The Perfect Captain

Tinker Fox, and now, Planter Fox
An English Civil War campaign game of garrison warfare in the England, Scotland and Ireland, 1642-1652, using the BATTLEFINDER card system (also for use with Very Civile Actions)

What we wanted to do in Tinker Fox was to drop you into the boots of a Governor of a district in the English Civil War, while in Planter Fox you play the same character in Ireland. A Governor does more than fight battles. He must first and foremost follow his masters’ orders. They are usually vague, and it is up to him to come up with a plan to implement them. He must then try to get his subordinates to carry out his detailed instructions. Unfortunately they often have their own agendas and personalities that he must deal with. He must also run an extensive civil government, which is not directly simulated, but is represented by delays and obstructions they naturally cause to military matters.

The philosophy of Tinker Fox and Planter Fox
When we design a game here at The Captain, the number one consideration is not scale, complexity, or length of play. It is feeling, believe it or not. All of the subjects we choose come about from our readings in history and a desire to in some abstract way to recreate it. A good history book immerses you in a subject and is convincing as far as truth is concerned, weighed against other readings.

“I had rather have a plain, russet-coated Captain, that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, than that which you call a Gentle-man and is nothing else”

-Oliver Cromwell (speaking of the great regard in which he holds The Perfect Captain, who was at the time wearing a spiffy russet coloured coat)

To simulate all of these difficulties, we have created the “Letter” rules, whereby a governor must send instructions to his underlings. Depending on his person characteristics, he is either better or worse at keeping up with keeping his subordinates moving.

Some of these men have a character that makes certain operations easier, and some harder. A Bookish officer is excellent with administrative or financial issues, while a Heroic officer won’t even bother trying to carry out demands for him to do this kind of work. An undisciplined officer may not want to initiate a siege. A Canny officer is a special fellow indeed. He doesn’t need a “letter” from the governor- he acts on the general principles his commander imparted to him. Even if isolated, almost unreachable by instructions, he will act on his own initiative.

And then there is money. There is usually not enough to support the operations a governor wishes to organize. There is rarely enough to keep the soldiers fully paid. Worse still, there are only so many houses in which to cram soldiers. Individual garrisons can only sustain a certain number of men, meaning a strategic problem of gathering the faithful for an important siege or attack.

The best part
Tinker Fox & Planter Fox will generate numerous and varied types of battles with whatever troops are present in the campaign. These can be replayed using our new Very Civile Actions! cards now available as a variant for Spanish Fury, Actions! Let the games begin!