27 Jan 2014, 6:25 pm
Post any questions you have about pirates here. I will compile them into a single post (the second post of this thread) for ease of reading.
Second Edit: February 6
- Pirates can build a maximum of 5 cities. There is no range restriction on where they can build.
Edits to Pirate Rules since first publishing:
- Pirates cannot build in a territory that has been nuked.
- Clarified Rule #3 to make it technically correct.
Pirates
In this version, three new powers will be introduced: Atlantic Ocean pirates, Indian Ocean pirates and Pacific Ocean pirates. These powers will simulate the pirate factions that capture vessels and interrupt shipping lanes in modern society.
Each player assigned to these powers will get to come up with their own name, which will help differentiate the powers as the game is played.
Pirate nations have several unique characteristics:
1. Pirates do not begin with any unit or city on the board.
2. Each year, pirates are able to insert one fleet anywhere within their designated zone. This action is done immediately prior to the movement phase and no other player on the board will [officially] know where the unit will be placed. Pirates cannot insert a fleet outside of the designated zone and may never insert more than one fleet in any given season.
3. This fleet may only be placed in (1) an unoccupied sea territory within their designated zone, or (2) an unoccupied coastal/island territory which borders the pirate's sea zone that also does not have a city in it. The placement of the fleet on the board cannot be supported by a unit already on the board.
4. During the winter phase, the pirate fleet is destroyed unless it is occupying a neutral or foreign city.
5. Pirates can take over neutral or foreign cities using the same method as everyone else: occupying the city during the winter phase. If this occurs, the unit occupying the city is now supported by that city. Any pirate units supported by cities remain on the board and function just like all other fleets on the board: they can move, support and hold; they can capture cities; and they can be destroyed. The pirate power may still place a new fleet in the spring.
Example: If Pirate Power Atlantic captures TRD in Fall '01, that fleet gains permanent status on the board. It functions as any other fleet does. Pirate Power Atlantic can now place a new fleet in Spring '02. It will have 2 fleets operating with 1 SC controlled.
6. Pirates can build cities (fortresses) in unoccupied territories. To do this, a pirate unit must order “Build city” for two consecutive, uninterrupted turns.
i. if a newly-placed pirate unit successfully begins building a city in a fall season, the unit will not be destroyed in the winter. In the subsequent spring: (1) if the build order is interrupted in any way, the unit is disbanded and a new unit can be placed in the fall; (2) if the build order is successful and the new city is built, a new unit cannot be placed but the existing unit remains on the board and can be moved as per regular rules.
Example: Pirate Power Atlantic places unit in ESA. In Spring ’01, ESA moves to GUI. In Fall ’01, GUI is ordered to build a city.
If GUI successfully builds the city through to Spring ’02, the unit will remain on the board and Pirate Power Atlantic cannot place another unit for ’02. If GUI is interrupted in Spring ’02, the fleet is disbanded and Pirate Power Atlantic can place a new unit in the fall.
Pirate powers are treated like all other powers when it comes to nukes and winning the game. Pirates are assigned an D designation for voting purposes.
Placement of the fleet
A pirate fleet is placed immediately before the movement phase, however, it can be considered to be done simultaneously. In this respect, it is similar to the method in which nukes are launched, which are technically launched just prior to the unit movements but have after-effects which last into the rest of the movement phase.
The unit is placed on the board is placed with a power of 0. As a result, the fleet cannot be placed in a territory already occupied. As an example, the Indian Ocean pirates are unable to place a unit directly into Diego Garcia in S01, as it is occupied by the American wing. The placement of the pirate fleet cannot be supported, although it’s subsequent movement can be supported.
As with other units, a pirate fleet cannot enter a territory that has just been nuked. Nuking occurs immediately before the pirate fleet placement. If a pirate power attempts to place a unit in a territory that is being nuked, the placement does not occur. If the pirate fleet is blocked in the spring in this manner, the player may attempt to insert it in the fall. However, the unit will still be destroyed in the winter, unless it occupies a city by that time.
Explanation of the concept
When we hear the word “pirates”, the first thought is Blackbeard, Francis Drake or Henry Morgan. Although it rarely makes the news in the western world, piracy is still a factor in many parts of the world. There were 176 reported incidents of piracy between January and August 2013 alone, which included 10 hijackings. The attacks largely occur off the Gold Coast in Africa, Somalia and in Southeast Asia (map of incidents in 2013).
If your first reaction to all of this is that diplomacy is not just a game of wanton attacks, but policy too, I would like to point out that the Pirate Party participates in elections in nearly 40 countries. It has won seats in elections in Sweden, Germany and Iceland. Iceland was the first country in which the Pirate Party entered the national legislature. Interesting factoid: the Pirate Party in Iceland has sponsored a bill that would immediately grant Edward Snowden Icelandic citizenship.
The end goal of all of this? Chaos. A new factor that forces veteran players to think on their feet and brings them down a few notches to the new players. An interesting twist that appeals to all players, offering the fun of figuring out new situations better than your opponent.
With the evolution of NWO, new rules concepts have been tried and tested. It should be made perfectly clear: the pirates concept does not help or hinder small or big powers. You may see some instances where the regional pirate helps to take down a small power in one fell swoop. You may see other instances where the pirate power, unafraid of being nuked out of existence, leads the regional attack on the big powers. The reality is that the pirate power can conceivably choose either avenue to pursue and that leaves you, the players, in control of the game by using the game’s namesake: Diplomacy. Use your words wisely.
Second Edit: February 6
- Pirates can build a maximum of 5 cities. There is no range restriction on where they can build.
Edits to Pirate Rules since first publishing:
- Pirates cannot build in a territory that has been nuked.
- Clarified Rule #3 to make it technically correct.
Pirates
In this version, three new powers will be introduced: Atlantic Ocean pirates, Indian Ocean pirates and Pacific Ocean pirates. These powers will simulate the pirate factions that capture vessels and interrupt shipping lanes in modern society.
Each player assigned to these powers will get to come up with their own name, which will help differentiate the powers as the game is played.
Pirate nations have several unique characteristics:
1. Pirates do not begin with any unit or city on the board.
2. Each year, pirates are able to insert one fleet anywhere within their designated zone. This action is done immediately prior to the movement phase and no other player on the board will [officially] know where the unit will be placed. Pirates cannot insert a fleet outside of the designated zone and may never insert more than one fleet in any given season.
3. This fleet may only be placed in (1) an unoccupied sea territory within their designated zone, or (2) an unoccupied coastal/island territory which borders the pirate's sea zone that also does not have a city in it. The placement of the fleet on the board cannot be supported by a unit already on the board.
4. During the winter phase, the pirate fleet is destroyed unless it is occupying a neutral or foreign city.
5. Pirates can take over neutral or foreign cities using the same method as everyone else: occupying the city during the winter phase. If this occurs, the unit occupying the city is now supported by that city. Any pirate units supported by cities remain on the board and function just like all other fleets on the board: they can move, support and hold; they can capture cities; and they can be destroyed. The pirate power may still place a new fleet in the spring.
Example: If Pirate Power Atlantic captures TRD in Fall '01, that fleet gains permanent status on the board. It functions as any other fleet does. Pirate Power Atlantic can now place a new fleet in Spring '02. It will have 2 fleets operating with 1 SC controlled.
6. Pirates can build cities (fortresses) in unoccupied territories. To do this, a pirate unit must order “Build city” for two consecutive, uninterrupted turns.
i. if a newly-placed pirate unit successfully begins building a city in a fall season, the unit will not be destroyed in the winter. In the subsequent spring: (1) if the build order is interrupted in any way, the unit is disbanded and a new unit can be placed in the fall; (2) if the build order is successful and the new city is built, a new unit cannot be placed but the existing unit remains on the board and can be moved as per regular rules.
Example: Pirate Power Atlantic places unit in ESA. In Spring ’01, ESA moves to GUI. In Fall ’01, GUI is ordered to build a city.
If GUI successfully builds the city through to Spring ’02, the unit will remain on the board and Pirate Power Atlantic cannot place another unit for ’02. If GUI is interrupted in Spring ’02, the fleet is disbanded and Pirate Power Atlantic can place a new unit in the fall.
Pirate powers are treated like all other powers when it comes to nukes and winning the game. Pirates are assigned an D designation for voting purposes.
Placement of the fleet
A pirate fleet is placed immediately before the movement phase, however, it can be considered to be done simultaneously. In this respect, it is similar to the method in which nukes are launched, which are technically launched just prior to the unit movements but have after-effects which last into the rest of the movement phase.
The unit is placed on the board is placed with a power of 0. As a result, the fleet cannot be placed in a territory already occupied. As an example, the Indian Ocean pirates are unable to place a unit directly into Diego Garcia in S01, as it is occupied by the American wing. The placement of the pirate fleet cannot be supported, although it’s subsequent movement can be supported.
As with other units, a pirate fleet cannot enter a territory that has just been nuked. Nuking occurs immediately before the pirate fleet placement. If a pirate power attempts to place a unit in a territory that is being nuked, the placement does not occur. If the pirate fleet is blocked in the spring in this manner, the player may attempt to insert it in the fall. However, the unit will still be destroyed in the winter, unless it occupies a city by that time.
Explanation of the concept
When we hear the word “pirates”, the first thought is Blackbeard, Francis Drake or Henry Morgan. Although it rarely makes the news in the western world, piracy is still a factor in many parts of the world. There were 176 reported incidents of piracy between January and August 2013 alone, which included 10 hijackings. The attacks largely occur off the Gold Coast in Africa, Somalia and in Southeast Asia (map of incidents in 2013).
If your first reaction to all of this is that diplomacy is not just a game of wanton attacks, but policy too, I would like to point out that the Pirate Party participates in elections in nearly 40 countries. It has won seats in elections in Sweden, Germany and Iceland. Iceland was the first country in which the Pirate Party entered the national legislature. Interesting factoid: the Pirate Party in Iceland has sponsored a bill that would immediately grant Edward Snowden Icelandic citizenship.
The end goal of all of this? Chaos. A new factor that forces veteran players to think on their feet and brings them down a few notches to the new players. An interesting twist that appeals to all players, offering the fun of figuring out new situations better than your opponent.
With the evolution of NWO, new rules concepts have been tried and tested. It should be made perfectly clear: the pirates concept does not help or hinder small or big powers. You may see some instances where the regional pirate helps to take down a small power in one fell swoop. You may see other instances where the pirate power, unafraid of being nuked out of existence, leads the regional attack on the big powers. The reality is that the pirate power can conceivably choose either avenue to pursue and that leaves you, the players, in control of the game by using the game’s namesake: Diplomacy. Use your words wisely.
