Mutinous Dogs

"You've gone and cut this out of a Bible. What fool's cut a Bible?"
J. Silver

Mutiny was an ever-present threat among Pyrates. After all, most of them had a taste for disobedience and a powerful streak of independence or they wouldn't have become Pyrates in the first place. Pyrates were generally more "democratic", "liberal", and "political" than those of their contemporaries who were bound to more or less despotic and corrupt regimes. They had frequently entered the Free Fraternity, (or Sorority), with a keen sense of Injustice and desire for Fairness. Pyrate Captains found themselves ruling by Consent and Article, or even by… Committee.

This said, only a Landlubber would think that a Ship could run without someone in charge and once the Crew had put their faith in a Captain they would obey fairly unflinchingly, until things started to go breadfruit shaped…

Pyrate Crews accrue Mutinous Dog points if things start to go badly. The crew takes a Mutinous Dog point every turn that they lose a figure and various other events and actions will bring the Mutinous Dogs out of their kennels, or send them back. (See throughout).

If a crew has more Mutinous Dog points than surviving figures, then the Black Spot (1) may be presented at any time.

Rum
Break out the Rum to restore morale. Lose a Mutinous Dog point but d6/2 figures are wounded (no save) due to excessive morality.

Loot
Nothing cheers the crew up like distributing Treasure.

Black Spot
The player of the Black Spot card chooses a figure in the surviving pyrate crew, (can be an officer). This is the Ringleader. The Captain must make a 3D6 throw and score a number greater than the number of Mutinous Dog points they have. If the throw fails the Captain is ousted and is either -

if at sea d6:

• 1..2 tossed overboard, perhaps with the aid of a plank.
• 3..4 cast adrift in a boat if available, or else a makeshift raft.
• 5..6 clapped in irons for marooning as soon as a convenient coastline presents itself.

if ashore d6:

• 1..2 exhibited post-mortem as a dire warning to future tyrants/rebels
  
• 3..4 banished and forced to flee into the wilderness
  
• 5..6 clapped in irons to await their fate

The Ringleader now has command of the ship or stronghold. (Note: in the hands of the original player, not the card player). If the Captain wins through then an example must be made and the Ringleader is treated as above.

"Uneasy sleeps the head beneath the crown…" etc. and any new Captain starts their reign with two Mutinous Dog points. (A generous distribution of Rum can do wonders for morale). After the Black Spot has been played, shuffle it with all the other discards back into the chance card pack.

Note that it is not only the actions of the Captain that sow the seeds of mutiny. Officers who act with insufficient bravado or honour, (for a pyrate), by e.g. maltreating prisoners after Quarter has been offered or accepted, might upset the crew.

Short of actual mutiny, mutinous dogs can cause trouble:

• Whenever a unit faces a morale test, a crew with Mutinous Dog Points has a point deducted from the roll.
  
• Whenever a unit is ordered to charge an enemy, the crew's Mutinous Dog Points are deducted from the charge move bonus dice. This can reduce a charge "bonus" to zero.
  
• When resolving a draw in a mêlée, the number of Mutinous Dog Points can be taken into consideration.

An act of conspicuous bravery, generosity or panache, by Captain or other Officer will usually redeem a Mutinous Dog Point or two, (see throughout for instances, or write into a scenario).

Note that a Pyrate Captain may be summarily deposed if a morale test has been failed, as per any other leader. In this instance it is believed that the Black Spot has been presented by a "Depytation", and the effects are not necessarily as severe for the potentially "depposed". Long John himself talked his way into re-election after the Black Spot was used to depose him.

(1) This is supposed to be a device invented by R.L.Stevenson, but it's now so firmly associated with Pyrates that we find it apt as a mechanism for mutiny.

© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009