Simple rules for Small Scale Naval Warfare?

[Caleb]

It's playable and fairly fun. I'd say the core rules are definitely solid.
I have plans to add smaller and larger ships at some point, but its on hold.

Just kind of let real life get in the way of it.

[Lokis_Tyro]

Haha... Yeah.... Happens all too much these days.. Hope you get some free time soon!

[pendrake]

(02-06-2015, 06:25 PM)Caleb Wrote: Another consideration I had is that the ships having 4 hull points and 4 shots means that engagements were very brief and more based on luck than navigation. I'm thinking more points, but the same number of shots may make for better gameplay.

An alternative, and this makes more sense to me, is to have 4 points, but a max of 2 shots per side, per turn. That way there is the ability to shoot from both sides in a turn, but a reduced likelihood of a shoot single turn sinking.

I had a random thought about ships, shooting, and simplicity. Goes like this:

1 mast - schooners and cutters = 2 shot dice.
2 masts - brigs, ketches, large schooners = 3 shot dice.
3 masts - frigates, ships of the line, galleons = 4 shot dice.

If there are 3 gundecks 6, 5, or 4 scores damage.
If there are 2 gundecks 6 or 5 scores damage.
If there is a single gundeck only a 6 scores damage.

It seems like an elegant mechanic but not sure how to connect it to rest of the rules or how to assign damage points to ships.

[pendrake]

I had an idea for a wind direction marker that could be made by laser etching. A two piece wind marker that stands up in a base. A face in profile, blowing, like one of these from late-medieval Maps:



Ideally the face would be cut out of and etched on clear plastic, but the base would be blue translucent plastic. And it would stand near the table edge the wind was blowing from.

[Caleb]

(09-04-2017, 05:55 AM)pendrake Wrote: It seems like an elegant mechanic but not sure how to connect it to rest of the rules or how to assign damage points to ships.

I am kind of thinking of just having ships be worth a certain amount of points which is directly related to their number or guns / hull points.

I.e. if I made a galleon have 10 hull points, it would cost 10 points, whereas you could have twice as many frigates that are only half as strong.

Not sure.

I'm thinking of reawakening this game idea. I found some neat looking small 3d printed ships on Shapeways, and might grab those.
There's a 50 pack for $100 bucks. Big initial investment, but them I have 50 ships...


Can never have too many ships.

[Tob]

(12-20-2017, 11:40 PM)Caleb Wrote: I am kind of thinking of just having ships be worth a certain amount of points which is directly related to their number or guns / hull points.

This will probably work.

(12-20-2017, 11:40 PM)Caleb Wrote: Can never have too many ships.

Amen. And send me a link, I might be interested.

[pendrake]

(12-20-2017, 11:40 PM)Caleb Wrote:

(09-04-2017, 05:55 AM)pendrake Wrote: It seems like an elegant mechanic but not sure how to connect it to rest of the rules or how to assign damage points to ships.

I am kind of thinking of just having ships be worth a certain amount of points which is directly related to their number or guns / hull points.

I.e. if I made a galleon have 10 hull points, it would cost 10 points, whereas you could have twice as many frigates that are only half as strong.

Would a ship-of-the-line be worth 15? It feels like a typical 74 gun 1st rate would be, or ought to be, a match for about three frigates.