The Vanguard or advance guard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.
The vanguard derives from the traditional division of a medieval army into three battles or wards; the Van, the Main (or Middle), and the Rear. The term Vanguard originates with the medieval French avant-garde, i.e. "the advance guard". The vanguard would lead the line of march and would deploy first on the field of battle, either in front of the other wards or to the right if they stood in line.
Aboard pirate vessels, the vanguard was composed of the strongest fighters who would be the first over the side during a boarding party. Some captains fight with their vanguard, but it largely depends on their fighting skills.
Characters who Fight in the Vanguard[]
- Captain James Flint
- Billy Bones
- Joshua
- Joji
- Singleton
- Dooley
- Wayne
- Dobbs
- Captain Charles Vane
- Anne Bonny
- Captain Edward Teach
- Reuben