03-30-2007, 06:49 AM
Questions from Gabe about Lords of the Spanish Main, answers from Rick Heli (site coordinator) and Phil Eklund (designer)
1. Treasure flota: if it comprises multiple fleet cards, possibly from
multiple players, do the fleets sail together or separately?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing they sail together -- the safety in numbers concept.
(Phil Eklund, esteemed designer) Historically, they sailed together as much as possible, but divided up in a manner described in endnote #35. During playtesting, we had them sail separately. (Although per the third bullet of C6, they all sailed during the treasure player's stage). Now when I play, I use the C4a optional rule for combining fleets listed in the errata, and the players generally take advantage of this for safety in numbers. So I agree with Rick.
2. Treasure flota: when does it sail? especially if there are
multiple players' fleets and given that the rules say it goes last
like the flota player does, yet the errata alter the turn order to
have him go first.
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing they all sail during the Flota player's turn, regardless
of who actually owns the fleets. It would be best I think if this came
at the end of the turn so that all the would be pirates have a chance
to plan and position on the same turn and don't have to worry about
doing it on the previous one.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. Per the third bullet of C6, the fleets designated as part of the treasure flota sail during the treasure player's C4b stage.
3. Treasure flota: when it is interdicted and attacked, does the
pirate attack a single fleet or all the fleets that sail together? If
the former, can it go on to attack other fleets if it survives the
first battle?
(Rick Heli)I'm guessing that they attack an individual fleet at a time because I
saw no rules for multi-fleet combat. And I suppose if they survive they
could go on to attack others since a turn represents a whole year.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. The rules for combining fleets allow fleets to combine and fight up to size three. And units are allowed multiple actions per turn (per C4b).
4. Treasure cities: each one can be attacked only once, but does that
refer to privateers only? Could a treasure city be "softened up" by
one or more heathen tribe attacks and then still attacked by a
privateer all in one turn?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing that softening up is legal; otherwise heathen colonies tend to lose a lot of their interest/value/significance.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick here. Although it should be added to the errata. The intention was that a pirate attack would alert the populace that the Spanish have defaulted on their anti-pirate duties, and would close down shop and hide the women and jewels accordingly.
5. Treasure cites: who can attack it? The rules and play mat differ,
the former saying only in war while the latter say if at war or if a
pirate. If the latter are correct, must one hold a pirate flag
already *before* attacking the treasure city or is it okay to attack
the treasure city and thus acquire the status?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing you don't have to be a pirate in advance, but making the attack surely turns you into one (except if at war, of course).
(Phil Eklund) Actually, per the E2 note, pirates are ever at war. So the two cases are the same. We play using the algorithm of E1: the player demands ransom, if refused, he can attack and become a pirate, or back down and go his way.
6. Treasure cites: can multiple fleets defend a single treasure city?
(Rick Heli) I suppose they can, and that they would have to be attacked one by one.
(Phil Eklund) For once I disagree with Rick. To locate a fleet at a treasure city, it has to be located using a treasure city location card. The rules allow but one fleet per location card (C4a note), although of course using the optional rule in the errata fleets can be combined (up to size three).
7. Treasure cites: can fleets not belonging to the treasure player
defend a treasure city? … According to the rules for
basing, a non-treasure player may only base in one of the pirate
havens, not in the treasure city. It seems to me the at according to
the rules defense of treasure cities only occurs with the soldiers
outfitted in that city, and the only sea encounters for treasure would
be only between the treasure-player's controlled merchantman treasure
fleet(s) and non-treasure player controlled privateers who interdict
the treasure flota.
(Phil) Just as for treasure fleets, a player allied to the treasure
player temporarily acts as though he were part of the treasure player's
fleets. Perhaps I should say in the errata for the first bullet of C4a:
"for the treasure player or those allied to him." to clarify this.
Gabe) So regarding this business about fleets defending treasure
cities - how is it possible in the rules? The rules state that
privateers interdict merchantmen per C4b bullet 2 and E1. Wouldn't
defending a treasure city require the treasure player to base a
privateer fleet in the treasure city and then interdict a raiding
privateer?
(Phil) Hello Gabe. Raiding actions, both raiding pirate havens and
besieging treasure cities, are allowed in the rules, and are listed on
the playing mat (see under privateer actions). You are correct, that if
a privateer is based in a location, either a pirate base or a treasure
city, it defends the location. I do not consider this an interdiction.
8. Can a player helping the treasure fleet player to ship the treasure
also field privateers on the same turn? This would seem a bit of a
loophole whereby such a player could grab privateer locations and thus
help to secure a safe route.
(Rick Heli) Seems an interesting loophole to me. I wouldn't disallow it.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. The rules disallow the treasure player (see C4a note) to base in pirate havens, but not vice versa. So a player could base fleets in both pirate havens and treasure cities.
9. Is there such a thing as a "pirate merchant", i.e. can a fleet
carrying a pirate flag act as a merchant?
(Rick Heli) Seems fair to me, at a smuggling port, or to carry treasure.
(Phil Elund) I agree with Rick. Pirates are allowed to outfit as merchantmen or as privateers. As the former, they can carry treasure, smuggle at a smuggling port, or trade with colonies of their own nationality.
10. Do bribes paid to privateers go to the hold or to coffers?
(Rick Heli) I suspect coffers.
(Phil Elund) I agree with Rick. Per D1 (deals) players may exchange coffer gold.
11. Still feel a little uncertain about the turn order, even after the
errata. Are players rated on the height of their lowest card?
(Rick Heli) Seems like the Treasure Flota player should be at a disadvantage for bidding and take his individual turn last. Whatever system makes that
happen seems best. Because the Treasure Flota has a lot of power, especially
early in the game.
(Phil Eklund) Yes, players are rated on the height of their lowest card. You stated it more elegantly than my poor wording of the errata.
12. How many things can a single privateer do on a turn? Can he
potentially sail to every colony on the map and threaten it?
(Rick Heli) I believe so, yes.
(Phil Eklund) Yes. (per C4b).
1. Treasure flota: if it comprises multiple fleet cards, possibly from
multiple players, do the fleets sail together or separately?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing they sail together -- the safety in numbers concept.
(Phil Eklund, esteemed designer) Historically, they sailed together as much as possible, but divided up in a manner described in endnote #35. During playtesting, we had them sail separately. (Although per the third bullet of C6, they all sailed during the treasure player's stage). Now when I play, I use the C4a optional rule for combining fleets listed in the errata, and the players generally take advantage of this for safety in numbers. So I agree with Rick.
2. Treasure flota: when does it sail? especially if there are
multiple players' fleets and given that the rules say it goes last
like the flota player does, yet the errata alter the turn order to
have him go first.
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing they all sail during the Flota player's turn, regardless
of who actually owns the fleets. It would be best I think if this came
at the end of the turn so that all the would be pirates have a chance
to plan and position on the same turn and don't have to worry about
doing it on the previous one.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. Per the third bullet of C6, the fleets designated as part of the treasure flota sail during the treasure player's C4b stage.
3. Treasure flota: when it is interdicted and attacked, does the
pirate attack a single fleet or all the fleets that sail together? If
the former, can it go on to attack other fleets if it survives the
first battle?
(Rick Heli)I'm guessing that they attack an individual fleet at a time because I
saw no rules for multi-fleet combat. And I suppose if they survive they
could go on to attack others since a turn represents a whole year.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. The rules for combining fleets allow fleets to combine and fight up to size three. And units are allowed multiple actions per turn (per C4b).
4. Treasure cities: each one can be attacked only once, but does that
refer to privateers only? Could a treasure city be "softened up" by
one or more heathen tribe attacks and then still attacked by a
privateer all in one turn?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing that softening up is legal; otherwise heathen colonies tend to lose a lot of their interest/value/significance.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick here. Although it should be added to the errata. The intention was that a pirate attack would alert the populace that the Spanish have defaulted on their anti-pirate duties, and would close down shop and hide the women and jewels accordingly.
5. Treasure cites: who can attack it? The rules and play mat differ,
the former saying only in war while the latter say if at war or if a
pirate. If the latter are correct, must one hold a pirate flag
already *before* attacking the treasure city or is it okay to attack
the treasure city and thus acquire the status?
(Rick Heli) I'm guessing you don't have to be a pirate in advance, but making the attack surely turns you into one (except if at war, of course).
(Phil Eklund) Actually, per the E2 note, pirates are ever at war. So the two cases are the same. We play using the algorithm of E1: the player demands ransom, if refused, he can attack and become a pirate, or back down and go his way.
6. Treasure cites: can multiple fleets defend a single treasure city?
(Rick Heli) I suppose they can, and that they would have to be attacked one by one.
(Phil Eklund) For once I disagree with Rick. To locate a fleet at a treasure city, it has to be located using a treasure city location card. The rules allow but one fleet per location card (C4a note), although of course using the optional rule in the errata fleets can be combined (up to size three).
7. Treasure cites: can fleets not belonging to the treasure player
defend a treasure city? … According to the rules for
basing, a non-treasure player may only base in one of the pirate
havens, not in the treasure city. It seems to me the at according to
the rules defense of treasure cities only occurs with the soldiers
outfitted in that city, and the only sea encounters for treasure would
be only between the treasure-player's controlled merchantman treasure
fleet(s) and non-treasure player controlled privateers who interdict
the treasure flota.
(Phil) Just as for treasure fleets, a player allied to the treasure
player temporarily acts as though he were part of the treasure player's
fleets. Perhaps I should say in the errata for the first bullet of C4a:
"for the treasure player or those allied to him." to clarify this.
Gabe) So regarding this business about fleets defending treasure
cities - how is it possible in the rules? The rules state that
privateers interdict merchantmen per C4b bullet 2 and E1. Wouldn't
defending a treasure city require the treasure player to base a
privateer fleet in the treasure city and then interdict a raiding
privateer?
(Phil) Hello Gabe. Raiding actions, both raiding pirate havens and
besieging treasure cities, are allowed in the rules, and are listed on
the playing mat (see under privateer actions). You are correct, that if
a privateer is based in a location, either a pirate base or a treasure
city, it defends the location. I do not consider this an interdiction.
8. Can a player helping the treasure fleet player to ship the treasure
also field privateers on the same turn? This would seem a bit of a
loophole whereby such a player could grab privateer locations and thus
help to secure a safe route.
(Rick Heli) Seems an interesting loophole to me. I wouldn't disallow it.
(Phil Eklund) I agree with Rick. The rules disallow the treasure player (see C4a note) to base in pirate havens, but not vice versa. So a player could base fleets in both pirate havens and treasure cities.
9. Is there such a thing as a "pirate merchant", i.e. can a fleet
carrying a pirate flag act as a merchant?
(Rick Heli) Seems fair to me, at a smuggling port, or to carry treasure.
(Phil Elund) I agree with Rick. Pirates are allowed to outfit as merchantmen or as privateers. As the former, they can carry treasure, smuggle at a smuggling port, or trade with colonies of their own nationality.
10. Do bribes paid to privateers go to the hold or to coffers?
(Rick Heli) I suspect coffers.
(Phil Elund) I agree with Rick. Per D1 (deals) players may exchange coffer gold.
11. Still feel a little uncertain about the turn order, even after the
errata. Are players rated on the height of their lowest card?
(Rick Heli) Seems like the Treasure Flota player should be at a disadvantage for bidding and take his individual turn last. Whatever system makes that
happen seems best. Because the Treasure Flota has a lot of power, especially
early in the game.
(Phil Eklund) Yes, players are rated on the height of their lowest card. You stated it more elegantly than my poor wording of the errata.
12. How many things can a single privateer do on a turn? Can he
potentially sail to every colony on the map and threaten it?
(Rick Heli) I believe so, yes.
(Phil Eklund) Yes. (per C4b).