What a silly old question.

Pirates have more fun.

Hi, After I bought 150+ blue coats, and already collected 50+ red coats...

YES.. I am imperial guys :)

Pirates! I used to be for the Imperials, my favourite figure is the Imperial soldier, but now I prefer freedom, alcohol and one eyed wenches hehe

Imperials all the way :P

Imperials: bluecoats! Although there is something romantic to being a pirate... doubts, doubts, doubts...

Well my signature says otherwise.

i'll join the imperial side....

Hmm, let's see... regular paycheque, cleaner working conditions, nicer clothes, less chance of a random brawl involving blades being plunged into chests, and... perhaps... some sort of union? I think I'd go for the Imperial Navy over the scurvy-infested ragamuffins of the piratical organisations. Call me soft, but I like clean clothes in the morning!

Pirate, of course...

I chose Imperial Soldiers. First, they are legal army, often supported directly by King and Queen.

Secondly, even you think Pirates don't obey anyone's command, actually don't forget that there is Captain on each ship. Pirates often are not united, they don't like each other, they are together and team up only for their own sake, money, diamonds and whatever. They are ready to kill themselves if necessary. Imperial Soldiers are in law's side which means that they must like each other, even if don't, but however they have to work together, because its their military job.

Also, usually punishment for cached pirate is none less than death. I think you would chose to be more alive comparing to life where you can day any moment for any reason. Soldiers got supplies, food and arms legally, but pirates had to steal which is a bit risky.

Also in past, even here in Lego pirates you will notice that Soldiers are (logically) better armed than pirates. Look first in small sets, in Pirate Survival that shipwrecked pirate has only his pistol/gun, and some accessories as weapons as stick and equipment for digging. Look at Soldier's Arsenal. he is armed with gun, rifle, two swords, bag.... Look at Cannon Battle. This pirates has a gun, but Soldier has a shooting Cannon. In Kraken Attack, Pirates have sword and rifle, not bad at all! In Loot Island pirates have sword, gun and catapult, Soldier has shooting Cannon attached on his small boat! In Shipwreck Hideout Pirates are finally better armed than Soldiers. They have finally shooting Cannon, swords and rifles, Soldiers have only rifle and sword. But in Soldiers Fort, of course Imperials are better armed with Cannon, gun, Swords, but Pirate Captain is also nice armored in his boat with Dynamite and rifle and second pirate with sword. But Pirate's Brickbeard's Bounty is also well armored with Cannon, rifles, swords... in Advent Calendar also Soldiers got Rifle and gun, Pirates just a telescope and sword.

An the final word awesome Imperial Flahsip is heavy armored with few cannons, rifles, swords!

hehe yeah all the time in comics and sets Lego preferred Pirates as winners mostly! But the final word have Soldiers in last set Imperial Flagship (I really hope it is a joke and it will not be last, we will see pirates soon), so Imperials finally cough Pitate's Captian and won pirates! As mostly of you said, Soldiers always win hehe!

However, this was only my text, don't forget after all each side has it's advantages and disadvantages and what is the most important everyone has his own taste, and there is nothing to say against it!

My taste are Soldiers, I like Pirates lot, but Soldiers little more.

We have a ship , a hideout , an island and a raft. They have a fort with nothing in and a few row boats.

Lambs to the slaughter if you ask me.

Sorry dude, have you seen the new imperial flagship? Imperials are top dog. ;-)

Actually, I'm not choosing sides. The imperials are my marines and the pirates are my sailors. I know it is quite stupid because now I don't have any opposition for my armada. I hope I didn't make anybody angry with my not so standard arrangement of my fleet.

I have to say Imperials. There's nothing wrong with pirates, they just don't appeal to me that much. I must also admit that as far as minifigs go I prefer collecting uniformed soldiers rather than getting more and more random looking pirates...

id want to be in charge of the imperial army. not sure what it is, but there's something extraordinary about a huge number of identical soldiers lined up outside a port waiting to fend off against rebel pirates!

While i like building MOCs in favor of the pirates i would vote for Imperials. We would get the better ships weapons and anything else.

I prefer Pirates, myself. I feel that there are more stories to create among Pirate crews than Imperials, but I think that's due to the multitude of pirate media out there. Pirates are greatly romanticized, and I think that's part of their charm. That's not to say Imperials are without their own charm, because they certainly have something about them that just screams "awesome."

I would choose Pirate (and not just because they're totally awesomesauce). Many people have, in this thread, been touting the superiority of conditions in the navy. However, this was not the case. For one thing, once you're on a boat, you're on a boat. You aren't going to have clean clothes any longer than the pirates will. Probably even less time, because when the pirates take down a boat with a cargo of cloth they can sew more clothes.

Once out at sea, the captain of the navy ship WAS the law. Cat o' Nine Tailses and other corporal punishments were used immeasurably more often on Navy ships than on Pirate ships. Pirates got an even share of any treasure captured - Navy sailors got five pounds a month, if that. Many Pirate captains had strict sets of rules regarding proper conduct aboard the ship, to prevent any crew-killing shenannigans. Some of the more famous Pirates even disallowed drinking rum after eight o'clock, and a knife fight couldn't be conducted on deck - the dispute had to be settled by the captain. Some even offered set recompense for the loss of body parts - 50 pieces of eight for an eye, 150 for an arm, 200 for a leg, and so on. Imperials had no such health insurance.

And, of course, there is the awesomsauceity of Pirates. That's really what clinched it.

From personal experience I would have to vote for the Imperials because I used

to be in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps and those where the best years of my life.

GO RED COATS!!!

I am a pirate with sea water running through me veins. (No joke,A nasty incident involving a cannon and a platypus )

I'd much rather be a pirate. I'd get to explore whenever and wherever I wanted, with no martial law hanging over my head. Free as a bird!

Pirates. Don't have to listen to a king or queen or whoever, not in huge battles as much, and also they get a share of any treasure they get. Imperials don't I don't think.

Captain Becker ask permission to step to the duty sir! Imperial Guards of course, pirates had dirty cloths and their life wasnt so bright. Always the danger of getting caught and to be hanged And Imperials have a cool uniform, pirates beware!

Captain Becker

Proudly to be a soldier.

Each has faction has its own appeal.

Pirates are a horde force, the fun there is to make a riffraff bunch of bada$$es and live the life of plunder and adventure.

Imperials are a very proper force, all uniforms, drums, colors, but it demands respect. The appeal lies in the structured ranks, and the awesome might of their navy, which runs like a well-oiled machine.

I for one argue that islanders should also be included in the poll; sure they don't sail the ocean blue but are a staple in the theme and sure gave the pirates the run for their money.

Fingers crossed for the new PoTC sets to satisfy our appetite for uniforms, weapons and new parts for all factions.

Pirate, no doubt. Their loyal to their friends, while ruthless against their enemies. Imperials, though, can change their minds at any minute.

Pirates all the way! And as this is my first post in here, please let me tell hello to everyone!