Pirates Gold and Blood !!

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OOC:Lol, I was going to see that but instead I saw The League of Extrodinary Gentlemen.It was a good movie, I might see Pirates of the Carribean next week.Now, how to do this.....

General David and a small band of troops had been sent back in time by a freak accident at a weapons testing facility.Not knowing how to get back home and not having weapons from their own time they paid a human to keep them secret and go out and buy a ship,cannons, and supplies.The only weapon from there own time was GD's swords that could form the Septar of Orion, which the human wanted as payment.
"He'll end up telling people about us anyway." a corpral had said.GD thought he was right so they killed the human and sailed away.
* * * *

That was weeks ago, and now they had a wierd looking ship chasing after them.From this distance GD couldn't make out something strange about the crew, but there was.Some seemed to be moving sluggishly and others too swiftly to be humans.The Alpha Centauri started to slow to get a closer look.
GD looked through his spy glass, I hate using this primitive equipment he thought, and saw the name Nosferatu on the hull of the ship.He looked at the flag and thought it strange, trying to remember the history he had learned of earth. A red Jolly Roger, strange he thought.He moved it to look at the crew and froze.

Joker realized that the blood he smelled was different.He had never encountered this type of blood before, let alone the species.The ship in front had turned to starboard having its cannons facing the Nosferatu .He immediately ordered his ship to turn to have his cannons facing his pray before they collided.He saw small big headed figures running around the decks of the Alpha Centauri, the name painted on its hull, getting everything ready as the ships closed their ranges slowly moving closer and closer.

Ghouls and Vampires, I've never encountered them before GD thought as childhood stories may have been true.
"Load the cannons, we'll be in range of eachother soon.Also get the boarding party ready, we're goign to need them." GD ordered Captain Nefarious "Demo" Staunton.He was nicknamed Demo for his actions with demolitions during an invasion of Vega thousands of years from now.
The ships continued to slowly close aimed just diagnol inwards.....

OOC:I'm looking forward to battling you one on one when its my turn Joker.It'll be a while before it's my turn on the list.I figure nows a perfect time for me start studying your moves first hand.

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OOC:Thank you Galen, I study military history constantly and am an atleast fairly good strategist, or tactician.Time to teach some people how to fight a battle in the Age of Sail.

Even within range of eachothers weapons the Captains ordered to hold fire.There was no sense in wasting ammo when they most likely wouldn't hit the other ship at extreme range.It was quite on the decks of the Alpha Centauri as the tension grew.Minutes passed until Joker and GD gave the order to fire at the exact same time.

The night sky lit up around all the ships.Fenix and starbuck clung to the hull of the Nosferatu for dear life.Cannonballs slammed into the Alpha Centauri's hull and deck.Huge splashes of water flew up around the ship from the misses.There were body parts of the several unlucky centaurians to be in the way.However now the Alpha Centauri was farther ahead of the Nosferatu and gaining.

Joker's bloodlust grew as he became angry. The fools fired bar and chain shot he thought out loud looking at his sails.Some of the sails and rigging had been ripped apart and the remaining had holes in them.The Nosferatu slowed to a bare crawl compared to its normal speed.Joker watched as the Alpha Centauri turned around, and he now noticed the other ships in the sea.

Hmmmm, I should have been watching more closely General David thought.
"Turn to board the enemy ship.Then we will figure out why all these other ships are here.Private! Keep an eye on them!."GD ordered a private who was in the crows nest.The boarding party appeared on the deck and they spread themselves out on the side that would face the Nosferatu.All cannons were loaded or reloaded with round shot.

OOC:That wasn't cheap was it? because I was just following the tactics of the time.Ships were rarely sunk back then unless someone got a lucky shot on them anyway.To help anyone who doesn't know the classic tactics of the Age of Sail here they are, in my words.
1.Disable the ship by taking out the sails.
2.Rake the deck with rifle and pistol fire, and then board.
OR
3.Shoot the ship at a distance until the crew surrendered or it sank.

And for weapon and ammo types go to http://www.pieceofeight.com/ammunition.htm
I realize that this isn't the smart thing to do if I want to win the battle, but I want some people to know what types of ammo they can use.

I also deam this little Kipling poem perfect for the time that is coming.

"Soldier an' Sailor too."
As I was spittin' into thr Ditch aboard o' the Crocodile,
I seed a man on a man-o'-war got up in the Reg'lars style.
'E was scrapin' the paint from off of 'er plates,
an' I sez to 'im "'Oo are you?"
Sez 'e, "I'm a Jolly-'Er Majesty's Jolly-soldier an' sailor too!"
Now 'is work begins by Gawd knows when, and 'is work is never through;
'E isn't one o' the reg'lar Line, nor 'e isn't one of the crew.
'E's a kind of a giddy harumfrodite-soldier an' sailor too!

An' after I met 'im all over the wolrd, a-doin' all kinds of things,
Like landin' 'imself with a Gatlin' gun to talk to them 'eathen kings;
'E sleeps in an 'ammock instead of a cot, an' 'e drills with the deck on a slew,
An' 'e sweats like a Jolly- 'Er Majesty's Jolly- soldier an' sailer too!
For there isn't a job on the top o' the earth the begger don't know, nor dp-
You can leave 'im at night on a bald man's 'ead, to paddle 'is own canoe-
'E's a sort of a bloomin' cosmopolouse-soldier an' sailor too.

We've fought 'em in trooper, we've fought 'em in dock, and drunk with 'em in betweens,
When they called us the seasick scull'ry maids, an' we clled 'em the Ass Marines;
But when we was down for a double fatigue, from Woolwich to Bernardmyo,
We sent for the Jollies-'Er Majesty's Jollies- soldier an' sailor too!
They think for 'emselves, an' they steal for 'emselves,, and they never ask what's to do,
But they're camped an' fed an' they're up an' fed before our bugle's blew.
Ho! they ain't no limpin' proscrastitutes-soldier an' sailor too.

You may say we are fond of an 'arness-cut, or 'ootin' in barrrick-yards,
Or startin' a Board School mutiny along o' the Onion Guards;
But once in a while we can finish in style for the ends of the earth to view,
The same as the Jollies-'Er Majesty's Jollies-soldier and sailor too!
They come of our lot, they was brothers to us; they was beggars we'd met an' knew;
Yes barrin' an inch in the chest an' the arn, they was doubles o' me an' you;
For they weren't no special chrysanthemums-soldier an' sailor too!

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about,
Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout;
But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,
An' they done it, the Jollies- 'Er Majesty's Jollies-soldier and sailor too!
Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you;
Their choice it was playin between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the screw,
So they stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier and sailor too!

We're most of us liars, we're 'arf of us thieves, an' the rest are as rank as can be,
But once in a while we can finish in style(which I 'ope it won't 'appen to me).
But it makes you think better than'o you an' your friends, an' the work you may 'ave to do,
When you think o'the sinkin' Victorier's Jollies-soldier an' sailor too!
Now there isn't no room for to say ye don't know-thy 'ave proved it plain and true-
That whether it's widow, or whether it's ship,
Victorier's work is to do,
An' they done it, the Jollies-'Er Majesty's Jollies-soldier an' sailor too!

First published in 1896, Rudyard Kipling.

[imported_Parrakarry]

OoC: Yes, I'm back for good. But something tells me that this will be remembered as the day Captain Joker almost escaped. (Stop groaning, it was a good joke! And yes, I saw it too [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

The mist covered all. No matter how much the moon tried to pierce through it, the mist made it very hard to see. And thus, engulfed in their mortal battles, the infidels saw not the Dark Curtain slipping into the mist from the horizon. The mortals' cannonfire illuminated much, but the Dark Curtain was illuminated only when Bobbo wished it to be. Otherwise, it was invisible as Davy Jones' Locker. Of course, it was not TRULY invisible; it merely blended in with the dark water so well that unless one knew it was there, it was unseeable, earning it the nickname "Black Chameleon".

Slowly it cut through the dark waters, slowly it moved towards the battle; and Joker's ship. For many a month, Captain Bobbo had watched and waited, praying for the time that he could finally eradicate Joker, the last true threat to his wellfare, from the seas. And now that day had come. It was to be a battle... to the death. One person would emerge from this epic battle... probably not Joker, or Halan, or Rezma, or Galen, or even the strange Centaurian David. Bobbo was fairly sure it would be himself.

As the ship slid ever closer to the not-so-distant cannonfire, Bobbo began shouting orders. "Reinforce the mast! Load the cannons with chain shot and round shot! Load yer rifles! Get the Boarding Hooks ready!" All of a sudden, Bobbo gestured, and the wind seemed to pick up, wildly. As the Dark Curtain was blown towards the battle at top speed, other ships began to take notice of ripples in the waters where none should be. Some attempted their pathetic versions of mind probes, in order to see what could not be seen, and failed utterly. And the ship plowed on.

Suddenly the ship was visible; and it was mere meters from the port side of the Nosferatu. The starboard cannons opened up, blasting at speeds twice, three times as fast as the Nosferatu's captain could dream of. As holes began to appear in the hull of the other ship, a lucky shot tore half of the actual wheel off. Sure, the ship could still be captained, but it would be more sluggish now.

As the boarding parties hurled their ropes and began the assault against forces unkown, General David recieved a short message. Ally. He knew not of who had sent it originally, but instinctively looked up and saw a dark-cloaked figure standing on... a ship?!?! While he had been watching the boarding parties, another ship had assaulted Nosferatu from port! The figure nodded, affirming his belief. With two ships as strong as theirs, the battle could be a simple mop-up routine... but should he do it?

(OoC: In case you didn't read it, I asked if you wanted to join me, General David, and annihilate the infidels.)

[imported_Parrakarry]

Bobbo watched in amusement as Galen, the one who thought of him as cowardly, annihilated his own ship and moved in on Joker. Joker won't be liking that... Oh well. Galen's funeral There were more immediate matters at hand, such as the creatures invading his ship. Top-notch humans... but only human. Bobbo unsheathed a huge sword and leapt from the captain's wheel to the ground, and he, along with his shipmen, prepared to meet the onslaught of humans. Concentrated rifle fire poured onto the eternians, and the armor began cracking. Meanwhile, Bobbo's sword managed to find only the gaps in the armor, and blocked most blows. Some eternian swords fell upon his body, but his cloak seemed to knock any that fell near it back. Unfortunately, the knights failed to see half of the riflemen peel off from the main contingent; they may be able to see through illusion, but not while dodging rifle shot and sword blow.

Scores of harpoons speared Joker's prized vessel as Bobbo's men made their way across. Cannon fire fell more sparsely on this side of the ship now, with most available men battling Galen's crew of otherworlders, but a few shots still knocked holes in the deck. The rifles, while good for defense, were rather weak on mobile duty, so they were duly exchanged for short swords and pistols. The crew proceeded warily, not quite sure what to expect, but knowing they would see some very hellish sights...

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OOC :P arrakarry, I'm must refuse the alliance offer as I would rather fight by myself and making allies in a fight like this isn't my style.I might have if it gave me a higher chance of winning than what it would now.O, another thing that would've been smart to do is to make sure ships that might interphere are disabled or can't interphere, as you'll soon find out...

"Change ammo type to canister shot.We'll give him our anwser soon enough."
The crew aboard the Alpha Centauri unloaded and loaded the cannons with canister shot.The ship came closer to the 3 ships hooked together boarding eachother.
"Fire, and then board the ship that signaled us." GD ordered.
The cannons fired and canistors hit, exploded and sent iron balls and tin shrapnel flying all over the decks of the 3 ships.Vampires,ghouls, and humans alike were shredded and slaughtered by the iron hell unleashed upon them.The Alpha Centauri came up to the Dark Curtain and fired a volley of rifles at the survivors of the barrage.Planks went down and Centaurians on ropes flew across to land on the deck of the Dark Curtain.
Swords clashed and pistols fired cutting through human and Centaurian alike aboard on the deck.Quickly the deck was covered with a mixture of red and green blood.GD jumped across, and quickly the eterian's stomach open that was right in front of him.GD pulled out his other sword and fought several of these humans at a time.The only advantage the Centaurians had were that they were small and nimble, but that was a disadvantage too.Being able to be killed so easily is definitely a disadvantage.A dingy was dropped off on board and the Alpha Centauri moved off to a less vulnerable position for its riflemen to pick off the occasional person.

OOC:I sure do love military tatics [img]smile.gif[/img]

[imported_Parrakarry]

Bobbo assesed the situation. David, the one who didn't quite seem human, had refused the offer and was instead assaulting him. THere HAD been another ship, but that was slowly sinking; Joker's ship, the center of all action, was, astonishingly, the least harmed. As cannons opened up on the Centauri, Bobbo realized that he was outnumbered and overmatched. However, his men were already commited to battle aboard the Nosferatu... calling them back would seem cowardly, and mayhap provoke a mutiny. So he did all he could do... plowed on. More cannons switched from Nosferatu to Centauri as the Black Chameleon turned in its place. More crewmen seemed to pop up from thin air, in reality coming from their cabins (The Black Chameleon, being a large ship, has a larger complement of crew than needed). And cannons opened up.

On board the Nosferatu, things were going worse than planned. The contingent was being assaulted by things unheard of even in nightmares. Fortunately, a crewman had grabbed a cross before he went across, thinking he might need it, but that was all that repelled the ghoulish monsters. Rifle fire seemed to not harm the freaks, and the swords weren't very effective either...

Suddenly a pirate realized something. His sword had recently rusted over, and since it was old anyway, he had been ordering a new sword. He had noticed in the catalogue that all tips were made of silver... "Hey guys, our sword tips are silver! Doesn't that repel vampires or something?" Another shrugged. "Eh, worth a shot..." The first pirate ran the next vampire to come clear through with a thrust, and it... lay still. Whether he had gotten a lucky shot, or swords were considered stakes, or his opinion had been right, they had discovered a way to handle the menace from the underworld.