Feb 1, 2016, 10:03 PM

It would be important that death have some teeth, at least in my opinion. Otherwise risk becomes a farce, and the whole lifestyle is based on risk. Pirates take huge risks to be pirates, and many of their targets surrender because the risk of slaughter is worse than losing the cargo of someone you barely know who treats you ill. On average a 50 man pirate ship would take ships with crews of 7-14. The black flag was an offer of safety if the ship didn't fight.