Player Character

A player character is a character controlled by one player. In the majority of roleplay games, players control one or more characters specific to them, and may need to complete and application process before they can join in with game-play. Show the Colours has player characters in every rank in both the British Army and the Royal Navy. Characters whose players have since left the game are retired and may be written out or assumed to be in the background, depending on the character's rank and role.

Player characters include Fingers Smith, George Thompson, Jonathan Padstowe and Gabriel Cotton. Currently retired characters include Maggie Cotton, Edward Torrington and Henry Fraser. These characters may come back into play if their players return to the board.

Characters, both player characters and Non-Player Characters (or NPCs) may be represented by a Play-by (PB), an actor or other representation of the character, who helps other players visualise what a particular character looks like, in a similar way to 'casting' an actor in the role of the character.