Seafaring and Crews

[Anthelios]

I'm running a new high seas style campaign, inspired a lot by the Complete Adventurer ( A few PCs wanted to be pirates, and we have some eastern style characters as well ).

But I've run into a snag. Crew size. The PCs managed to rip off a galley from a fellow cutthroat pirate, and have been sailing around plundering under a new pirate code. Looking around, I located the Seafares Handbook for ship construction, and discover that a Galley requires a crew of 200 people. 200 people is a lot if sailing under the pirate code of everyone gets a share of the booty.

I was thinking of designing a feat for the ship, special rigging or something, that reduces the crew needed for the ship. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Three_Haligonians]

In fact...

Historically speaking,

Pirate ships often had twice or even three times the crew needed for the type of ship they were on for a number of reasons. The first was a "many hands, light work" mentality where they could get things done way faster, or worked in shifts that kept the men generally well rested. The second was so that during an attack, the pirate crew could simply overwhelm the opposing ship. Also, so that even if a number of their men died in the battle, they'd still have enough to not only sail their own ship but sail their newly aqquired ship as well.
In terms of shares, the treasure wasn't divided equally. The captain usually got 2 or 2.5 shares while the first mate and ship carpenter got 2 (nicer ones would sometimes take only 1.5). The Coxswain the carpenters mate and other experienced sailors would get 1.5 and your average able bodied seaman got 1. The cook usually got a .5 share and so did the cabin boys (who would usually just perform menail go-fer tasks).

D&Dwise however, you can toss all that right out if you want since D&D gold pieces aren't really the same as historical ones. As far as special ships go, you can check out the Arms & Equipment guide for a number of different enchantments to put on a ship.

Hope this comes off as help and not a history lesson but you accidently struck upon not only my University degree but also its focus.

J from Three Haligonians