Firelock Games has dropped some teasers for what is coming up later this year for Blood & Plunder. Raise The Black is going to be a new book which drops on Kickstarter this May.

Here is some of the background that Firelock Games has shared for this expansion...

"Warfare and political struggle for control of the rich resources of the New World have raged for over 100 years. Spain has held a tight grip on the majority of those resources for most of that time, but her hand grows weak. In the wake of the War of Spanish Succession, or “Queen Anne’s War” as it is known by the English colonists, the monopoly is broken and trade has taken the place of lucrative privateering.

In the wake of this shift, many former privateers are not content with harsh treatment and poor wages offered by merchants and turn a hand to their old trade. Only now, they will not have the backing of their home countries. They make their base in the abandoned English colony of New Providence in the Bahama Islands. From there they set out to make war on the whole world. They make their declaration with the death’s headset upon the black flags they fly. From 1714-1730, thousands of sailors will “Raise the Black” in what will be the final chapter of the golden age of piracy."

This all sounds very cool indeed and it's nice to see that we're seeing the expansion follow the flow of history and how things were developing on the high seas during this period of time. This also means that a bunch of different changes are also in the mix for Blood & Plunder too.

• Hard Plastic Range: This expansion will feature an all-new wave of hard plastic sprue kits of Sailors, Militia, and Soldiers. All of which will include multiple customization options allowing them to be used for most nationalities and as various unit types.
• Plastic Ship Kits: The wait is over! A two-section ship with a variety of rig options allowing you to build several types of ships out of a single kit!
• Timeline Expansion: As we continue to move the timeline of Blood & Plunder forward, the time of the buccaneer fades away and a new wave of pirates will carry on their old trade.
• Pirate Captain Legends: All kinds of infamous pirates covered by A General History will be represented in this range including Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, Black Bart Roberts, Sam Bellamy, and many more!
• New Rulebook: Since we launched Blood & Plunder over four years ago, we have made many revisions and changes to the rules as we have received feedback from players. This new book will include new units, new factions, and all errata updated. This version is receiving a layout refresh so that it is easier to understand. This is not a new edition of the game, all previous editions of the rulebook will remain valid. Retailers fear not! Your product will not become obsolete! Stay tuned for more details!
• Open-and-Play Two player box sets: This Kickstarter campaign will be centred around a 2 player starter set including everything needed for your first skirmish on the high seas. The two-player box set will include everything two players need to get started, including 26 miniatures and two ships, all in hard plastic! The set will be themed around Blackbeard’s final battle with the British Royal Navy’s Leftenant, Robert Maynard and will include exclusive miniatures for each.

I am fascinated by the inclusion of plastic miniatures for the game. Don't get me wrong, I love their metal figures but it's always nice to have more customisation options in the mix. Things then also expand to with plastic ships as well!

The Two-Player Starter Set also sounds like a fantastic way to get more people interested in the idea of piratical adventures on the tabletop. It's rather neat that you're going to get a chance to drop Blackbeard into the mix against the Royal Navy!

Are you going to be getting involved with this new expansion?