Revenge Ship Historical Background
The Revenge is an intriguing piece of pirate history, serving as the flagship of Stede Bonnet, known as the “Gentleman Pirate.” Bonnet was an unlikely figure to turn to piracy, but his ship, Revenge, became a notable vessel during his brief and tumultuous career.
Stede Bonnet was an affluent, educated landowner from Barbados, born in 1688. Unlike most pirates who turned to the profession due to hardship or maritime backgrounds, Bonnet’s decision was driven by personal dissatisfaction and perhaps a midlife crisis. He allegedly abandoned his family and plantation in 1717 to pursue a life of piracy—an unusual choice for someone of his social standing.
The Revenge — Bonnet’s Flagship
The Revenge was commissioned rather than converted. Unlike most pirates who seized ships to begin their careers, Stede Bonnet used his personal wealth to purchase and outfit the Revenge specifically for piracy. He had the ship custom-built as a Bermuda sloop, a fast and agile design well-suited for raids, and equipped it with a battery of 10 cannons. This decision to commission a pirate ship was highly unusual for the time, reflecting Bonnet’s atypical entry into piracy.
Specifications:
- Type: A Bermuda sloop, known for its speed and agility, which made it suitable for piracy.
- Armament: The Revenge was initially outfitted with 10 guns
- Crew: At its height, the Revenge carried a crew of around 70-100 men.
Bonnet’s Early Piracy
After outfitting the Revenge, Bonnet set sail in 1717, targeting merchant vessels along the American East Coast and the Caribbean. His early pirate ventures were largely unsuccessful due to his lack of maritime experience, and he reportedly relied heavily on his crew to manage the ship’s operations.
Partnership with Blackbeard
In late 1717, Bonnet’s Revenge encountered the infamous pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. Blackbeard, recognizing Bonnet’s inexperience, took control of the Revenge under a loosely defined partnership. Blackbeard allowed Bonnet to remain on board, though Bonnet effectively became a guest captain while Blackbeard ran operations from the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Under Blackbeard’s leadership, the Revenge became part of a small pirate fleet, participating in various raids and captures. During this period, Bonnet’s health suffered, and Blackbeard’s crew began to dominate the running of the ship.
Capture and Final Days
After parting ways with Blackbeard, Bonnet reclaimed command of the Revenge and sailed under a royal pardon from the governor of North Carolina in 1718, hoping to return to a legal life. However, he soon reverted to piracy, using the alias “Captain Thomas” to disguise his identity.
In August 1718, Bonnet was cornered by Colonel William Rhett’s ships in the Cape Fear River while attempting to escape South Carolina authorities. Following a fierce battle, Bonnet was captured, and the Revenge was seized.
Bonnet was brought to Charleston, South Carolina, where he was tried and convicted for piracy. After only a brief 2 year career as a pirate, he was hanged in December 1718.
Legacy of the Revenge
The Revenge played a crucial role in Bonnet’s brief but eventful pirate career. Though Bonnet lacked the cunning and experience of many other pirate captains, his association with Blackbeard and his unique background as a wealthy gentleman turned pirate have cemented his place in history. The Revenge is remembered as a symbol of his rebellion against societal expectations and his ultimate downfall.
Today, Bonnet and the Revenge are often referenced in pirate lore, illustrating the unpredictable and sometimes tragic nature of piracy during the Golden Age.
Revenge Ship Analysis
| Attribute | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maneuverability | 100% | ||||
| Speed | 67% | ||||
| Durability | 14% | ||||
| Firepower | 36% | ||||
| Brawling | 37.5% |
Revenge Overview & Tactics
The Revenge is like a Sloop on steroids. It is one of the most maneuverable ships in the game and packs a Broadside punch way above its weight class. A Broadside 5 matches the Light Galleon, the largest ship in the Core Boxed set!
This ship is one of two unique vessels limited to the Pirates faction. Unfortunately, as a unique ship, it doesn’t have any core options that allow upgrades to the ship outside of the basic 2 upgrade cards.
In 50-point games, it is one of the best options available to the faction. It is quick, nimble, and powerful. It is however a Fortitude 1 ship and therefore still relatively fragile. In games of 100 pts and above, you will want to be careful with where you deploy the ship. It is often better as a flanking vessel that can be used to corral an enemy sailing line and keep it in fear of a Rake.
If you are running a gun line and sailing in formation, it makes a good lead ship. It is capable of reaching Speed 4 or 5 with minimal effort so unless the rest of your fleet matches that capability, it can get pinned down. With its speed, it can provide a strong lead vessel and extend the length of your formation to help contain the enemy’s movements.
Lighting the Revenge on Fire!
Fire ships are low-cost, uncrewed vessels set ablaze and aimed at enemy ships to disrupt formations or destroy key targets. Using the Revenge as a fire ship in Oak & Iron is a bit of a radical strategy. Revenge’s speed and maneuverability make it ideal for a fire ship role, as it can maintain a Speed 5 regularly.
The Revenge is a high offense ship so converting it to a fire ship is a bit expensive and risky. However, but it grants you potential of a devastating 10 dice Critical Attack! If successful, it is enough to take out even the largest Ships of the Line or Galleon.
Timing and positioning are key to maximizing its effectiveness, especially when combined with other ships. For more help and tips read our strategy guide on Fire Ships.
Comparing the Revenge to a standard Sloop
If you were to try to upgrade a Sloop to match the Revenge you’d have to take the following upgrades:
| Attribute | Cost |
|---|---|
| Additional Crew | +2 |
| Additional Guns (extra!) | +2 |
| Additional Guns | +2 |
| Swift | +1 |
| TOTAL POINTS | 7 |
The cost of a standard Sloop is 7 pts and the Revenge is 10 pts. That means you get essentially 4 free points of upgrades by taking the Revenge over upgrading a Sloop to match. The Revenge can also take the Additional Guns upgrade twice. which isn’t typically a legal option. This makes this ship a bargain and the reason it’s almost an auto-select for the Pirates faction!
Pros
- Fast and manueverable
- Inexpensive method to get a highly upgraded Sloop
- Excellent for distractions or corraling your opponent’s movement
- Having Yare and Fore & Aft Rigging this ship can turn through the Wind’s Eye without getting stuck.
- Because of its speed and maneuverability, it is good for chasing objective tokens solo (e.g. Spy or Raid Mission)
- Well paired with the Dispatch or Fire Ship ship upgrade.
Cons
- Fragile. Against Ships of the Line, it can be destroyed in only 1-2 broadsides.
- Limited to the Pirates faction only
- Low flexibility and ability to be upgraded
Revenge Ship Photos
Product Referral Links
This ship is available in the Blackbeard’s Revenge expansion pack for Oak & Iron