I have just won the German Nationals and I thought somebody might want to comment on the 40-pts-fleet I have been playing. This fleet has won every single game except one in which my adversary has been using slightly brighter coins for his big values and sorted them on his nearest island and the judges ruled AFTER the lost game that this must be altered - for future games only.
Well, I had my revenge at the sealed today and at the half-final so there's no grudge left. It just shows how much is still un-ruled.

This was my 40-point fleet in the constructed competition (7 games, 6 won):

Neptune's Hoard - 12 pts
Captain Blackheart - 5 pts
Helmsman - 2 pts
Explorer - 1 pt
Oarsman - 1 pt

La Monarca - 8 pts
Helmsman - 2 pts
Explorer - 1 pt

Banshee's Cry - 3 pts
Hag of Tortuga - 0 pts (Limit, Ransom - 5 pts)

Events:
Becalmed - 4 pts
Mermaids - 3 pts
Foul Winds - 3 pts

In the half-final and final (60 points) I added
Raven - 10 points
Don Pedro Gilbert - 5 pts
Helmsman - 2 pts
Explorer - 1 pt
Oarsman - 1 pt

Explorer - 1 pt for Banshee's cry
________________________________________________

Let's hear what you think on this.

Aan-allein

No critique or advice is needed...if you won you won. Congrats to you.

-Q

Hi, thanks for that, but I think there is always something that's overlooked. And I think - I hope! - to give the other members something to consider for their own fleets.
When are the U.S. Nationals sceduled?

It was interesting to see a Neptun's Hoard in almost any fleet and either Capt. Blackheart/Havana Black or Don Pedro Gilbert to have the secure double-action option and the chance to trade away the bad treasures. As everybody was anxious for the Mermaids-Event against the multi-crewed ships, some of us - including me - tried to be always either docked or in a Fog Bank, which worked nearly perfectly.

There was rarely a 5-Mast-Battleship to be seen, I ran across Superbe in the final and I would have been lost if she had hit my Neptune's Hoard more then three times, but I was lucky - only lost two masts and got home with my Blackhearted-double distance.

Aan-allein

I have some questions.

1. How many terrains did each person bring to the table?

2. Were you using any forts?

3. What was your gold scheme?

4. How would your gold scheme change if you were playing under the new highlander rules?

5. How fast was your average game?

6. What other ships did you see a lot of from your competition?


BTW: congratulations

I seconds this

I ran this fleet with a few small crew differences at a tournament the other day. My treasure was 1 of every unique I own that counts as gold + forged papers and grease barrels. The rest just made up by dividing 15 by the number of slots left. The fleet runs smooth, though it must be said that fog doesn't protect you from events (thanks to Adm Temple for pointing that out). The hoard definately allows you to win by just scooping one island and building on the second.

Hello, I had been on vacation lately so I didn't see the new replies.

O.k., here goes:

The German rules arbitrator declared that driving a ship into a fog bank actually means the ship is out of play as long as it is in a fog bank. When the player decides to put it back into use and tosses the dice, the ship can be effected by a becalmed event if emerging inside of the range of its token. But there is no way to be affected by Mermaids and foul winds inside of the fog bank.

To answer the questions:

1. How many terrains did each person bring to the table?
In the constructed competetion on day one 3 terrains each at the 40 points game, for the 60 points matches each player used 4 terrains each and 8 islands.

2. Were you using any forts?
Yes, in nearly every match I built at least one fort, in the final I built even two to end the game quickly as my opponents Superbe was pinned for four turns by my Mermaids event.

3. What was your gold scheme?
40 points-game, 15 gold, 8 coins - 5 coins of 3 gold, 3 Unique treasures (Fruit, Neptune's Trident, Neptune's Figurehead)
60 points-game, 21 gold, 12 coins - 7 coins of 3 gold, 5 Unique treasures
(Fruit, Explosives, Neptune's Trident, Trees, Neptune's Figurehead)

4. How would your gold scheme change if you were playing under the new highlander rules? - Oops, have I missed something? What are the "highlander rules"? We played the approved play rules (Revolution) that were brand new then. I even had to watch the WizKids-forum every night to notice the newest rule explanations to be prepared perfectly.

5. How fast was your average game?
I seldom needed the 30 mintues, just the one match I was cheated by the diferently coloured backsides of my opponents coins
Both half-final and finales were ended before the 40 minutes .

6. What other ships did you see a lot of from your competition?
Banshee's Cry
La Santa Isabel

Hope that helps and thx for the congrats.

Aan-allein

Your first post was dated before the "one of each ship/crew/etc." went into effect locally. The question was asked on the off chance that you were running multiple rums/buried treasure/etc. Since its obvious that you weren't the question is obsolete.

BTW, "Highlander rules" is slang for any game (my first highlander was for MtG) where there "can be only one" of each card/ship.

O.k., thx, I understand! Actually, the German rules arbitrator announced this new rule exactly one week BEFORE the Nationals (that was near the end of June). At the same there was a big FAQ-update which matched the current discussion on WizKids' pirates rules forum. So we all had one week to prepare a new fleet. I don't know if anybody else had watched the WizKids forum as closely as I did.

I am however sure that the two losing competitors of the half-final had watched it, too. Both of them had played the brighter-coloured coin's backsides! My opponent at the half-final was the guy against whom I lost that horrible game in the constructed matches on day 1. The other one had to exchange his coins immediately before my constructed match against him and I beat him there and at the Sealed match on day 2.

At the half-final against my old adversary we were both extremely nervous due to our previous encounters. His errors proved more grave than mine, in other words I expoited his errors more than he expoited mine.

Gregor