Sword Weirdos - Pirates!

I didn’t play a game until May last year, and I was determined not to let 2025 start in the same way.  With a few hours on my hands a game of Sword Weirdos was in order, so I dug out my small collection of small pirates (15mm Peter Pig) and set up a 1ft square jungle board. 

Introduction

Parts of two rival ships' crews, The Hot Pearl led by Captain Lux and The Meteor led by Captain Pretty  Paul*, encounter each other while looking for lost treasure.  The scenario is based on the Treasure Surprise scenario in the Sword Weirdos rules.  Instead of the Mimic I've opted for deadly spiders that will make one attack and then disperse.  All the other rules are per the scenario with 5 treasure tokens placed on the board.  

Each crew works out to 101 points with the full details here.

Round 1

Starting positions The Hot Pearl crew to the right

Pretty Paul from The Meteor wins the Initiative and uses 2 actions to claim a treasure token.  He doesn't have enough actions to Interact and pick up the treasure so his turn is over.  Lux from The Hot Pearl does similar, claiming the centre treasure token.  

First Mate White from The Meteor moves up one stick which gives him line of sight on Lux.  He drops to one knee, sights his flintlock pistol and fires!  Although successful, using the Attack Results Table a Return Fire is returned.  Lux takes aim with his own pistol and this has the same result.  White carries two pistols so he fires again.  Lux dodges the attack and nothing happens.  Both White's and Lux's pistols now need reloading. 

First Mate Ivy of The Hot Pearl moves up.  The Meteor's Pirate Lewis moves to claim a treasure token.  Pirate Gregory of The Hot Pearl crew moves twice which brings him in LoS and range of Pirate Lewis.  He fires his pistol and it's a close call as Lewis has to Dive for Cover.  This moves him one stick and he goes Down.  

Pirate Woody (The Meteor) moves twice to reclaim the token that Lewis has had to leave.  Kid Congo moves up to claim a treasure token and this gives him LoS on Pretty Paul.  He steadies his musket and fires.  He hits and it's a Take Cover result.  Pretty Paul being as hard as the power of steel, doesn't feel the need and stays where he is.  The last of The Meteor crew to move is Wolfgang.  He moves one stick and then fires on Captain Lux.  He hits and Lux is Staggered as the ball strikes him.  

Lux all shook up

Pirate Knox is the final character to Activate.  He moves up twice to support Kid Congo.  End of round.

Round 2

Starting positions Round 2

The Meteor crew once again seize the Initiative.  Pretty Paul spends two actions to Interact and pick up the treasure.  He rolls a 3, luckily the treasure is free of spiders.  Paul has one action left and carrying his loot, moves away from The Hot Pearl pirates.  

As he is Staggered  Captain Lux has to make a Recover action.  Passing the unopposed Will roll, he stands and uses his next two actions to Interact and pick up the treasure.  Disaster, the dice roll determines the chest is full of spiders who attack him.  Luckily for Lux the attacks don't do anything and he bats them away and stuffs the loot under his coat.  

Pirate Woody uses two actions to Interact and pick up some treasure.  There's no spiders and he claims the prize.  He uses his remaining action to move back away from the enemy crew.  First Mate Ivy moves to touch a treasure token and then having LoS on the retreating Woody, fires on him.  The shot is deadly and the Pirate falls Out of Action, clutching the gold he'd just found.  

Ivy takes Woody out - permanently

Pirate Gregory of The Hot Pearl calmly uses 2 actions to reload his pistol and fires at Captain Pretty Paul.  His shot misses.  The Meteors' First Mate White uses 2 actions to charge Kid Congo.  The charge gains him +1DT and Kid Congo is Staggered.  Pirate Knox now attacks White but his attack fails.  

The Meteors' Wolfgang runs at Captain Lux thrusting with his sword.  Lux defends himself  and uses a Manoeuvre  point he makes a riposte attack which is unsuccessful.  Kid Congo fails his first Will roll to try and Recover.  He fails his second.  And on the third and final try he manages to Recover.  Pirate Lewis makes a Stand action then he readies himself and fires his musket at First Mate Ivy.  Ivy is hit and the result is she's Out of Action,  That's one lost to each crew now.  End of turn. 

Round 3

Starting positions Round 3

For the third turn running The Meteor crew gain the Initiative.  Pretty Paul moves forward to challenge Lux.  He spends a Manoeuvre point with his attack.  The die are rolled and it's a whopping 14v3 in P  Paul's favour.  Lux is Down and Staggered.  Lux has got fcked up.  He makes an unopposed Will roll to Recover, then Stands and for his third action takes a swipe at The Meteors Captain.  His strike is true and P Paul is Staggered.   

Pirate Lewis runs to claim the treasure that Ivy had claimed before he shot her.  He uses his remaining action to start reloading his musket.  The Hot Pearl's Pirate Gregory attacks Wolfgang and knocks him Down. Wolfgang fails his first Recover Will roll, and his second and his third so stays where he is.  First Mate White continues his assault on Kid Congo, but he fails to land a blow.  Kid Congo strikes back but is also unsuccessful.  Pirate Knox's attack on First Mate White is also unsuccessful, the crews must be tiring.  That's the last action of the round. 

Round 4

Starting positions Round 4

Finally The Hot Pearl win the Initiative.  Lux attacks Pretty Paul and rolls a maximum 16 on 2D8. The Attack Result Table outcome is Down and Staggered.  As the captain of The Meteor is already Staggered he's now Out of Action.  

Pirate Gregory attacks the downed Wolfgang and despatches him.  Kid Congo now attacks First Mate White and causes a Knockback.  White is moved back 1 stick and Down.  Somewhat isolated from the rest of his crew, Pirate Lewis uses an action to pick up the fallen Ivy's treasure and his other two actions to scarper!  Pirate Knox moves forward one action and attacks the downed White.  The Down result is added to First Mate White's already Downed state to make him Staggered.  

As they've lost their leader The Meteor crew have to take an unopposed Will test.  They pass.  However, they have also lost over half the crew so they have to take another test.  This time they fail.  And that's the end of the game.  Captain Ĺux's Hot Pearl crew are victors and take the treasure. 

Summary 

What better way to start the gaming year than with a game of Sword Weirdos.  It had been a while since I last played and I was a little rusty with the rules.  By the second round though I was in the swing of it.  Like a complete fool I'd paid the extra points to make the two Captains Heroes/Villains and then forgot that they could Activate twice a round.  I think it'd have been a very quick game if I had remembered!  

This was the first time I've used the 1ft board I worked on last year.  For 15mm and smaller scale figures it works perfectly.  You get into action straight away and the game moves along well.  As I don't have a dedicated gaming area it also means I can set up the board on my painting table and leave it.  That way I can play a round when I get some spare minutes and I don't have to find a block of time to play, knowing that as soon as I finish I'll need to pack away. 

*Those fans of Pyschobilly will of course recognise the two crews as a homage to the two greatest bands of the genre, The Cramps and The Meteors.  I was fortunate enough to see both in my mid-teens, and they were formative experiences that are still with me.