Review: Shores of Tripoli
This is a rare and unusual Yankee Doodle Spies sequel segment. Although it’s a bit of a stretch, I felt compelled to review this board game because it depicts events that have some surprising links to the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. What motivates me to review this game? In a word, fun. Shores of Tripoli offers an engaging and intriguing look at this pivotal period in United States national security policy. Players learn as they play and interact while they learn. And they have a good time. But I think I already mentioned that.
Fort Circle Games
The kevin Bertram, designer and owner of Fort Circle Games, shares that his inspiration for the game came from Brian Kilmeade’s book about the American effort to suppress the Barbary (North African) States and their corsairs (pirates) at the start of the 19th century. I admit—I haven't read the book, though I’ve read others on the topic and watched the John Payne film, Tripoli, as a young person. In his designer notes, Kevin mentions he created the game after realizing no one had addressed this subject. I began playing board wargames when I was in third grade. The first I remember was called Tactics II. I played wargames for many years and even tried miniatures. After reading Kevin’s words, I agreed—he’s right. So, the game is groundbreaking for shining a light on that little-known conflict.
The Mechanics
I'm not talking about Paul Revere’s spy network, but how the game is played. I'll let others do a play-by-play of the rules. You can also find many YouTube clips on the rules by Kevin and other players who enjoy the game.
The game begins as a board game featuring a simple, visually appealing map of North Africa. Key ports such as Gibraltar (British-held and neutral), Malta, Tripoli, Alexandria, and Derne are marked, as these are where most of the action happens. Players move ship markers including American, Swedish, and Tripolitan frigates; American cutters; and Tripolitan and allied corsairs. You also manage soldier markers like US marines, Hamet’s (deposed older brother and rival to Tripolitan ruler Yusuf Karamanli) mercenaries, and Barbary pirates.
Combat is determined by die rolling. This game involves a lot of die rolling. Luck outweighs skill in many situations. I think Napoleon once said he would prefer having a lucky general over a good one. However, the game is primarily driven by card play. Players draw cards from a deck each turn. They can discard any card to make a move or play specific cards to bring in reinforcements or perform various procedural actions. The real key is the Event Cards. They influence the game by controlling movement, combat, political actions, and more. Players constantly draw, discard, or play cards as the game unfolds across four seasons a year from 1801 to 1806. The cards introduce surprises, both positive and negative. How a player utilizes the cards dealt to them can compensate for poor dice rolls and mistakes. So, keep a close watch on them. And may the odds always be in your favor.
The Result
The game offers players about an hour of fun and frustration. It's a two-player game with a cool solitaire option. The American side has many advantages, such as large ships (frigates), US Marines, and Swedish allies. Yeah — Sweden! But the American side also has a lot to lose. Closing the deal, which involves assaulting and capturing Tripoli, can lead to a Ragnarök-like end for the game. The American player begins slowly, building firepower with frigates and gunboats, while pesky pirates go on raids.
The Barbary player has less firepower but more flexibility. He can run out the clock. If the American player is too cautious, the Barbary player may have time to launch enough raids to win by capturing treasure (gold-colored coins). Or he can win if the American fails to combine the right mix of naval and land power to take Tripoli. And though the American frigates are powerful, they are also a target: losing four of them wins the game for the Tripolitan cause. This simulates the impact of American and European public opinion for suffering unacceptable losses. A draw is a win for the Barbary States, but the Americans can use cards and shrewd maneuvers to force a treaty and win.
Either way, both sides have fun and learn a lot about this important but little-known event in American history.
The game includes a clever-looking historical supplement and designer notes that complement the rules well. The design, artwork, and layout are of high quality. A fun feature is the “mock-up” of the 21 May 1801 letter to the Pasha and Bey of Tripoli, Yusuf Karamanli, explaining the reason for the friendly visit of the American squadron to the Mediterranean waters. It provides a nice scene-setting with atmosphere as you read President Jefferson’s reassuring words.
Yankee Doodle Spies Sequel?
The war against the Barbary States was the first American effort to project military force overseas. One of the results of the American War for Independence and American sovereignty was losing the protection of the powerful British Navy. This was evident during the undeclared naval war with France, an event that led to the rebirth of an American naval force centered around a small fleet of "super-frigates," which served as fast and agile ships-of-the-line.
Key figures – Rev War Connections
I will now circle back to the American Revolution with some interesting connections between the Tripoli affair and the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies.
Thomas Jefferson
The most prominent figure is President Thomas Jefferson, the central character in the event. The founding father and the first Secretary of State tried to find a peaceful way to handle the Barbary States’ demands for tribute—without actually paying it. This approach was influenced by the pride of a newly independent and still uncertain republic and limited funds. His letter dated 21 May 1801 was his last effort to negotiate. However, the Bey of Tripoli had already chosen war, declaring it on 14 May.
William Eaton
William Eaton is one of those tough historical figures who played a major role in a key event. Son of a middle-class New England farmer, young Eaton served in the Continental Army from 1780 to 1783, ending as a sergeant at age 19. He received some schooling after the war and later became a captain in the new American Legion under the famous Revolutionary War hero, Major General “Mad” Anthony Wayne, during the war against western Indian nations. There, he faced some controversy and a court-martial for war profiteering and for releasing a prisoner from jail. He received a two-month “suspended commission.”
In the quirky world of Federalist-era bureaucracy, he remained in the army. He was appointed U.S. Consul to Tunis in 1797, making Eaton the key representative of the United States in the region. In 1804, he persuaded the government to undertake a special operation to bring Yusuf’s brother, Hamet, into the conflict. The plan was approved, and Eaton led a small expeditionary force to Alexandria, where they linked up with Hamet and his ragtag mercenary army. With Marines and a few sailors as the core, they marched west to Derna and, in a fierce fight, captured the city. However, Hamet’s unreliability and peace overtures ended further efforts. Eaton returned to America, hailed but bitter.
Pressley O’Bannon
Arguably the fiercest warrior of the war (and the U.S. Navy had many of these) was a United States Marine officer, Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon. A native of Virginia and son of a Revolutionary War officer, O’Bannon joined the Marines in 1801 as a 2nd Lieutenant and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant the next year. He held various commands both aboard ship and on land, and during the Derna operation, commanded a squad of 8 marines and an ensign. O’Bannon’s bravery and daring were displayed on April 27, 1804, at Derna. He led marines, some Greek mercenaries, and a few artillery gunners in a fierce charge through a hail of enemy musket fire. Ignoring the lead flying around him, he seized an enemy battery and raised the American flag on the city’s walls. He then turned the captured cannons on the enemy. After two hours of close combat, the fortress fell. This marked the first time the stars and stripes flew over a fortress in the Old World during a time of war.
O’Bannon was awarded a jeweled Mameluke scimitar for his valor, and upon returning to Virginia, his home state, presented him with a commemorative one as well. To this day, Marine officers wear a similar sword. After the war, he resigned his commission and moved west with his family, settling in Kentucky’s bluegrass region. An interesting Revolutionary connection: Legendary O’Bannon married the granddaughter of the ultimate Revolutionary War badass – the famed rifleman and General Daniel Morgan of Winchester, Virginia.
Tobias Lear
Another fascinating connection to the Revolutionary War was Tobias Lear. The New Hampshire native notably did not serve in the war but attended Harvard from 1779-83. Lear was an ambitious yet competent individual who advanced from tutoring Martha Washington’s grandchildren to becoming George Washington’s secretary and trusted assistant. He was visiting Mount Vernon when Washington died. Lear later gained the favor of President Thomas Jefferson, who, in 1801, appointed him as Consul-General to the North African coast. On June 4, 1805, Lear negotiated a "Treaty of Peace and Amity" with Yusuf. This was a tough pill for many Americans. Lear secured a ransom of $60,000 (about $1,024,400 today) for the release of sailors from the USS Philadelphia and some American merchant ships. Ironically, the Philadelphia was supposed to be the ship transporting him to the region, but a delay due to his marriage plans (to a Washington/Custis girl) led him to sail on the Enterprise.
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