On the Seven Seas: Wargames Rules for the Age of Piracy and Adventure c.1500-1730

On the Seven Seas is a set of wargames rules covering the high adventure and low morals of the world of the pirate. From Drake and his sea-rovers to Blackbeard, the Barbary Corsairs and the Wo-k'ou of the Far East, pirates have haunted seas across the globe, preying on port and vessel alike. Now you too can recreate the exploits of pirate captains or the naval commanders that hunted them. Whether you want skirmishes between crews on uncharted islands and in the alleyways of Caribbean ports or ship-to-ship duels that culminate in bloodthirsty boarding actions, the rules offer a quick-to-learn basic game. These small forces of buccaneers, commanded by captains and kept in line by trusted lieutenants, can also be scaled up with ease for larger engagements. Gameplay centers on two driving motivations that epitomize the pirate life - Fear and Greed. Cunning captains will have to balance these two elements, instilling fear in their opponents with bloodthirsty reputations, while keeping their own crews in line with the promise of loot and wealth.

Chris Peers has spent most of his life in the Birmingham area. He studied history at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and started writing for publication in 1990 with a series of Osprey Men-at-Arms titles on the armies of ancient China. In addition his writing, he has worked at various times in accountancy and in the archives of Birmingham Central Library, and is currently in the civil service. Chris has written books and magazine articles on many diverse aspects of history, ranging from China and medieval England to 19th-century Africa and World War I. His published works include: Warlords of China, 700 BC to AD 1662 (Arms and Armour Press), Soldiers of the Dragon (Osprey), Armies of Nineteenth Century East Africa and Armies of Nineteenth Century Central Africa (Foundry Books), and The African Wars - Warriors and Soldiers of the Colonial Campaigns and Offa and the Mercian Wars (Pen and Sword). If he has the opportunity, Chris’ hobbies include walking, cycling, birdwatching, historical wargames, and travel, especially to Africa. The author lives in Sutton Coldfield, England.