Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Jimbro Aug 05, 2014 5:57:03	Hey, what do you guys think of my rules for naval combat?   http://worldbuilderblog.me/2014/08/05/ship-combat/   Take a look and let me know what you think! Thanks.
#2 bawylie Aug 05, 2014 7:40:43	I like what you've got going on. But some things weren't clear.    Cargo capacity.    Turning. It seems as though each ship has discrete actions as though it were a creature in combat. If so, does a turn take up 100% of its movement? It seems like movement for a ship is kind of mandatory, because of momentum. So any turning or stopping should take a round, maybe. For instance if I want to make a 45 degree turn, the ship turns the angle, and proceeds at half speed this round (momentum lost due to turning), then resumes full speed next round. Or if I want to stop, this round I slow to half speed, next round I'm stopped. And if I want to start from still, this round I move at half speed, next round I move at full speed.    See what I'm getting at? Maneuverability is a big deal in ship combat, and this kinda thing makes steering a particular ship notable. It adds a tactical dimension. You can try to keep a highly maneuverable ship to the aft of a slow one, so you can take it without getting into the fire lines of the main cannons - you only have to deal with swivel guns or chasers. Or mages.    If you're a slower ship, you want to calibrate your approach carefully or use your escorts. If a faster ship tries to flee, you may turn and fire instead of pursuing. Or use your bulk and fire lines as zone coverage.    Anyhow. I really do think you're onto something. You might want to address momentum (leaving aside windspeed and direction).    Also, I've done this with HP, and I've done this with Stress. I like stress better. Here's how it goes. Every ship has an AC and an Armor Rating. AC is to hit. AR is a threshold. When an attacker rolls damage, if the damage dealt is less than the AR, there's no stress. If it's equal to or greater than the AR, the ship sustains stress. Each vessel has between 1 and 5 stress points. At zero, it's disabled. At lower than zero it's sinking and will eventually be destroyed. Canons, spells, etc, all deal normal damage. But the ship soaks it unless the damage exceeds the AR.    I use Stress for buildings & siege weapons too. Food for thought. Oh, and AR is typically set at a value that's at the high end of damage a character can produce with an attack. So around 15, 17, or 20 to start.  That way you don't get a lot of great-axe fighters or high level cantrips mowing down ships with melee attacks (which they can do with ships that have HP).
(Reply to #2) Jimbro	bawylie wrote:
#4 bawylie Aug 05, 2014 12:09:23	Happy to help. Please post if you revise your rules.
#5 demon_idol Aug 05, 2014 16:08:09	You can't really put cannons on the sides of a ship that is rowed. The rowers need to use that space. Cannons on the side of a ship are really only appropriate for sailing ships. I imagine that the sailing ships represented in the rules are ancient/medieval in technology-- caracks at best, more likely cogs or what the romans called 'round ships'.   If you are going to have cannons, it is best to upgrade the ships to renessiance/early modern types: carracks, galleons, caravels. These are all purely sail powered.   Galleys and a larger galley called the galleas continue to be used. The galley is highly manueverable, but the rowers require lots of water and provisions, so the ship needs to find port often. The galley did not sport cannon on its sides.
(Reply to #5) Jimbro	demon_idol wrote: