I'm a sucker for wooden ships and taking things that aren't mine, but I don't get the Lanun.

How does one play Falamar? What strategies can a rapidly-expanding pirate use? What kind of victory is he designed to aim for?

You get +1 food from sea tiles, -1 from farms. Your workers can be sacrificed to build a "Pirate Cove" which is a good improvement for cities to work aswell as a defense bonus for your ships, it's currently bugged though you shouldnt be able to build them closer than 3 tiles apart and if you pillage them they become water tiles (not sure if that's a bug though). You also get a special resource noone else can see, Pearls. Gives happiness and if worked a few commerce pts. Play Hannah and you get some awesome economy early on (Financial+Water tiles).

You get Axeman replacement that can attack and steal ships, hero Hidden Nationality ship that quickly become dangerous.

As for victory conditions I honestly can't say as I like my games to be epic battles in a semi-RP fashion so I don't try many other victories than conquest/domination (which is another reason I love Hannah (RAider trait).

For Falamar? Charismatic lends itself nicely to war. You could pick a victim or two and strip them of coastal cities and inland cities that have nice stuff(gold, gems, you get the idea.) Let them keep the rest or just burn it. Then you basically go out pirating and go from there.

Also Falamar gets a +2 diplo bonus with female leaders :p

Oh except for Os-gabella, but we all know what she is ;)

i tend to go for a split between 2 tactics with lanun....

1- arcane barges. i really cant say enough about their power at controlling the seas. and they can take down anything close to the water very well also.

2- mercenaries , land dropping mercs on a city , taking it , then popping replacements the next turn is insane. the tactical advantage of the lanun economy and mercs is pretty fun. no one knows where or how you will strike.

Falamar's charismatic trait is well suited to the arcane line because the lower XP requirement means faster archmages.

I found using pirate ships to blockade trade routes proved a handy source of stolen trade while hampering my enemy. Not sure exactly what the mechanics are though

If you can dominate the seas and pretty much be the only one getting trade between islands/continents you are well placed to win however you want really. WIth that freedom and safety from invasion its not hard at all to take out coastal cities.

Just make sure to do a few critical things like building the Great Lighthouse, circumnavigating the globe first and using the Black Wind and pirate ships to good effect before you declare war

I think Falamar is much less effective then financial Hanna since his Creative is changed into Charismatic. His bonuses are mostly late-game while early period is more important.

Also Falamar gets a +2 diplo bonus with female leaders :p

Oh except for Os-gabella, but we all know what she is ;)

Even with Os-Gabella as i remember. Along with male penalty. He is only a man but still charming.

BTW I played one game with Falamar under G with Living world but did not get any of his specific events. :(