===============================================================================
Pirates!
for
The Nintendo Entertainment System
by MI64
email:
[email protected]
===============================================================================
Table of Contents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Introduction
II. Controls
A. Menus
B. Overworld
C. Combat - Sea
D. Combat - Land
E. Combat - Sword
III. Game & Character Setup
A. Title Screen
B. Front End Menu
C. Historical Time Period
D. Nationality
E. Family Name
F. Difficulty Level
G. Special Ability
H. Back Story
IV. Starting Resources
V. Colony Encounters
A. Entering a Colony
B. External Colony Information
C. In-Depth Colony Information
D. Visit the governor
E. Visit a tavern
F. Trade with a merchant
G. Divide up the plunder
H. Check information
I. Leave town
VI. Check Information
A. Date
B. Continue travels
C. Party status
D. Personal status
E. Ship's log
F. Maps
G. Cities
H. Take sun sight
I. Save game
J. Search
VII. Ship Encounters
A. Initial Sighting
B. Closer Inspection
C. Contact
D. Pirates & Hunters
VIII. Combat & Tactics
A. Sword Combat
B. Ship-to-Ship Combat
C. Ship-to-Fort Combat
D. Ground Combat
IX. Divide Up The Plunder, Defeat & Retirement
A. Divide up the plunder
B. Injuries
C. Defeat
D. Retirement
X. Perfect Score Tips
A. Initial Game Setup
B. General Tips
C. Governors
D. Taverns
E. Trade
F. Divide the Plunder
G. Morale & Fleet Status
H. Captain
I. Maps
XI. Pirate Point Reference
A. Gold
B. Injuries, Health, and Age
C. Land
D. Titles
E. Wife & Family Members
F. Reputation
XII. Ship Catalog & Point of Sailing
XIII. Colony Gazetteer
XIV. Silver Train & Treasure Fleet Schedules
XV. Versions, Credits, Legal, Etc.
===============================================================================
I. Introduction
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pirates! - also known as Sid Meier's Pirates! - has been around since 1987. For
many of you that could probably be considered video game ancient history! But,
for those of us who remember those times, Pirates! was a revolutionary game.
Gone was the linear game play of so many other games of the time. Pirates! was
one of the originals to embrace truly open-ended game play. You never play the
same game twice, which made the replay value truly great. The game itself was
so popular that it has been ported, in one form or another, to over 8 different
systems. It was updated in 1993(Pirates! Gold), and again in 2004 (Sid
Meier's Pirates!). There is even a version for modern tablets.
This guide deals entirely with the Nintendo Entertainment System version of the
game; although, game play is VERY similar compared to the aforementioned ports
of Pirates! onto other systems, even the newest ports. Therefore, much of what
is mentioned herein can easily be applied to those versions as well.
On a personal note, not only is the NES version of Pirates! probably my
favorite NES game, it's one of my favorite games ever on any system. I still
play it fairly regularly, even today, more than 20 years later as of this
writing!
===============================================================================
II. Controls
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section deals with the game controls in regard to the NES version using a
standard NES controller. Please keep this in mind.
-----------
|A. Menus |
-----------
D-Pad : Moves the sword cursor in the direction pressed. Menu dependent.
Transfers trade goods to or from parties in the Trade or Pillage
menus.
Select : Acts as a second "A button".
Start : Not used in menus.
B Button : Not used in menus.
A Button : Selects option, opens and cycles through menus.
---------------
|B. Overworld |
---------------
D-Pad : Turns the prow (front) of the ship toward the direction pressed.
Left and right only. Up and down have no function.
Moves landing party in the direction pressed.
Select : Opens the main Check Information menu.
Start : Pauses the game.
B Button : Not used in the overworld.
A Button : Not used in the overworld.
------------------
|C. Combat - Sea |
------------------
D-Pad : Turns the prow of the ship toward the direction pressed. Left and
right only.
Raises main sails. Up only.
Raises battle sails. Down only.
Select : Not used in sea combat
Start : Pauses the game.
B Button : Not used in sea combat.
A Button : Fires broadside cannons. Fires from closest side to enemy.
-------------------
|D. Combat - Land |
-------------------
D-Pad : Moves selected pirate party in the direction pressed.
Select : Not used in land combat.
Start : Pauses the game.
B Button : Not used in land combat.
A Button : Selects and cycles through available pirate parties.
Hold to move all pirate parties at the same time.
--------------------
|E. Combat - Sword |
--------------------
D-Pad : Moves character left and right. Left and right only.
Raises and lowers sword. Up and down only.
Select : Not used in sword combat.
Start : Pauses the game.
B Button : Fierce sword attack.
A Button : Normal sword attack.
===============================================================================
III. Game & Character Setup
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section deals with the initial game and character setup.
------------------
|A. Title Screen |
------------------
Push “START” to advance to the front end menu.
--------------------
|B. Front End Menu |
--------------------
1. Start a new career? - This option allows you to start a new game.
2. Continue a saved game? - This option loads a previously saved game. There
are eight save slots. If there are no prior saved games, these slots will be
empty.
- You can erase saved games by simultaneously pressing and holding:
A, B, Right and then pushing Select at the first of the copyright screens.
3. Look at the hall of fame? - This option allows you to view the scores and
ranks of your previously "retired" captains. If there are no prior "retired"
captains, this list will be empty.
- You can erase the Hall of Fame by pressing and holding:
Right, B, and then pushing Select while viewing the Hall of Fame.
----------------------------
|C. Historical Time Period |
----------------------------
This menu allows you to either start a game in the default time period, "The
Buccaneer Heroes (1660)", by selecting "No, thanks"; or, from one of six
historical time periods by selecting "Yes". Each time period differs somewhat
from the others in many different aspects, discussed in detail below.
1. The Silver Empire (1560)
Every time period is dominated by Spain, the Caribbean is called "The Spanish
Main" after all, but this time period bears Spain's greatest influence. Nearly
every colony on the map is Spanish with the exception of a few small "back-
water" settlements. St. Augustine is the only colony with a governor that is
not Spanish. The Dutch are totally absent from this time period, and cannot be
selected as your captain's nationality. (See below for further information on
nationality.) Since the vast majority of ports in this time period are Spanish,
and virtually all of the wealthier ports are under Spanish Trade Law, it can
sometimes be nearly impossible to sell goods, repair ships or even advance your
captain's career. (See section V. Colony Encounters for more information on
Spanish Trade Law.) This time period can be quite challenging for the novice
captain.
2. Merchants and Smugglers (1600)
This period really isn't any better for non-Spanish nations. If anything, it
may be even worse since there are now NO colonies with a non-Spanish governor.
The Dutch now have ships in the Caribbean, albeit without a colony, and are now
available as your captain's nationality. The vast majority of colonies are
largely unchanged from the previous time period. With the total lack of a non-
Spanish governor to start, and the actual loss of a few friendly "back-water"
ports, this time period may be the most challenging for the novice captain.
3. The New Colonists (1620)
This is the period where things really start to improve for the English, French
and Dutch. Every nation now has at least one colony present WITH a governor.
The English colonies tend to be a little better off than their French and Dutch
counterparts. Spain is still very strong and Spanish Trade Law is still very
much in effect, but the increased availability of friendly ports, including
a few more Spanish ports who are willing to overlook the trade law, makes this
time period much easier than the first two.
4. War For Profit (1640)
This time period is marked by almost constant warfare. All four nations are
trying to make their claim in the Caribbean. Treaties are made and broken. All-
ies become enemies, enemies become allies. A very turbulent time! All four na-
tions now have a significant presence in the Caribbean. Spain, of course, is
still very much the dominant presence, but the English are catching up and the
French and Dutch colonies, while still relatively weak, are in much better
shape than previously seen. This time period can be very profitable, especially
for a captain who knows what he's doing.
5. The Buccaneer Heroes (1660)
This is the default time period that is selected if you choose "No, thanks" at
the Historical Time Period menu. The Spanish are finally starting to really
lose their grip on the Caribbean. The English, French and Dutch now have some
powerful, wealthy colonies. English and French warships are more plentiful on
the open sea, as are Dutch trade ships. This time period is slightly less tur-
bulent than the War For Profit period, with even more friendly ports for trad-
ing, making it probably the easiest of all the time periods.
6. Pirates Sunset (1680)
This final time period is marked by an increase in England's military, with the
intent to hunt down pirates. Spain is still the wealthiest, with the richest
colonies, but England has started to make it's move to military dominance of
the region. The French and Dutch colonies are also better off than previously
seen in the former time period. Due to the increase in active pirate hunting,
this time period could be considered to be somewhat more difficult than the
prior two periods.
-----------------
|D. Nationality |
-----------------
Once you have selected a time period, your next option is to select a national-
ity. Each time period allows you to choose English, French, Dutch or Spanish.
As mentioned above, the Dutch are unavailable during The Silver Empire. Each
nationality has a title after it. These titles are really just for show and
don't have any major significance on the game. However, each nationality starts
with different ships, crew, resources, etc. These differences are outlined in
detail in section IV. Starting Resources.
Keep in mind, just because you're "English" doesn't mean you have to fight for
them!
-----------------
|E. Family Name |
-----------------
After selecting your nationality, the next menu allows you to pick a family
name. If you do not enter anything for this, the game defaults your name to
"Incognito". Incognito is the term used to describe "concealed identity".
----------------------
|F. Difficulty Level |
----------------------
After entering your family name, the next menu allows you to choose your diffi-
culty level. The difficulty level has a pretty profound impact on game play.
Due to the fact that Pirates! does not provide a way to directly view statist-
ics or game attributes, it is somewhat difficult, and in some cases impossible,
to quantify exactly how much an increase in difficulty affects the game.
The difficulty levels in order, from easiest to hardest, are:
- Apprentice
- Journeyman
- Adventurer
- Swashbuckler
Each increase in difficulty effects the following game play aspects:
1. Sailing - Overworld only
The higher difficulty levels make sailing more difficult as your ships will be
blown about by the wind (designated by clouds). Practically speaking this means
that you will temporarily lose control of your ships when a cloud passes over
them which can lead to unwanted ship wrecks. The cloud/wind effect is totally
absent on the Apprentice level.
2. Combat - All forms
In general, on the higher difficulty levels, your combatants will move faster,
be more aggressive and are able to sustain slightly more damage than on the
lower difficulty levels.
3. Reputation
On the higher difficulty levels the governors will be harder to please and the
governor's daughters will be harder to impress. What this amounts to is the
land and titles will come slower, and it will be more difficult to marry the
best wife or establish spies in the governor's household.
4. Morale
Your crew members' morale will be more difficult to maintain at the "Happy" and
"Pleased" levels on the higher difficulties. This results in an increased
chance of mutiny and/or crew members deserting and taking some, or, in the case
of mutiny, all of the treasure with them.
5. Plunder
The major benefit of playing on the higher difficulty levels is the fact that
your captain receives a larger share of the treasure when you choose to "Divide
up the plunder". Apprentice receives 2 shares; Journeyman receives 4 shares;
Adventurer receives 6 shares; Swashbuckler receives 8 shares. Receiving a larg-
er share of the plunder results in a higher score at retirement.
---------------------
|G. Special Ability |
---------------------
The final menu that you will see, prior to starting your piratical career,
allows you to pick a special ability for your captain. The basic premise of
these abilities are that they make it easier for you to do certain tasks. Based
on a small amount of research, it appears that whatever skill you select makes
it as if you were doing the associated action at the next lower difficulty
level. For example, if you chose the "Navigation" skill, and chose to play on
the Journeyman level, your ship would behave as if you were sailing at the
Apprentice level. The skills are as follows:
1. Skill at Fencing
This skill allows you to do sword combat as if you were playing at the next
lower difficulty level. Basically this amounts to your opponents moving slower
and makes them less aggressive in their attacks. It does not appear to make
your sword attacks more damaging or faster.
2. Skill at Navigation
This skill allows you to sail, on the overworld, as if you were playing at the
next lower difficulty level. "Clouds" have less of an impact on your sailing
direction. This skill does not appear to affect combat sailing, either in speed
or in raising or lowering of sails. This skill has no apparent affect on
Apprentice difficulty level. (If you are playing on Apprentice level, DON'T
choose this skill!)
3. Skill at Gunnery
This skill allows you to fire broad sides during ship combat as if you were
playing at the next lower difficulty level. Another apparent change is your
broadsides will travel farther. This skill does not appear to affect reload
rates, for either cannons or muskets, and also does not appear to affect dam-
age.
4. Wit and Charm
This skill allows you to gain land, titles and favor with governor's daughters
as if you were playing at the next lower difficulty level. You receive more
points at retirement if your captain has higher titles and is married to the
best wife. Additionally, your crew will stay at the pleased or happy levels
longer.
5. Skill at Medicine
This skill differs somewhat from the other previously listed skills. This skill
allows your captain to have a longer career by causing injuries to be less of a
problem, and by allowing your captain to maintain his health at a higher level
for a longer period of time than without this skill.
----------------
|H. Back Story |
----------------
After choosing your skill, the game will advance to your captain's back story.
Each nationality during each time period has a differing back story. This story
is really just for better game immersion and does not add or take away anything
from the actual game play.
* It should be noted here that for (almost) every new game you start, regard-
less of time period or nationality, you will have a one-on-one sword combat
duel with an enemy captain at the beginning of your captain's career. (The ONLY
time period and nationality where this does NOT happen is the Silver Empire
with the English Seahawk.) This will provide you with your first ship and crew,
should you win the duel. This duel is incredibly easy and usually only requires
a few good hits on the enemy captain to win. With that in mind, sword combat
will not be discussed here. For more information on Sword Combat, see section
VIII. Combat & Tactics.
* I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU GET A COPY OF THE GAME MAP. THERE IS AN EXCELLENT
FAN MADE MAP AT GAMEFAQS.COM IF YOU DO NOT OWN THE ORIGINAL! THERE IS ALSO A
SCAN OF THE ORIGINAL MAP ONLINE. PLEASE SEE SECTION XIV. CREDITS BELOW FOR
MORE INFORMATION.*
===============================================================================
IV. Starting Resources
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Each time period and nationality provides different starting resources for your
captain. Please note that difficulty level has no effect on starting resources.
Starting resources are outlined in detail in the table below.
TABLE: Starting resources per time period and nationality.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Nationality |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Period | English | French | Dutch | Spanish |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Seahawk | Corsair | | Renegade |
| | Title: Captain | Title: LOM | | Title: None |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 156 | Crew: 80 | | Crew: 60 |
| | Cannon: 40 | Cannon: 12 | | Cannon: 12 |
|Silver | Gold: 1000 | Gold: 4000 | | Gold: 1000 |
|Empire | Food: 32 | Food: 96 | Not available. | Food: 42 |
| (1560) | Goods: 50 | Goods: 0 | | Goods: 0 |
| | Hides: 0 | Hides: 0 | | Hides: 0 |
| | Ships: Pinnace,| Ships: Barque, | | Ships: Pinnace |
| | Fast Galleon | Pinnace | | |
| | Start: Trinidad| Start: Trinidad| | Start: |
| | | | | Nombre Dios |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Explorer | Adventurer | Trader | Renegade |
| | Title: None | Title: None | Title: None | Title: None |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 80 | Crew: 40 | Crew: 20 | Crew: 60 |
|Merchants| Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 12 | Cannon: 12 |
|and | Gold: 2000 | Gold: 5000 | Gold: 8000 | Gold: 1000 |
|Smugglers| Food: 64 | Food: 64 | Food: 256 | Food: 42 |
| (1600) | Goods: 30 | Goods: 10 | Goods: 25 | Goods: 0 |
| | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 |
| | Ships: | Ships: Barque | Ships: | Ships: Pinnace |
| | Merchantman | | Cargo Fluyt | |
| | Start: Trinidad| Start: Trinidad| Start: Trinidad| Start: |
| | | | | Porto Bello |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Adventurer | Huguenot | Privateer | Renegade |
| | Title: LOM | Title: None | Title: LOM | Title: None |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 40 | Crew: 56 | Crew: 175 | Crew: 60 |
| | Cannon: 20 | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 12 | Cannon: 12 |
|New | Gold: 4000 | Gold: 4500 | Gold: 4000 | Gold: 1000 |
|Colonists| Food: 115 | Food: 54 | Food: 29 | Food: 42 |
| (1620) | Goods: 0 | Goods: 10 | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 |
| | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 | Crops: 0 |
| | Ships: Barque | Ships: Barque | Ships: | Ships: Pinnace |
| | | | Fast Galleon | |
| | Start: Barbados| Start: | Start: Curacao | Start: |
| | | St. Christoph | | Porto Bello |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Adventurer | Privateer | Trader | Renegade |
| | Title: LOM | Title: LOM | Title: None | Title: None |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 40 | Crew: 48 | Crew: 20 | Crew: 60 |
|War | Cannon: 20 | Cannon: 20 | Cannon: 12 | Cannon: 12 |
|for | Gold: 4000 | Gold: 3000 | Gold: 8000 | Gold: 1000 |
|Profit | Food: 115 | Food: 64 | Food: 256 | Food: 42 |
| (1640) | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 | Goods: 25 | Goods: 0 |
| | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 |
| | Ships: Barque | Ships: Pinnace,| Ships: | Ships: Pinnace |
| | | Pinnace | Cargo Fluyt | |
| | Start: Barbados| Start: Tortuga | Start: Trinidad| Start: |
| | | | | Porto Bello |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Buccaneer | Buccaneer | Adventurer | Renegade |
| | Title: LOM | Title: LOM | Title: None | Title: None |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 40 | Crew: 48 | Crew: 40 | Crew: 60 |
| | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 12 |
|Buccaneer| Gold: 2000 | Gold: 1000 | Gold: 4000 | Gold: 1000 |
|Heroes | Food: 89 | Food: 69 | Food: 96 | Food: 42 |
| (1660) | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 | Goods: 15 | Goods: 0 |
| | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 |
| | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Pinnace |
| | | | | |
| | Start: | Start: Tortuga | Start: Curacao | Start: |
| | Port Royale | | | Porto Bello |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| | Pirate | Buccaneer | Adventurer | Costa Guarda |
| | Title: None | Title: LOM | Title: LOM | Title: Ensign |
| | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 | Wealth: 200 |
| | Crew: 56 | Crew: 48 | Crew: 40 | Crew: 50 |
| | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 16 | Cannon: 12 | Cannon: 16 |
|Pirates | Gold: 1000 | Gold: 1000 | Gold: 2000 | Gold: 2000 |
|Sunset | Food: 54 | Food: 69 | Food: 128 | Food: 61 |
| (1680) | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 | Goods: 0 |
| | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 | Sugar: 0 |
| | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Sloop | Ships: Sloop |
| | | | | |
| | Start: Nassau | Start: Tortuga | Start: Curacao | Start: San Juan|
| | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| NOTES: LOM = Letter of Marque |
| Every captain starts at age 25, unmarried, in fine health, with no |
| land. |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================================================================
V. Colony Encounters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The vast majority of your time will be spent at sea; however, the vast majority
of really important encounters in the game, and the place where your captain
actually starts out, are in colonies. This section will attempt to explain each
colony encounter in detail. For simplicity, in this section the words "town"
and "colony" should be considered interchangeable.
-----------------------
|A. Entering a Colony |
-----------------------
You actually start out in a town at the beginning of a new game, so you will
not actually have to enter a town until you leave for the first time - I hope
that makes sense. The ways of entering a town differ slightly depending on if
you are entering on foot, via a landing party, or if you are entering by ship,
otherwise known as "going to port". In either case, you must bring your ship
or landing party into contact with the colony on the overworld map. Colonies
are denoted by 1-3 house icons on the overworld map.
---------------------------------
|B. External Colony Information |
---------------------------------
When you attempt to enter a town, you will see some general information, basi-
cally what your captain can externally "see", about that particular colony, a
menu with options allowing you to interact with the colony and a graphical rep-
resentation of the colony. The information shown will tell you the name of the
colony, what nation's flag is currently flying over the colony, and how many
forts, if any, the colony has defending it. The menu options for interacting
with the colony are discussed below.
1. Sail into harbor (On ship) / March into town (On foot)
This option allows you to enter the town. If you are considered wary or hostile
by the nation that currently rules the colony, the nearby fort, or forts, may
open fire on your ships or your landing party. There must be a fort present for
this to occur. In some cases if a fort opens fire on your ships, you may have
one or more of them sunk by the cannon fire. In some cases if a fort opens fire
on your landing party, you may lose some crew. It is actually possible to suc-
cessfully enter an enemy town by going to port despite being fired upon if you
continue to attempt to do so. That is, if you don't lose all of your ships or
crew in the process.
2. Attack town
This option attacks the town. If attacking by ship, and there are any forts
present, you will be taken to ship-to-fort combat. If attacking by land, and
there are any forts present, you will be taken to ground combat. If attacking
by ship OR land and there are NO forts present, you will be taken to sword com-
bat. (See section VIII. Combat & Tactics for more information on attacking
towns by both land and ship.)
3. Sneak into town
This option attempts to get your captain into a hostile town by himself. This
can be useful if you are on a mission for a governor, or simply do not want to
fight a powerfully defended colony. In many cases, if your captain has a high
enough reputation or attacked the town recently, your captain may be recognized
by one of the town guards. If this is so, your captain will be forced to duel
the guard in sword combat. Even if your captain wins, you will not be able to
stay in town and will be forced to attempt sneaking in again. For some reason,
possibly due to a glitch, it is generally much easier to sneak into town on
foot, or even just choose to openly march into a hostile town with your entire
crew!
4. Leave town
This option lets you leave town without having to engage the town at all. This
can be a very useful feature if you did not realize that a particular town was
heavily defended, or if your ship was accidentally blown into the colony by the
winds at sea.
5. The Silver Train & Treasure Fleet
The Silver Train and Treasure Fleet are special events that can affect a colony
greatly. If either the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet are in a certain town,
this information will be shown by a large banner directly between the town in-
terface menu and the graphical town representation. The banner will say "The
Treasure Fleet [or] The Silver Train is in town!". Note that the Silver Train
ONLY appears in Spanish colonies located on the South American continent, and
the Treasure Fleet ONLY appears in certain Spanish colonies in general. (See
section XIII. Colony Gazetteer for which colonies can have the Treasure Fleet
or The Silver Train visit them.) Despite the name differences, each has exactly
the same effect on a colony, discussed below.
- Increased Wealth: Any Spanish colony that has the Silver Train or Treasure
Fleet in town gets a LARGE increase in overall wealth. If a colony is captured
with either of the two in town, gold plundered will usually be between 50 thou-
sand and 100 thousand, sometimes even higher, even in the – usually - poorest
colonies. In addition, the involved colony will also have a much greater supply
of cannon, food and trade goods to be plundered.
- Increased Military: Military presence in a colony with either The Silver
Train or Treasure Fleet in town will increase anywhere between 33% and 66%.
Note that the number of forts will NOT increase.
- Sustained: Finally, a town that has been recently visited by either the Sil-
ver Train or Treasure Fleet will maintain a small degree of the effects men-
tioned above even after The Silver Train or Treasure Fleet have left. In many
cases the overall prosperity status may improve to the next level. See "Status"
below.
* FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FINDING THE SILVER TRAIN OR TREASURE FLEET, SEE SEC-
TION XIV. SILVER TRAIN & TREASURE FLEET SCHEDULES
---------------------------------
|C. In-Depth Colony Information |
---------------------------------
Once you have successfully entered a colony you will see a graphical represent-
ation of the town on the upper left of your screen. To the right of this, you
will see the Town Information. Below both of these you will see a menu with op-
tions for interacting with the town itself. These options are discussed in the
sections below.
This section discusses the colony information in detail.
1. Name
This is the colony's name. While this CAN vary depending on the time period,
you will never see it change during a time period that you are currently play-
ing in. (Eg. Santigo Vega is changed to Port Royal in later time periods. This
reflects the English taking it over.) In other words, even if the colony ch-
anges nationality, it will maintain it's name for the time period you are play-
ing in.
2. Nationality
If you didn't see it when you entered the town, below the colony's name you
will see the current ruling nationality in parentheses.
3. Forts
This tells you how many forts are present in the colony. This number varies
widely from colony to colony. Generally bigger, wealthier colonies have more
forts than smaller, poorer colonies. But, not always.
Should you attack a colony, and if that colony has any forts, you will engage
the fort first, either from your attacking ship by sea or with your landing
party by land. The number of forts effects how much damage cannon fire deals
to your ship at sea and how much damage musket fire deals to your crew on land.
The number of forts does not change during a time period, but CAN vary between
time periods for a particular colony.
4. Soldiers
This tells you how many soldiers are garrisoned in a colony. Like forts above,
this number varies widely from colony to colony. Again, in general, bigger,
wealthier colonies tend to have more soldiers than smaller, poorer colonies.
But, as before, not always.
The number of soldiers a colony has affects how many will march out to meet
your landing party in ground combat. Generally more soldiers means they can
maintain better morale and take more punishment from you crews' muskets than a
smaller force will. The second aspect that is affected is the sword combat that
takes place between your captain and the colony's captain of the guard or fort
commander. As before, the town guard captain or fort commander will be able to
maintain better morale and take more punishment from your captain's sword if
there are more soldiers with him than what a captain with a smaller force could
bear.
The number of soldiers in a town can be affected by: malaria, indians, presence
of the Silver Train / Treasure Fleet, new governor or if the colony has recent-
ly been plundered by you or another pirate.
5. Citizens
This tells you how many citizens a colony has. A colony must have at least 600
citizens in order to have a governor. The number of citizens a colony has also
affects the number of recruits willing to join your party found in the tavern.
In general, more citizens will allow for more recruits. There have been rare
occasions when a colony will have the minimum number of citizens to support a
governor, but there will not be one present. This is likely due to the fact
that the game rounds numbers up. Therefore, the population may be a little less
than the 600 that is reported, and necessary, to have a governor.
The number of citizens in a town can be affected by: malaria, discovery of a
gold mine or the installation of a new governor by that colonies ruling nation.
6. Gold
This number gives you an estimate as to how much gold a colony possesses. This
number can vary, obviously, since it is just an estimate. Keep in mind that
some colonies will have gold despite it not being reported. This number can be
affected by: gold mine discovered at the colony, presence of Silver Train /
Treasure Fleet or if the colony has recently been plundered by you or another
pirate. If a colony does not have any gold reported, there is a very good
chance that the local merchant will be unable to buy your trade items.
7. Colony Status
This information tells you about the overall conditions of the local trade mar-
ket for the colony and, in the case of SPANISH COLONIES ONLY, whether or not
Spanish trade laws are being enforced. (For more on Spanish trade laws, see
Section VI. D. Trade with a merchant, below.) There are four ranks, from worst
to best:
- Struggling: Struggling colonies likely do not have any gold at the merchant
with which to buy your trade items, unless a gold mine has been discovered or
the Silver Train / Treasure Fleet has recently come to town. Trade items are
valued between 10 and 50 gold pieces. Value tends to be closer to 20 gold in
most cases. Available trade items for purchase are often less than 20 tons.
Spanish trade law is not enforced.
- Surviving: Surviving colonies are somewhat more likely to have gold at the
merchant with which to buy your trade items. Trade items are valued between 20
and 80 gold. Value tends to be closer to 50 gold in most cases. Available trade
items for purchase are between 20 and 50 tons. Spanish trade law is enforced
occasionally.
- Prospering: Prospering colonies likely will have gold at the merchant with
which to buy your trade items. Trade items are valued between 50 and 120 gold.
Value tends to be closer to 80 gold in most cases. Available trade items for
purchase are usually 100 to 140 tons. Spanish trade law is typically enforced.
- Wealthy: Wealthy colonies almost always have gold at the merchant to buy your
trade items. Trade items are valued between 80 and 200 gold. Value tends to be
closer to 150. Available trade items for purchase are usually greater than 120
tons. Spanish trade law is strictly enforced.
------------------------
|D. Visit the Governor |
------------------------
Governors are the most important agents for advancing your career in the game.
They provide you with news, titles, lands, amnesty, missions, a possible wife,
and the locations of evil Spanish nobles, which ultimately leads to rescuing
your family members, which, in turn, ultimately leads to finding lost Incan
treasure! All of which leads to a better score at retirement!! This section
describes governor interaction in detail.
* A few points to remember about governors:
- If a colony has less than 600 citizens it is considered too small to have a
governor and therefore you cannot visit the governor. Also note that if some-
thing happens to increase the population to 600 or above, the colony will then
elect a governor that you CAN visit. This also works the other direction as
well. If population dips below 600 for some reason, the governor will leave the
effected colony.
- Your captain can only visit a governor once per day.
1. War & Peace
The very first piece of information a governor will provide is whom his nation
is at war with and whom his nation is allied with. This is subject to change
throughout the course of the game. So, it's a good idea to pay attention to
this information. In the very rare instance that the governor's nation is not
currently at war, the governor will simply have nothing to say in regard to
this item. If you somehow get an audience with an enemy governor, your inter-
action with him will end after this information is provided, unless his nation
is currently offering amnesty to your nation. It should be noted here that if
no nations are at war and the governor has nothing of importance to say after-
wards, you will simply get a "The Governor has nothing to say" message, and the
interaction with him will end.
2. Commission & Amnesty
In the case of your captain not having a Letter of Marque, or any other title
associated with the governor's nationality, the governor may offer to sell you
a Letter of Marque for several hundred gold. The Letter of Marque is basically
a commission that you may legally attack enemy ships and towns for the govern-
or's nation. Note that the governor will not take offense if you refuse to buy
the letter. In other cases, if you are currently labeled as "Hostile" or "Wary"
by a particular nation, that nation's governor MAY offer you forgiveness (am-
nesty) for a few thousand gold. In later time periods, with the ever changing
political turmoil, amnesty is offered, and reported in the news, fairly often.
Again, the governor will not take offense if you refuse his offer. Although
amnesty may not be offered again if your nations go back to war.
3. Pirates & Hunters
If you have managed to capture either famous pirates or famous pirate hunters
on the open sea, rather than getting information from them about the locations
of the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet, the governor may, in the case of pi-
rates, take them off your hands; or, in the case of pirate hunters, offer you
gold from the hunter's family as ransom. This appears to be totally random and
will not occur every time you visit a governor with prisoners in tow. Deliver-
ing a pirate over to a governor helps in securing a promotion, while delivering
a pirate hunter over to a governor only provides gold. More on famous pirates
and hunters can be found in section VII. Ship Encounters.
4. Mission Completion / Failure
If you have successfully completed a mission, the governor will thank you, and
may propose another mission to you, or may grant you a promotion, or may do
both. Often times, the governor just thanks you and that is the end of it.
If you have failed a mission the governor will voice his displeasure with you.
5. Missions
Occasionally a governor may ask you to take on a special mission. These miss-
ions are presented to you without any details until after you accept them.
There are four types of missions, outlined below:
- Rescue: This mission requires you to save the governor's son from an enemy
colony. It is accomplished by successfully attacking the colony in question,
and delivering the governor's son to him. Despite what the governor says, you
do NOT have to capture the colony for the governor's nation. Additionally, you
will receive notification that you rescued the governor's son, but he will not
show up on your Party Status menu. You still must deliver him, however, to
successfully complete this mission.
- Hunter: This mission requires you to successfully capture a famous pirate off
the coast of a particular colony and to deliver him to the governor who origin-
ally assigned the mission. Please keep in mind that this mission can technical-
ly fail if you accidentally take your prisoner to the wrong governor, even if
that governor is of the same nationality as the one who originally gave you the
mission.
- Courier: This mission requires you to deliver an important document to the
governor of a particular allied colony directly. To complete this mission suc-
cessfully, you simply must visit the intended governor. This mission can tech-
nically fail if something happens to lower the colony's population below 600,
or if the intended governor is removed via his own nation or by another nation
taking the colony, as you will no longer have a governor, or the correct gov-
ernor at any rate, to deliver the message to!
- Spy: This mission is similar to the "Courier" mission above. It differs in
that you must deliver a message to a spy in a hostile colony. In order to com-
plete the mission successfully, you must deliver the message to that colony's
tavern. It is possible to capture the enemy colony and then deliver the message
to the tavern afterward.
Mission failure occurs only if you don't complete the mission and then return
to the governor who assigned the mission in the first place. Keep in mind if
the assigning governor is replaced by a new governor, or if the city the gov-
ernor resided in has it's nationality changed, effectively the same thing as
getting a new governor, than any mission you have from the original governor is
now null and void. Failing a mission simply means you will likely have to do a
little extra work to get your next promotion.
Mission success simply gives you a better chance at gaining a title and lands.
Completing a mission successfully does not always result in an automatic pro-
motion. Sometimes it takes several successful missions.
Finally, note that refusing to accept a mission does not offend the governor.
So, if you do not want to take on a mission, just say no!
6. Promotions
This is really the most important thing a governor will provide you. Every time
you attack enemy ships and colonies, you improve your chances of gaining a ti-
tle and lands from an allied governor. In general, the attack or capturing of
an enemy colony can lead to a very quick promotion. With this in mind, if you
capture an enemy colony or have managed to successfully attack several, it
would be prudent to return to a friendly governor to receive your promotion.
The main reasons behind doing this is it is possible to skip a rank altogether
if you have done too much between promotions, which you do not want to do, and
you will also advance faster and receive more opportunities to gain information
on your lost family members. In some instances, if you have not done enough to
warrant a promotion, you simply won't receive one.
7. Family Information
If you still have any lost family members after receiving a promotion, the
awarding governor will provide you information about the last known location of
an "Evil Spanish Noble". The evil noble, in turn, has information - actually a
piece of a map - about the location of one of your four lost family members.
Keep in mind that evil nobles are no different than the rest of the game (dy-
namic) and will travel among the colonies of the Caribbean. (Read more about E-
vil Spanish Nobles below.) If all four of your lost family members have been
rescued, the governor will not present you with this information after pro-
motion. For more information on Lost Family Members, refer to section X. Per-
fect Score Tips.
8. Evil Spanish Nobles
In the event that an Evil Spanish Noble that you have been tracking is at the
colony that you are visiting, you will find him at the governor's mansion. Once
found, you will enter into sword combat with him. The prize for your victory is
a piece of a map to one of your lost family members. If you are not able to as-
certain from the map piece you were given where your family member is located,
you will be able to obtain more of the map from another Evil Spanish Noble at a
later date.
In the case of an Evil Spanish Noble visiting a colony that does not have a
governor, you will find him at the Tavern.
8. Governor's Daughters
The last benefit that governors can provide for you are their daughters. Gov-
ernor's daughters serve primarily two roles: one is to be a spy inside the gov-
ernor's mansion, the second is to be both a spy AND a wife for your captain.
Governor's daughters are randomly distributed about the Caribbean. Some govern-
ors have daughters, some do not. If you are introduced to a governor's daughter
you are also presented with whom the governor's daughter is courting, his (the
suitors) rank, and two options that allow you to interact with her.
The first option, "Make pleasant conversation", does not lead to marriage, but
may lead to forming a valuable friendship, if you are "charming" enough. "Ch-
arm", in this case, basically means your captain is of close to equal or higher
rank than her suitor. If this is the case, then you will be informed that the
governor's daughter agrees to be a spy for you in the governor's household,
which basically means she will be able to tell you the current locations of the
Silver Train and Treasure Fleet. If your rank is not high enough, the inter-
action will simply end after you select "Make pleasant conversation." If you do
manage to befriend the governor's daughter, keep in mind the option to marry
her will be gone.
The second option, "Propose marriage", can lead to marriage. However, this de-
pends on your bride-to-be's reaction. If you are a significantly lower rank
than her current suitor, she will become offended and tell you so! If your cap-
tain is of a rank CLOSE to that of her suitor, she will be flattered, but tell
you to return and ask again once you have secured a better reputation. In real-
ity she is referring to titles and land, not your in-game reputation. Finally,
if you are rich and important enough, she may accept your proposal, but, you
must duel her current suitor in sword combat, and win, before she will wed you.
Once you are wed, she will act as a spy in her father's household, as above.
Please note once you are married, you will not be introduced to any new govern-
or's daughters. Any friends you have already made will, however, remain.
Two final points about governor's daughters: First, they are associated with a
particular governor. This means that governor's daughters will change if the
governor they are attached to is replaced either by his own government or by
another nation taking his colony. Please note that if your wife's father is re-
placed, you will still remain married. Finally, there are four "levels" of gov-
ernor's daughters. Depending on what level your captain marries will affect
your final score at retirement. Obviously you will receive more points if you
marry the "best" wife. In general, the better looking daughters are being
courted by higher ranking suitors than the more homely daughters. A brief des-
cription is given below:
- Best Wife: Auburn (red-brown) hair. Wearing black and red. Holding a cat.
- Good Wife: Blonde hair. Wearing white and multi-color. Holding a fan.
- Average Wife: ??? hair. Wearing green and a hat. Holding knitting.
- Bad Wife: Brown hair and glasses. Wearing black and white. Holding a book.
--------------------
|E. Visit a tavern |
--------------------
The taverns you will encounter in every colony are primarily used to gather in-
formation and to recruit crew members. The events that you will come across in
a tavern are discussed below in more detail. It should be noted that, with the
exception of talking to the barkeep, some, all or none of the encounters listed
below may or may not happen.
1. Talking to the barkeep.
In the VERY rare instance that nothing is going on at the tavern, you will read
about how the barkeep is "interested" in your recent travels and that may be
the end of your interaction at the tavern.
2. Recruit crew.
Many times when you visit a tavern there will be several pirates that will app-
roach you about joining your crew. This number varies widely from colony to
colony, but generally larger colonies have more pirates looking to join a crew.
It should be noted that you will also attract more crew members if your repu-
tation is higher. See section VI. Check Information for more information on
reputation. It is not possible to recruit crew members if you sneak into town.
3. Spy Mission.
The Tavern is where you will deliver the secret message you were entrusted with
by a governor. The spy will inform you that the governor will be pleased with
you when you deliver the message to the correct colony's tavern. Make sure you
return to the governor that gave you the mission in the first place to (maybe)
get your reward.
4. Colony Information.
Occasionally when you visit a tavern a traveling merchant will offer you in-
formation about a colony elsewhere for a fee, usually between 50-150 gold. The
information offered is always for colonies whose status has changed due to some
event such as a gold mine being discovered or pirates plundering the colony.
This information allows you to keep your colony information up to date. If you
do not buy this information, then any colony that has a status change will only
show "No Information" in the Colonies information screen. This can only be up-
dated by visiting the colony yourself or buying the information from the trav-
eling merchant.
5. Buried Treasure maps.
Occasionally when you visit a tavern an old, scruffy pirate will offer to sell
you a piece of an old, buried treasured map. The maps are usually in 1-2 pieces
and sometimes have information about the location where the treasure is buried.
The price for the map is usually between 300-800 gold. For some crazy reason,
when you purchase a piece of a map, if you happen to buy another map off of a-
nother old pirate without finding the treasure located on the first map, you
will receive an additional piece of the map you already have. It's weird, but
it does make it easier to find treasure since each time you get a piece, you
get more information. However, you do lose a bit on the return since you are
investing more.
6. Whereabouts of Evil Spanish Nobles.
If you happen to be tracking an Evil Spanish Noble and were unable to catch him
at the colony, the tavern patrons will often tell you where that particular no-
ble was heading to next.
7. News
Usually during your first visit to the tavern in a colony you will see the re-
cent happenings of the Caribbean and it's colonies. It's important to take note
of each piece of news as this will give you clues about the state of a colony
you may plan to visit, or attack. It should be noted when you start a new game
that any news events that occurred more than a month before the current date do
not have an effect on any colonies.
- Indians: The news that Indians have been at a colony means that the number of
soldiers at that particular colony have been reduced. Usually the reduction is
between 33% - 66%. This does not reduce the number of forts.
- Malaria: If malaria strikes a colony then both the number of soldiers and the
number of citizens at that particular colony is reduced anywhere between 33% -
66%. Keep in mind that if a colony's general population falls below 600, that
colony will no longer have a governor.
- New Governor: This news seems to have a highly variable affect on colonies.
In some instances it doesn't appear that anything changes. In other instances
you can see population increase or decrease, soldiers increase or decrease,
gold increase or decrease or status change. The other aspect of this change is
if the original governor of that colony has given you a mission, that mission
is now void. Additionally, a new governor means a new governor's daughter. If
the governor who is replaced happens to be your wife's father, you remain
married. (In other versions of the game getting a new governor was always a MA-
JOR colony changing event, so the variability here may be a glitch or simply
broken.)
- Gold Mine: This tells you that a particular colony's wealth, and the colony's
population has increased between 33% - 66%. In some cases this changes the sta-
tus of the colony which can drive up the cost of trade goods and means that the
merchants may have more money with which to buy from you.
- Amnesty: This one is pretty rare. This piece of news tells you what countries
are currently offering pardons to pirates whom they deem as hostile.
- Pirate Raids: This tells you that a particular colony's soldiers and gold
have been reduced. In the case of soldiers it's between 33% - 66%. In the case
of gold, it can often be close to 100%.
- War, Peace and Allies: If countries are at war, it will be listed here. If
countries are at peace, it will be listed here. If countries are allied, it
will be listed here. Keep in mind that governors will only tell you about war,
peace and allies as it pertains to THEIR nation. This piece of news tells you
about the ENTIRE political stance of the four nations in the Caribbean.
8. Evil Spanish Nobles
In the event that you track an Evil Spanish Noble to a town that does not have
a governor, you will encounter the Evil Spanish Noble at the tavern. This en-
counter is exactly the same as it would be had you found him at the governor's
mansion.
9. Stupor
If you visit a tavern more than three times in a single visit to a colony, your
captain will pass out and end up as a common crew member on another ship for
several months. After these months have passed, he will again bring on a new
crew and start a new expedition from a random colony. All gold, goods and ships
from the previous expedition will be lost. Falling into a stupor results in an
injury to your captain.
----------------------------
| F. Trade with a Merchant |
----------------------------
This option allows you to sell or repair ships, and to sell or buy trade goods,
food and cannon.
1. Spanish Trade Law
In some Spanish colonies the merchants may refuse to trade with you at all. In
this case, you will not be able to do ANY of the activities mentioned below and
will have to find a more friendly port to do business with. Below is what to
expect from each status of Spanish colony. Keep in mind that a status of “Wary”
or “Hostile” has no effect on your ability to trade.
- Struggling Spanish colonies: Struggling Spanish colonies will ALWAYS trade
with you. Unfortunately, other than allowing you to sell your ships or repair
them, they usually have little to no money to spend, or goods to sell to you.
- Surviving Spanish colonies: Surviving Spanish colonies will USUALLY trade
with you. In some cases, you might have to have the rank of Spanish Ensign to
trade.
- Prospering Spanish colonies: Your captain must have a rank of Captain or Maj-
or with the Spanish in order to be able to trade at prospering Spanish ports.
- Wealthy Spanish colonies: Your captain must have a rank of Major or Colonel
with the Spanish in order to be able to trade at wealthy Spanish ports.
2. Sell Ships
The first option available will allow you to sell your ships. The general rule
of thumb is larger ships sell for more, smaller ships sell for less. See sec-
tion XII. Ship Catalog for ship trade values. If you happened to march into
town on foot, this option will not be available.
You can always sell your ships, for some reason, regardless of the amount of
money, or lack of it, a colony has. The value of a particular ship does not
ever vary. It's the same in every colony and every time period. However, dam-
aged ships are worth less than undamaged. The loss of value depends on how
damaged the ship in question is. See section 3. Repair Ships below for a list
of the costs to repair ships. The value of an urepaired ship is it's normal
trade value minus the percent for the damage level.
3. Repair Ships
This option will only be available if you happen to have a ship in your fleet
that was damaged during ship combat. Prices for repair are higher for bigger
ships and lower for smaller ships. If you happened to march into town on foot,
this option will not be available.
It's generally a good idea to repair a ship if you are planning to continue
using it. Not repairing a ship can severely impair your attack capabilities if
you need to use that particular ship in ship combat. The price to repair a
particular ship does not ever vary. It's the same in every colony and every
time period. However, the cost to repair ships is directly related to their
trade value and how much damage the ship has sustained.
The list below gives the cost of repair for each damage level, please note the
damages listed below are what is shown during ship-to-ship and ship-to-fort
combat, you will not see these when repairing at a merchant:
- Spar damage – 10% - 20% of the trade value
- Sail damage – 30% - 40% of the trade value
- Lost a mast – 50% - 60% of the trade value
- Hull leaking – 70 – 80% of the trade value
- Ship sinking – 90% of the trade value
4. Trade Goods
This allows you to sell or buy food, trade goods or cannon. The cost and number
of the goods available depends on the status of the colony. See Colony Status
above. Trade goods vary somewhat throughout time periods, but they all serve
the same purpose, making you money by buying - or plundering - low and selling
high.
----------------------------
| G. Divide up the plunder |
----------------------------
This option allows you to end your current expedition. In case you chose this
option accidentally, the game will ask you if you are sure you want to do this.
If you are sure, you will advance to the next screen that details your exploits
in the Caribbean after which you will be given a few options to consider. For
further information on dividing up the plunder and how to interpret the inform-
ation and options you will be presented with, please see section IX. Divide Up
The Plunder, Defeat & Retirement.
------------------------
| H. Check information |
------------------------
This option is discussed in great detail in section VI. Check Information, be-
low.
-----------------
| I. Leave town |
-----------------
This option causes your captain and crew to exit the colony. Regardless if you
entered the colony by sea or on foot, your party will have to walk from the
colony to your ship.
Please note the following:
If you leave town after selling ships and have less cargo space than what is
required for your current level of cargo, you will be forced to dispose of the
excess before boarding your ships. In other words, you will get no money for
the lost cargo!
===============================================================================
VI. Check Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The "Check information" menu is the main interface menu accessible during act-
ual game play. This menu can be accessed from the overworld by pressing SEL-
ECT. In town, the option "Check information" allows you to access the menu.
This section will discuss each aspect of the menu in detail.
----------
|A. Date |
----------
At the very top of the menu is the date. This isn't really all that important,
but it does allow you to track the passage of time. Your captain does age, and
if he has sustained injuries during the course of your game, this has an ad-
verse effect on your overall score as well as shortening your captain's career.
In other versions of the game, the date and passage of time was a bit more in-
tegral to game play, but not so much in the NES version.
----------------------
|B. Continue Travels |
----------------------
This option allows you to do just that, continue your travels. If you are in
town, it will take you back to the main "town menu". If you are on the open
sea or have a landing party outside of town, it will take you back to the over-
world view.
------------------
|C. Party Status |
------------------
This menu shows important information about your crew, cannon, gold, food,
trade items, crew morale, fleet status and prisoners. Each item is discussed
further below.
1. Crew
This shows how many men are currently serving under you. This number is limited
by the type of ships in your fleet and your ship's maximum crew capacity. See
section XII. Ship Catalog for more information on individual ship maximum crew
capacity.
If for any reason your crew falls below 8 crew members per ship, you will be
forced to dispose of ships until you reach the 8 crew minimum. If it happens to
be the last ship in your fleet, your captain will be marooned and suffer an in-
jury.
2. Cannon
This shows how many cannon you have on-board your ships. This is again limited
by the number and type of ships in your fleet. You can store a maximum of 254
tons of cannon in your ships' holds. The number of cannon a ship can use in
combat is limited by the type of ship. See section XII. Ship Catalog for more
information on ship maximum cannon capacity.
3. Gold
This is how much SHARED gold you possess collectively. When you decide to "Div-
ide up the plunder", this is the amount that will be divided and distributed
among every crew member, including your captain. For whatever reason, the game
caps this number at 655350 gold per expedition. Once you reach this level, you
will not be able to collect more gold until you divide up the plunder and start
a new expedition.
4. Food
This is the amount of food you possess, measured in day's worth. Food store us-
age depends totally upon the number of men in your crew. The more men in your
crew, the quicker the food is used. The max amount of food you can carry, re-
gardless of how much hold space your fleet has, is 255 tons. Again, please note
that 255 tons of food with 500 crew will be used much faster than 255 tons of
food with 50 crew!
5. Trade Items
This encompasses the two trade items below the "Food" information. Trade items
vary by time period, but they all serve essentially the same purpose. That is,
you can trade them at town merchant shops for gold. The max amount of trade i-
tems you can carry, regardless of how much hold space your fleet has, is 255
tons per item.
6. Morale
This item shows the mood of your crew. The four levels, in order from best to
worst are:
- Happy
- Pleased
- Unhappy
- Angry
Once morale level reaches unhappy, crew members may desert you when you leave
port. In some cases they take gold with them, in other cases they just leave.
Once morale reaches angry, your crew will not only start deserting enmasse, and
almost always take gold with them, they may attempt to wrest control of the
fleet from you, otherwise known as a MUTINY! See section X. Perfect Score Tips
for tips on helping to keep your crew's morale up.
If your crew mutinies, and you lose the duel to the potential usurper, this re-
sults in an injury to your captain.
7. Fleet Status
This item shows the number, and types, of ships in your fleet. Your fleet size
is limited to 8 ships, regardless of ship size. It will also show if any ships
in your fleet are damaged, noted in parentheses next to the ship in question.
8. Prisoners
If you have any prisoners on-board they will be listed by name and occupation,
Pirate or Hunter, after you exit the "Party Status" menu.
---------------------
|D. Personal Status |
---------------------
This menu shows the pertinent information about your captain including: if he
is married, title, age, health, wealth, land, and current reputation. This sec-
tion will discuss each aspect in more detail below.
1. Marriage
If your captain is married, than the word "Married" will be located next to
"Personal Status" in parentheses. If your captain is unmarried, this space will
be left blank. You are not required to marry. However, being married improves
your score at retirement. The “better” your wife, the higher your score.
2. Titles & Relations
Any titles your captain possesses will be located next to the nation that supp-
lied the title. The higher your rank at retirement, the better your score. Ti-
tles also affect the quality of wife you can marry, which also has an affect on
your score. It is possible to have titles with more than one country. The order
of titles, from lowest to highest are:
- No Title
- Letter of Marque
- Ensign
- Captain
- Major
- Colonel
- Admiral
- Baron
- Count
- Marquis
- Duke
It should be noted that it is sometimes possible to receive a Letter of Marque
from a nation you have never had contact with if you happen to fight against a
nation they are at war with. This is likely a glitch.
One additional piece of information that will appear in the title section is a
nation's general stance towards you. These stances can be "Wary" or "Hostile".
If a nation is wary of you, they may or may not open fire if you go to port.
(There must be a fort present.) Hostile nations will always open fire on you if
you go to port. (Again, there must be a fort present.) Additionally, hostile
nation's ships will not communicate with you on the open sea via the "Hail for
news" option. Please note that you can have a title with a particular nation
and still be considered by that nation as wary or hostile.
3. Age & Health
Your captain's age increases as time passes. His health, generally, decreases
as time passes. Health is affected by both the passage of time and injuries
received. The more injuries you receive the faster your health decreases.
Your captain's health decreases faster if he is beaten in sword combat, fell
into a stupor at the tavern, or is involved in a ship wreck - gets marooned.
Marooning only pertains to losing the last ship in your fleet, or if you've
been defeated by the mutinous crew leader at sea. The less injuries you have
sustained at retirement, the better your score.
The health levels, in order from best to worst, are:
- Fine
- Good
- Fair
- Poor
Unless you have the “Skill at Medicine”, your captain will progress to poor
health status by the age of 34, even if you've suffered no injuries. There is
no age cap in the game; however, it becomes difficult to maintain crew morale
after about 3 years on an expedition. With this in mind, don't expect to con-
tinue a career much past 40 years old.
One final note, once your captain has reached “poor” health status, regardless
of age, the game will not allow you to resume your career after dividing up
the plunder.
4. Wealth
This is the amount of gold your captain personally owns. This number will be
increased whenever you "Divide up the plunder" after an expedition. The amount
you add to this number will depend on the total amount of gold captured on the
expedition as well as the shares you receive, which is based on the difficulty
level you are playing on. (See section III. Game & Character setup for more in-
formation on the shares received for the different difficulty levels.) This
number will decrease if you are defeated in sword combat or if all of your
ships are sunk. The more wealth you have at retirement, the better your score.
5. Land
This is the amount of acreage your captain personally owns. This number will be
increased each time you receive a new title from a governor. Land owned cannot
be decreased. The more land you own at retirement, the better your score.
6. Reputation
This item actually displays two pieces of information. Your current reputation
and the current difficulty level. (See section III. Game & Character Setup for
more information on difficulty levels.) If you "Divide up the plunder" you will
be given an option to return to the sea at the next higher difficulty level.
Therefore, this piece of information can change, but only between expeditions,
and only by choice.
Your reputation is how well known you are in the Caribbean. Reputation is div-
ided into six levels. The levels, from worst to best, are:
- Cowardly
- Promising
- Well Known
- Famous
- Notorious
- Infamous
In general, reputation effects how easy it is for you to sneak into enemy col-
onies without being recognized and forced into sword combat. Every captain sta-
rts out at the "Promising" level. A "Cowardly" reputation can only be obtained
by retreating from sword combat. Your reputation will increase if you are es-
pecially active in attacking ships and colonies. Note that you can have a low
reputation and still be caught sneaking into a colony if you have recently at-
tacked that particular colony. Having a high reputation when you retire pro-
vides for a better score.
----------------
|E. Ship's Log |
----------------
The ship's log is a very important document. It acts as both a record of your
exploits as well as a reminder about other important information; such as the
locations of Evil Spanish Nobles, who is at war with whom, governor's missions,
news, etc. Please keep in mind that only the last 23 entries are shown. This
can be problematic if you have forgotten the location of a governor's mission
and the note about that mission has been replaced by other notes. Specific ent-
ries, and their effects on the game world were discussed in section V. Colony
Encounters.
----------
|F. Maps |
----------
This option allows you to view any maps, if you indeed have any at all. Maps
bought from old pirates in taverns can either be in any range from single frag-
ments to full maps. Some have information about colonies close to the buried
treasure location to assist you in finding them. Others do not. Maps given to
you by Evil Spanish Nobles never have notes and only ever come in single frag-
ments. You can collect up to four fragments, if need be, by finding more Evil
Spanish Nobles and defeating them in sword combat. These maps provide the lo-
cation of one of your four lost relatives. Once a relative is rescued they will
provide you with one fragment of the location of a lost Incan treasure. You can
collect up to four fragments of this map, if need be, by finding your other
lost family members. (BUT DON'T DO THAT!! See section X. Perfect Score Tips on
increasing your Incan treasure.)
------------
|G. Cities |
------------
This options allows you to view information about the cities present for that
particular time period. Cities are dynamic and can be effected by many outside
forces, including you! With this in mind, you may find that city information is
unavailable for certain cities during the course of an expedition due to these
outside forces. This information can be updated either by visiting the city it-
self, or buying the information, for a small fee, from a traveling merchant in
a tavern. It is not necessary to keep this information up to date, but it is
nice to have when you need it. (News items in reference to the "outside forces"
were discussed in more detail in section VI. Town Encounters.) Please note that
cities change between time periods! See section XIII. Colony Gazetteer for
starting colony information per time period.
--------------------
|H. Take Sun Sight |
--------------------
This option allows you to ascertain your position on the overworld map. On the
Apprentice difficulty level Longitude is automatically given as a "dead reckon-
ing", otherwise known as 100% certain. On the higher difficulty levels, Longit-
ude is not given, so you have to make an educated guess. Because of this, it's
usually a good idea to take a sun sight on or nearby some body of land if poss-
ible. Latitude is what you will actually have to measure. In order to measure
Latitude properly, you must wait until the Sun is at it's highest point in your
view. Usually this is when the Sun reaches the center of the view you are
shown. Once the Sun is at this position, move the sun sight directly under the
Sun and move the sun sight's platform up until the Sun just touches the plat-
form. Your measurement will not be correct if the Sun is not at it's highest
point. The diagram below will attempt to show how to use this feature.
*Sun Sight taken from Trinidad*
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Yes | It's difficult to show in ASCII, but the large
| ___ | "X's" that make up the platform of the sun-
| No / \ No | sight would be touching the bottom line of the
| ___ \___/ ___ | Sun for a proper measurement. In the actual
|/ \ XXXXXXX / \ | game, the "base" of the Sun is about three
|\___/ X \___/ | yellow pixels wide. To be honest, if you have
| X | a game map, you'll probably never need to use
| x | this feature.
| x |
| xxx |
| xxxxx |
|____________xxxxx____________|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|-----------------------------|
| LATITUDE: 16N |
|DEAD RECKONING LONGITUDE: 61W|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
---------------
|I. Save Game |
---------------
This option is only available in town. I suggest you use it often. If you are
using an emulator, it's really not important. Save states are your friend!
------------
|J. Search |
------------
This option is only available on the overworld. You use this option to search
for lost family members and buried treasure whose positions are given on the
maps discussed above. Please note if you search in the wrong place several
times your crew's morale will drop quickly.
===============================================================================
VII. Ship Encounters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You will spend the vast majority of your time on the open sea. Due to this, you
will have MANY encounters with other seafaring vessels. Ship encounters are to-
tally random and you will not see other ships on the overworld. In general, you
will be much more likely to have an encounter with another ship if you are in
waters that are relatively close to a colony. This section deals with the op-
tions involved for interacting with other ships.
----------------------
|A. Initial Sighting |
----------------------
Your lookout will inform you when he first sees another ship on the horizon.
The sailing master will remind you which nation's waters you are currently in
as well, which are usually determined by the colony, or colonies, that happen
to be close at hand. In the case of areas that are not close to any colony, the
sailing master will state that you are in “unknown waters”. Keep in mind that
being in a certain nation's waters makes it much more likely that you will run
into a ship that serves that nation. At this point you have two options:
1. Investigate
This option will allow you to take a closer look at the other ship and will ad-
vance you to the next set of options. (See B. Closer Inspection, below).
2. Continue Voyage
This option will allow you to sail away, moving immediately back to the over-
world, without any further contact with the other ship. Useful if you are in a
hurry, or do not want to risk being pursued and attacked. This works 100% of
the time.
-----------------------
|B. Closer Inspection |
-----------------------
If you selected to investigate at the Initial Sighting, you will be advanced to
this set of options. The only additional piece of information you get at this
point is the type of ship you have encountered. This information can be very
helpful in that it will allow you to get an idea of what you might be dealing
with from the standpoint of crew and firepower. At this point you have two op-
tions:
1. Investigate
This option will allow you to actually come into contact with the other ship
and will advance you to the next set of options. (See C. Contact, below).
2. Sail Away
This option will allow you to sail away, moving immediately back to the over-
world, without any further contact with the other ship. However, unlike Con-
tinue Voyage above, this option will occasionally NOT work if the particular
ship you are inspecting is from a hostile nation, or happens to be a pirate or
hunter, and you will be advanced to the next set of options. (See C. Contact,
below). For more information on pirates or hunters, see D. Pirates & Hunters,
below.
-------------
|C. Contact |
-------------
If you selected to investigate at the Closer Inspection, you will be advanced
to this set of options. At this point you are told of what nationality the
other vessel happens to be, or if it is a pirate or hunter vessel. In the case
of a pirate or hunter vessel, you will be told of the pirate, or hunter, cap-
tain's name and reputation. In the later time periods it is possible to have
encounters with pirate vessels with unnamed captains. You now have three op-
tions:
1. Close for battle
This option immediately advances you to ship-to-ship combat. (See VII. Combat &
Tactics; B. Ship-to-Ship Combat, for further information).
2. Hail for news
This option allows you to gather news, much like at a tavern in a colony. How-
ever, if the ship you are trying to hail is from a hostile nation, you will not
be able to get any news from them in most cases and the encounter will simply
end. It should be noted that news from other vessels is often not up to date
with news that is gathered in taverns.
3. Sail away
This option will allow you to sail away, moving immediately back to the over-
world, without any further contact with the other ship. However, in the case of
an encounter with a hostile nation's vessel or a pirate or hunter, this option
has even LESS chance of working than the previous two opportunities to sail
away, and you may be forcibly advanced to ship-to-ship combat.
------------------------
| D. Pirates & Hunters |
------------------------
Throughout the course of your sailing you will occasionally run into special
encounters with either pirates or hunters. Pirate vessels are usually denoted
with black flags and a specific captain name. Hunter vessels are usually de-
noted with flags of whatever country they happen to be working for, and a spe-
cific captain name. In later time periods, it is possible to run into pirate
vessels without a specific famous captain associated with the ship. What to ex-
pect with these special encounters is outlined below.
1. Less chance of escape
In many instances pirates and hunters will not allow you to leave a ship en-
counter peacefully and you will be forced into ship combat. It is, however,
still possible to escape by driving your ship out of range of the enemy. See
section VIII. Combat & Tactics for more information on Ship Combat. You will
find as your rank and reputation grow, however, that these same famous pirates
and hunters may actually attempt to run from you.
2. Better armed and crewed
Pirate and hunter vessels will always have more cannon and crew members than
their regular merchant ship counterparts. Keep this in mind when deciding on a
ship to face them with.
3. Locations of the Treasure Fleet or Silver Train and ransoms
If you manage to catch and defeat a pirate or hunter you will be offered the
chance to either hold the famous enemy captain for ransom, collected through a
random colony governor; or, interrogate the enemy captain about the location of
either the Silver Train or the Treasure Fleet. The information about the Silver
Train or the Treasure Fleet is identical to what your friends and/or wife give
you. See section V. Colony Encounters; D. Visit the Governor for a review on
ransoms and rewards for pirates and hunters.
4. Mission success
As was mentioned in section V. Colony Encounters, you may have received a miss-
ion from a specific governor to apprehend a specific pirate. If this is the
case, you will not be given the option to ask the enemy captain of the where-
abouts of the Silver Train or the Treasure Fleet, as it will be necessary to
keep him to complete your mission.
===============================================================================
VIII. Combat & Tactics
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are four types of combat in the game. This section will deal with each
type of combat in detail, as well as give some general tactics to maximize your
attacking capabilities and prowess.
-------------------
| A. Sword Combat |
-------------------
Sword combat is the form of combat that you will be participating in the most
in the game. It is also the most important of the four forms. It's extremely
important that you master this form of combat. This section will discuss when
to expect to enter into sword combat, weapon choices, understanding the sword
combat screen and information, and sword combat tactics.
1. When to expect to enter into sword combat
Sword combat occurs in the following situations: after boarding (or being
boarded by) an enemy ship, after successfully making it to a fort by land or
sea during an attack, attacking a colony with no fort by land or sea, finding
an Evil Spanish Noble, putting down a mutiny, after your captain is caught att-
empting to sneak into town, and fighting the marriage duel with your potential
wife's suitor.
2. Weapon choices
In every case, with the exception of the very first duel at the beginning of
the game, you will be presented with an option to choose the type of sword that
you would like for your captain to do battle with. These options, with a brief
explanation for each, are outlined below:
- Rapier: fast attack/parry, low damage
- Long Sword: medium attack/parry, medium damage
- Cutlass: slow attack/parry, high damage
3. Sword combat screen and information
After you have selected your weapon, sword combat begins. Your captain always
starts on the right side of the screen, wearing a white shirt and blue pants.
The enemy (captain, guard, noble, etc.) always starts on the left wearing any
variety of shirt and pant combinations. Below each combatant you will see three
pieces of information, outlined below:
- Name: This shows your captain's name and the name of your combatant.
- Force: (one v. one duel): This shows how many men are involved in the battle.
In the case of one versus one duels, these numbers will only ever be 1 and do
not change. These duels occur in the following situations: Evil Spanish Noble
duels, getting caught attempting to sneak into town, putting down a mutiny, and
the marriage duel.
- Force: (colony & ship battles): Again, this shows how many men are involved
in the battle. In this case, this number will vary widely and depends on how
many men are on the ships or in the forts, on both sides. This number, on
either side of the conflict, will decrease during the course of sword combat.
The rate of decrease depends greatly on how the battle is going and the differ-
ence in number of men between the two sides. If one side has many more men than
the other side, the number of combatants on the smaller side will generally de-
crease faster. This number will also decrease more slowly if the battle is go-
ing well for a particular side, or will decrease more quickly if the battle is
going poorly for a particular side. For more information on how the battle is
going, see "Morale" below.
-Morale: (one v. one duel and colony & ship battles): This shows the total com-
bined morale of your men and/or your captain and the total morale of the opp-
osing side's men and/or captain (guard, noble, etc.). There are five levels of
battle morale, listed from best to worst below
- Wild!
- Strong
- Firm
- Shaken
- Panic
The change in morale shows who is winning the battle. If you've managed to pro-
gress your morale to the "Wild!" level during a battle, you are very close to
winning the battle. If you morale has fallen to the "Panic" level, you are very
close to losing! Morale is effected greatly by the difference in number of men
in each force, as discussed above, and how well your captain is fighting. With
this in mind, you can be greatly outnumbered, but if you are dominating the en-
emy captain in sword combat, you can steal a victory! You are considered much
more daring and bold if you are able to consistently win in sword combat with a
smaller force, which is reflected by your in-game reputation.
Finally, even if your morale is at the "Wild!" level, it is possible to lose in
sword combat if you have no more men in your force. In this case, you can still
win, but if the enemy happens to land even a single blow on your captain, you
will lose. In some cases, your captain may just kneel and give up depending on
how long he has been fighting alone.
4. Sword Combat Tactics
Below is a list of general recommendations to maximize your prowess in sword
combat.
- Do NOT use the Cutlass: On the higher difficulty levels, it's just too slow.
Enemies can cut you to pieces before you can even land a couple blows. I prefer
the Rapier, but the Long Sword is also okay if you are very good at parrying.
- Fierce attack: The fierce attack should be your primary attack. It's more
damaging and, if you follow all of these methods, you should be able to dis-
patch just about any enemy pretty quickly using it. (Even when greatly out man-
ned.)
- Regular attack: This attack should be used in the following situations: to
cause an enemy who has pressed in close to back off, and as a feint to get an
enemy to raise or lower his guard so that you can land a fierce attack. See be-
low for more information.
- Attack motion: If you are using the fierce attack, you will notice that your
captain will actually "lunge" forward a bit when he swings his sword. You can
use this to your advantage by actually pushing away from your opponent with the
control pad about the time that your sword blow will land. It takes some prac-
tice, but what will end up happening, in most cases, is you will be able to hit
your opponent with your sword and, when they attempt to attack you, they will
swing and hit nothing but air. This method is VERY effective if you can master
it. Just remember it's a smooth back-and-forth motion.
- Aim high and low: The most damage is gained by hitting your enemy's middle
section. However, it is very rare for your enemy to leave their middle open, so
you're actually better off alternating going high and low when you attack.
Learning how to feint can make this much easier. See below.
- Feint: As was mentioned above, if you are trying to land a blow on your enemy
you can actually try to get him to raise or lower his guard by using the reg-
ular attack, say at his feet for example, followed by a fierce attack to the
head. Use this in conjunction with the attack motion above.
- Press: If your enemy has pressed in hard and is pushing you across the screen
you can get him to back off by landing one - or a few - quick regular attacks.
Usually 1-2 hits will cause him to back off and give you some room.
- Parry: If you are fast, and follow the attack motion above, you won't need to
do this often. However, this is still a very useful skill to learn and practice
as it can sometimes be the only thing that saves you, particularly if your
enemy has pressed in hard on your captain and you cannot get him to back off as
you watch your number of men and morale drop. It is MUCH easier to parry with
the Rapier.
- NO cowards: Unless you are attempting to get a low score, do not move your
captain all the way to the right of the screen and press the control pad to the
right when up against the edge of the screen. This will cause you to flee the
battle and will cause a HUGE hit to your reputation and your men's morale. The
ONLY time I would flee from a battle is if it looked as if you had no possible
way of winning AND had a huge haul of gold that you would forfeit if you lost
the battle and were imprisoned. The best way to avoid this? Don't lose.
--------------------------
| B. Ship-to-Ship Combat |
--------------------------
Ship-to-ship combat will be the second most common form of combat you will par-
ticipate in during the game. Ship-to-ship combat only ever occurs at sea and
will only occur if you choose to attack another ship, or, in the case of some
famous pirates and hunters, if you are not allowed to escape during or after
the "Closer Inspection" phase of the ship encounter. This section will discuss
initial ship selection, understanding the ship-to-ship combat screen, and ship-
to-ship combat tactics.
1. Initial ship selection
Immediately before you enter into ship-to-ship combat, you will be presented
with the current wind speed, how many men are ready for battle and an option of
which ship to select for the upcoming ship-to-ship combat. If you only have one
ship in your fleet at the time of combat, you will skip this screen entirely
and be taken directly to combat. See tactics below for recommendations on ship
selection.
2. Understanding the ship to ship combat screen
When combat begins, your ship, which is always an orange-brown color, and the
enemy ship, which is always black, will start more or less within the center of
the screen, facing each other. Where you actually start in the middle of the
screen appears to be totally random. Sailing on this screen is exactly the same
as sailing on the overworld, with notable exceptions being you can now raise
and lower sails and fire cannon. It should be noted here that no matter where
your ship starts on the screen, your ship information is always listed on the
left of the screen and the enemy's information is always listed on the right of
the screen. Below the main combat screen you will see several pieces of inform-
ation, outlined below:
- Wind speed and direction: This tells you how strong the wind is (light, med-
ium, strong) and which direction it is blowing. As an example, if you read
"Medium winds from the E" here, this means that a medium wind is blowing from
East to West (right to left) on the screen. If you sail East, or directly into
the wind, your ship will move very slowly. If you sail West, or away from the
wind, your ship will move very fast. Wind speed and direction can change during
the course of combat.
- Ship type and speed: This section tells you the ship types involved in combat
and their current speed measured in knots. Speed during combat depends on six
factors: current wind speed and direction, vessel type, current point of sail-
ing, sail type used, damage, and crew number. These six factors will be dis-
cussed in greater detail below in ship-to-ship combat tactics.
- Cannon and crew: This section shows how many cannon and crew are present on
each ship. The more cannon an a ship, the more damage it can do. Having a large
crew on a ship affords several advantages: faster reloading of cannon, faster
raising and lowering of sails and slightly faster sailing speed. Of course,
having more crew present also means you have better chances of winning in sword
combat when you board, or are boarded by, an enemy vessel. Crew will usually
diminish when a ship is hit by cannon fire. Cannon number can also decrease
if a ship is hit by cannon fire.
- Damage: This section shows if any damage has occurred to a ship during the
course of combat. The levels of damage listed from best to worst are:
- Spar damage
- Sail damage
- Lost a mast
- Hull leaking
- Ship sinking
As damage occurs to a ship, it's speed will decrease. In the case of hull
leaking or ship sinking, the ship may not be able to move at all, or if it can,
it may move in a direction dependent on wind speed and direction, rather than
the intended direction. Ships that have a "Ship sinking" status can actually
be sunk by further cannon fire.
- Actions: This section shows two pieces of information. The first is usually
the current sail type used, battle sails or full sails, and if they are being
raised or lowered. The second piece of information is the status of your cann-
on. If they are ready to fire, or are in the process of being reloaded.
3. Ship-to-Ship Combat Tactics
Below is a list of suggestions and tactics to improve your prowess in ship-to-
ship combat.
- Wind speed: When you are choosing a ship to use in ship-to-ship combat you
really do not need to worry about wind speed. Wind speed is much more important
in ship-to-fort combat. Ship-to-fort combat is discussed in section C. below.
- Use a slightly smaller, more maneuverable ship: A general rule of thumb to
use when attacking a ship is to use a ship that is smaller and more maneuver-
able than the ship you are attacking. For example, if you are attacking a Bar-
que, it would be better for you to attack using a Sloop or Pinnace. If you are
attacking a famous pirate's War Galleon, you may want to use a Frigate or Fast
Galleon. Smaller ships, in general, are better to use when attacking because
they are less affected by wind and can turn faster.
- When in doubt, choose a Barque: The Barque is an EXCELLENT ship to catch
ships that are of Cargo Fluyt size or larger. In some cases, like was mentioned
above, you may want to use a slightly larger ship to catch a War Galleon or
larger ships that have a famous pirate or hunter on them, since they will be
better armed. However, in the vast majority of encounters, a Barque will work
very well.
- Raise your full sails: Once ship-to-ship combat starts, the FIRST thing you
should do before anything else is raise your full sails by pushing "Up" on the
control pad. NEVER use your battle sails. You'll learn quickly that ship combat
of any type is really ALL about speed and maneuverability. Your full sails are
the best option here.
- Board the enemy ASAP: Your PRIMARY goal in ship-to-ship combat is to board
the enemy vessel as soon as possible. The reasoning behind this is you will
sustain much less damage and loss of crew, and your potential prize will sus-
tain much less damage as well.
- Cannon use 1: Your cannon will always attempt to fire in the general direct-
ion of the enemy vessel. Firing cannon from a ship is called a "broadside". The
reason for this name is that cannon can only be fired from the broadest sides
of a ship. In other words, you must have one of the sides of your ship pointed
toward your enemy in order for the cannon fire to get there. The best advice I
can give you here is to try to learn the angles that cannon fire travels. The
only way to learn this is with practice.
- Cannon use 2: Your primary goal, again, is to board the enemy vessel causing
as little damage as possible. With this in mind, you should really only use
cannon in the following situations: attempting to slow down an enemy ship who
may be trying to escape; decreasing the crew of an enemy ship before attempting
to board the ship. In most cases you should only hit an enemy ship two or, at
most, three times with cannon fire. Hitting a ship this many times will usually
slow the ship down enough to be caught or will thin out the crew sufficiently
for you to have a better chance in sword combat once you board. If you hit the
ship more than three times, you'll end up paying quite a bit in repairs. In
most encounters, you may not even fire your cannon at all.
- Use the wind and best point of sailing: You don't need to memorize the best
point of sailing for every vessel because it's quite easy just to watch your
speed and make adjustments for it. However, you should try to maneuver your
ship, and maybe use some cannon fire, to get the enemy vessel to sail in a dir-
ection in which you can take advantage of your ship's best point of sailing as
this will usually allow you to gain some speed and catch the enemy. However, as
was mentioned above, if your ship is fully crewed, there is a good chance you
may have a 1-2 knot speed advantage on the enemy already.
- Learn to tac: What I mean by this is to make slight adjustments while sailing
to help you close the gap between your vessel and the enemy. For example, if
the enemy is sailing directly south at 5 knots and you are following right be-
hind the enemy at 5 knots, you will never catch them this way. (At least you
won't catch them this way unless you can get a good cannon shot in and slow
them down.) However, you may find that if you adjust your point of sailing
slightly while in pursuit you can actually increase your speed by a few knots
to close the gap, and then point your ship back towards your enemy. To sum up,
think of this as sailing in a very slight zig-zag pattern.
- Run away: If for some reason you feel you may lose the battle, feel free to
try and run away. In this case, you just have to try and sail far away from the
enemy. In some cases, if the enemy won't let you escape, as long as they do not
ram your ship or sink your ship with cannon fire, the battle will eventually
end on it's own. Running during ship-to-ship combat does NOT affect your in-
game reputation.
--------------------------
| C. Ship-to-Fort Combat |
--------------------------
Ship-to-fort combat is the third most common type of combat in the game, behind
sword combat and ship-to-ship combat. Ship-to-fort combat only ever occurs if
you choose to attack a colony by ship AND the colony that is being attacked has
at least one fort. In the case of attacking a colony by ship that does not have
a fort, you will be taken directly to sword combat. This section will discuss
initial ship selection, understanding the ship-to-fort combat screen, and ship-
to-fort combat tactics.
1. Initial ship selection
Immediately before you enter into ship-to-fort combat, you will be presented
with the current wind speed, how many men are ready for battle and an option of
which ship to select for the upcoming ship-to-fort combat. If you only have one
ship in your fleet at the time of combat, you will skip this screen entirely
and be taken directly to combat. See tactics below for recommendations on ship
selection. Wind speed is MUCH more important in ship-to-fort combat, so make
sure you read about it below in ship-to-fort combat tactics.
2. Understanding the ship-to-ship combat screen
When combat begins, your ship, which is always an orange-brown color will start
near one side of the screen facing the fort you will be attacking which is loc-
ated on the other side of the screen opposite to your ship's position. In this
case, where you start from depends on the side from which you attacked the col-
ony on the overworld map. For example, if you sailed your ship into a colony
from the East, traveling from right-to-left on the overworld, your ship will
start on the right side of the screen during combat and the fort will be some-
where on the left of the screen. Sailing on this screen is exactly the same as
sailing on the overworld, with notable exceptions being you can now raise and
lower sails and fire cannon. It should be noted here that no matter where your
ship starts on the screen, your ship information is always listed on the left
of the screen and the enemy fort information is always listed on the right of
the screen. Below the main combat screen you will see several pieces of inform-
ation, outlined below:
- Wind speed and direction: This tells you how strong the wind is (light, med-
ium, strong) and what direction it is blowing. This is EXACTLY the same as wind
speed and direction that was discussed above in ship-to-ship combat.
- Ship type and speed: This section tells you about your ship type and it's
current speed measured in knots. As a reminder, ship speed during combat de-
pends on six factors: current wind speed and direction, vessel type, current
point of sailing, sail type used, damage, and crew number. These six factors
will be discussed in greater detail below in ship-to-fort combat tactics.
- Fort: In ship-to-fort combat this label takes the place of the label that was
used for the enemy ship in ship-to-ship combat. This label does not tell you
anything of importance. It's only function is to help you remember which side
of the screen the fort's information is listed on.
- Cannon and crew: This section shows how many cannon and crew are present on
your ship and how many cannon and soldiers are present in the fort you are att-
acking. Again, the more cannon present, the more damage a ship, or a fort, can
do. The advantages of having a larger crew on your ship in this case are the
same as above in ship-to-ship combat. For the fort, the advantages of having a
large garrison is faster reload time of cannon. Crew on your ship, and soldiers
in the fort, will usually diminish when hit by cannon fire. Cannon number can
also decrease if a ship or fort is hit by cannon fire. It should be noted here
that the garrison once inside the fort is MUCH larger than what is shown during
ship-to-fort combat.
- Damage: This section shows if any damage has occurred to your ship during the
course of combat. This section for your ship is, again, exactly the same as in
ship-to-ship combat. The damage is also shown for the fort, however, I have
never seen this change, and this section will always read "No damage" for the
fort. (I've sat off the coast of a poorly defended fort with a fully armed War
Galleon and pounded it with cannon fire and have never gotten the damage status
to change.)
- Actions: This section is exactly the same for your ship as was outlined above
in ship-to-ship combat. In regard to the fort, this section is hidden, so you
have no way of knowing if the fort is reloading cannon or is ready to fire.
3. Ship-to-Fort Combat Tactics
Below is a list of suggestions and tactics to improve your prowess in ship-to-
fort combat.
- Favorable wind side: When attacking via ship on a colony, ALWAYS try to att-
ack from a direction where the wind will aid your ship speed. As an example,
think of an island colony that can be attacked from ANY direction. The wind
generally blows from East to West (right to left on the screen). If you attack
from the East, your ship will likely have VERY favorable winds and will be able
to reach the fort very quickly. If you attack this same colony from the West
side, the wind may be so bad you might not be able to advance your ship on the
fort at all! You'll learn very quickly that, due to their position on the map,
there are a few colonies that are very difficult to attack by sea, while others
are quite easy.
- The right ship for the job: When you attack a fort, you definitely need to
keep in mind the size of the garrison you will face when selecting your ship,
in addition to the wind conditions. This is why it's always a good idea to keep
the City Information up to date on enemy colonies. If you know you will be fac-
ing a very well defended colony, you will want to bring as many crew with you
as possible. Unfortunately, you also have to keep in mind the wind conditions.
While you may want to bring a Galleon's worth of crew with you, if the wind
won't allow your Galleon to make it to the fort, you may have to choose a much
smaller ship, or consider a ground attack, in order to capture the fort. As a
side note, the better you are at sword combat, the less crew you will generally
need which will allow you to use smaller, more maneuverable ships. Yet another
reason to be REALLY good at sword combat!
- Fight another day: If the wind is not favorable, or if the land and reef lay-
out is very difficult to get your ship around, you can always turn your ship a-
round and escape the battle and then immediately attempt another attack from a
different angle or wait for the wind to change. (Watch the clouds.) You lose no
in-game reputation for retreating from ship-to-fort combat. However, doing this
will usually result in a somewhat smaller haul of gold and goods since the col-
ony now knows you're coming.
- Raise your full sails: As above in ship-to-ship combat, your PRIMARY goal
here is to get to the fort AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!! So, the first thing you should
do when combat begins is raise your full-sails. This, again, provides the best
speed and maneuverability.
- Cannon use: Do NOT fire your cannon. Get your ship to the enemy fort as soon
as possible. Don't waste your time exchanging cannon fire. It does very little
to thin out the garrison in the fort.
- Learn to tac and dodge: You can use the same tactic here as in ship-to-ship
combat to try and advance your ship toward the fort faster. However, one added
variable is that the fort can fire cannon at you no matter what direction you
approach. It takes practice, but once you get the timing down, you can actually
dodge incoming cannon fire as the game will try to fire it's cannon where it
THINKS your ship will be going. Obviously smaller more maneuverable ships are
easier to dodge with. It's also easier to dodge if the wind is favorable.
Larger ships are more difficult to turn and dodge with, however, if the wind is
very favorable, you can sometimes get to a fort before they can even get off a
second round of cannon fire.
--------------------
| D. Ground Combat |
--------------------
Ground combat is the last combat form and the least frequently used. In fact,
you can go entire careers, and score a perfect 100, without engaging in this
form of combat. However, ground combat can be quite fun and, in many cases, may
be the ONLY way for you to successfully attack an enemy colony. So it is still
important to learn the nuances of it and understand how it works. Ground combat
only ever occurs when you choose to attack a colony on foot. In other words,
you are moving your party over land and not on a ship. In this section we will
discuss understanding the ground combat screen and ground combat tactics.
1. Understanding the ground combat screen
When combat begins, your crew, which is always a white color when actively sel-
ected, or a grey color when not selected, will start near one side of the
screen. The fort you will be attacking, which is located on the other side of
the screen opposite to your crew's position, will have anywhere from one to
several groups of soldiers, denoted by a yellow color, in front of it. In this
case, where you start from depends on the side from which you attacked the col-
ony on the overworld map. Between your crew and the fort you will see several
different icons representing different types of terrain. It should be noted no
matter where your crew starts out on the screen, your crew's information is al-
ways listed on the left side of the screen, the information for the enemy is
always listed on the right side of the screen. Below the main combat screen you
will see several pieces of information, outlined below:
- Name: This shows the name of the combatants. In this case, your crew will al-
ways be listed as "Pirate Party". The enemy soldiers will be listed as "Defend-
ers".
- Men: This shows the number of men in the selected and active party for both
your crew and the enemy soldiers. This ONLY shows the number in the party that
is actively selected. Keep in mind that there can be several groups of combat-
ants on the field and that this number will change as you, or the enemy, change
the party that is selected. In general, the more men a party has the better
morale is maintained.
- Muskets: This shows the number of muskets possessed by the selected and act-
ive party. Again, this ONLY shows the number of muskets in the actively select-
ed party. Keep in mind that there are several groups of combatants on the field
and that this number will change as you, or the enemy, change the party that is
selected. The number of muskets a party has shows how many men will be removed
from your party for each salvo. For example, if your party has 30 muskets and
opens fire on the enemy, the enemy unit will lose 30 men per salvo. It should
be easy to realize then that the more muskets you have the more damage you can
inflict. Strong musket fire can lower morale of the units on the receiving end
of the fire very quickly.
- Morale: The last entry shown here tells you two pieces of information. The
first is the morale of the selected and active unit. As has already been men-
tioned above, this ONLY refers to the selected active party. The other parties
on the screen have their OWN morale. Morale here works exactly like morale in
sword combat above. However, in this case, morale can be lowered by effective
musket fire. Morale drops quickly under heavy musket fire and more slowly un-
der weak musket fire. Morale also drops more quickly in smaller parties than it
does in larger parties. Once the "Panic!" morale level is reached by a partic-
ular party, that party will attempt to run away in the case of your crew, or
retreat to the fort in the case of the enemy soldiers. See below for the second
piece of information provided in this entry.
- Terrain: This tells you the current terrain that the active and selected par-
ty, both your crew and the enemy, is currently standing on. There are five
types of terrain: clear, marsh, swamp, woods, fort. Parties move fastest on cl-
ear terrain, but have no cover from musket fire. Parties move slowest on marsh
terrain and have no cover from musket fire. Parties move slower in swamp and
woods than on clear terrain, but have moderate coverage from musket fire in
swamps and excellent coverage from musket fire in woods. Fort terrain only app-
lies to the enemy soldiers who are firing on your parties from inside the fort.
Once one of your parties touches the fort, you are immediately moved to sword
combat.
2. Ground Combat Tactics
Below is a list of suggestions and tactics to improve your prowess in ground
combat.
- Study or spy: Before you attack a colony by land, particularly if it is a
strongly defended colony, look at your Town Information to get a handle on how
many troops you'll be dealing with beforehand. If you do not have this inform-
ation and have not been able to buy it from a traveling merchant, try sneaking
into town to find out about the defenses.
- Recruit: Once you have a handle on how many enemy soldiers you will be facing
try to recruit some additional men at the tavern to make sure you have a large
enough force to handle the enemy. One HUGE benefit of attacking by land is ALL
of your crew will be with you when you make it to the fort. This allows you a
MUCH better chance of winning in sword combat against even the best defended
colonies as well as giving you a much better chance of capturing the colony for
your country of choice.
- Recon: Each colony in the game has unique terrain surrounding it. When you
attack a colony by ground check the lay of the land before advancing your part-
ies. If the terrain is unfavorable, retreat and try attacking the town from a
different direction. (You do not lose in-game reputation if you retreat from
ground combat.) As an example, if you attack a colony and have nothing but
marsh between your crew and the fort, you will want to retreat.
- To the trees!: When you first enter into ground combat, check the terrain for
woods. The more woods for you to hide in, the better. If there is not a lot of
woods, particularly around the fort itself, you may want to retreat and try an-
other direction.
- Bigger is better: You have a much better chance of reaching the fort with
your largest party if you are not able to advance the entire crew at once. See
below.
- Hide n' Seek: Your primary goal is to get to the fort as quickly as possible.
If the strength of your force is significantly stronger than those of the def-
enders, you can simply use the "move all" option and make a frontal assault on
the fort. However, in most cases when attacking by land you will be going up
against a superior defense force. In this case you need to use the terrain to
your advantage. As was mentioned above, try to use the woods. A good tactic is
to immediately start moving your largest group toward the woods and hide them.
After they are hid, use one of your smaller groups as bait to draw off the main
defense force. Once the coast is clear you can either advance on the fort, try-
ing to keep to the woods as long as possible, or you can flank the enemy force
and catch them in musket crossfire!
- Use the terrain: You do not have to have woods to hide in all the time when
attempting a ground attack. Although, it's definitely in your favor if you have
it! In many cases it's quite easy to lure the defense forces into marsh land
where you can either run around them or move your parties into a more favorable
position to flank them.
*Please note:
If you return to your ships after a ground assault, and have lost too many men
to crew them - remember the 8 crew per ship limit - you will be forced to dis-
pose of ships until you get to the limit.
===============================================================================
IX. Divide Up The Plunder, Defeat & Retirement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In order to actually finish a game, either in victory or defeat, one of four
events must occur. Either you have CHOSEN to "Divide up the plunder" in town,
or your captain has been captured in combination with advancing age or injury,
or your captain has been ship wrecked in combination with advancing age or in-
jury, OR your captain has simply succumbed to poor health brought about by in-
jury. This section will discuss how to interpret the screens that you will see
when any of these four events occur. See section X. Perfect Score Tips for some
suggestions on how to "Divide up the plunder".
---------------------------
| A. Divide Up The Plunder |
---------------------------
Whenever it comes time to divide up the plunder and end an expedition, you will
be presented with several pieces of information outlined below.
1. Crew reaction
This shows how the crew feels about their portion of the plunder. The game uses
the same scale here as it does for crew morale. You can use this information to
get a general idea about how well your expedition went. Obviously the happier
the crew is, the better.
2. Captain's cut
This shows how much your captain received from the plunder for that expedition.
Remember, if you are playing on a higher difficulty level, your captain auto-
matically receives a greater portion of the plunder. Your captain's cut is add-
ed to his total personal gold.
Your captain receives what is reffered to as "officer's portions". One officer
portion is approximately 2.5% of the total plunder. As was already mentioned
playing on a higher difficulty level increases this number. See the list below
for reference:
- Apprentice - 2 officer's portions = 5.0%
- Journeyman - 4 officer's portions = 10.0%
- Adventurer - 6 officer's portions = 15.0%
- Swashbuckler - 8 officer's portions = 20.0%
If you'd like to determine your captain's cut before dividing the plunder,
simply multiply the total party gold by the percentage shown above for your
particular difficulty level. For example, if your party gold is 100,000 your
captain would receive about 5,000 gold on Apprentice. The same amount on
Swashbuckler would give your captain about 20,000 gold. As you can see, it is
generally better to play on the higher difficulty levels if you can handle it.
3. Career options
These options allow you to do the following:
- Plan another expedition: This option allows you to start a new expedition
with a new crew. When this option is chosen, your captain will begin at the
colony where you originally divided up the plunder with a new crew, a little
collective gold gleaned from your captain's gold and the FIRST ship that was
listed in your fleet from the previous expedition. Please keep this in mind,
this will be the ONLY ship that you start with when you begin a new expedition.
It is also important to remember that time passes, usually 2-4 months, between
expeditions. This can be valuable time lost, particularly if your captain is
older or has suffered injury.
- Retire from privateering: This option allows you to "retire" and view your
captain's individual exploits and accomplishments. See "Retirement" below for
more information.
- Advance to the next difficulty level: This option works exactly the same as
"Plan another expedition" above, with the exception being that your captain
will advance to the next difficulty level.
- If your captain is 34 years old or greater, or is in “poor” health, these
career options will not be available.
---------------
| B. Injuries |
---------------
In order to understand defeat better, how injuries occur needs to be explained.
Injuries to your captain occur in the following situations:
- Losing in sword combat for any reason.
(Running away does NOT affect injury status.)
- The sinking of your LAST ship by cannon fire or running over a reef.
- Losing your LAST ship due to not having enough crew to man it.
- Falling into a stupor at a tavern.
If any of the above calamities occur and your captain is still relatively young
or is still in good health, you will begin another expedition several months
later with a new crew at a random colony. Unfortunately, you will have lost all
of your gold, goods and ships from the last expedition.
Your captain can actually be injured up to nine times, as long as he is under
34 years of age, before the game will force you into retirement after dividing
up the plunder as his health will now be in the “poor” range.
-------------
| C. Defeat |
-------------
If your captain has been captured by losing in any form of combat; been ship-
wrecked either by sinking the last ship in your fleet, or by running over a
reef in your last ship, OR from cannon fire in your last ship; or has succumbed
to poor health or injury, he may be forced into retirement if he is old enough,
had injuries or a combination of the two. If this occurs, you will be forcibly
advanced to the "Retirement" screen without the option to begin a new ex-
pedition. See "Retirement" below for more information.
-----------------
| D. Retirement |
-----------------
If you have chosen to retire from privateering after choosing to divide up the
plunder, you will be presented with several pieces of information that will
give you an idea about how your career has gone. This information is outlined
below:
1. Reputation
The first bit of information presented to you is in regard to your captain's
overall reputation. Descriptive words such as daring, bold and active are bet-
ter than quiet, cautious and cowardly.
2. Personal wealth
The next section discusses your wealth in gold and land. Besides having the ab-
ility to see what you've actually accumulated over the course of your career,
you will be given some hints to your overall wealth status. Descriptive words
such as "extremely wealthy" are better than "penniless pauper".
3. Ranks and Titles
The last bit of information shown on this screen is in regard to your captain's
ranks and titles. The higher the rank or title, and the more your captain has
of them, the more "distinguished" he is in the community. Descriptive words
such as "well respected" are better than "little known".
(After you have viewed the information above, you can advance to the next
screen that discusses your captain's personal life and outlook.)
4. Age
The first information given here is the age that your captain retired at. In
general, you will receive a higher score if your captain was fairly young at
retirement, although this will be reduced by injury.
5. Bride
The next information provided describes your marriage status. You will receive
a higher score if you are married, and are married to a good wife. Descriptive
words like "exciting and beautiful" are better than "pestersome and shrewish".
6. Family
The information provided here details how many of your four lost family members
you have managed to find. The more family you have found during your career,
the higher your score.
7. Wounds
This information details how many wounds you have received during the course of
your career. The less wounds you have received, the better your health and the
better your score.
8. Life Outlook
This information describes your captain's future outlook. Descriptive words
such as "happy and fun-loving" are better than "sad and bitter".
(After you have viewed the information above, you can advance to the next
screen that will allow you to view your captain's final score and rank.)
9. Final score and life after piracy
This screen shows you your final score and the career your captain takes up
after piracy. Obviously the higher the score the better your career. See sec-
tion XI. Pirate Point Reference for more information regarding how the game
scores certain actions and accomplishments.
The list below shows the names of the different careers and the point values
associated with each career:
- Beggar -15 - below
- Pauper -10 - -14
- Scoundrel -6 - -9
- Rogue -1 - -5
- Farm hand 0 - 4
- Sailor 5 - 9
- Bartender 10 - 14
- Sergeant 15 - 19
- Sailing master 20 - 24
- Tavern keeper 25 - 29
- Major 30 - 34
- Shop owner 35 - 39
- Colonel 40 - 44
- Council member 45 - 49
- Merchant captain 50 - 54
- Sugar planter 55 - 59
- General 60 - 64
- Wealthy merchant 65 - 69
- Plantation owner 70 - 74
- Rich banker 75 - 79
- Fleet admiral 80 - 84
- Lt. governor 85 - 89
- Governor 90 - 94
- Kings advisor 95 – 100
10. View the Pirate Hall of Fame
After viewing your captain's final score, you can advance to the next screen
which will allow you to see where he ranks in relation to your previous pirate
captains.
11. Return to the life!
If you are unhappy with your score, and if your captain is young enough and in
good enough health, after viewing the Pirate Hall of Fame you will be presented
with the option to either remain in retirement or return to your piratical car-
eer. If you choose to remain in retirement, the game ends for you current cap-
tain. If you choose to return to piracy, you will begin a new expedition with
the same captain as was outlined above in the "Divide up the plunder" section.
===============================================================================
X. Perfect Score Tips
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't get that perfect score of 100? Below are some tips, a few of which have
already been mentioned above, that will assist you in getting that perfect
score. Keep in mind, it is absolutely possible to score a perfect 100 with all
of the nationalities, in every time period and at every difficulty level. It's
important to realize that it will likely take anywhere from 2 to 3 expeditions
with your captain to score 100 points. The list below will attempt to walk you
through everything you need to do or consider when trying for 100 points.
------------------------
|A. Initial game setup |
------------------------
1. Time period: This one isn't super important, but you will likely have an
easier time scoring 100 points in the later time periods - War for Profit and
later - if you are a relative novice of the game. It's easier to sell off
excess cargo and there are more wealthy colonies of every nationality to attack
in the later periods.
2. Nationality: Refer to section IV. Starting Resources to compare the differ-
ent nationalities for the time period you are playing in. A good rule of thumb
is to pick the nationality that will start your captain out with a rank or at
least a LOM. Doing so will put you slightly ahead as far as gaining titles.
Additionally, it is a good idea to look at the amount of gold your crew starts
with and the amount of food. These two aspects effect your crew's morale, so
the more you have, the better. Finally, in my opinion, it's better to start out
with a smaller ship since they tend to be easier to catch other ships with.
3. Difficulty: If you are new to the game, start out on Apprentice and consider
moving to Journeyman after dividing up the plunder on your first expedition. If
you have played before, I recommend starting out on Journeyman and consider
moving to Adventurer after dividing up the plunder on your first expedition. I
would only play on Swashbuckler if you REALLY want a challenge, and REALLY want
to be ANNOYED!!
4. Special Ability: This one is VERY important. Unless you are absolutely awful
at sword combat, I would strongly recommend selecting either "Wit and Charm" or
"Skill at Medicine". "Skill at Fencing" is not a bad choice, but eventually you
should be pretty good at sword combat, so, selecting this choice will end up
being a bit of a waste. Don't ever select "Skill at Gunnery" or "Skill at Nav-
igation". Gunnery is a total waste because, if you follow my tips for ship com-
bat (both types) above, you likely will fire no more than 1 to 2 broadsides an
encounter. "Skill at Navigation" is really only useful on the Swashbuckler
difficulty level because the "wind" blows your ship ALL over the place.
-------------------
| B. General Tips | - Things to consider throughout the course of a game.
-------------------
1. Fight the Spanish: Simple reasoning, the Spanish ALWAYS have the richest
colonies AND they have the Silver Train and Treasure Fleet. The only exception
to this rule may be when you play in the "Pirates Sunset" time period as a
Spanish Costa Guarda because the other nations at this point have wealthy ports
as well. (But they still do not have the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet!) If
the nation you are fighting for happens to ally with the Spanish, consider
switching allegiance to a nation that is currently at war with the Spanish.
2. Fight for more than one nation: In general it's always a good idea to fight
for the English since they are almost always at war with the Spanish. Once you
have built your rank up with the English, fight for the French or Dutch. Pick
whichever nation happens to be at war with the Spanish. If that particular
nation happens to be allied to, or at least at peace with, the English, that
is even better. You will get a higher score if you have multiple high titles.
3. Save your game!: You should ALWAYS save the game BEFORE you dig for buried
treasure, look for lost relatives, fight Evil Spanish Nobles, or have any in-
teractions in town. This will allow you to possibly get better map fragments,
more treasure from buried chests, and to avoid governor missions that you may
not want to do. Some consider this cheating. I call it being smart.
4. Avoid reefs: It is absolutely possible to sink any ship on a reef. Smaller
ships have a much lower chance, but it can still happen. The best thing to do
is to avoid them at all costs.
5. Pay attention to the lay of the land: It will take time, but do your best to
pay attention to land shapes and special features during the course of your
travels. It will help you immensely when using maps.
6. March into town: If you are having a hard time sneaking into town with your
captain, just openly march in. Eventually you will get in. You will be notified
that the forts are opening fire on you as you march in, but you will not lose
any crew, for whatever reason. (This is probably broken.)
7. Do NOT sail into a hostile town: You will very likely lose ships and valu-
ables by doing this. If you must enter a hostile town for peaceful reasons, do
so on foot or sneak in.
8. Base setup: It will help you out a lot to have a friendly port close by. If
you are in an area where friendly ports are few and far between, try taking a
fairly wealthy enemy colony for your host nation so you will have a base of op-
erations to work out of and to sell off goods. This is particularly helpful in
the early time periods.
9. Avoid changing colony nationality in colonies visited by the Silver Train
and Treasure Fleet: Quite simply, if you change the nationality of colonies
that can host the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet to something other than Span-
ish, the Silver Train and Treasure Fleet will STOP going to those colonies.
Essentially you will be robbing yourself of more opportunities to capture this
valuable resource. Either attack with a smaller force, or, if you do happen to
capture a colony, leave the new governor as Spanish.
10. Treasure Fleet & Silver Train: Attack the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet
each and every opportunity that presents itself. Most of the time you will make
75,000+ gold from taking one or the other. (Do this even if you are allied to
the Spanish, it's worth it.)
11. Famous Pirates & Hunters: Unless you have a good network of spies in the
governor's household, ask hunters about the locations of the Silver Train or
Treasure Fleet rather than keeping them for ransom. You'll make MUCH more gold
finding this information out than waiting for a possible ransom payment. In the
case of famous pirates, hold them for ransom because you will likely get a pro-
motion for turning them over to a governor.
12. Combat: Get good at it. Read section VIII. Combat & Tactics. If you have to
pick one, get good at sword combat.
Lucky 13. The "Farewell" expedition: As was mentioned above, you should expect
to do no more than three expeditions with a single captain. If you managed to
have two good expeditions with your captain (lots of gold, lots of land, good
titles, found your family, hot wife, etc.) you can make a boat load, see what
I did there?, of gold easily on a farewell expedition by doing the following:
- Hold on to the last Incan treasure map: Don't find the last of the four Incan
treasures during your second expedition. Hold the map for your third ex-
pedition. (Refer to section I. Maps below for information about Incan treasure
maps.)
- Hold on to a larger ship: Preferably a Frigate or a Fast Galleon. A Merchant-
man is okay as well since the crew capacity is very close to 200.
- Choose to advance to Adventurer or Swashbuckler: You'll see why below.
- Recruit a small crew: Recruit your crew up to about 200 or so. Try not to go
above this. If you're good at sword combat, keep this number as low as you can.
Remember though, you are playing on a higher difficulty level so sword combat
will be more difficult.
- Find the last Incan treasure: Your small crew, even on the high difficulty
level, will be very happy now.
- Don't fight other ships: You can, but your primary goal will be outlined be-
low.
- Hang out around South America: Try to stay close to the South American con-
tinent. You'll see why below.
- Attack the Treasure Fleet / Silver Train: This will be much easier if you
have a spy close by. Your primary goal is, over the course of a few months,
probably no more than 4-5 months, to attack and take the Silver Train /
Treasure Fleet. Hopefully you will be able to successfully attack each once.
When you are waiting for them to show up, feel free to attack some of the weak-
er Spanish colonies on the South American continent to keep your crew's morale
up.
- Thin out the crew: After you've captured the Treasure Fleet / Silver Train
at least once each, do a ground attack on a well defended Spanish colony to
thin out some of your crew. Remember to run away and to make sure your crew
doesn't dwindle down to a size where you will not be able to sail your ship!
- Divide up the plunder!: Sail to a friendly port, sell whatever you can, and
divide the plunder. Congrats, you just got 8 shares of the booty by playing on
Swashbuckler (or 6 shares on Adventurer) for just a couple of months of work!
- If you are NOT confident in your sword combat abilities on Swashbuckler, you
can actually just skip recruiting crew and go and find your Incan treasure with
your small crew and then divide up the plunder. You'll get 8 shares of the
100,000, divided with a tiny crew, for basically doing nothing! Sweet.
----------------
| C. Governors |
----------------
1. Letter of Marque: Do NOT buy this unless you plan on fighting for the gov-
ernor's nation. It's just a waste of money. In some cases you will end up with
a LOM for free anyway.
2. Amnesty: Only buy this if it is offered by a non-Spanish nation. The only
time you might want to buy this from the Spanish is if you are planning on re-
tiring soon and need to sell off excess cargo. Even then, Spanish Trade Law may
make it useless.
3. Ransom: Take whatever is offered to you the first time for hunters. You will
likely just lose money if you wait for a better offer because hunters have a
chance of escaping every time you visit a colony.
4. Pirates: Any random governor will accept a famous pirate you have captured
as a prisoner, you just never can be sure which one it is. With this in mind,
when you have a famous pirate as a prisoner, you may want to make sure you only
ever talk to the governors of the nationality you are working for in order to
get a promotion. Otherwise, you may end up turning him over to a hostile gov-
ernor accidentally.
5. Missions: Missions are a great way to gain promotions. Some missions are
easier than others. With this in mind, it is always wise to save before speak-
ing to a governor. This way, if he gives you a mission you do not want to do,
you can reload your game and simply say no. Keep in mind, there is not a time
limit to completing a mission. You can take your time and do it when you get a-
round to it. One final suggestion: do not take on a mission if your crew is un-
happy or angry. Your crew's status may become mutinous quickly if you spend
several days at sea trying to hunt down a pirate, for example.
6. Mission completion/failure: If you have successfully completed a mission, it
would be wise for you to get back to the governor who commissioned you rather
soon to secure your promotion - or at least his happiness. The reason behind
this is if his colony is captured or if his own government ousts him, you may
have just missed out on a promotion because the new governor will know nothing
about your mission. The opposite of this, however, is when you fail a mission.
If you have failed a mission you can save yourself a hit by doing one of three
things: wait until the governor's nation ousts him, wait for the governor's
colony to be taken by another nation, or take the colony yourself and install a
new governor. To be safe, you may want to install a new governor of a different
nationality. The last option is obviously the best. Do not fail missions, or
use this work-around to not fail.
7. Promotions: Promotions will come slower as your captain advances in rank.
However, it's always a good idea to at least check and see if you can get a
promotion, particularly if you have been very active in attacking enemy ships,
or if you have taken a colony for your host nation. Don't wait long periods of
time in between visiting friendly governors!
7. Family information: Another reason to save the game before speaking to the
governor is if he tells you of an Evil Spanish Noble who happens to be at a
colony that would be difficult for you to get to. If it would be a real pain
for you to go to the colony the governor tells you, simply reload the game, do
something different in town, and then talk to the governor. In many cases he
will give you a different, and often better, location.
8. Evil Spanish Nobles: Yet ANOTHER reason to save the game before speaking to
the governor - or, in some cases, visiting the Tavern. If you are at a colony
where the Evil Spanish Noble is waiting for you, it would be wise to save be-
fore fighting the duel. This will allow you to possibly get a better map piece
which in turn will allow you to find your lost family member more quickly. Just
reload your game and do something else in town before visiting the governor or
Tavern. In the case of finding lost family members, however, it's okay if you
end up needing to get another map piece or two. (This is NOT the case in find-
ing Incan treasure! See "Maps" below.)
9. Marriage: If your captain is under age 30, NEVER propose marriage to the
average or bad wife. Only ever propose to the good or, preferably, the best
wife. If your captain is over 30, may be retiring soon, and he is unmarried, it
is okay to propose to the average wife. The average wife will score you some
points. You do get a few points for the bad wife, but I would still avoid her
if possible. If you have found a governor who has the best wife, make sure you
try to propose to her every time. Obviously if you know about a best wife some-
where, you can just be friends with the other daughters until your rank is
higher to land the best wife. You sly dog.
--------------
| D. Taverns |
--------------
1. Recruit Crew: The less crew you have, the easier it is to keep everyone hap-
py. Be careful about taking on more crew if your current crew is unhappy, or
angry as this will make things worse. However, you will want to take on more
crew periodically to replenish your ranks if you have had losses in battle,
need more crew to man your fleet, or if you are planning on attacking a well
defended and fortified colony. Keep in mind that colonies with smaller pop-
ulations have less recruits. In this way, you can somewhat control the number
of men joining up. (On a personal note, I like to have a crew around 300 or
less for most of an expedition. This number seems to work well.)
2. ALWAYS buy town information for SPANISH colonies: Since Spanish colonies are
usually the richest, and the most likely for you to attack, it's a good idea to
keep this information up to date. You may also want to keep updated information
on other colonies as well if you are hostile to the colony's nation.
3. ALWAYS buy the pirate's treasure map: In many cases you can find buried
treasure from a single fragment of the map. In most cases you spend 300 gold
and usually end up making between 3,000 - 12,000 gold! That's a pretty good re-
turn on your investment. Keep in mind that every time you buy a map, if you al-
ready have a fragment in your inventory, it will add to that map only. You get
less return obviously if you buy more than one piece. This ONLY applies to old
pirate's maps. You cannot buy additional pieces of maps for lost family or In-
can treasure.
4. Pay close attention to the news: The news at Taverns is always up to date.
Take advantage of gold mines being discovered, garrisons of rich colonies being
depleted by Indians, etc.
------------
| E. Trade |
------------
1. Buy low and sell high: Colonies with low status often sell what goods they
have very cheaply. Colonies with high status often buy those same goods for
much more than what you paid. If you have the cargo space, buy the cheap goods
and sell them at the high status colonies. The more you can make, the better.
2. Repair ships: Repair the ships you want to keep. Don't bother repairing a
ship you plan to sell.
3. Sell ships: Sell your extra ships. If you have maxed out your cargo space to
255, there is no reason to keep that extra Galleon in your fleet. Make some
money off of it. It's also good to sell off ships if you have just enough crew
to man your fleet. You don't want to risk losing a ship because your crew has
been depleted.
4. Sell cannon: If every ship in your fleet has max cannon, sell the excess. (I
forget about this one ALL the time.)
-------------------------
| F. Divide the Plunder |
-------------------------
1. When: It's time to divide up the plunder when you can no longer keep your
crew out of the unhappy or angry range. See below for information on how to
keep your crew happy or pleased. It's also time to divide up the plunder when
your total gold reaches 655350, regardless of your crew's morale, as this is
the maximum gold you can acquire in a single expedition. Any gold you acquire
on a single expedition after reaching this number is simply lost.
2. Thin out the crew: You will get more gold if you have less crew. A very easy
way to do this, when you know you will be dividing up the plunder soon, is to
take your time in sword combat and let some of your men, um, get killed... Or
you can do ground combat on a well defended colony and let some musket fire
"take care" of your large crew problem... Nobody ever accused pirates of being
nice. I would NOT do this via ship combat as you can lose gold, ships and cargo
if the ship happens to be sunk. You lose nothing, other than crew, using the
other methods.
3. How: Sell off as much as you can before you divide up the plunder. Sell your
goods, food and cannon first. Sell off your ships last. Start trying to sell as
soon as you think it might be time to divide up the plunder, even if you are
not making great money on what you are selling. If you are planning to start a-
nother expedition, remember to keep the ship you would like to use for the next
expedition. If you do not sell your ships, they simply disappear before your
next expedition, and you make no money from them.
4. End of the month: If you have a lot of cargo to sell, try waiting to sell it
on the last day of the month. The reason behind this is local merchants, for
whatever reason, magically have all of their money back at the beginning of the
month. Therefore, if they did not have quite enough money to buy your cargo,
simply waiting one day will make it where you can sell the excess. As long as
you do not board your ship, your crew will not desert you and take money with
them. Sell your cargo, leave town on foot and walk around until the month ch-
anges, walk back into town and sell off the rest!
5. Where: It's best to divide up the plunder in a wealthy, friendly colony.
This will allow you to sell off everything and then to recruit crew immediately
upon starting your next expedition.
----------------------------
| G. Morale & Fleet Status |
----------------------------
1. Morale suggestions: There are several aspects to maintaining morale at the
happy or pleased levels. They are outlined below IN ORDER:
- Gold: The more gold you have PER crew member, the better. Finding treasure or
selling a lot of goods and ships can often result in a large morale boost.
- Numbers: The less crew you have, the more gold each of them gets. See above.
If your crew is large and getting unhappy you can "thin it out" and get every-
one happy again.
- Food: The more food you have, at least enough to keep the crew from starving,
the better. Morale drops VERY quickly if you run out of food.
- Action: The more plundering and pillaging you do, the better. Pirates get
bored easily.
- Digging: The less you have to dig, for anything, the better. Pirates are, for
the most part, pretty lazy.
- Walking: The less you have to walk over land, the better. See the "lazy"
thing above.
- Sailing: The less time you spend on an expedition, the better. In general,
morale will start to become very difficult to maintain when you are nearing
three years on a single expedition.
This list is pretty straight forward. If you are able to consistently do most
of the things on this list, you will be able to maintain your crew's morale for
a long time.
2. Morale Glitch: This is just included for completeness. If your captain man-
ages to make it to 40 years of age, your crew will always be "Happy".
3. Fleet status suggestions: One of the many fun things about Pirates! is that
you can build your fleet however you desire. Below are my recommendations, but
you can do whatever you want.
- Small: Always keep at LEAST one small craft, preferably a Sloop or Pinnace,
as these ships are much easier to use to catch other ships.
- Big: Try to get your cargo capacity up to 255. Once you have reached this
status, you can sell off any excess ships as you cannot increase your cargo
capacity beyond 255.
- Versatile: Frigates and Fast Galleons are the most versatile ships. Barques
are the most versatile of the small ships.
- Merchant: If you have the titles you want and simply want to make money,
Merchantmen and Cargo Fluyts are excellent options to use in your fleet because
they have relatively large cargo capacity and are fairly maneuverable.
- Sell: Do not be afraid to sell off excess ships. This is actually a good way
to make money!
- Don't sink!: If you capture enemy ships, do NOT sink them. Keep them and sell
them, even if they are damaged. The lone exception to this is if you capture a
ship and would have to sink a more valuable ship in your fleet to keep it.
--------------
| H. Captain |
--------------
1. Get married: To the best wife you can find! Avoid marrying the bad wife if
possible. She does score you some points, but it's not difficult to marry the
average wife and score more points, even if you're not very rich or famous.
2. Titles: Try to get at least one title of nobility (Baron or higher). Try to
get multiple titles, particularly if you have a low nobility title with another
country and are unable to advance it for some reason.
3. Retire early: If at all possible, try to retire by age 30. If you have the
"Skill at medicine", you can usually make it to 32. If you retire sooner you
have less chance of sustaining injury. Injuries are what lower your score.
4. Wealth and Land: Quite simply, the more you have of both, the better your
score. You get more land by having more titles. Visit friendly governors often!
It's actually possible to score 100 points just from having enough gold. Even
if you do nothing else. The magic number, with NO other modifiers, is about
265,000 gold in your personal stash.
5. Reputation: You get more points if you are especially active in capturing
colonies and attacking enemy ships. The more you do it, successfully, the bett-
er your score.
6. Do not retreat: Your reputation takes a major blow if your captain retreats
in sword combat. Try not to do it if you can help it!
7. Do not get injured: See section IX. Divide Up The Plunder, Defeat & Retire-
ment for information on how injuries occur. It IS possible to score a perfect
100 if you are injured, even multiple times, but it becomes more difficult
with each injury.
8. Find your family: Finding your family is a major event in the game for two
reasons. The first is, the more family you find, the higher your score. The
second is, the more family you find, the more Incan gold you can get. It IS
possible to score 100 by not finding ANY family members, but you're passing up
an easy potential 400,000 gold if you don't find them. (See below.)
-----------
| I. Maps |
-----------
1. Save!: This has been mentioned 100 times already. Save every time BEFORE you
get your hands on any maps. You can always reload the game and try for a better
map if you have gotten a bad one.
2. Incan treasure: The way the game is setup, many people will think that in
order to find the Incan treasure you must collect a piece of the map from each
of your family members. This is absolutely not true. You can actually collect
the Incan treasure FOUR times! The way to do this is to save the game right be-
fore you search for a family member. If they give you a bad map, reload and try
for a better piece. Eventually they should give you a decent fragment that you
can sail to immediately and dig up the treasure. Repeat this method with ALL of
your captain's family members. It's a relatively, no pun intended, easy 400,000
gold! Remember, do NOT find family members back-to-back. Find a family member,
find the gold, and then find the next family member, find the gold again. Wash,
rinse, repeat.
3. Map tips: Until you've learned the general layout of the Caribbean, it can
be a little daunting to find treasure easily. Below are some tips to help you
out:
- Landmarks: The first thing to realize about maps is the landmarks you see,
including trees, grass, shrubs, etc., are the same on the map as they are on
the overworld. So, even though some land masses have similar shape, the land-
marks should be different. Try to make sure you match up both shape of the land
AND landmarks before you dig to keep your crew from getting upset.
- Map location with a lot of reefs and islands: If you get a map that shows the
surrounding waters have many reefs and islands the likely places to search are:
the south-west coast of Cuba around Pto. Prinicpe; the southern coast of Cuba
south of Havana; the Bahamas area around Nassau, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Flor-
ida Keys and North of Tortuga.
- Map location with LARGE land mass to the West and reefs: If the map shows
some reefs with rather large land masses to the West, the likely places to
search are: the East coast of Yucatan around Belize; the East coast of Hon-
duras, East of Gran Granada.
- Map location with islands but NO reefs: If the map shows islands with few or
no reefs, the likely places to search are: East of San Juan extending South and
South East through the Caribbee Islands (St. Martin and South to Grenada).
- Map location with large land mass running North-to-South with NO reefs:
Search the East coast of Florida. Treasure can occasionally be found on the
West coast of Florida, but this is rare.
- Map location with LARGE land mass to the South and running East-to-West:
Search the coast of South America, which runs from Trinidad to Panama.
- Map location with large land mass to the East that runs from a South East
to North West direction: Search the East coast of Cuba; the East coast of His-
paniola.
- Do NOT search these areas: It is very rare for treasure to show up anywhere
around the Gulf of Mexico. The only exceptions being the lower West coast of
Florida, the North coast of Yucatan, or the North-West coast of Cuba. You will
never find treasure very deep in-land or along the Pacific Coast.
===============================================================================
XI. Pirate Point Reference
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section lists ALL of the factors that affect your score when you divide up
the plunder at the end of an expedition. The values shown below can vary some-
what – the game uses some strange scales for certain things – but overall what
you see below will be pretty accurate in determining what you need to do for
your desired score.
----------
|A. Gold |
----------
Gold is, BY FAR, the most important factor in determining your score at retire-
ment. As was mentioned above, it's possible to score a perfect 100 with the
right amount of gold by itself – if there are no other modifiers.
The game gives approximately 3-4 points for every 10,000 gold in your captain's
personal wealth.
To score a perfect 100 with gold only you need about 265,000 as your captain's
personal wealth.
-------------------------------
|B. Injuries, Health, and Age |
-------------------------------
Injuries, or wounds, are the ONLY negative modifier in the game. Injuries have
an affect on your captain's health status and can shorten his career if he ad-
vances into “poor” health before the age of 34. Keep in mind, “poor” health and
old age actually do NOT reduce your score. Only injuries reduce your score. See
the list below for the modifier for each injury and the associated health lev-
el. Age is included here as well since it is associated with health.
1. Injuries & Health Status
No Injury = -0 points Fine Health
1 = -3 points Fine Health
2 = -7 points Fine Health
3 = -11 points Good Health
4 = -15 points Good Health
5 = -18 points Good Health
6 = -22 points Fair Health
7 = -26 points Fair Health
8 = -30 points Fair Health
9 = -33 points Poor Health – Career ends at this stage.
2. Age & Health Status – Reduces career time, NOT score.
Ages 25-27: Fine Health
Ages 28-30: Good Health
Ages 31-33: Fair Health
Ages 34-UP: Poor Health – Dividing up plunder results in permanent retirement.
----------
|C. Land |
----------
After Gold and Injuries, Land is the next most important factor in determining
your score. Since land can only be gained through promotions, you have less
control over gaining it. However, unlike gold, the good thing about land is,
once you have it, you never lose it.
The game gives approximately 3-4 points for every 1,000 acres in your captain's
possession.
As with gold, you could technically score a perfect 100 with a certain amount
of land acreage, but this would be much more difficult as you do not have dir-
ect control over it, as was mentioned above.
------------
|D. Titles |
------------
Every title you accrue from every nation gives you points at retirement. The
more you have the better, as the points stack. If you're a Duke with one na-
tion, and a Marquis with another, you get the points for both! As with land,
once you have a title, you cannot lose it. Even if you turn on the nation that
gave you the title. See the list below for the modifier for each title level.
No Title = 0 points
LOM = 0 points
Ensign = 1 point
Captain = 3 points
Major = 5 points
Colonel = 7 points
Admiral = 8 points
Baron = 11 points
Count = 12 points
Marquis = 15 points
Duke = 16 points - +1 point for multiple Duke titles.
--------------------------
|E. Wife & Family Members|
--------------------------
Getting married and finding your family increase your score. Marrying the best
wife and finding more family gives you more points. It's pretty simple. Both
are included here as they use the same point scale.
1. Wife
No Wife = 0 points
Bad Wife = 3 points (She DOES score you some points!!)
Average Wife = 7 points
Good Wife = 11 points
Best Wife = 15 points
2. Family Members
No family = 0 points
1 = 3 points
2 = 7 points
3 = 11 points
4 = 15 points
----------------
|F. Reputation |
----------------
Reputation is the least important, and most difficult to maintain, of the score
modifiers. Having a better reputation does help with your score though. See the
list below for the approximate modifiers.
Cowardly = 0 points
Promising = 0 – 1 points
Well Known = 2 – 5 points
Famous = 5 – 7 points
Notorious = 8 – 11 points
Infamous = 11 – 15 points
===============================================================================
XII. Ship Catalog & Point of Sailing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The table below lists all of the details of every ship in the game. Most of the
information presented here is taken directly from the game manual. There are a
few additional details not in the game manual that have been included for com-
pleteness. The diagram below this table illustrates the terms and directions
associated with Point of Sailing.
TABLE: (Listed form largest cargo space to smallest)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Pirates! Ships |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Galleon |War Galleon |Fast Galleon |
|Best Speed: 7-15 leagues |Best Speed: 7-15 leagues |Best Speed: 9-12 leagues |
|Best PoS: Broad Reach |Best PoS: Broad Reach or |Best PoS: Broad Reach or |
| | Running Reach | Running Reach |
|Max Cannon: 36 |Max Cannon: 32 |Max Cannon: 28 |
|Typical Cannon: 20-24 |Typical Cannon: 28-32 |Typical Cannon: 24 |
|Max Crew: 288 |Max Crew: 256 |Max Crew: 224 |
|Typical Crew: 275 |Typical Crew: 250 |Typical Crew: 215 |
|Cargo Space: 160 ton |Cargo Space: 140 ton |Cargo Space: 120 ton |
|Time Period: All |Time Period: All |Time Period: All |
|Reef Safe: No |Reef Safe: No |Reef Safe: No |
|Maneuver: Poor |Maneuver: Below Average |Maneuver: Below Average |
|Trade Value: 4000 |Trade Value: 3500 |Trade Value: 3000 |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Frigate |Merchantman |Cargo Fluyt |
|Best Speed: 9-12 leagues |Best Speed: 9-12 leagues |Best Speed: 9-12 leagues |
|Best PoS: Broad Reach or |Best PoS: Broad Reach |Best PoS: Running Reach |
| Running Reach | | |
|Max Cannon: 28 |Max Cannon: 24 |Max Cannon: 20 |
|Typical Cannon: 26-28 |Typical Cannon: 6-12 |Typical Cannon: 4-12 |
|Max Crew: 224 |Max Crew: 198 |Max Crew: 160 |
|Typical Crew: 190 |Typical Crew: 20-45 |Typical Crew: 12-24 |
|Cargo Space: 120 ton |Cargo Space: 100 ton |Cargo Space: 80 ton |
|Time Period: 1640 & After|Time Period: All |Time Period: 1600 & After|
|Reef Safe: No |Reef Safe: No |Reef Safe: Cautious |
|Maneuver: Average |Maneuver: Average |Maneuver: Average |
|Trade Value: 3000 |Trade Value: 2500 |Trade Value: 2000 |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Barque |Sloop |Pinnace |
|Best Speed: 9-12 leagues |Best Speed: 9-10 leagues |Best Speed: 9-10 leagues |
|Best PoS: Broad Beam Rch.|Best PoS: Broad Reach or |Best PoS: Broad Beam Rch.|
| | Broad Beam Rch.| or Broad Reach |
|Max Cannon: 16 |Max Cannon: 12 |Max Cannon: 8 |
|Typical Cannon: 4-6 |Typical Cannon: 4-6 |Typical Cannon: 2-4 |
|Max Crew: 128 |Max Crew: 96 |Max Crew: 64 |
|Typical Crew: 12-36 |Typical Crew: 8-12 |Typical Crew: 8-12 |
|Cargo Space: 60 ton |Cargo Space: 40 ton |Cargo Space: 20 ton |
|Time Period: All |Time Period: 1600 & After|Time Period: All |
|Reef Safe: Cautious |Reef Safe: Yes |Reef Safe: Yes |
|Maneuver: Good |Maneuver: Good |Maneuver: Good |
|Trade Value: 1500 |Trade Value: 1000 |Trade Value: 500 |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|KEY: PoS = Point of sailing. See below. |
| Reef Safe = Denotes if the vessel can safely sail over reefs. |
| Maneuver = Subjective turn speed during battle. |
| THE MINIMUM CREW FOR EVERY SHIP TYPE IS 8, REGARDLESS OF SIZE OR DAMAGE.|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DIAGRAM:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Points of Sailing Terms & Directions |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Beam reach
|
|
|
Broad beam reach | Close-hauled beam reach
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
Broad reach \ | / Close-hauled
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
Running broad reach \ \ | / / Close-hauled into eye
\ \ \ | / / /
\ \ \|/ / /
\ \ | / /
Running before wind-------------------+-------------------Into eye of wind
/ / | \ \
/ / /|\ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
Running broad reach / / | \ \ Close-hauled into eye
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
Broad reach / | \ Close-hauled
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
Broad beam reach | Close-hauled beam reach
|
|
|
Beam Reach
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================================================================
XIII. Colony Gazetteer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The table below lists all of the starting details, BEFORE events change their
status, for the colonies you will encounter in all of the time periods. See key
below for explanations and abbreviations. Cities are listed in alphabetical or-
der by the in-game spelling, but not in the manner that the game lists them.
(The game actually lists them out of alphabetical order.)
TABLE:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Colonies Per Time Period |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Silver | Merchants &| New | War for | Buccaneer | Pirates |
| Empire | Smugglers | Colonists | Profit | Heroes | Sunset |
| (1560) | (1600) | (1620) | (1640) | (1660) | (1680) |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Antigua |Antigua |Antigua |Antigua |Antigua |Antigua |
|NA |NA |NA |English |English |English |
| | | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
| | | |Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 60 |
| | | |Pop: 600 |Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1500 |
| | | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 2,000 |
| | | |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Barbados |Barbados |Barbados |Barbados |Barbados |Barbados |
|NA |NA |English |English |English |English |
| | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |
| | |Soldier: 70 |Solider: 180|Soldier: 150|Soldier: 180|
| | |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 3000 |Pop: 2900 |Pop: 2700 |
| | |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 12,000|Gold: 18,000|Gold: 15,000|
| | |Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |
| | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | |Lt/Ln: 18/59|Lt/Ln: 18/59|Lt/Ln: 18/59|Lt/Ln: 18/59|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Belize |Belize |Belize |Belize |Belize |Belize |
|NA |NA |NA |NA |NA |English |
| | | | | |Forts: 0 |
| | | | | |Soldier: 20 |
| | | | | |Pop: 1000 |
| | | | | |Gold: 0 |
| | | | | |Struggling |
| | | | | |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | | | |Lt/Ln: 21/88|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Bermuda |Bermuda |Bermuda |Bermuda |Bermuda |Bermuda |
|NA |NA |NA |English |English |English |
| | | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
| | | |Soldier: 30 |Soldier: 30 |Soldier: 30 |
| | | |Pop: 600 |Pop: 700 |Pop: 800 |
| | | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 1,000 |Gold: 2,000 |
| | | |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 30/65|Lt/Ln: 30/65|Lt/Ln: 30/65|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Borburata |Borburata |Borburata |Borburata |Borburata |Borburata |
|Spanish |NA |NA |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 1 |(See |(See |(See |(See |(See |
|Soldier: 180| Caracas) | Caracas) | Caracas) | Caracas) | Caracas) |
|Pop: 2100 | | | | | |
|Gold: 10,000| | | | | |
|Surviving | | | | | |
|ST/TF: Y/N | | | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 16/67| | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Campeche |Campeche |Campeche |Campeche |Campeche |Campeche |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |
|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 220|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 220|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 240|
|Pop: 3000 |Pop: 2800 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 2100 |
|Gold: 40,000|Gold: 30,000|Gold: 30,000|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 20,000|
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 23/90|Lt/Ln: 23/90|Lt/Ln: 23/90|Lt/Ln: 23/90|Lt/Ln: 23/90|Lt/Ln: 23/90|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |
|NA |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|(See |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |
| Borburata)|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 250|
| |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2200 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2800 |Pop: 3000 |
| |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 10,000|Gold: 12,000|Gold: 10,000|
| |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
| |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |
| |Lt/Ln: 16/67|Lt/Ln: 16/67|Lt/Ln: 16/67|Lt/Ln: 16/67|Lt/Ln: 16/67|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cartagena |Cartagena |Cartagena |Cartagena |Cartagena |Cartagena |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |
|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 350|
|Pop: 4500 |Pop: 4600 |Pop: 4500 |Pop: 5000 |Pop: 5000 |Pop: 4000 |
|Gold: 40,000|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 55,000|Gold: 60,000|
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |
|ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 16/75|Lt/Ln: 16/75|Lt/Ln: 16/75|Lt/Ln: 16/75|Lt/Ln: 16/75|lt/Ln: 16/75|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Coro |Coro |Coro |Coro |Coro |Coro |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | | | |
|Soldier: 100|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 70 | | | |
|Pop: 1300 |Pop: 900 |Pop: 700 | | | |
|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | | |
|Surviving |Surviving |Struggling | | | |
|ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: N/N | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 17/70|Lt/Ln: 17/70|Lt/Ln: 17/70| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cumana |Cumana |Cumana |Cumana |Cumana |Cumana |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |
|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 190|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 180|Soldier: 160|
|Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 2100 |Pop: 2100 |
|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 8,000 |
|Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |
|Lt/Ln: 16/64|Lt/Ln: 16/64|Lt/Ln: 16/64|Lt/Ln: 16/64|Lt/Ln: 16/64|Lt/Ln: 16/64|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Curacao |Curacao |Curacao |Curacao |Curacao |Curacao |
|NA |NA |Dutch |Dutch |Dutch |Dutch |
| | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |
| | |Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 200|Soldier: 180|Soldier: 160|
| | |Pop: 800 |Pop: 2100 |Pop: 2200 |Pop: 2000 |
| | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 8,000 |Gold: 15,000|Gold: 20,000|
| | |Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |
| | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | |Lt/Ln: 17/69|Lt/Ln: 17/69|Lt/Ln: 17/69|Lt/Ln: 17/69|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Eleuthera |Eleuthera |Eleuthera |Eleuthera |Eleuthera |Eleuthera |
|English |English |English |English |English |English |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
|Soldier: 10 |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 40 |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 40 |
|Pop: 100 |Pop: 200 |Pop: 300 |Pop: 600 |Pop: 600 |Pop: 700 |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 1,000 |Gold: 2,000 |
|Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 26/76|Lt/Ln: 26/76|Lt/Ln: 26/76|Lt/Ln: 26/76|Lt/Ln: 26/76|Lt/Ln: 26/76|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Florida Keys|Florida Keys|Florida Keys|Florida Keys|Florida Keys|Florida Keys|
|French |NA |Dutch |French |NA |NA |
|Forts: 0 | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | | |
|Soldier: 10 | |Soldier: 30 |Soldier: 10 | | |
|Pop: 200 | |Pop: 100 |Pop: 100 | | |
|Gold: 0 | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | |
|Struggling | |Struggling |Struggling | | |
|ST/TF: N/N | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N | | |
|Lt/Ln: 26/81| |Lt/Ln: 26/81|Lt/Ln: 26/81| | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Gibraltar |Gibraltar |Gibraltar |Gibraltar |Gibraltar |Gibraltar |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |NA |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | |
|Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 50 | |
|Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1500 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 1400 | |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 1,000 | |
|Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving | |
|ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N | |
|Lt/Ln: 15/71|Lt/Ln: 15/71|Lt/Ln: 15/71|Lt/Ln: 15/71|Lt/Ln: 15/71| |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Gran Granada|Gran Granada|Gran Granada|Gran Granada|Gran Granada|Gran Granada|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: O |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 230|Soldier: 180|Soldier: 220|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 180|
|Pop: 1800 |Pop: 2200 |Pop: 2100 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 1800 |
|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 30,000|Gold: 28,000|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 25,000|
|Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 17/86|Lt/Ln: 17/86|Lt/Ln: 17/86|Lt/Ln: 17/86|Lt/Ln: 17/86|Lt/Ln: 17/86|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama|
|French |French |Dutch |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | | | |
|Soldier: 10 |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 30 | | | |
|Pop: 200 |Pop: 200 |Pop: 100 | | | |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | | |
|Struggling |Struggling |Struggling | | | |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 28/79|Lt/Ln: 28/79|Lt/Ln: 28/79| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Grenada |Grenada |Grenada |Grenada |Grenada |Grenada |
|NA |English |NA |NA |NA |NA |
| |Forts: 0 | | | | |
| |Soldier: 10 | | | | |
| |Pop: 300 | | | | |
| |Gold: 0 | | | | |
| |Struggling | | | | |
| |ST/TF: N/N | | | | |
| |Lt/Ln: 17/61| | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Guadeloupe |Guadeloupe |Guadeloupe |Guadeloupe |Guadeloupe |Guadeloupe |
|NA |NA |NA |French |French |French |
| | | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |
| | | |Soldier: 100|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 200|
| | | |Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1900 |Pop: 2300 |
| | | |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|
| | | |Surviving |Surviving |Prospering |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 20/61|Lt/Ln: 20/61|Lt/Ln: 20/61|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Havana |Havana |Havana |Havana |Havana |Havana |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 3 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |
|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 500|Soldier: 440|Soldier: 420|Soldier: 450|Soldier: 400|
|Pop: 2000 |Pop: 6000 |Pop: 5800 |Pop: 6400 |Pop: 6500 |Pop: 6000 |
|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 70,000|Gold: 65,000|Gold: 60,000|Gold: 60,000|
|Prospering |Wealthy |Prospering |Wealthy |Wealthy |Wealthy |
|ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 25/82|Lt/Ln: 25/82|Lt/Ln: 25/82|Lt/Ln: 25/82|Lt/Ln: 25/82|Lt/Ln: 25/82|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Isabella |Isabella |Isabella |Isabella |Isabella |Isabella |
|Spanish |NA |NA |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 0 |(See |(See |(See | | |
|Soldier: 50 | La Vega) | La Vega) | La Vega) | | |
|Pop: 1000 | | | | | |
|Gold: 0 | | | | | |
|Surviving | | | | | |
|ST/TF: N/N | | | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 23/71| | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|La Vega |La Vega |Le Vega |La Vega |Le Vega |La Vega |
|NA |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |NA |NA |
|(See |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | | |
| Isabella) |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 10 |Soldier: 40 | | |
| |Pop: 200 |Pop: 300 |Pop: 600 | | |
| |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | |
| |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling | | |
| |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N | | |
| |Lt/Ln: 23/71|Lt/Ln: 23/71|Lt/Ln: 23/71| | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Leogane |Leogane |Leogane |Leogane |Leogane |Leogane |
|NA |NA |NA |NA |French |French |
| | | | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 2 |
| | | | |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 110|
| | | | |Pop: 800 |Pop: 1800 |
| | | | |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 3,000 |
| | | | |Struggling |Surviving |
| | | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | | |Lt/Ln: 22/72|Lt/Ln: 22/72|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |
|Soldier: 120|Soldier: 130|Soldier: 140|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 120|Soldier: 150|
|Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1500 |
|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 12,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 0 |
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Prospering |Surviving |
|ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 16/72|Lt/Ln: 16/72|Lt/Ln: 16/72|Lt/Ln: 16/72|Lt/Ln: 16/72|Lt/Ln: 16/72|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Margarita |Margarita |Margarita |Margarita |Margarita |Margarita |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |
|Solider: 130|Soldier: 110|Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 60 |
|Pop: 800 |Pop: 900 |Pop: 900 |Pop: 800 |Pop: 900 |Pop: 900 |
|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 6,000 |Gold: 6,000 |Gold: 4,000 |
|Surviving |Surviving |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 17/63|Lt/Ln: 17/63|Lt/Ln: 17/63|Lt/Ln: 17/63|Lt/Ln: 17/63|Lt/Ln: 17/63|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Martinique |Martinique |Martinique |Martinique |Martinique |Martinique |
|NA |NA |NA |French |French |French |
| | | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |
| | | |Soldier: 100|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 200|
| | | |Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1900 |Pop: 2300 |
| | | |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|
| | | |Surviving |Surviving |Prospering |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 19/61|Lt/Ln: 19/61|Lt/Ln: 19/61|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Montserrat |Montserrat |Montserrat |Montserrat |Montserrat |Montserrat |
|NA |NA |NA |English |English |English |
| | | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
| | | |Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 60 |
| | | |Pop: 600 |Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1500 |
| | | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 0 |
| | | |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Nassau |Nassau |Nassau |Nassau |Nassau |Nassau |
|English |NA |NA |NA |NA |English |
|Forts: 0 | | | | |Forts: 1 |
|Soldier: 10 | | | | |Soldier: 50 |
|Pop: 100 | | | | |Pop: 700 |
|Gold: 0 | | | | |Gold: 4,000 |
|Struggling | | | | |Struggling |
|ST/TF: N/N | | | | |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 26/77| | | | |Lt/Ln: 26/77|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Nevis |Nevis |Nevis |Nevis |Nevis |Nevis |
|NA |NA |English |English |English |English |
| | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
| | |Soldier: 40 |Soldier: 110|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 100|
| | |Pop: 500 |Pop: 1900 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 1800 |
| | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 2,000 |
| | |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
| | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | |Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Nombre Dios |Nombre Dios |Nombre Dios |Nombre Dios |Nombre Dios |Nombre Dios |
|Spanish |NA |NA |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 1 | | | | | |
|Soldier: 120| | | | | |
|Pop: 1300 | | | | | |
|Gold: 15,000| | | | | |
|Surviving | | | | | |
|ST/TF: Y/Y* | | | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 15/77| | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Panama |Panama |Panama |Panama |Panama |Panama |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |
|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 350|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 450|
|Pop: 5000 |Pop: 5000 |Pop: 5500 |Pop: 5500 |Pop: 6000 |Pop: 5000 |
|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 70,000|Gold: 75,000|Gold: 75,000|Gold: 80,000|Gold: 50,000|
|Wealthy |Wealthy |Wealthy |Wealthy |Wealthy |Prospering |
|ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N |
|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Petit Goave |Petit Goave |Petit Goave |Petit Goave |Petit Goave |Petit Goave |
|NA |NA |French |French |French |French |
| | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
| | |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 100|
| | |Pop: 300 |Pop: 300 |Pop: 1300 |Pop: 1500 |
| | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 2,000 |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 4,000 |
| | |Struggling |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |
| | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | |Lt/Ln: 21/73|Lt/Ln: 21/73|Lt/Ln: 21/73|Lt/Ln: 21/73|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Port de Paix|Port de Paix|Port de Paix|Port de Paix|Port de Paix|Port de Paix|
|NA |NA |NA |NA |French |French |
| | | | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |
| | | | |Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 150|
| | | | |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 2000 |
| | | | |Gold: 8,000 |Gold: 10,000|
| | | | |Surviving |Surviving |
| | | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | | |Lt/Ln: 23/73|Lt/Ln: 23/73|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Port Royale |Port Royale |Port Royale |Port Royale |Port Royale |Port Royale |
|NA |NA |NA |NA |English |English |
|(See |(See |(See |(See |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |
|SantigoVega)|SantigoVega)|SantigoVega)|SantigoVega)|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 120|
| | | | |Pop: 1500 |Pop: 2500 |
| | | | |Gold: 4,000 |Gold: 22,000|
| | | | |Surviving |Prospering |
| | | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | | |Lt/Ln: 21/77|Lt/Ln: 21/77|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Providence |Providence |Providence |Providence |Providence |Providence |
|NA |NA |English |NA |NA |NA |
| | |Forts: 1 |(See |(See | |
| | |Soldier: 80 |SanCatalina)|SanCatalina)| |
| | |Pop: 700 | | | |
| | |Gold: 2000 | | | |
| | |Surviving | | | |
| | |ST/TF: N/N | | | |
| | |Lt/Ln: 18/82| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |
|NA |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
| |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |
| |Soldier: 150|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 250|
| |Pop: 1200 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2000 |
| |Gold: 10,000|Gold: 18,000|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 10,000|
| |Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |
| |ST/TF: Y/Y* |ST/TF: Y/Y* |ST/TF: Y/Y* |ST/TF: Y/Y* |ST/TF: Y/Y* |
| |Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|Lt/Ln: 15/80|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |NA |NA |NA |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 | | | |
|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 70 | | | |
|Pop: 1000 |Pop: 1000 |Pop: 900 | | | |
|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | | |
|Surviving |Surviving |Surviving | | | |
|ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 16/68|Lt/Ln: 16/68|lt/Ln: 16/68| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Pto.Principe|Pto.Principe|Pto.Principe|Pto.Principe|Pto.Principe|Pto.Principe|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |
|Soldier: 120|Soldier: 120|Soldier: 130|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 220|Soldier: 220|
|Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2300 |Pop: 2200 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 3000 |Pop: 3000 |
|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|
|Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 24/78|Lt/Ln: 24/78|Lt/Ln: 24/78|Lt/Ln: 24/78|Lt/Ln: 24/78|Lt/Ln: 24/78|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 120|Soldier: 120|
|Pop: 2200 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2000 |Pop: 1900 |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1800 |
|Gold: 30,000|Gold: 30,000|Gold: 25,000|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 18,000|Gold: 4,000 |
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 17/73|Lt/Ln: 17/73|Lt/Ln: 17/73|Lt/Ln: 17/73|Lt/Ln: 17/73|Lt/Ln: 17/73|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|San Juan |San Juan |San Juan |San Juan |San Juan |San Juan |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |
|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 280|Soldier: 270|Soldier: 260|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 260|
|Pop: 3200 |Pop: 2600 |Pop: 2800 |Pop: 2700 |Pop: 2400 |Pop: 2300 |
|Gold: 6,000 |Gold: 6,000 |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 4,000 |Gold: 4,000 |
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 22/66|Lt/Ln: 22/66|Lt/Ln: 22/66|Lt/Ln: 22/66|Lt/Ln: 22/66|Lt/Ln: 22/66|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Sant.Domingo|Sant.Domingo|Sant.Domingo|Sant.Domingo|Sant.Domingo|Sant.Domingo|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |
|Soldier: 500|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 330|Soldier: 290|Soldier: 280|Soldier: 300|
|Pop: 4000 |Pop: 4200 |Pop: 3800 |Pop: 3400 |Pop: 3100 |Pop: 3000 |
|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 9,000 |Gold: 9,000 |Gold: 8,000 |Gold: 8,000 |
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 22/70|Lt/Ln: 22/70|Lt/Ln: 22/70|Lt/Ln: 22/70|Lt/Ln: 22/70|Lt/Ln: 22/70|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|San.Catalina|San.Catalina|San.Catalina|San.Catalina|San.Catalina|San.Catalina|
|NA |NA |NA |Spanish |Spanish |NA |
| | |(See |Forts: 2 |Forts: 1 | |
| | | Providence)|Soldier: 140|Soldier: 70 | |
| | | |Pop: 800 |Pop: 600 | |
| | | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | |
| | | |Struggling |Struggling | |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N | |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 18/82|Lt/Ln: 18/82| |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 90 |Soldier: 100|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 70 |
|Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1700 |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1200 |
|Gold: 12,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 10,000|Gold: 0 |
|Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Struggling |
|ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |ST/TF: Y/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 16/74|Lt/Ln: 16/74|Lt/Ln: 16/74|Lt/Ln: 16/74|Lt/Ln: 16/74|Lt/Ln: 16/74|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Santiago |Santiago |Santiago |Santiago |Santiago |Santiago |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 2 |
|Soldier: 450|Soldier: 400|Soldier: 360|Soldier: 350|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 300|
|Pop: 5000 |Pop: 4500 |Pop: 4200 |Pop: 4500 |Pop: 4000 |Pop: 4000 |
|Gold: 90,000|Gold: 90,000|Gold: 60,000|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 40,000|Gold: 35,000|
|Wealthy |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |
|ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 23/76|Lt/Ln: 23/76|Lt/Ln: 23/76|Lt/Ln: 23/76|Lt/Ln: 23/76|Lt/Ln: 23/76|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Santigo Vega|Santigo Vega|Santigo Vega|Santigo Vega|Santigo Vega|Santigo Vega|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |NA |NA |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |(See |(See |
|Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 30 |Soldier: 50 |Port Royale)|Port Royale)|
|Pop: 600 |Pop: 600 |Pop: 700 |Pop: 900 | | |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | |
|Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Surviving | | |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N | | |
|Lt/Ln: 21/77|Lt/Ln: 21/77|Lt/Ln: 21/77|Lt/Ln: 21/77| | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Augustine|St.Augustine|St.Augustine|St.Augustine|St.Augustine|St.Augustine|
|French |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |
|Soldier: 150|Soldier: 100|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 90 |
|Pop: 600 |Pop: 600 |Pop: 800 |Pop: 700 |Pop: 1000 |Pop: 1100 |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 1,000 |
|Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |Struggling |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 30/81|Lt/Ln: 30/81|Lt/Ln: 30/81|Lt/Ln: 30/81|Lt/Ln: 30/81|Lt/Ln: 30/81|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Christoph|St.Christoph|St.Christoph|St.Christoph|St.Christoph|St.Christoph|
|NA |NA |French |NA |NA |NA |
| | |Forts: 0 |(See |(See |(See |
| | |Soldier: 40 | St.Kitts) | St.Kitts) | St.Kitts) |
| | |Pop: 900 | | | |
| | |Gold: 0 | | | |
| | |Struggling | | | |
| | |ST/TF: N/N | | | |
| | |Lt/Ln: 21/61| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Eustatius|St.Eustatius|St.Eustatius|St.Eustatius|St.Eustatius|St.Eustatius|
|NA |NA |NA |Dutch |Dutch |Dutch |
| | | |Forts: 1 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 1 |
| | | |Soldier: 110|Soldier: 80 |Soldier: 60 |
| | | |Pop: 1500 |Pop: 1500 |Pop: 1400 |
| | | |Gold: 7,000 |Gold: 12,000|Gold: 10,000|
| | | |Surviving |Prospering |Surviving |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 21/63|Lt/Ln: 21/63|Lt/Ln: 21/63|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Kitts |St.Kitts |St.Kitts |St.Kitts |St.Kitts |St.Kitts |
|NA |NA |NA |English |English |English |
| | | |Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 1 |
| | | |Soldier: 140|Soldier: 100|Soldier: 120|
| | | |Pop: 2300 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2400 |
| | | |Gold: 4,000 |Gold: 6,000 |Gold: 8,000 |
| | | |Surviving |Prospering |Prospering |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 21/61|Lt/Ln: 21/62|Lt/Ln: 21/62|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Lucia |St.Lucia |St.Lucia |St.Lucia |St. Lucia |St.Lucia |
|NA |English |NA |NA |NA | |
| |Forts: 0 | | | | |
| |Soldier: 10 | | | | |
| |Pop: 300 | | | | |
| |Gold: 0 | | | | |
| |Struggling | | | | |
| |ST/TF: N/N | | | | |
| |Lt/Ln: 19/61| | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Martin |St.Martin |St.Martin |St.Martin |St.Martin |St.Martin |
|NA |NA |NA |Dutch |Dutch |Dutch |
| | | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
| | | |Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 60 |Soldier: 50 |
| | | |Pop: 800 |Pop: 1300 |Pop: 1200 |
| | | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 3,000 |Gold: 4,000 |
| | | |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
| | | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | | |Lt/Ln: 22/63|Lt/Ln: 22/63|Lt/Ln: 22/63|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|St.Thome |St.Thome |St.Thome |St.Thome |St.Thome |St.Thome |
|NA |Spanish |Spanish |NA |NA |NA |
| |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 | | | |
| |Soldier: 40 |Soldier: 20 | | | |
| |Pop: 200 |Pop: 500 | | | |
| |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 | | | |
| |Struggling |Struggling | | | |
| |ST/TF: Y/N |ST/TF: Y/N | | | |
| |Lt/Ln: 15/62|Lt/Ln: 15/62| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Tortuga |Tortuga |Tortuga |Tortuga |Tortuga |Tortuga |
|NA |NA |French |French |French |French |
| | |Forts: 0 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 1 |Forts: 1 |
| | |Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 150|Soldier: 70 |Soldier: 80 |
| | |Pop: 300 |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1300 |Pop: 1500 |
| | |Gold: 0 |Gold: 8,000 |Gold: 5,000 |Gold: 10,000|
| | |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |Struggling |
| | |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
| | |Lt/Ln: 23/73|Lt/Ln: 23/73|Lt/Ln: 23/73|Lt/Ln: 23/73|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Trinidad |Trinidad |Trinidad |Trinidad |Trinidad |Trinidad |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
|Soldier: 10 |Soldier: 30 |Soldier: 20 |Soldier: 40 |Soldier: 50 |Soldier: 50 |
|Pop: 500 |Pop: 1100 |Pop: 800 |Pop: 1000 |Pop: 1000 |Pop: 1000 |
|Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |Gold: 0 |
|Struggling |Struggling |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 16/61|Lt/Ln: 16/61|Lt/Ln: 16/61|Lt/Ln: 16/61|Lt/Ln: 16/61|Lt/Ln: 16/61|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 2 |Forts: 2 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 3 |Forts: 4 |Forts: 4 |
|Soldier: 350|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 250|Soldier: 350|Soldier: 300|Soldier: 280|
|Pop: 3000 |Pop: 2800 |Pop: 2600 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2500 |Pop: 2600 |
|Gold: 50,000|Gold: 45,000|Gold: 40,000|Gold: 40,000|Gold: 35,000|Gold: 35,000|
|Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Prospering |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |ST/TF: N/Y |
|Lt/Ln: 23/96|Lt/Ln: 23/96|Lt/Ln: 23/96|Lt/Ln: 23/96|Lt/Ln: 23/96|Lt/Ln: 23/96|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Villahermosa|Villahermosa|Villahermosa|Villahermosa|Villahermosa|Villahermosa|
|Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |Spanish |
|Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |Forts: 0 |
|Soldier: 200|Soldier: 180|Soldier: 160|Soldier: 180|Soldier: 150|Soldier: 140|
|Pop: 2000 |Pop: 2100 |Pop: 1800 |Pop: 1500 |Pop: 1600 |Pop: 1500 |
|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 20,000|Gold: 18,000|Gold: 15,000|Gold: 15,000|
|Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |Surviving |
|ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |ST/TF: N/N |
|Lt/Ln: 22/92|Lt/Ln: 22/92|Lt/Ln: 22/92|Lt/Ln: 22/92|Lt/Ln: 22/96|Lt/Ln: 22/96|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Yaguana |Yaguana |Yaguana |Yaguana |Yaguana |Yaguana |
|Spanish |NA |NA |NA |NA |NA |
|Fort: 0 | | | | | |
|Soldier: 30 | | | | | |
|Pop: 800 | | | | | |
|Gold: 0 | | | | | |
|Struggling | | | | | |
|ST/TF: N/N | | | | | |
|Lt/Ln: 22/72| | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|KEY: Pop = Number of citizens |
| ST/TF = If Silver Train or Treasure Fleet ever visit that colony |
| Lt/Ln = Latitude/Longitude (approximate) of the colony on the game map |
| * = Nombre Dios, and later Pto.Bello, can have both the Silver Train and|
| Treasure Fleet simultaneously. |
| NA = Not available for that particular time period. |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================================================================
XIV. Silver Train & Treasure Fleet Schedules
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The tables below list the approximate schedules for the Silver Train and
Treasure Fleet for each colony that they visit, respectively, per time period.
When referencing the tables please keep in mind the following:
1. These are approximate times. Only Pirates, Hunters, and Governor's daughters
know the exact location of either the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet at any
given time.
2. If you have captured either the Silver Train or Treasure Fleet, which ever
you captured will not be available to capture again until their starting month.
In the case of the Silver Train this will be Early April or Early March, de-
pending on the time period. For the Treasure Fleet this will be Early October
or Early September, depending on the time period.
If you ask a Pirate, Hunter or Governor's daughter about either after capturing
it, or outside of it's typical schedule, you will see “The Silver Train is in
Peru”, or “The Treasure Fleet is in Spain”.
3. The notification that the Treasure Fleet is in Florida Channel serves no
purpose in the NES version – and in some other versions. This is broken. In
SOME versions of the game it is possible to capture the Treasure Fleet in a
random ship encounter in the area between the Bahamas and the East coast of
Florida, at the appropriate time. This is not possible in the NES version. Due
to the fact that this is broken in multiple versions of the game, the “Florida
Channel” location will not be included in the Treasure Fleet schedule.
4. For the tables below “Early” means the first 15 days of the month, “Late”
means the last 15 days of the month.
TABLE:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Silver Train Schedule |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Silver | Merchants &| New | War for | Buccaneer | Pirates |
| Empire | Smugglers | Colonists | Profit | Heroes | Sunset |
| (1560) | (1600) | (1620) | (1640) | (1660) | (1680) |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cumana |St.Thome |St.Thome |Cumana |Cumana |Cumana |
|Early April |Early April |Early March |Early April |Early March |Early April |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Borburata |Cumana |Cumana |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |
|Late April |Late April |Late March |Late April |Late March |Late April |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Pto.Cabello |Caracas |Caracas |Gibraltar |Gibraltar |Maracaibo |
|Early May |Early May |Early April |Early May |Early April |Early May |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Coro |Pto.Cabello |Pto.Cabello |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Rio de Hacha|
|Late May |Late May |Late April |Late May |Late April |Late June |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Gibraltar |Coro |Gibraltar |Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Santa Marta |
|Early June |Early June |Early May |Early June |Early May |Early July |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Maracaibo |Gibraltar |Maracaibo |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Cartagena |
|Late June |Late June |Late May |Early July |Early June |Late July |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Rio de Hacha|Maracaibo |Rio de Hacha|Cartagena |Cartagena |Panama |
|Early July |Early July |Early June |Late July |Late June |Late August |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Santa Marta |Rio de Hacha|Santa Marta |Panama |Panama |Pto.Bello |
|Late July |Late July |Late June |Late August |Late July |Early |
| | | | | | October |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cartagena |Santa Marta |Cartagena |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |NA |
|Early August|Early August|Early July |Early |Early | |
| | | | October | September| |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Panama |Cartagena |Panama |NA |NA |NA |
|Late August |Late August |Late July | | | |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Nombre Dios |Panama |Pto.Bello |NA |NA |NA |
|Early |Early |Early | | | |
| October | September| September| | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|NA |Pto.Bello |NA |NA |NA |NA |
| |Late October| | | | |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TABLE:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Treasure Fleet Schedule |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| Silver | Merchants &| New | War for | Buccaneer | Pirates |
| Empire | Smugglers | Colonists | Profit | Heroes | Sunset |
| (1560) | (1600) | (1620) | (1640) | (1660) | (1680) |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cumana |Cumana |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |Caracas |
|Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |
| October | October | September| October | September| September|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Pto.Cabello |Caracas |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Rio de Hacha|
|Late |Late |Late |Late |Late |Late |
| October | October | September| October | September| October |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Maracaibo |Maracaibo |Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Santa Marta |
|Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |
| November| November| October | November| October | November|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Rio de Hacha|Rio de Hacha|Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Santa Marta |Pto.Bello |
|Late |Late |Late |Late |Late |Late |
| November| November| October | November| October | November|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Nombre Dios |Santa Marta |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Pto.Bello |Cartagena |
|Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |Late |
| December| December| November| December| November| December|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Cartagena |Pto.Bello |Cartagena |Cartagena |Cartagena |Campeche |
|Late |Late |Early |Early |Early |Late |
| December| December| December| January | December| January |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Campeche |Cartagena |Campeche |Campeche |Campeche |Vera Cruz |
|Late |Early |Early |Early |Early |Early |
| January | January | January | February| January | February|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Vera Cruz |Campeche |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Vera Cruz |Havana |
|Early |Early |Late |Late |Late |Early |
| February| February| January | February| January | March |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Havana |Vera Cruz |Havana |Havana |Havana |NA |
|Early March |Late |Late |Late March |Late | |
| | February| February| | February| |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|Santiago |Havana |NA |NA |NA |NA |
|Late March |Late March | | | | |
| | | | | | |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================================================================
XV. Versions, Credits, Legal, Etc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------
| Version History |
-------------------
- Version 1.0:
Finished on 01/01/13 @ 12:30 AM CST
Submitted to Gamefaqs.com on 01/01/2013 @ 3:35 PM CST
- Version Final:
Finished on 05/02/17 @ 1:20 PM CDT
Submitted to Gamefaqs.com on 05/05/2017 @ 10:36 AM CDT
I. Introduction – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
II. Controls – no changes.
III. Game Setup – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
Added instructions on erasing Saved Games and Hall of Fame.
Corrected information regarding Skill at Medicine.
IV. Starting Resources – no changes.
V. Colony Encounters – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
Corrected information on Spanish Trade Law enforcement.
Added information regarding ship damage and repairs.
Added information about excess cargo loss after selling ships.
VI. Check Information – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
Updated information on date and passage of time in regard to
player health status and length of career.
Corrected information regarding captain's age and health.
VII. Ship Encounters – no changes.
VIII. Combat & Tactics – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
Changed format of ship damage list.
Added information about losing ships after ground assault
due to not having enough crew.
IX. Divide Up The Plunder, Defeat & Retirement – cleaned up
syntax, spelling errors.
Added and corrected information about age and injuries.
Added information regarding captain's cut of the plunder.
X. Perfect Score Tips – cleaned up syntax, spelling errors.
Fixed information about Merchantman crew and Bad Wife points.
Edited information about wealth, injuries, and family.
XI. Pirate Point Reference – added section.
XII. Ship Catalog & Point of Sailing – renamed and renumbered
section.
Added information about minimum crew per ship.
XIII. Colony Gazetteer – renumbered section.
Fixed information about Silver Train & Treasure Fleet regard-
ing which colonies they visit.
XIV. Silver Train & Treasure Fleet Schedules – added section.
XV. Versions, Credits, Legal, Etc. - renumbered section.
Updated Version History, Credits and Future Versions.
-----------
| Credits |
-----------
-Sid Meier- www.firaxis.com
Sid Meier designed the original game. If you know anything about modern gaming
at all, you know who Sid Meier is. Be sure to check out his new games from his
game design studio, Firaxis Games. (The most recent version of Pirates! is very
good.)
-Microprose/Ultra/Rare-
Microprose for developing the game. Ultra/Rare for bringing this gem of a game
to the NES! Ultra was a subsidiary of Konami that was closed down in 1992.
Pirates! was actually the very last game that Ultra ever published. Rare is
still in existence, but develops games exclusively for Microsoft now and has
nothing to do with the Pirates! games. Microprose was Sid Meier's original game
development studio when Pirates! was first published. The company has changed
hands many times since it was first sold in 1993 and is now a subsidiary of an-
other game development company.
-Pirates! Tribute- www.nintendoplayer.com/Pirates!
Great, but now defunct, fan site devoted to NES Pirates! They had an original
manual and map scan. Used their online manual for ship information and point of
sailing diagram.
-EihBer- www.gamefaqs.com/nes/587513-pirates/faqs/28134
Author of an excellent fan made map. Used his map for latitude and longitude
reference.
-Moonjay- www.gamefaqs.com/nes/587513-pirates/faqs/22512
For writing the first and, up until this point, only guide on Gamefaqs for this
game. Credit for information regarding mass movement of all pirate parties in
ground combat. (Forgot ALL about that one.)
-Keyblade999- www.gamefaqs.com contributor
Credit for information regarding resetting the Pirate Hall of Fame and re-
setting Saved Games.
-FCEUX- www.fceux.com
Used the in app cheat/hex editor to find the values for just about everything.
Saved me days, if not weeks, of work!
-C64 Wiki- www.c64-wiki.com
Credit for the schedules for the Silver Train & Treasure Fleet. I knew the old
PC version of the game came with a little wheel that showed the approximate
schedules as a form of copy protection. The NES version did not need this of
course. Glad they had it posted online!
-------------------
| Future Versions |
-------------------
The author does not plan to update this guide further. I don't know that I
could add much more, to be honest, as I think I've pretty much dismantled the
game. I do reserve the right to fix syntax and formatting errors, if need be,
in the future, but additional content will not be added.
The following was listed as possible additions from version 1.0 of this guide.
As you can see, I have successfully added them to this, the final version.
- Monthly tracking of Silver Train / Treasure Fleet for colony location per
time period. (The Silver Train / Treasure Fleet follow a set route from colony
to colony; however, this set route may happen during variable months.)
*COMPLETED* Added section XIV. Silver Train & Treasure Fleet Schedules
- Point estimates for various actions associated with such variables as: age,
health, marriage, titles, land, injury, reputation, etc. (ie. How many points
do you get for selecting the best wife vs. the bad wife?)
*COMPLETED* Added section XI. Pirate Point Reference
- Monthly weather tracking. (Not sure about this one, but it appears wind MAY
be effected by the month. This would be useful to know for attacking certain
colonies.)
*COMPLETED* Confirmed this is random. No relation to month or anything else.
- Repair costs for ship types and damage levels.
*COMPLETED* Added to section V. Colony Encounters F. Trade with a Merchant 3.
Repair Ships.
- Minimum crew for each ship type.
*COMPLETED* Added to section VI. Check Information C. Party Status 1. Crew,
and section XII. Ship Catalog & Point of Sailing.
---------
| Legal |
---------
Any company and/or entity mentioned in this document are the sole property of
their trademark or copyright holder.
This document is copyrighted by Matthew Miller (MI64) and may not be reproduced
or altered, in whole or in part, by any other person or entity. This docu-
ment may only be posted on GameFAQs.com [
http://www.gamefaqs.com], sites noted
in the Version History or the author's personal web-site. If you have found
this document on a site other than those listed in the Version History section
or would like to receive permission to post this guide on your site, please
contact the author at:
[email protected].
===============================================================================
Afterword
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*This guide is dedicated to my Mom and Dad (Mary and Jim). Thanks for all of
your love and support through the years! You are the best parents any kid
could've asked for!
I started writing a version of this guide in, believe it or not, 2003. The same
year my Dad passed away. He would laugh to know that his name was mentioned, of
all places, on an internet gaming site. However, he would also think it was
pretty neat since the last 7-8 years of his life he became "computer literate"
as he was a "master of Free Cell"! :D
I miss you Dad.
