How To: Ship-to-Ship Combat, Round One

This is the first installment of a mock battle that I will be running. I will use this to both work out/finalize the rules and also to demonstrate to you how they work. This mock battle will be done in numerous parts. Please note that it is possible that rules will be refined as I go along. I will introduce stats and rules as required by the scenario.

The Captains will be known simply as "Captain A" and "Captain B", who are the commanders of their vessels, "Ship A" and "Ship B", respectively. Let us begin!

Assumptions

Let us assume that both ships are operating under Plain Sail (which neither adds nor subtracts to speed.) Let us also assume that both ships are undamaged and are operating with full crew and supplies. Also, the ships are moving at their top sailing speed. Finally, the gender of the captains is unknown. The use of masculine pronouns is for ease of writing.

Stats

For now, I will only show the stats that are needed for this installment. I will add to these stats as we move forward.

Captain A
Skills: Profession (Sailor) +5, Profession (Tactician) +5

Ship A (Sloop, Medium Warship)
Maneuverability: 0
Speed: 130 ft. / 13 knots
Weapons Fore: None
Weapons Aft: Std. 10 Pound x2
Weapons Broadside: Std. 10 pound x8

Captain B
Skills: Profession (Sailor) +8

Ship B (Corvette, Medium Warship)
Maneuverability: 0
Speed: 130 ft. / 13 knots
Weapons Fore: None
Weapons Aft: Std. 6 pound x2
Weapons Broadside: Std. 10 pound x12

Current Conditions

The GM must first determine the Wind Speed and Direction, using the Wind Speed rules under the Nautical Handbook.

• The GM will roll a 1d20 to randomly determine wind speed, then consults the chart
• The GM rolls a 13, for a 13 total. He consults the chart.

Wind Speed Results: Medium Wind Strength, 24-35 knots, Speed Limit 7-10 knots.

• The GM will roll 1d8 to randomly determine wind direction, then consult the charg
• The GM rolls a 6, for a 6 total. He consults the chart.

Wind Direction Results: Southeast winds. Thus winds are coming out of the Southeast at 24-35 knots.

This means, using the statements found under "Assumptions" above, that both ships are moving under Plain Sail under Medium Wind Strengths. Though they can normally move upwards of 130 ft. or 13 knots, the winds aren't strong enough to sustain this speed. Thus, they are running at the maximum of 100 ft. or 10 knots.

For purposes of combat, the wind direction is not important. Note that for navigation, direction is very important. Moving with the winds (in this case, if the ship was travelling Northwest) is faster then moving across the winds. In ship battles, a narrative approach is used and actual direction is not required.

The Advantage

Each round, one captain has the advantage. A contested die roll will make the determination. The roll and it's modifiers are determined by Skill(s), Ships and Sails.

Skills
The Advantage Check is an opposed Profession (Sailor) check. Captains with 5 or more ranks in Profession (Tactics) or Profession (Strategy) are granted a +2 Synergy Bonus.

Ships
The rolls are modified by the ship's maneuverability rating.

Sails
Also, if a ship is running at Full Sail or with Extra Sail, there is a -2 or -5 penalty to the roll, respectively. Both ships in this example are operating at Plain Sail, which has no penalty.

• Captain A will roll 1d20 + 7 (+5 for Sailor, +2 Synergy Bonus for Tactics, +0 Ship Maneuverability)
• Captain A rolls a 15, for a 22 total
  
• Captain B will roll 1d20 + 8 (+8 for Sailor, +0 Ship Maneuverability)
• Captain B rolls a 2, for a 10 total

Advantage Check Results: Captain A begins with the Advantage.

Another Advantage Check will be called for under certain situations, which are listed in Fantasy Grounds under Ship Combat and will be covered in this mock battle.

Range

At this point, the GM should either announce or randomly determine the range of the two ships.

• The GM will roll (2d6 + 2) x 100 to randomly determine the starting range
• The GM rolls a 7, multiplies by 100, for a 700 total

Range Check Results: The Starting Range is 700'

Non-Advantaged Ship Declares Heading and Speed

Captain A has the advantage, so he can wait to see what Captain B is going to attempt before declaring his own ship's actions.

Captain B can choose one of three Headings.

• Closing: Generally pointed toward the target to attempt to get closer. Foreward mounted weapons can attack. Attacks from the target hit the front of the vessel.
• Holding: Maintaining position. The Captain can determine which side faces the target. Weapons on that side can be used to attack. Attacks from the target will hit that side.
• Opening: Generally pointed away from the target, with the intent to move away. Weapons that bear aft can be used to attack the target. Attacks from the target hit the ship's stern.

Heading Declaration: Captain B declares that he will Open with the enemy, Ship A.

Captain B now chooses the speed. He decides to to continue moving at the maximum speed of 100' or 10 knots. Recall that the Medium Wind Strength is keeping the ship from reaching it's full speed potential. Also, the Plain Sail carries no speed modifier (either bonus or penalty).

Speed Declaration: Captain B chooses 100' or 10 knots.

Advantaged Ship Declares Heading and Speed

Captain A now sees that Ship B is attempting to open up and perhaps get away. The ships are comparable under the current conditions, but he has the advantage. Captain A faces the same options as Captain B, above.

Heading Declaration: Captain A declares that he will close with the enemy, Ship B.

Speed Declaration: Captain A chooses his current limit of 100' or 10 knots.

Movement

It is time to see how the declarations play out in the actual movement of the ships. From the Captain's declarations, we can see that Ship B is attempting to avoid Ship A by opening. Both ships are under Plain Sail and Medium Winds; limited to only 10 knots.

The GM consults the Narrative Movement Chart under Ship Battles to determine how the ships move. By the chart, with the Advantaged Ship Closing and Opponent Opening, the result is +/- the difference. This means that the distance changes by the difference in speeds (lower if the faster ship is closing, higher if the faster ship is opening.)

With both ships moving at the same speed, the distance does not change. Ship A continues a relentless pursuit of it's prey.

Non-Advantaged Ship Performs Special Maneuvers, if any

The following Special Maneuvers are available.

• Come About: Put the helm hard over and change course quickly. This will force another Advantage Check
• Escape Grapple: As above, the ships are too far apart.
• Declare Attack, with any available weapons
• Change Sails: Used to alter speed. Maneuverability could be affected. This will force another Advantage Check

The only options for Captain B are to Come About, Change Sails or Attack.

Captain B has two aft-facing standard 6 pounder cannons. Such cannons have a range increment of 225'. At 700' away, this would be a -6 range penalty. Captain B decides to hold fire, rather then waste the shot.

Captain B could Come About, but does not yet wish to attack. He hopes that Captain A will be disuaded and give up pursuit.

Captain B could also Change Sails. In this case, he might want to go to Full Sail or Extra Sail to increase his speed. Doing so would force another Advantage Check. He would be penalized on his roll. Since he does not have the advantage, he has not much to lose in this case.

Special Maneuver Declaration: None. Captain B does not really wish to escape, but hopes that Captain A will become reckless in his pursuit, switching the advantage to him.

Advantaged Ship Performs Special Maneuvers, if any

Captain A watches Ship B attempt to pull away. His crew keeps his ship at the same distance and in steady pursuit, 700' back. Ship B does not fire, nor raise additional sails. With no front-facing weapons, Captain A must close the distance.

He is faced with the same options as above, plus the following which are available to the advantaged ship.

• Grapple: Currently, the ships are too far apart for a Grapple Check. They must be within 20'.
• Ram: Again, the ships are too far apart. The distance must be 0' for a Ram attack.
• Shear: Clip the opposing ship to sever oars, if applicable.

Special Maneuver Declaration: Change Sails to Full. Captain A wants to close the distance, even at the risk of losing advantage. Per the rules for Sails, under the Nautical Handbook, Full Sails adds +20% to speed, but incurs a -2 to maneuverability. Ship A is now moving at 120' or 12 knots, plowing through the waves. The sheets are full and the masts creak.

Attacks

The Advantaged Ship would normally attack first in this round, executing the special maneuver declared or firing cannons, etc. After this, the non advantaged ship would go.

In round one, neither ship declared an attack.

End of Round One

The first round ends with Captain B maintaining distance by opening from Ship A. Captain A, desperate to get within range, orders his crew to go to Full Sail, increasing speed.

Next round, an Advantage Check will be made again, since Captain A ordered a maneuver that forces such a check (Change Sails.) Captain B hopes to seize the advantage.