Train Tuesday Part 106: New Pirate Recruits

Avast, ye 3D printers! This week’s edition of Train Tuesday calls for even more Hovertrain pirates before their first big heist takes shape! Let’s meet the latest firecrackers to join our ragtag crew.

It’s been a few foggy fortnights since we last highlighted a new scallywag team member: Shoeless Moe, Chief Plunder Officer, such a fine addition. Obviously, we have many more able-bodied buccaneers to showcase, though!

Let’s start by briefly recapping who’s on the crew manifest to date:

• Mapmaker, Geo & his companion, Morris the Monkey
• Chief Plunder Officer, Shoeless Moe
• Captain, Jaguar Jack
• Special Advisor, Polly
• First Parrot, Crackers
• Treasurer, Tusk the Trustful
• The Fixer, Terabyus Trunglefoot
• Foot Soldier, Seraphina Stormblade
• Foot Soldier, Smokey Joe
• Foot Soldier, Cutter
• Foot Soldier, Larry & Gary Malachi (“The Brothers Grim”)
• Foot Soldier, Snap Jaw
• Secondary Crew, The Redshirts
• Secondary Crew, Paddy O’ (Platypus)
• Cannon Crew: Baller
• Minstrel, Notes
• Head Chef, Dewey Oxberger (Ox)
• Sous Chef, Taters McGee
• Ale Meister, Hank Morgan
• Prisoner, Mystery Man

Just look at all those nasty privateers just begging to be a part of your next treasure raid! And we’re far from done!

Longtime readers will know we’ve built up quite the crew of pillaging misfits to date. And that homebrewed DnD content will be especially useful, as we can use these pirates for either Hovertrain duty and ship service. However, we probably need to be a bit careful with our “Pirates Wanted” phrasing, as that request can be taken a couple of ways. 😉

We’ve got a literal STL treasure chest of all things pirates, thanks to Iain Lovecraft’s fantastic Rum and Raising Kickstarter. We can’t wait to show you all these new 3D prints. Why? Because of course, everything is better with pirates! While the included buildings are truly remarkable (like the Captain’s Cabin and the Merchant’s Abode), it’s the TTRPG miniatures that really sing for this Kickstarter.

Resident Painter Kimmy Utah was the lead colorist for these two troublemaker miniatures! Let’s start with a classic pirate stance if we ever saw one! This ale guzzler is loaded for bear and naturally has an itchy trigger finger.

Now, let’s get to the particulars:

• Colorful Name: “Thunder-Gus” MacTavish
• Character Race: Human
• Member Rank: Foot Soldier, Marksman
• Key Role: Take the critical shot
• Painted Miniature: Iain Lovecraft
• Weapon of Choice: Blunderbuss

He’s normally a very skilled shot and is called in to take out key targets, but sometimes it takes a few pirate pistols to get the job done because he has a hard time putting down his coveted ale mug.

Lastly, what’s Mighty Crew of Marauders without a ripped fella swinging a large grappling hook to latch onto the other disabled vessel? Pulling alongside an incapacitated craft and preventing it from drifting away is a big deal.

Now, let’s get to the particulars:

• Colorful Name: “Hitch” Hadley
• Character Race: Human
• Member Rank: Foot Soldier
• Key Role: Roper
• Painted Miniature: Iain Lovecraft
• Weapon of Choice: Grappling Hook

While there are no official rules for using a grappling hook in DnD 5e, DMs often use a system where it’s a simple improvised weapon or a tool for climbing. The Google lists some helpful common homebrew rules, including using a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to throw the hefty hook to catch an object within 50 feet, and then using a Strength (Athletics) DC 13 check to pull a creature or yourself.

So, a hearty raise of the mug to Kimmy Utah for her amazing pirate paint jobs. We can’t wait to show you even more of her work, so keep growing our mighty Freebooter army.

Until next time!