Port Royal Faction Overview: French Buccaneers

Faction Overview

The French boucaniers of Hispaniola were the original Caribbean buccaneers, passing down their expert musketry and fierce boarding tactics to the current generation of French rovers. At war with the other Caribbean powers seeking to curb Louis XIV’s aggression, these buccaneers, based in colonies like Petit Goave, now target not only the Spanish but also the English and Dutch. They frequently strike at Jamaica’s vulnerable northern coast and the weakened Port Royal, has now become a prime target, with its streets rich with treasure following the devastation of the great earthquake.

Strengths and Archetypal Role of the French Buccaneers

• A mid-range faction with powerful melee capabilities (Hard Chargers).
• Specialized Musket Crew option, the Boucanier, can offer threatening sniper cover.
• A once-per-game ability to Reload the entire Company’s guns to gain action economy.
• Officers gain a weapon for free during Company creation, allowing for stronger starting loadouts.

Faction Abilities of the French Buccaneers

• Well Armed: When creating a new Company, every Officer Character in this Company may add a single weapon at no cost.
• Buccaneer Tricks: Once per game when you become the Active Player, you may spend 2 Fortune Points to have every Character in this Company immediately take a free Reload action.

The French Buccaneers were known for their musketry prowess, which translates into Port Royal with each French Officer being able to start with a free weapon, whether a Musket or other weapon. This creates synergy well with their second ability, which allows for a Company-wide Reload action. Ensuring each Crew member has a Black Powder weapon to Reload will maximize the value out of your two Fortune Points and the first ability will help your initial Campaign List fulfill that goal. With this rule, consider taking more officer characters during Company creation to maximize this benefit.

Buccaneer Tricks also allows you to shoot early and shoot often, keeping a surprise Reload in your back pocket. Of note, however, is that this mass Reload occurs at the beginning of your Active Phase, so you’ll want to carry Reloads between rounds if you intend to use the ability. Positioning your crew in such a way as to Free Reload-Shoot-Reload will be a powerful combo that frees you up for Reaction Shots during your Opponent’s Active Phase.

Company Options

French Buccaneer Officers

The following options represent the company’s ranking members.

The Captain

Pieces 6

Experience: 4

Fight: 5/7

Shoot: 6/7

Resolve: 5

Command, Fate(1)

A mandatory inclusion in your company, the Captain boasts its status as the only French Crew that starts with an Experience level of 4. When Advancing, this removes Experience upgrades from the possible options, affording the Captain a higher chance to gain an Officer Advancement Special Rule – extremely powerful boons to your Company and an advantage over other Faction Leaders (19% vs the standard 10% chance when Advancing). While weaker defensively, the Captain has a decent offensive stat line with a 5 Fight skill and 6 Shoot skill, so he’ll hold his own offensively, but can utilize Fate should his defenses fail.  With this, the Captain is suitable in the midrange, supporting his Company with Command and attacking when the opportunity presents itself.

Quartermaster and Boatswain

Pieces 4	Experience: 5	Fight: 5/7	Shoot: 6/7	Resolve: 5	Hard Charger
3	5	5/7	7/7	5	Hard Charger

With similar stat lines, the Quartermaster and Boatswain fulfill similar roles. Both possess the Hard Charger Keyword that with their 5 Fight Skill, lets them hit hard on charges. Combine this with duel-wielded melee weapons for an additional -1 bonus and these officers are hitting on 3’s. The Quartermaster is capable at ranged combat as well with a shoot of 6 (over 7) for one extra Piece of Eight on its cost. This makes the Quartermaster very capable while closing the gap on an enemy where a capable-pistol shot can be followed up by a potent charge.

Cabin Boy

The cheapest Officer at only 2 Pieces of Eight, the Cabin Boy is tied for the weakest stat-line of the French options with the Crew member, the Engagé. The main reason to take a Cabin Boy is to take advantage of the increased Officer Advancement speed. With no Keywords, an experience value of 6 and no real strengths, the Cabin Boy best serves as a Plunder Token runner with a Pistol for potshots and with a protective escort for Reactions.

French Buccaneer Crew

The following options represent the company’s non-ranking members.

Engagé

Pieces 2

Experience: 6

Fight: 7/7

Shoot: 6/7

Resolve: 6

none

With the exact same stat line as the Cabin Boy, Engagé are best utilized as chaff and Plunder Token runners. An experience value of 6 hurts these crew members with a low chance (50%) for Reactions and thus, their action economy. Engagé are also a suitable option for horde-style lists where a mass of Pistols or Muskets could put out oppressive fire with the Buccaneer Tricks special rule.

Filibuster

Pieces 3

Experience: 5

Fight: 6/7

Shoot: 6/7

Resolve: 5

Hard Charger

Filibusters (aka Flibustiers) were the backbone of the French musket forces of the day. Ranking just below the Boucaniers in their expertise at raiding Spanish ships and settlements. Like most French fighters of the era, they prefer swift, close-quarters combat, where they can unleash their braces of pistols at point-blank range.

The Filibuster is a solid all-around “Core” unit with a solid 6 Fight and Shoot Skill. They are well-rounded on defense with a 7 Save for both Fight and Shoot. Though typically thought of as a musket-style unit, Hard Charger and a shoot of 6 makes them stronger has pistol-melee range fighters. Leave the muskets to the Boucaniers.

Sailor

Pieces 3

Experience: 5

Fight: 5/7

Shoot: 7/7

Resolve: 5

Hard Charger

French sailors possessed extensive experience in naval combat, gained through numerous engagements in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Americas. Historically they were typically armed with finely crafted French pistols, they are renowned for their skill in hand-to-hand boarding actions.

The other “Core” units of the faction, the Sailor falls into a similar category as the Filibuster. Your Filibuster is more well-rounded with a 6 Fight and Shoot Skill and your Sailor is better in melee with a 5 Fight and 7 Shoot. Both possess Hard Chargers, but the preference is yours for playstyle with the latter unit being more specialized toward melee.

Boucanier

Pieces 4

Experience: 5

Fight: 7/7

Shoot: 5/6

Resolve: 6

Marksman

The Boucaniers were the forerunners of both the French Flibustiers and English Freebooters. Renowned for their deadly accuracy, these predominantly French hunters hailed from the western reaches of Hispaniola, living rugged lives in the backcountry. Before long, these resourceful woodsmen turned their skills toward raiding passing Spanish ships, often using canoes and other small vessels for their attacks.

The French Boucanier claims the best Shoot Skill of ANY unit in Port Royal with a starting value of 5. Back this up with Marksmen and you can consistently Shoot with a base value of 4 before leveling up. Here, your Boucanier(s) are great targets for Fortune Points so they can gain 3rd actions and reload faster. With a Crew limit of 3, they best serve as snipers, covering your other troops that move through the ruins. Try to gain the high ground and position in such a way as to maximize LOS and Reaction potential across the board. I highly recommend recruiting at least one for your Company and prioritizing experience gain to level up quickly.

Example Crew Member Names

Naming character models adds a personal touch, making your crew more immersive and memorable. Here are some traditionally classic French names you can use to draw inspiration for your French Buccaneers. Creative nicknames like are good for helping keep the function of your models in perspective, such as “Henri the Hammer” for a Melee expert. Names that reflect each character’s skills or personality, adding depth to your campaign’s storytelling.

Example 30 Pieces of Eight Starter Build

Company Name: “Ax Men”

This French Buccaneer force is designed as an all-around utility build. It has strengths in both ranged and close combat ideal for weakening the enemy with pistol shots and finishing them up with potent melee capabilities. Features a Boucanier for covering fire/reactions and focuses the Quartermaster for devastating charges and 3+ melee finishers with two axes and a starting -2 to the Damage Test for kills.

Play Style Recommendations for a Starter Company

• Midrange Commander, move him up to the front with your Quartermaster or a Filibuster
• The Quartermaster is a Midrange/Closer – Get in close and use Hard Chargers + Duel Wield for brutal Melee Finishers after inflicting some Fatigue with Pistol.
• The Filibusters are midrange generalists that can soften up targets at range with their pistols and then use Hard Chargers to close and finish them in Melee.
• The Boucanier is a “Sniper” Unit. Position him smartly to have LoS to most of the play area to maximize Reactions. He is an “overwatch” model that can provide cover and kill or put Fatigue on key targets as they move across the battlefield.

French Bucanneers Campaign Sheets

Standard Sheets
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Print Friendly Version
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Additional Content Suggestions

• Contending Factions of Port Royal – learn more about each core faction beyond the French Buccaneers available in Port Royal.

Product Recommendations

• Blood and Plunder French Line: One-piece models that you cannot custom build, but each has lots of Faction Flavor. Highlights: Marins, Boucaniers and European Sailors. 
• Raise the Black Sailor Box: If you’ve used the models that game with the core box, pick up 12 Sailor-style characters that can be built with pistols, swords, muskets, and explosives.
• French Activation Tokens from Blood and Pigment
• French Replica Coins from Blood and Pigment