ghosts managed to capture an enemy's flag and the Patrol failed to gain control of the port of Sartosa! Time was called and another campaign came to an end. I have high hopes for the photos taken tonight as the final table looked sweet!

While there is a melancoly aspect to the finale of a campaign, having ALL the Battle Reports, photos, & stories will provide the stuff of fond memories for years to come. CONGRATULATIONS on ANOTHER successful campaign!
NOW on to Lustria & the Cities of Gold! AAAAARRRRGGH!

Thanks Deafnala! We did have a great time.

Final Battle Points for the towns and ports of the island:
The Port of Sartosa:
Sea Patrol: 11 BP
Ghosts:  12 BP (Captured!)
DE: 6 BP
Wastelanders: 7 BP
Khorne: 7 BP

The Haunted Port
Wastelanders:  13 BP (Captured!)
Ghosts II: 8 BP
Khorne: 6 BP
Sea Patrol:  5 BP
DE: 2 BP

The Outlaw Town of Ossomunte
DE: 3 BP
Sea Patrol: 1 BP

The Fortified Port of Senelite
Sea Patrol: 4 BP
DE: 3 BP
Wastelanders: 2 BP

Each faction that fought the entire campaign managed to capture one location. The Sea Patrol had regained the lead in warband rating for the last couple of weeks, mainly due to their amazing income and casualties among heroes and veteran henchmen for the Ghosts and Privateers.
The Bloody Boys took the most casualties, with only the Dread Captain and his Quartermaster surviving the entire campaign. Each of them is but a shell of their former selves due to numerous injuries.

Last Battle Photos.

The Sea Patrol sets up on board ship.
Ghosts to the right.
The Privateers on the left, many inside the Church of Mannan.
The Bloody Boys in the back under the pointing finger.


The Ghosts have trouble deplying due to a rocky tower in the way.
They use the Friendly Flag to advance to better position.


The Bloody Boys split their forces.
They use their Friendly Flag as well.


The Privateers set up mostly in the Church of Mannan.


The Sea Patrol heads for the dock as fast as they can.
They don't want to take the chance of anyone manning the cannon.


All on shore advance to the waterfront.


The Privateers hide in the Port Authority building.


Half of the Bloody Boys go after the hired sword ogre of the Privateers.


The other half chalenge the Ghosts for the ocupation of the center buildings.


All the while, the Sea Patrol reaches the dock.


While the Privateers build their forces inside the Port Authority building,
The Ghosts decide to go after the Sea Patrol. Knowing full well they will get shot to pieces for thier trouble. Good thing it's only a game.


Meanwhile the Bloody Boys and the Ghosts trade blunderbuss shots down a tight alley.


Just above, on top of the Customs building, the Bloody boys go after a Ghost's sniping position.
The Ghosts come out on top of this conflict.


The Ghosts grapple with the Sea Patrol but cannot bring the numbers to bear in one rush.


The Privateers' ogre gets ganged up on by the Bloody Boys.
(The Flayerkin kinda look like ghouls. Just an illusion.)


The Bloody Boys spend time to throw spears at Von Bruger, a Ghost, The Cursed, lad's got talent 3 wound hero, but fail do anything.


Help arives, too late, when Sonja jumps up on a wall and unloads her blunderbuss at the Sea Patrol.


The Ghost desperately continue to fight hand to hand with the Sea Patrol.


In the end, the Ghosts loose many heroes and henchmen but the Old Smuggler sneaks into the background and steals the flag of the Bloody Boys and, as time runs out, secures a win for the Ghosts.

WOW! That REALLY was a Grand Finale! GREAT PHOTOS of FINE terrain & COOl...mostly painted...minis.

Never could get Von Kurst to paint all of his warband.
What a slacker.

I'm a busy guy.

playtable wrote:

Never could get Von Kurst to paint all of his warband.
What a slacker.

Well, he DOES write a colorful story.
I noticed, before GW killed interest in WHFB around here, that, while the 40Kers invariably have painted or mostly painted armies, the fantasy Lads field armies of silver, white, & black troops with some plastic greys for contrast . I can't REALLY knock it...Guy's who can't paint are a source of income for moi.

Man, I love the Spanish Adobe buildings. That's JUST the thing I picture when I imagine Sartosa terrain. Glad you guys had fun.

StyrofoamKing,
Glad you provided a fun setting!
Thank you!!!