====== Pirate Behaviour ======

Pirates are a rough, tough bunch – but they aren’t all psychopathic CE killers.  Think of the residential area around the Pickpockets, thieves, docks, stevedores, longshoremen, fishermen, and sailors all rub alongside each other.  Sure, there is liable to be a brawl in the bar, generally when everyone is well oiled towards the end of the night -  but there aren’t all that many knife fights or killings.

**Aboard Ship:**  Pirates, generally, tend behave like they are in the bar back home.  They’ll tease each other, get in a few fist fights – but know they have to get along together.   In a large crew, there will factions and in crew where people like Plugg and Scourge are in charge, there will be serious bullying – but that isn’t all pirate vessels.
When they are sailing the ship, they do not go around heavily armed – in the same way that soldiers in a barracks don’t wear full armour or carry longswords all the time.  They do, however, o generally carry a simple weapon that can be used as a tool – daggers and knives (including bronze knives) are favourite, as they can cut ropes but don’t get in the way when climbing the rigging of holystoning the deck.

**In Combat:** Pirates are a chaotic light infantry – mainly unarmoured and fighting courageously (some would say recklessly) against the crew of the other vessel.  While they will kill opponents, most pirates incapacitate their opposition and move onto the next one.  They are more concerned with plunder and there is always a chance that new crewmates can be recruited from the opposition – and that means less work for them.  
When raiding a ship, it is generally assumed that small items taken from crew, or their lockers, is fair game for the pirates, rather than counting as part of the overall plunder.  It represents part of their share of the plunder.   Major items and cargo count as ship’s plunder and go towards shore time ‘share out’ and maintaining the vessel. Equally, items taken by the officers form part of their personal plunder share.

Raiding villages or towns, is generally quick ‘in and out’ raid, searching for easily transportable plunder, or slaves.  The pirates attack and behave in the same way as raiding a ship.

**In Port:**  Pirates expect to get their share of the plunder promptly – then do on a massive party spree looking girls, booze, gambling dens  and bragging rights.  They can spend their complete stash in a couple of days.