Please allow me a few moments of Geeking Out

Okay, I just have to say, Ernie and I had the BEST game of Pirates of the Spanish Main the other day! It’s a tabletop game where you build funky little ships – Square rigs, galleys, schooners and the like – and set sail for Gold and Glory!

I love any game that lets you explore different strategies of play, plus this one has PIRATES! How cool are PIRATES?!

So anyway, we started out with different fleets, and both approached the game very differently. Ships were boarded and commandeered, wild islands were explored and canon smoke filled the kitchen as we both raced for treasure. We both had our casualties with neither player was really coming out ahead. Then Ernie’s ships set a quick course for home with enough treasure to win the game when all of a sudden one of my ships boarded his and stole JUST enough gold to hinder his victory. I then sunk his other ship along with its gold, when Ernie stole MY ship, loaded with MY gold including the stolen booty I had taken from him! By this point my remaining ships had formed a make-ship blockade around his home island, attempting to block his final run. My dwindling fleet fired at his lone incoming ship, wounding but not sinking her.

So there we are. All the ships are either gathered around Ernie’s home base, or are belly up on the bottom of Davy Jones’ locker. It’s my turn. If I sink his ship (with a ship in tow, both loaded with gold) I win. If I miss and he takes his turn, he gets his ship home with enough gold to win. I have one roll of the die to sink his ship. A roll of 1, 2, or 3, and I miss. A roll of 4 or higher and I win. Can you feel the tension?

Man, I love a good game. Anyone who wants to play Pirates (or just about any other strategy game – I’m a sucker for the genre) just let me know. But be ye warned, there’s ner’ye a sailor survived a match with Captain NoBeard!