Who You Want To Be

In this Period and Setting
Pirate/Outlaw Costume Choice
Pirate/Outlaw Weapons Choice
Weapons Safety

Period, Setting & Costume

The re-enactment period is set 1650 to 1770 the time of the most infamous British Pirates and when the French Corsairs were most active harrying shipping in the English Channel from their “Nest of Wasps” base at St. Malo. The so called Golden Age of Piracy was 1680 to 1730.

Charlotte de Berry – English Pirate – Pirate Career: c. 1655-65
Sir Christopher Myngs – English Buccaneer – Pirate Career: 1656-65
Sir Henry Morgan – Welsh Buccaneer & Privateer – Pirate Career: 1661-72
Jean Bart – French Corsair – Pirate Career: 1673-1702, particularly active in the English Channel
Bartholomew Sharp – English Buccaneer – Pirate Career: c. 1679-82
René Duguay-Trouin – French Corsair – Pirate Career: 1689-1712, active in the English Channel
Henry Every (“Long Ben”) – English Pirate – Pirate Career: 1694-96
William Kidd (“Captain Kidd”) – Scottish Privateer – Pirate Career: 1697-1700
Edward Teach (“Blackbeard”) – English Pirate – Pirate Career: 1716-18
Charles Vane – English Pirate – Pirate Career: 1716-20
Stede Bonnet – English Pirate – Pirate Career: 1717-18
Edward England - Irish Pirate – Pirate Career: 1717-20
Howell Davis - Welsh Pirate – Pirate Career: 1718-19
Anne Bonny & Mary Read – Irish/English Pirates – Pirate Careers: 1719-20
Bartholomew Roberts - Welsh Pirate – Pirate Career: 1719-22
Edward Lowe – English Pirate – Pirate Career: 1721-24

Lorna Doone was set 1673 to 1686; Moon Fleet from 1757 to 1768, with The Last of the Mohicans during The French & Indian War of the 1750s.

The American War of Independence was a bit later in the 1770s and Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe, and C.S. Forester’s Captain Hornblower novels, were set even later, from 1799 to 1820.

With the above in mind participants in the enactment game should dress as in the period 1670 to 1770 thus allowing for a centuries worth of fashion, and weapons not quite progressed to the standards of the Napoleonic Wars.

Participants from other worlds of re-enactment & role-play should perhaps bear the following in mind when making the transition to their chosen outlaw group.

Town-Hub – Trading Area including the Magisterial & Military Authorities.
Within this area the civilian Living History Encampment of the period will be set-up, plus the Militia Barracks, authentic campaign tents to the front, 20 x 5-man Sahara to the rear, and available to militia groups needing tents. All 15th, 16th & 17th century infantry groups welcome. Red coats – Militia, Blue coats – Customs/Revenue.

	Pirates – easy adaptations from Royalist English Civil War and Maelstrom player costume Tricorn Hat mandatory – frock coated fops, dress as in Pirates of the Caribbean. Encampment can include all forms of colourful authentic tents and sail cloths Pirate Groups Split
Smuggler/Wreckers – adapt from standard medieval and role-play kit but without any armour. Bandannas or Hoods mandatory – scruffy, scurvy scum, dress as in Moonfleet. Encampment to include plainer authentic and less colourful tents.
	Outlaw/Trappers – Back-woods/old colonial, NFOE, Viking adaptations using furs, no helms. Fur Hats, Feathers, Archer Caps plus Last of the Mohicans style, furs and leathers. Encampment using authentic tents, Viking tents and Tepees.
Robbers/Bandits – Celtic/Highlander, Lace Wars styled re-enactors and role-players Tam-o’shanters, berets mandatory – dress as in the “Doones” – Scottish clansmen defeated at Battle of Worcester having turned south to escape capture in the North. Encampment will include appropriate, plainer, less colourful authentic tents.

Weapon Choice & Safety

Where re-enactments have been planned into the day’s proceedings, weapons should be of proved re-enactment quality, used only in those areas designated for such displays, and by re-enactors who have experience, competence, and the necessary firearms/shotgun licences. Re-enactment weapons may be carried, but not unsheathed, or used, at any other times.

All other challenges, duals and spontaneous conflicts that arise as part of the enactment game must be settled through the use of carbon fibre, rubber and latex (role-play) physical representations of the weapons tabled below: -

Improvised, Bladed, Thrown, Mechanical (Guns), Weapon & Other Phys Rep Sales,

Whether possessing one of the above, or not, every participant will be entitled to at least one “LARP equivalent” basket hilted broadsword sword at the cost price of £25.00 – a £30.00 discount voucher will be given to be redeemed – with free initial tuition, to make sure all have the opportunity to “spar” safely. There will be no thrusting with any of the above sparring equipment unless it has been specifically designed for that purpose. All equipment should, and will, be regularly checked for safety. High quality (will be checked) cap firing replicas may be used to fire on participants (not public) but must not be used in close combat.

In the “Town-Hub” and Outlaw Camps, 1 on 1, 2 on 1 or even 2 on 2 conflicts may be contested in the roped off middle areas of walk ways. Larger numbers of people in conflict should use the larger designated areas between, and behind the traders. Generally, ref/monks, will be on hand to adjudicate and make sure that the public are kept clear.

Outside the Town-Hub, and Outlaw encampments, conflicts between any number of people can occur, anywhere, but mass conflicts should always have at least 4 ref/monks in attendance – if they are not, they should be sent for, before battle commences.

There must be no charging/barging through viewing public whatever the circumstances.

© Copyright 2007