Haven't been able to find too much on it.  A straight historical rpg without any sort of magic or otherworldly stuff, so rare as hen's teeth.  Anyone here have any experience with it?  Rules medium, heavy?  Fun?

I've never read or played the RPG, but the naval combat rules that came with it, Heart of Oak, are quite well thought of and I've played small engagements with them. Probably far more detailed than what's trending nowadays.

The FGU one?

Heard of it and the attendant ship combat rules but never seen. It was mentioned now and then when it came out and then seemed to sink into obscurity. Ive seen at conventions people playing the ship rules and just never connected it to the RPG. Same with Delta V and Universe RPG. It just didnt click that these were related.

FGU has it listed for 18$ but after the owners underhanded tactics with V&V I am loathe to put any money in FGU's pocket.

Quote from: Omega;942882FGU has it listed for 18$ but after the owners underhanded tactics with V&V I am loathe to put any money in FGU's pocket.

They sell a PDF of just the ship rules... but it's a crappy scan that I ended up re-typing for improved readability.

True. But I assume the OP was more interested in the RPG. Not the naval wargame?

Quote from: Omega;942904True. But I assume the OP was more interested in the RPG. Not the naval wargame?

It's part of the RPG... like the starship combat rules that came with Fasa Star Trek. I don't know if there's a PDF of the RPG rules... but if they're the same repro quality as the ship rules...

Quote from: Simlasa;942906It's part of the RPG... like the starship combat rules that came with Fasa Star Trek. I don't know if there's a PDF of the RPG rules... but if they're the same repro quality as the ship rules...

Was the scan that crappy?

Well, it's an old game, so it has different base assumptions from a modern game, but you are here on a mostly OSR forum, so you probably have no problem with that! It's very detailed, concerned above everything with replicating the setting. The rules themselves are fairly straightforward - it's a percentile system, similar to CoC. You should have no problem running it. I never ran it, but I read it to compare to my own Napoleonic Naval game, many years ago.

Quote from: RunningLaser;942907Was the scan that crappy?

It's certainly readable... but pages of small dense type that a has that shrunken look that a third gen xerox might have. On my Ipad it's not particularly useful.
Only 30 pages, plus appendices though.

Great thread title.:-)

I ran a brief campaign with it back in the day and we played the ship combat rules a lot and in some quite large actions as well at my university club.  We also ran a naval wargaming campaign for that, and to that end one of our members threw down for some of the maps for GDW's Europa series, which were a handy scale.  I have some of them tucked away behind my desk. I also have some idea of running a campaign for it and have an idea to that end. It essentially runs as a species of BRP, I suppose, so if you like Call of Cthulhu or Runequest or the ilk you will do just fine.

Also, very good as a reference, lots on society and ship board life and such, so it would be handy to have that sort of thing as well.

The naval wargaming rules are quite good and quite comprehensive and both players and the referee have to think a little bit in terms of how ships actually sail--not a case of shove the battle cruisers forward 24" and the battleships 18".  They also inform the role playing rules, so one does have to think about them even there.

On the down side, there are very few published scenarios for it, so you have to write your own.  Still there is lots and lots of historical material to work with.

Quote from: wombat1;942983Also, very good as a reference, lots on society and ship board life and such, so it would be handy to have that sort of thing as well.

This is what I meant by "It's very detailed, concerned above everything with replicating the setting."

Quote from: flyingmice;942994This is what I meant by "It's very detailed, concerned above everything with replicating the setting."

Ok, this is sounding cooler and cooler.

QuoteThis is what I meant by "It's very detailed, concerned above everything with replicating the setting."

This was something I allways felt Furry Pirates needed more of. It is a pretty good reference for the personalities and ships of the era. And goes into a little detail on some of the far flung lands. But could have I felt as a playtester done with a little more detail on shipboard life. Its serviceable. But a little more detail would have been nice. Theu could have junked the magic section and filled that space with more shipboard details.

The posts above on Privateers & Gentlemen mirrors what I was told by the rare fan at cons.

Based on the mentions above I went and got hold of the .pdfs for this, and I agree, it's a great historical rpg.  I think these couple paragraphs commenting on the game (from one of the adventure supplements) really cover the spirit of it:

QuoteAny reader of Forrester, Kent, Pope, or Parkinson (or, for that matter, Williams) will know that a mere description (first we sailed here, then we fought a battle, then we sailed again, and so forth) is not the main thrust of a good seafaring adventure. There should be conflict. Hornblower's agonized choice between his loyal but plain wife and the illicit love of Lady Barbara Wellesley... Bolitho's family problems, stemming from his renegade brother... the vendetta directed against Lt. Ramage by Admiral Goddard and his supporters...these are the elements that give contrast, depth, and, above all, purpose to the heroics of the characters.

  Without his inner conflict, Hornblower would be too perfect, too mechanical, to be real. Without the shame of his brother, Bolitho would not be so driven to prove his own abilities. Without the specter of Admiral Goddard, Ramage would not be threatened by the penalties of failure, nor impelled to prove over and over again his personal courage and leadership. It is through their personalities, not through their actions, that the heroes of naval fiction make their marks.

  What, then, does this tell us about role-playing? Simply this - neither referee nor players should be content with a mere string of battles fought and heroics glorified. Privateers and Gentlemen is a game of atmosphere, rich in background flavor. Personality clashes, personal problems and worries, conflict within as well as without...these will spice up the game.

  Through the mechanics of cardboard characters (and some referee imagination), it is possible to create the kind of character interaction essential to preserve the flavor of the game. Players should be encouraged to round out their characters, as well... perhaps through randomly acquired 'glitches' and the same kind of character definition (but in this case less random) as any cardboard character receives.

I found it an enjoyable read, but then I really love historical fictions.