A pirate captain of Sartosa
A pirate, also known as a buccaneer, is an individual who commits acts of piracy at sea against other nations' merchant ships, in pursuit of their own enrichment without the legal authorisation of any ruler. Pirates normally gather into crews under the command of a pirate captain who is sometimes democratically chosen to fulfil that command position by their crew.
Pirates who are legally authorised to attack the shipping of an enemy nation by the legitimate government of an Old World realm while at war are known as privateers or corsairs. However, such authorisation lasts only for the duration of the war and many privateers continue their acts of piracy indiscriminately once the conflict has ended and their legal authorisation has evaporated.
A corsair combines prowess as a sailor with a warrior's skill and courage. They lead boarding actions and fight in raiding parties on shore. The Dark Elves' Black Ark Corsairs are notorious for their cruelty. Human corsairs come from all maritime cultures of the world of Mallus, including from the nations of the Old World, Araby, Sartosa, or further afield, often armed with weapons characteristic of their native land. On ships, they man the cannon or bolt throwers during a sea battle.[7a]
Archetypal Pirates[]
A pirate of Sartosa ready to raid a mercantile vessel.
The Norscans are infamous for raiding and marauding, so it is no surprise that they have a reputation as wanton pirates. Even the more civilised Norscan tribes, such as the Bjornlings, are happy to indulge in piracy if the opportunity presents itself, or if circumstances prevent them from making a living from honest trade.[4a]
Even those brave merchants from other Old World nations who are willing to trade with the Norscans feel a pang of fear should they spot the silhouette of a Norse Longship on the horizon. Longship captains and their crews often bear little loyalty to anyone but themselves, so even a merchant with a history of trading with a particular Norscan tribe will not necessarily benefit from their goodwill if they encounter Norscan vessels at sea.[4a]
Yet for many in the Old World the archetypal pirate is not regarded as Norscan, but Tilean. This is even the case along the northern shores of the Empire, where the corsairs of the Tilean Sea are a distant threat, and Norscan raiders a constant danger.[4a]
Fall of Mordheim[]
After the destruction of the cursed city of Mordheim, many Pirate Captains heard the song of easy riches, as the nearby rivers were filled with ships laden with either gold into the city or departing with wyrdstone. Using the perpetual fog and dust that filled the air around the ruins, a ship could navigate the city via the deep rivers running through it. With lightning speed, the pirate ships appeared from nowhere to attack a ship and quickly looted it of any valuables. Some Captains had even found safe harbors for their vessels and led frequent raiding parties into the city itself. These brave pirate bands became new additions to other groups of adventurers, fanatics, and nightmare creatures that dared enter the remains of the City of the Damned.[5a]
Pirate Customs[]
The Cross[]
Pirate captains do not usually carry their riches with them, but often bury them and keep a private and often coded chart. On that chart is a cross, an X, which marks the location of his buried trove. When a captain reaches the end of his career on the waves, he and his crew sail for that cross, uncover the riches, and share them out, a portion to every man as befits his duty, service and rank. But few are known to have retired in such a way.[1i]
Flags[]
- Jolie Rouge or the Bloody Flag - A plain red flag and the sign of no quarter or mercy.[1b]
- Pirate Marks or The Black - Designs on a black background that warn a victim ship to give up without a fight, or informed another pirate of the presence of a fellow pirate. If a pirate captain displayed their Black before an attack, and the target surrendered without a fight, the pirates were obliged to show mercy to the ship's crew.[1b]
Notable Crew Roles[]
Pirate heraldry as depicted in Man O' War: Corsair.
Pirate Captain[]
Alternative pirate heraldry as depicted in Man O' War: Corsair.
Only the roughest and toughest sea dog can rise to become captain of his own ship. A good Captain has to be bold and decisive in combat, and a forceful personality to hold together his unruly followers. Though often elected by the crew, he must command their respect and fear, and more importantly ensure their continued loyalty with plenty of gold.[5b]
Ship's Mates[]
Each ship has several mates to serve under the captain and ensure his orders are carried out properly. They also keep a careful eye on him as well for any signs of weakness or hoarding from the crew, as each mate would love nothing more than to become captain himself one day. Until that day though they readily obey his commands, oversee the crew and the ship, and stand with their captain ready to plunder and ravage any ships they find.[5b]
Cabin Boys[]
The lure of the sea often calls many young men to leave their boring lives behind and take up the exciting life of a pirate. Some are the youngest sons of nobles who know they will never inherit, or whose families have fallen to disgrace or poverty. Others are simple farmboys yearning for the open sea and adventure. All though, show some glimmer of talent which the captain decides is enough to allow them to serve as cabin boys, where they can learn not only the basics of seamanship but also the more important lessons of how to run a pirate ship. Assuming the live through the years of training, they will go on to become feared captains of their own.[5b]
Crew[]
The backbone to the ship, the crew are drawn together by the lure of the sea as well as the lure of plunder. As sailors, crewmen are experts in seamanship and ship operations. As pirates, they also quickly become proficient in swordplay and in using a variety of weapons especially pistols. It is said a good pirate crewman needs to know how to read the skies, weather, and winds, but most importantly the moods of his Captain.[5b]
Gunners[]
Gunners tend the artillery and ammunition of the ship. Their keen knowledge of blackpowder weapons is essential to prevent the potential disaster of a cannon bursting, overheating, or recoiling out of control. In battle, gunners oversee the banks of cannon, and on land they tend to be armed with the best pistols and other blackpowder weapons from the ship's stores.[5b]
Boatswains[]
Boatswains (or bosons as they are often called) are responsible aboard the vessel for the upkeep of the rigging, the hundreds of lines and cables throughout the ship which keep the sails operating properly. They are experts at moving throughout the ship’s maze of ropes, swinging from one yardarm to another to ensure the overall soundness of the rigging. In the ruins of raided city, these same skills serve them well in moving throughout the building wreckage and craters which litter the former city.[5b]
Swabbies[]
Not all members of a pirate crew are there entirely voluntarily. Some have been captured from enemy vessels, or rounded up on the docks or harbour fronts when the ship was in need of extra men. Kept under a watchful eye by the mates, the swabbies know they had better carry out their duties as assigned, lest they face a keel-hauling or worse. Many have grown accustomed to their lot, but given a chance many will run for it, even into the unknown dangers of foreign lands.[5b]
Sea Shanty Singer[]
The sea shanty singer,[5b] or chantyman,[4b] is renowned throughout the seas as one of the greatest singers aboard a ship, able to raise the spirits of any crew with his stirring renditions of ‘The Sloop Johan Bee’, ‘What do you do with a Drunken Halfling?’, and other famous pirate ditties.[5b]
Notable Pirate Captains[]
- Aranessa Saltspite - Commands the Swordfysh.[2]
- Banehanded Ezra[1f]
- Bearded Jon - Also known as "Henri the Little," Bearded Jon commanded the Demiurge and often sailed alongside the more infamous Bretonnian pirate captain Red Henri, hence his nickname.[1g]
- Bonnie Berto[1f]
- Ezra Banehand[1]
- Jacque Rawhead[1d]
- Jaego Roth - Commanded the Nightwatch at first, and then the Heldenhammer after stealing it from the Cult of Sigmar.[2]
- Jeremiah Tusk - Commands the Lightning Tree.[1a]
- Long Drong - Commands the Fair Fregar.
- Metto Matez [1d]
- Otto Steinroth - The Red Pirate of Marienburg who successfully raided Ulthuan but brought down the wrath of the High Elves on his city.[3a]
- Reyno Bloodlock - Commands the Sacramento.[1d]
- Luka Silvaro - Leader of the pirates known as the Reivers, he commands the Rumour and the Safire.[1]
- Sacadra the Jinx[1d]
- Willem Longtooth[1d]
Pirate Ships[]
Although principally used by the fleets of the Imperial Navy, wargalleys are often captured or built by pirates, and can thus be found prowling seas the Known World over.[6a]
Miniatures[]
.jpg "6th Edition (Pirate Maneater).jpg (58 KB)")
Sources[]
- 1: Fell Cargo (Novel) by Dan Abnett
- 2: Dreadfleet (Novel) by Phil Kelly
- 3: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition)
- 3a: pg. 30
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Sea of Claws (RPG)
- 5: Town Cryer 9
- 6: Man O' War: Rulebook (Specialist Game)
- 6a: pg. 41
- 7: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: The Corsairs of Captain Flariel (RPG)
- 7a: pg. 6