Reef Raft

Only a destitute sailor would brave the tumultuous moods of the Caribbean on nothing more than a little lashed wood.
These waters are full of desperate Seamen.

Fifteen Miniatures on a Lead Man's Chest (Boarder Wars)

Here thar' be pirates.
Kansas city saw the first run of the game I've been putting together for over a year now. The whole project is only about a third done, lacking still several ships and two more boards of equal size. One man's ambition is another man's madness. For size comparison next to this 1500mm pirate is the game-board stretching out a meager 28ft by 8ft. This sounds like an absurd adjective for size but a 26 inch long Ship of the line needs a lot of room to grove.

Land-lubbers about to get their feet wet. Some more than others.

The Pirate's Code isn't a complex mater but it does take a bit of explaining from Mr. Christian.

Strangely in both encounters the British Ship of the line fared poorly to the French frigate.

The lone inhabitant on this deserted isle is Salty Al, a saltwater American crocodile. He enjoys long strolls along the beach, the sound of the surf, mixers with the natives, puppies or anything else unlucky enough to wash up on shore.

Galleon Beach is little more than a sand bar but the pilfered wreckage of a Spanish trade ship serves as a warning to those who misjudge its merciless reefs.

Fort-Nicanville

Cannibal Island

Port Manteau

Rogues' Gallery of our Brethren of the Coast
(Dressing the part)

Prize WinnersA prize vessel from Old Glory Shipyards was awarded to the most Successful player, the captain of the French Frigate who used a burning schooner to ignite the British ship of the line.

"The BBopp Award"
The unluckiest captain by popular vote was awarded a 5th of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum and a set of pink child floaties after having his merchant ship taken as a prize by pirates. Left adrift on the damaged pirate sloop where upon rowing to a pygmy savage infested island his remaining crew recovered a lost Inca treasure. After loading it into the longboat his remaining crew were eaten by Cannibals. Alone the Captain in the longboat pulled for the closest French port. Just yards from shore he was intercepted by cutthroat smugglers where he was challenged to an honor duel for the treasure. Consequently both combatants were Mortally wounded. The crew now without leadership mutinied and left with the treasure never to be seen again.

Honorable mention
This young entrepreneur received the Capt. Jack award for opening a catering service for the local cannibals.

Credit where Credit be owed
Camera Work: Robert Steve Hobbs
Location provided By HMGS-HA (Border Wars) Organizer:Brian Beale
Transportation and logistics: Grady"Caisson" West
Assembly, movers, assistant plot developers and Island inhabitants: Shelby"Shanghai"West, Brian"Broadside"Bopp, Cody " Cannonade" Dillon.
Press Ganged into service for last minute painting:
Sherron"What the hell is dry brushing?" Christian
Carrol " I call it Art!" Tuttle,
Tim "They Call me Tim" McCollum
Matt "Beat to Quarters" Rose
Alex "14 shades of Brown" McDonald

Next Port Of Call :

Recruits!

Les Bien Hores

Les Bien Hores

With a black flag and a heart to match Captain Pedazo de Culo has terrorized the Spanish main for the last 2 years. Formally a English colonial textile miller with no formal training in sailing or Spanish, he went completely berserk after finding his new bride in the arms of his castilian wet nurse. In a fit of rage Martin burned his town house to the ground and left the two standing at the shore line as he sailed off in a stolen dinghy. His first boarding action was logged and recanted later by his crew as Martin rowing up to the side of the first vessel flying the Spanish ensign he could find. Then being helped on board by the boatswain, Martin announcing to the captain he was personally declaring war on Spain and threw the Officer overboard.
It goes without mention that we were a bit tak'n a back by this castaway over throwing the ship at first. When he first say's his name es "Motin." We were like Mutiny? Yea we haven't seen pay in a month. El Capitain's Espanol es dreadful pero....ahh we try our best to get his orders carried out. We still don't really understand the name of the ship he picked "The good hours?" We think it has something to do with his wife.
(Sucio Carlos, Able seaman)

Fregate Marseille

Tensions in the Caribbean have been high since the arrival of a new British warship and not wanting his interests to run afoul Louis the XIV has dispatched the Fregate Marseille (Frigate Marseilles EN.) to appease his edgy local governors. The ship has made birth at Fort-Nicanville (pronounced: Fornication-vil in FR.) not to duel with the British ship-of-the-line but rather to drive away the influx of scalawags that are no longer welcome in the English King's waters. The Frigate Marseilles a 26 gun, fully rigged warship has not entered the Caribbean without the notice of the other colonial settlements. More than a few times the captain's unintentionally engaged English speaking merchants by simply hailing for news.

"They came up right next to us like they were want'n to trade and parley. Then her captain shouted "Ahoy! Fregate Marseille to English Vessel." They never loosed a shot but after we heard they gave no quarter our captain ran like hell....."

The "Rood Dijk"

For 98 years the banner of the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC has monopolized on trade from the new world to the Far East. In her armada of cargo laden fluyts, Junks and galleys seemingly unnoticed passes discrete and deadly vessels tasked to aggressive negotiations. Many a troublesome Governor have overlooked tariff after a company bombard ketch dropped anchor in his harbor and iron on his customs house. Too well known to the Brethren of the coast is the say’n to dally to long in a pirates haven attracts the company and a meal for the ravens.

Beneath the ensign of the United East India Company and the billowing canvas of little more than a yacht, the ROOD DIJK, Red Dike in Dutch, hides a 13 inch mortar used for trade liquidation in hostile takeovers. The Dijk in a matter of a few commodity exchanges can bring a bull market to a crashing halt. It is said that the Ketch got its name from the vessel’s first skipper that drunkenly reminisced of the red tulips of a lush valley that he knew as a young man. Seems no man of his hamlet was allowed entry and was often driven away by the frigid approach.