Collection Rating 10 out of 10
Pro: it’s a masterpiece. Such attention to the details cannot be found in other vessel sets. You can get the original Captain Redbeard and the whole set looks amazing.
Cons: as a masterpiece if you want to buy it now it will cost a lot of money |
6285 Black Seas Barracuda (1989)It is the first and official vessel of the pirates, the vessel of Captain Redbeard. It is a huge two-masted ship with five red and white sails. It was build to destroy and sink other ships and therefore is equipped with four powerful cannons and all its parts are reinforced to resist the attack from the enemies. Many other vessels were build after by the pirates (even bigger ones) but no one has the fashion and is so detailed as the Barracuda. On the front there is a golden siren which is the symbol of the ship and it also should take good luck to the crew. In the central part the cannons are well positioned under the deck and there are also manholes to store weapons and goods. The two huge masts on their top has watch towers and four ropes to get access on top; in the back of the ship there is the command deck where the captain is at the helm, just on top of his cabin. All the captain’s cabin is probably one of the most luxury cabins ever build: the windows and the access doors are all well decorated and there is even a fireplace! There are also luxurious lamps to get light and also a lifeboat in the back. The crew is composed by the best pirates around: the captain, two quartermasters and five pirates, plus a monkey and a parrot. Main Characters Captain Redbeard: he is the Captain of the Black Seas Barracuda and the leader of the pirates. He was born on the Forbidden Island and trained into piracy since a young age by Captain Edward Lowe. Due to this education he inherited all the tradition of the pirates of the old school and became the right person to lead the pirates to the new era. He’s very skilled in both sailing and fighting but also (very rare quality for a pirate) he has a high sense of politics and he’s very clever and keen on negotiations. During the years in periods of was as well of peace, Redbeard has been the spiritual leader of the pirates and, due to his extraordinary charisma, he leaded his people in every direction and was never betrayed by anybody. Last but not least he is, with Governor Broadside, the best swordsman of Altaria and has never been defeated in a duel. He is fond of animals (especially birds) and he took on the ship his private parrot (Popsy) which is practically considered part of the crew. Mat Rummey: he’s the quartermaster of the ship and also Redbeard’s best friend. The two grew together in the Forbidden Island and, when Redbeard was promoted as a Captain, he immediately took Mat with him as a quartermaster. Maybe Mat is not as clever as the captain but he’s a very loyal man indeed and there is no one good as him into sea fighting and therefore he became soon a valuable member of the crew. John Flashfork: John is the only member of the crew who was not on the ship from the beginning. After the end of the war with the imperials the pirates and after the decisions to explore the East, Redbeard realized that, in order to make such long voyages, he needed someone more expert in sailing and studying the maps than Rummey. He therefore added Flashfork to the crew as a second quartermaster: John was the right person because, despite being a pirate, he studied at Eland at the naval school of the imperials (he was from a rich family and he decided to become a pirate because he embraced the “philosophy” beyond piracy) and he was one of the best sailors of the Empire. Bo Sun: she’s the only woman who had ever been part of a pirate’s crew. Despite being a woman, Bo Sun (or simply Sun) was trained in combat since she was a child. Instead of playing with dolls or learning cooking, she played with knives and learned using guns. She soon became a killer rather than a pirate and therefore Redbeard took her with him on the ship firstly to give her a correct education and then to use her ability during the fight with the imperials. Sun is considered by the Captain like the daughter he never had, but she’s treated like all the other members of the crew and if you forget about the exterior aspect, you cannot distinguish her from any pirate man. Will T: he is the youngest member of the crew. He’s story is linked to the one of Sun firstly because they are both orphans and they grew together on the Rock Island and secondly because he’s in love with her and joined the crew of the Barracuda because of her. He’s not interested in battles and he’s not very good in anything (only in cooking and therefore is the cook of the ship) and his only friend is a monkey (Spinoza) who he took with on the ship. The little problem for poor Will is the fact that Sun is not interested at all in men or love in general and therefore during the years there were so many funny episodes involving his continuous efforts on conquering her and his continuous failures.. but he has not surrendered yet! |
Collection Rating 8 out of 10
Pro: some later sets were more complete but this is very unique and particular even though quite simple. Especially the long mast in the centre used as a watch tower. You can get a cannon, a small boat, a treasure and even an imperial.
Cons: maybe too much simple if looked as a building. |
6270 Forbidden Island (1989)This is the first and main cove of the Pirates; Captain Redbeard chose this island to be his headquarter because it was big enough to have many natural resources, it has a small lake in the inside which could provide fresh water and because its coasts were very good to build an harbour for the vessels. The cove is well hidden within the trees and palms of the island and therefore is not visible from the open sea; an old ship tree with the original ropes is used as a watch tower and the two main parts of the building are connected by a rope bridge. Well hidden within the trees there is also a defence cannon and a small prison for the imperials, not to mention a boat for small trips. On the top of the building there are the apartments of the Captain which contain also the treasures and a secret trapdoor leading directly to the prison. It doesn’t look like a fortress but it isn’t its main purpose: it a kind of secret cove in which the pirates could find food water, gold and any type of armour and therefore it is guarded only by a captain a quartermaster and a pirate. Main Characters Captain Roger Lowe: he is a very old pirate and also the brother of Edward Lowe who is in prison in Eldorado Fortress. Like his brother he is a pirate of the old ages, linked to a world who didn’t exist anymore, but if Edward refused to accept it remaining with anger and pain, Roger acted differently and chose to remain isolated as much as he could. That’s why he accepted the role offered by RedBeard and stays hidden in the Forbidden Island with the company of only his pet (a parrot) and his two companions (who too are pirates of the old ages and shared with him many adventures). |
Collection Rating 5.5 out of 10
Pro: it could be funny if it your first set and you want to try to get into the “pirate” world.
Cons: very poor set. To be bough only if you are a collector. |
6235 Buried Treasure (1989)This is a very simple set. Especially during the first years Pirates used to hide the conquered treasures from the Imperials by burying them under the sand. This is an example of buried treasure and there is also a small plant in the sand which was usually used as a mark to remember the exact location of the treasure. The pirate flag instead was added later when the war was ended and it was necessary to identify the hidden treasures of the Pirates from the ones of the Imperials. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 6.5 out of 10
Pro: it’s the first raft set. Quite simple set but with some interesting details such the white flags used as sails or the barrels used to build the raft
Cons: the mast is quite delicate and later raft sets will have real sails. |
6257 Castaway's Raft (1989)This raft, built with the broken pieces (mainly barrels and sail parts) of a sunk vessel, was originally used as a rescue mean of transport when the Pirates were defeated by the Imperials and had to escape to a safe island. The crew is composed by a Quartermaster and two other pirates: the used to go on the battle site, rescue the defeated pirates, charge them on the raft and take them to the nearest pirate island. They are also provided with a map in order to easily find the route in the west. After the end of the war the raft was used as a normal mean of transport to sail small distances between the islands in the West; sometimes (like when the Pirates firstly got in contact with the Islanders) it was also used in some secret missions when it was necessary to act in a “dismissed” way pretending to be survivors of a sunk ship in order to get some important information. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 7.5 out of 10
Pro: very good set because you can have in only one set a cannon, two pirates, a palm, a parrot and a treasure and even a decorated base. It is perfect to start your pirate collection.
Cons: the building is very poor, especially the cannon cove. |
6260 Shipwreck Island (1989)This is small island in the Pirates’ territory just near the main Forbidden Island. Despite being small it is plenty of water, palms and animals (such as parrots and monkeys). It was therefore quite natural that the Pirates chose it to be a secondary base and the equipped it with a place to hide treasures and (more important) a cannon. This island became soon the first barrier of defence against the Imperials who wanted to attack the Forbidden Island. There were only a Quartermaster and a normal pirate as guards of the island but I can guarantee you that they were enough. Even after the war the island maintained its importance as a watch point and also like an appendage of the Forbidden Island. Finally it has to be mentioned that there was also a wooden bathtub which could be used either as a mean of transport or (put on top of a palm) as a watch tower. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 4 out of 10
Pro: unique set ever built dedicated to this small type of raft.
Cons: very poor set only to be bought if you are a collector. |
6234 Renegade's Raft (1991)This is a very small raft, basically composed by rests of a ship such as a wooden table and some parts of tiny barrels and has a stroke in the back to give directions. It is under the responsibility of a quartermaster and he’s rarely used as a mean of transport to go from an island to a near one but it is too small to transport goods or other people and so it most of the time “parked” into the Forbidden Island. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 6 out of 10
Pro: it’s a big set if you want a real pirate cove. It could be funny to play with because of the harbour, the rope bridges and the cave to hide treasures.
Cons: it’s a big set but without too much attention to the details especially in the Captain’s apartments. The harbour is not as good as the imperial’s one. |
6234 Rock Island Refuge (1991)Located on the Rock Island, it is the Pirate’s answer to the Imperial Trading Post. As soon as he heard about Woodhouse plan’s about building an imperial harbour, RedBeard realized that the Forbidden Cove was not sufficient anymore and that the pirates needed an harbour too. He therefore build the Island Refuge which is basically an harbour for the pirate’s vessels. It is located on a rocky reef and protected by cannons and the harbour is quite small but equipped with a pulley to move goods and a cave in the rocks to store them. As for the Forbidden Island the rest of the building is well hidden within trees and palms and all the sections are connected together by rope bridges. At the top there are the apartments of the Commander Pirate and there is also a fireplace. All the refuge is managed by the Commander, a quartermaster and two pirates and they have also a small raft to travel within the nearest islands. The Rock Island Refuge is famous also for its high rope bridge which is the highest in the Empire and from which all the pirates island could be seen. Main Characters Commander Philip Anstis: he is the head of the Refuge and was chosen directly by RedBeard for his ability in management and trading. Philip is not a well educated man, he didn’t study in any school but, as he always says, he “learned from the sea”; anyway he as a great practical mind and, since he was a simple member of the crew of many pirates vessels, he demonstrated great ability in problem solving and in organizing practical issues. Therefore it was quite obvious that, when nominated Commander of the Refuge, he was able to put the harbour in order and well organize all the trading exchanges and the store of the goods and make the Refuge a very profitable activity for all the pirates community. |
Collection Rating 5.5 out of 10
Pro: the shanty’s roof made with palm leaves is nice.
Cons: quite poor set to be bought only if you are a collector. |
6258 Smuggler's Shanty (1992)This shanty was born as a place to bury and hide treasures. Due to his strategic location in the northern island of the pirate’s territory, it was decided to build a small shanty and to transform it into a kind of garrison. A quartermaster and a pirate were put in charge of this garrison made by some wood pieces and palm leaves. It was a very poor defence but soon after it was signed the peace treaty between pirates and imperials, otherwise it would have been soon destroyed by imperials. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 7 out of 10
Pro: very nice raft with many weapons and nice sails. There are also ropes and a small mast. It looks realistic.
Cons: although detailed it is a raft and not a vessel. |
6261 Raft Raiders (1992)Accordingly to the development and expansion policy of the pirates, the former castaway’s raft was not enough anymore and so it was decided to build another one enhanced raft. The enhancements were not only related to the size of the raft, but they were also regarding the equipment: this raft has a small mast and a sail and therefore it was kind of a mixture between a raft and a boat. It was also equipped with many weapons (swords and guns principally) and it was able to cover even medium distances. The crew was composed by a Junior Captain and a Junior Quartermaster: it was therefore used like a training boat and the pirates who were studying to become captains were put in charge of this raft to make experience (because the raft was used mainly for trade and rescue purposes but it could also be involved in battles). Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 5.5 out 10
Pro: in the same set you can find both a pirate and an imperial minifig.
Cons: very poor set. To be bough only if you are a collector. |
6237 Pirates' Plunder (1993)Another pirates’ location to hide treasures. Please refer to the Buried Treasure Set for description. The main and only difference is the fact that, after the sign of the peace treaty and the birth of the Federation, this activity was shared between pirates and imperials and therefore in this location, for example, you’ll find a pirate quartermaster as well as an imperial lieutenant. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 6 out of 10
Pro: the red dragon symbol (imported from Castle themes) is nice and you can enjoy the rotating cannon and the compass.
Cons: it’s a vessel but quite poor. It is considered by many collectors an example of the declining quality of the Lego Pirates Sets. I would rather go for the Armada Flagship set. |
6268 Renegade Runner (1993)In order to put a final end to the war and defeat the Imperials, Brickbeard decided to build two new ships: one major vessel for the front and direct attacks and one small runner for the “bite and escape” tactic. The renegade runner (with a red dragon symbol in the front) was the second one: it is a small boat, very similar to the Armada Flagship from Sapin, equipped with a rotating cannon and only one mast with two sails (one small in the front and one big and directional in the rear). In addition to the cannon there are two fixed muskets in the front part and a compass for directions in the back. The crew is composed by the Captain, the quartermaster and two pirates. It a very quick vessel and almost impossible to catch even with the most precise cannons. Main Characters Captain James Avery: he is the captain of the Runner and he is a “product” of the pirates training school. He started his career as a member of the crew of the Black Seas Barracuda and then was promoted to quartermaster and finally he became the Junior Captain of the Raft Raider. His next career step was the promotion as Captain of the Renegade Runner, also because it was evident that his greatest quality was the ability in attacking by surprise the enemy and then escape without being caught. He was also a very tough and cruel pirate and taking prisoners was not part of his way of doing things. He is also very ambitious and his secret desire is to become the Captain of the Skull’s Eye Shooner. |
Collection Rating 7 out of 10
Pro: it is one of the biggest vessels. Very nice black and white sails and a lot of minifigs. Very nice and unique also the skull on the back of the ship.
Cons: compared to the Black Seas Barracuda is bigger but with less attention to the details. |
6286 Skull's Eye Shooner (1993)The biggest and strongest vessel wanted by RedBeard to win the war was the Skull’s Eye Shooner. It is the biggest vessel of the pirates: a three masted ship equipped with four powerful cannons and six sails. In addition in the rear part of the ship there are also two small fixed cannons to hit the enemies in every direction and in the front two fixed muskets. The crew is composed by the Captain, a deputy captain, two quartermasters and five pirates: it was a new organization chart of the crew in which the deputy captain is in charge of the navigation process and the maps consulting while the two quartermasters are in charge of the rest of the crew (split in two groups) one for the defence tactic and the other for the offense. The Shooner is a ship built to destroy other ships and conquer even the Eldorado Fortress (intimidating skulls are everywhere from the sails to the back of the ship): compared to the Black Seas Barracuda it is better equipped with weapons although with less attention to details, especially luxury ones and in the captain’s cabin (which has a very poor furniture). To complete the description we should mention the very elegant compass, the white and black pirate (which is the symbol of the ship), the skull decorated sails and the two high watch places on the top of the masts. Like in the Barracuda there are a pulley to transport treasures’ chests and a lifeboat in the back. Main Characters Captain Henry Morgan: he is the Captain of the Shooner and one of the most terrible pirates in the world; having been built to sink and destroy the Shooner needed a captain famous for his cruelty and lack of mercy for the enemies and this is the perfect description of Morgan. He was born of the Skull Island and his father was a pirate and got killed by the imperials: therefore he decided that he needed vengeance and that his debt would have been solved only with the head of Broadside. He won many battles in the war and after the peace treaty he had difficulties into accepting the alliance with the Imperials but RedBeard slowly convinced him into putting aside his anger and join the Federation cause. Albert Burn: the deputy captain is not a common pirate at all: firstly is a very expert in navigation science and also in botanic sciences (not common at all among pirates), secondly he joined the crew without believing in the pirate’s cause. Due to his passion for sciences he views his role in the crew as a tremendous opportunity to travel all around the world and to make important botanic and naturalistic resources. He has a role on the vessel which does not imply fighting and he’s also looking for opportunities to visit the islands and collect items for his studies. Helen Hunter: she is Burn’s wife and, despite being left alone and being the mother of her two sons, she preferred being trained in combat and joined the crew to stay with her husband. She is in charge of cooking but she’s also lethal in using guns and in many occasion she proved herself being a valuable member of the crew. |
Collection Rating 5 out of 10
Pro: you can enjoy the secret mechanism to hide treasure or the one to hide the skeleton minifig.
Cons: quite a poor set. To be bough only if you are a collector. |
6254 Rocky Reef (1995)The rocky reef is the evolution of the pirate’s plunder and of the smuggler’s shanty. Places where pirates and imperials buried their treasures became more and more relevant and it was preferred to bury more treasures in one place than one treasure in different places. The rocky reef is a perfect example of this change: located on a dedicated island it has a big place to hide treasures and the hole is not simply dig in the sand but it can be opened by a secret mechanism. It is located near a typical rock of the island which contains a secret mechanism too and, once opened, reveals a dead skeleton to frighten the visitors. The place is equipped with a small boat and is guarded by a quartermaster and a pirate. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 7 out of 10
Pro: the big movable skull (not a pre-made block but has to be built) used in the front of the cove is amazing. You can have also a small harbour and it is a quite nice set to play. Plenty of palms, monkeys and parrots.
Cons: the Commander’s apartments are not too much detailed. |
6279 Skull Island (1995)The Skull Island is the typical example of the pirates’ coves build after the birth of the Federation. In particular this island was build after the discovery of the Islanders in order to have a garrison near the Enchanted Island. Compared to the previous coves of the pirates (which were well hidden within the palms) this is very huge and characterized by a well seen giant skull in the front. This skull in reality is a big trapdoor which leads into an internal cave where treasures and small boats are hidden. On top of the cave there is the apartment of the Commander of the cove and on the very top a watch place with also a pulley to manage goods. On the side of the cave there is an harbour for the vessels and a rotating cannon to defend the place. The cove is situated in the typical environment of the Islanders (plenty of palms monkeys and parrots) and is equipped with two small boats. The integration within pirates and imperials is evident from the fact that, under the commander, there are three pirates and two imperials together. Main Characters Captain Spriggs: he is the commander of the Island and accepted the role when no other pirate wanted it. All the pirates were not keen on leaving their island and on living in the jungle near the Islanders, but Spriggs was a nature lover and, after a life spent on boats and fighting, was tired of the pirates themselves and wanted a place to retire and be considered like a king. And, as a matter of facts, he is kind the King Kahuka of the Pirates: he manages the island and deals with the pirates as well as with the imperials acting like the only ruler of the island. This caused him some problems with RedBeard and Broadside but at the end, since he did no particular harm, it was accepted. |
Collection Rating 6 out of 10
Pro: the skull is nice and also the volcano’s secret mechanism is quite funny to play with.
Cons: I would rather go with the Skull Island which is a quite similar set. |
6248 Volcano Island (1996)This is a volcanic island new the Enchanted Island of the Islanders. When Captain Spriggs became commander of the Skull Island decided to conquer these island and transform it into a garrison to hidden treasures. He therefore marked it with the typical giant skull in stone and he put a quartermaster with a small raft to guard it. The giant skull of course secretly reveals a cave in which the treasures are hidden. The particular characteristic of this cave is the fact that is build within the volcano so on top there is also a secret defensive mechanism to deliver the lava downside and to turn the enemies into skeletons by burning them alive. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 6 out of 10
Pro: I enjoyed the broken mast with the broken sail. It is an example of the new line of pirate’s coves of the Lego sets.
Cons: not too much attention to details. To be bough only if you are a collector. |
6296 Shipwreck Island (1996)This Major Shipwreck Island (to distinguish it from the original Shipwreck Island) was the last island to be colonized by the pirates. In this quite big island they built a cove based on the rest of a sunk ship. It is clearly visible the rest of a mast with still the sail on it. The cove is equipped with a rotating cannon and a small prison (although quite never used); there is quartermaster in charge aided by a pirate. This cove was not built neither for defensive purposes or offensive but with a particular target in RedBeard’s mind: to be the shipyard of the pirates. This island is the place where all the new pirates’ vessels were built. The quartermaster and the other pirates were accurately chosen among the best carpenters of the Empire and the location of the island was very helpful because wood, cords paints and metals were all close to hand. Main Characters n/a |
Collection Rating 7 out of 10
Pro: you can play with the mast mechanism and simulate the broken mast during an attack. Very nice sails with the pirate’s skull and the skull in the back part is nice too.
Cons: the worst of the three big vessels of the Classic Pirates sets. There is no real captain’s cabin. |
6289 Red Beard Runner (1996)This is the third big vessel of the pirates and it was built to complete the fleet and to do the “Cross Ocean Expedition” to the East. It is not a war vessel like the Shooner, although equipped with three cannons and is very essential indeed (the captain’s cabin is not even a real cabin) but it was incredibly well built in the shipwreck island. It was built to resist the storms and to navigate across the ocean and therefore its two masts are equipped with particular sails and could also be moved in case of storm. All the vessel’s structure is incredibly solid and everything needed is there: a lifeboat, a compass, the watch places on top of the masts and of course the black and white pirate symbol of the fleet. There is also on the back a giant skull which was considered the new “trademark” of the pirates. The crew was composed by the Captain, a quartermaster, four pirates and (for the first time) a doctor. The organizational chart of the crew was changed again and now each single member of the crew has a specific task (cannons, guns, watching, sailing...) and therefore only particularly skilled and specialized pirates were chosen. This ship was nominated in honour to Captain Red Beard although he was never its captain. Main Characters Captain William Kidd: William Kidd has a particular sense for adventure. He firmly believes that only very dangerous things are important in a pirate’s like and the only adventures a real man should live are the ones in which is life is at risk. His life is a perfect example of that: he always lived at the limit liking the excesses also with drinking, women and duels. The cross ocean expedition was a perfect challenge for him and he was therefore nominated captain of the Red Beard Runner, which he succeeded in taking to the East. Doctor Morris: he is a doctor and was the first doctor enrolled on a pirates’ vessel. Due to the importance and the length of the expedition across the ocean a doctor was required on the Runner and Morris was chosen simply because he was the best doctor in the Empire (he studied many years in the best schools and he is expert almost in every medical matter) and also RedBeard’s personal doctor. |