I will attempt to describe in generic terms the towns of piracy, with one or two specific examples. As Piracy! is sort of only loosely based on the historical Caribbean, you can make the towns as you please, and lay them out under different nations with non historic defences as you see fit. I certainly have in my game. Listed below are the components of towns which you may find in towns of the Caribbean.
Defence
Depending on their size, towns will be composed of many different elements. Many may have some form of defence, from wooden palisades, forts, barracks, natural protected harbours, difficult shoals, local naval vessels, impenetrable jungles and duplicitous natives. Following major incursions by the English in the 1590's, the Spanish setout on a program of increasing the defences of the Caribbean towns.
Harbours, Docks, Jetties and Beaches
All towns need some way for the merchants to get to them. This could be from the very inconvenient beach approach in a sheltered area to bustling ports with loading docks. Where practical they are built around natural harbours which provide some protection for moored ships from storms.The approaches to the harbour could also be protected by overlooking forts or cliffs.
Governors & Councillors
All towns had some form of local leadership. The quality of the leadership, or the belief in those leaders, varied greatly from town to town. The governor was the only official with the power of the host nation and issued Letters of Marque, or orders to hunt down pirates. Usually not much happened in the town that the governor did knot know about. During the period of this game the Vice Admiralty courts were being established in all English ports, usurping the governors powers in these matters.
Historic Towns