Non-Player Captains

Let’s talk about non-player captains in video games. Have you ever played a game where you had a character leading your team or guiding you through a quest? I’m sure you have! Those characters are known as non-player captains, and they play a vital role in enhancing the gaming experience.

When I play a game, I love having a non-player captain by my side. They provide guidance and support, making sure I’m on the right track. Whether it’s a wise old mentor or a brave warrior, they bring a sense of companionship and purpose to the game.

Non-player captains are important because they add depth and complexity to the game world. They have their own personalities, backgrounds, and motivations that make them unique and interesting. This makes the game world feel more alive and immersive, as I interact with these dynamic characters.

Moreover, non-player captains often have special abilities or skills that help me overcome challenges. They may be expert fighters, skilled healers, or cunning strategists. Their strengths complement my weaknesses, creating a balanced and synergistic team. Together, we can take on any obstacle that comes our way.

But non-player captains are not just there to help me. They also play a crucial role in the storytelling aspect of the game. Through their words and actions, they reveal key information, unravel mysteries, and drive the narrative forward. They are like the storytellers of the game, guiding me through a thrilling and captivating adventure.

In conclusion, non-player captains are an essential element of video games. They elevate the gaming experience by providing guidance, companionship, and vital information. So the next time you play a game, pay attention to the non-player captains you encounter. They might just become your favorite characters in the virtual world.

Hey there! Let’s talk about Non-Player Captains (NPCs). They’re not like me or you because they don’t belong to any player. NPCs are either Naval ships or Pirate ships, and you can see them as little plastic models on the Game Board. Pretty cool, right?

Now, there are some important rules about how NPCs work. Let me break it down for you.

Getting NPCs in the Game

NPCs come into play with the help of Event Cards. These cards have different names, like “Dutch Naval Ship” or “Pirate Sloop”. Inside the Event Card deck, you’ll find 12 Admirals (3 for each nation) and 6 Pirates (3 Sloops and 3 Frigates).

Each card shows the skill values of the Captains. That’s why they’re placed face up in a special area on the game board when they’re drawn.

When you draw one of these cards, you have to do what it says. Basically, it tells you to put an NPC ship in a specific Sea-Zone when the turn is over. Easy, right? So let’s set sail and explore those Sea-Zones!

When brown Naval ships join the game, a sizable Naval Token is placed beneath each one to help distinguish them. The Pirate Frigate and Sloop, on the other hand, are black and don’t require tokens as they can be easily identified both from Naval ships and from each other.

Only one Naval ship from each nation can be in play at a time, along with a maximum of two pirates – the Sloop and the Frigate.

If you draw an Event Card for a ship that is already in play, you will place that Event Card on top of the current one and move the miniature to the Sea-Zone indicated on the new card at the end of the turn.

This signifies that the previous ship has been called to duty elsewhere. If the new Captain perishes, they will be replaced by the card immediately below it, and the miniature will be moved back to that Captain’s home-port at the end of the turn. If there are two cards below it, one will be randomly selected to determine the replacement.

The Importance of Hunt Priority

When playing the game, there is a concept called Hunt Priority that NPCs follow. This concept determines how NPCs will behave towards player captains.

NPCs are generally hostile towards player captains who meet certain criteria outlined in their Hunt Priority.

Naval Ships’ Hunt Priority:

1. Naval ships will hunt down player captains who have a bounty from their own nation.
2. Naval ships will also target player captains who have bounties from other nations.
3. If two nations are at war, naval ships will prioritize capturing player captains of the enemy nation.

Pirate Ships’ Hunt Priority:

1. Pirate ships will go after non-pirate captains who have gold on board.
2. Pirate ships will also target non-pirate captains who have cargo on board.
3. If a non-pirate captain doesn’t have any cargo or gold, pirate ships may still show aggression towards them.

Understanding Scouting

When it comes to hostile NPCs, they use a technique called “scouting” to locate their target player captain. Here are the triggers for scouting:

If you enter a hostile NPC’s Sea-Zone or start your turn at sea in the same Sea-Zone as a hostile NPC, a battle will occur if the NPC succeeds in its Scouting roll. Any damage the NPC sustains during the battle will be repaired afterward.



Hey there! Did you notice the icon next to the Scouting skill of Naval captains? It’s pretty important. Let me explain what it means. The Scouting skill of the captain is either the value listed or a value equal to how many matching Bounty Tokens the target has, whichever is higher. So, let’s say a player has 5 Dutch bounties. In that case, a Dutch Admiral would have a Scouting skill of 5 against that captain. Cool, right?

Now, let me tell you the rules for having multiple NPCs in a Sea-Zone. So, if there are NPC pirates in the same Sea-Zone as any Naval ships, they won’t “scout” for players. And here’s another thing – if there are two Man-o-Wars (brought into play by the “War” Event Card) in the same Sea-Zone, they also won’t “scout” for players. Too bad for those pirates!

NPC Movement

Here’s an interesting tidbit – half of the Event Cards have three NPC icons at the top. These icons activate specific NPCs and make them move. They move in the order they are listed on the card, but only if they are already on the board. It’s like a little dance of the NPCs. Fun, huh?

When you play the game, you’ll notice that each Non-Player Character (NPC) has a specific direction it can move in. The direction is indicated by an icon, which could be North, South, East, or West.

On the game board, all the Sea-Zone borders have letters that represent different directions. If an NPC cannot move in the direction indicated by its icon, it will instead move clockwise to the next available Sea-Zone.



Hey there! Let’s get things moving, shall we?

Move the French Naval ship

Move the Spanish Naval ship

Move the Dutch Naval ship

Move the English Naval ship

Move the Pirate Sloop

Move the Pirate Frigate

Hunting Player Captains

Ah, here’s something interesting. You see, if I’m an NPC and I spot a player Captain nearby who fits certain criteria, I won’t follow a specific direction. Nope, instead I’ll move or stay in a way that puts me in the same Sea-Zone as that player.

Let me give you an example. Imagine there’s a Dutch Naval ship in Basse-Terre that’s all set to head North. But wait! Right next to it, in Bridgetown, there’s a Pirate Player with an English bounty. Now, that pirate fits the second criteria of the Naval ship’s hunt priorities. So, guess what? Instead of going North, the Naval ship makes a sneaky move East to get closer to the pirate in Bridgetown.

In the fascinating world of this game, players have the chance to encounter various non-player characters (NPCs) with their own unique set of priorities. These priorities determine how the NPCs behave and interact with the players.

When multiple players meet the criteria for an NPC’s Hunt Priorities, the NPC will move to the Sea-Zone with the player who best fulfills its top priority. If there is a tie, the NPC will move to the second priority, and then the third.

However, in the rare scenario where two players are tied on all criteria, the game introduces an element of randomness. The target is determined by drawing Captain Cards, adding an exciting twist to the gameplay.

The Exciting Challenge of NPC Ships in Combat



When you’re in combat, other players take control of the NPCs. They want to win, just like you. If there’s a disagreement about who gets to control an NPC, the player to the left of the one fighting the NPC gets to decide.

You have control of the NPC during combat, except for one thing: you can’t choose the “Flee” action if the NPC has fewer cannons or crew than your Captain.

In the top-right corner of the Game Board, there’s a special spot to place cubes for NPC ships. Each hit-location on the ship has a corresponding cube placed on the track. For example, a frigate would have a cube on the third space for all its locations. After combat, any NPC ships that haven’t been sunk or defeated are reset. You don’t have to keep track of NPC damage from battle to battle.