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Pirates and Games
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:17 am
by lordhoff
Back in the 80s, there was a board game by "Avalon Hill/Monarch Games" called Blackbeard. It was probably the most realistic pirate game ever devised and was popular until Hasbro destroyed the company to gain their titles. Now, I am wondering if anyone here knows of a PC game on pirates that uses historic figures, realistic ships/results, etc similar to this old game? Is MATRIX developing any pirate games? Real strategy; not dancing with the governor's wife to get ahead.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 5:00 am
by sPzAbt653
I don't remember Blackbeard, but you made me recall Conquistador by Avalon Hill. No dancing with the governors wife in that one either. I lost my copy of it somewhere along the lifeline, but if I still had it I would try to work it up in OPART.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:31 am
by Rtwfreak
I remember playing a pirate boardgame back then it was an album type game had chairs and mugs and chandaliers chits you could use in barfights. Can't remember the name of that one but it was fun. You gave like 6 orders to each man and then rolled dice to see who went first and what they did like throwing beer/ale mugs at someone. It was more of a hidden action type game not very good for solo play. I think the name of it was Swashbuckler but I'm not sure.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:29 am
by GJK
There's a number of copies of Blackbeard for sale on BGG for very reasonable prices:
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/235/blackbeard
And there's a VASSAL module for Blackbeard if you need to find an opponent:
http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Blackbeard
Would Blackbeard be a good Pbem game? I might have a look at this one myself.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:09 am
by lordhoff
I have the game but, like most of my board games, its in storage somewhere. Looks like there still isn't a strategy pirate game for PC out there (You listening, MATRIX - bet there's a lot of interest if someone would do it).
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:11 am
by SLAAKMAN
I have the game but, like most of my board games, its in storage somewhere. Looks like there still isn't a strategy pirate game for PC out there (You listening, MATRIX - bet there's a lot of interest if someone would do it).
(Observe the post above you. Vassal hosts the game beautifully). [:D]
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:40 am
by Aurelian
ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653
I don't remember Blackbeard, but you made me recall Conquistador by Avalon Hill. No dancing with the governors wife in that one either. I lost my copy of it somewhere along the lifeline, but if I still had it I would try to work it up in OPART.
It was made by SPI first
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:43 am
by Aurelian
ORIGINAL: lordhoff
Back in the 80s, there was a board game by "Avalon Hill/Monarch Games" called Blackbeard. It was probably the most realistic pirate game ever devised and was popular until Hasbro destroyed the company to gain their titles. Now, I am wondering if anyone here knows of a PC game on pirates that uses historic figures, realistic ships/results, etc similar to this old game? Is MATRIX developing any pirate games? Real strategy; not dancing with the governor's wife to get ahead.
Hasbro didn't destroy the company:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-0 ... h-services
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:23 am
by lordhoff
Never heard of VASSAL - assumed it was a board game host.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:31 am
by lordhoff
Yes Hasbro did - all orders were cancelled, no board games sold since, and the few titles released under Avalon Hill by Hasbro for PC were a joke. All they wanted was the rights to their titles.
RE: It was made by SPI first
Blackbeard or Conquistador? Didn't know SPI had a hand in either. The makers of "War in the Pacific" with its individual ships and planes with unique rangers and a terrible land system. I still have a soft spot for that game - none since that I am aware of have had individual ranges, attrition, etc. At least one MATRIX game has come somewhat close, though. Probably would be just too costly to program all of that AND make it work as a game (which War in the Pacific (SPI) largely failed in.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:44 am
by GJK
It's a virtual game board that allows you to play live vs others online, via Pbem or solitaire. It does not enforce the rules but if you know the game already, that's not a problem, right? [;)]
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 5:40 pm
by Aurelian
ORIGINAL: lordhoff
Yes Hasbro did - all orders were cancelled, no board games sold since, and the few titles released under Avalon Hill by Hasbro for PC were a joke. All they wanted was the rights to their titles.
RE: It was made by SPI first
Blackbeard or Conquistador? Didn't know SPI had a hand in either. The makers of "War in the Pacific" with its individual ships and planes with unique rangers and a terrible land system. I still have a soft spot for that game - none since that I am aware of have had individual ranges, attrition, etc. At least one MATRIX game has come somewhat close, though. Probably would be just too costly to program all of that AND make it work as a game (which War in the Pacific (SPI) largely failed in.
No they didn't. Monarch screwed up and needed money. Hasbro primarily wanted the software titles, (Diplomacy). Hasbro isn't in the wargame business.
http://web.archive.org/web/200106221731 ... mescd.html
Conquistador came out in S&T 58. (1976) AH didn't publish it until 1981.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SPI_games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquistador_(game)
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:07 pm
by ezzler
Blackbeard has been redone by GMT.
judging by the stats its about as popular as the original. .
Can't remember why we never played it much. But I do remember when a girlfriend finally agreed to play and on turn 2 or so she found the golden galleon, plundered it and retired.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:14 am
by lordhoff
Methinks I don't want to face her in poker
\
I downloaded VASSEL but wasn't able to get Blackbeard to work - map came up but that was it. I didn't have much time, though - I'll try again once I have time to think about it and try things.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 9:26 am
by GJK
There is a "pieces" button (most likely, I haven't looked at the module) that will allow you to drag and drop the counters out on to the map. I'm sure that you'll figure it out if you spend a few more moments with it.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:49 pm
by warspite1
I was looking for something a little less piraty
Sorry I couldn't resist...wonder how many peeps will get that?
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:05 pm
by Orm
ORIGINAL: warspite1
I was looking for something a little less piraty
Sorry I couldn't resist...wonder how many peeps will get that?
I didn't get it at all. But I seldom do.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:08 pm
by warspite1
ORIGINAL: Orm
ORIGINAL: warspite1
I was looking for something a little less piraty
Sorry I couldn't resist...wonder how many peeps will get that?
I didn't get it at all. But I seldom do.
warspite1
I tried to find the sketch on YouTube but couldn't - it was from Little Britain and was one of the few genuinely funny sketches they did.
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
by ezzler
I didn't get it. But I'll ask the wife.
"Margaret!.. ..Margaret!"
RE: Pirates and Games
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:36 pm
by Erik Rutins
You can play as a pirate in Distant Worlds: Shadows, but that's if you don't mind pirates with Spaceships.