Boats and Canoes

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream…." (1)

These are boats that could be taken aboard ships, (or towed), or native boats. They may be small skiffs, dinghys, outriggers and pinnaces with sails, but they are generally rowed in this game. Boats bigger than 6" are small ships.

Minimum Crew
One figure per 4" length (or part of) of the model.

Boat Strength Points
Calculated by multiplying the length by four, e.g. A 4" boat is 16 points.

Figure Capacity
What will fit into the model.

Cargo Capacity
Goods are roughly measured in the carrying capacity of the average figure - i.e. "Figure Loads" or just "Loads". A boat can carry two figure loads for each figure it could carry. A light cannon is worth two figure loads and a medium cannon is four loads. I.e. Goods displace figures at two loads per figure.

Flotillas
Several boats can be grouped and moved as a unit, but if the flotilla is not commanded by a Captain and the authority level of the leader is exceeded, (e.g. more than twelve figures), then squabbling is to be expected as per a shore party.

Moving Boats
Boats may move but once in a turn. Boats get 2MA per dedicated rower or sailor up to a max of 2MA per inch of length (or part thereof). Each MA is worth 3/4" of headway, i.e. Use the small ship scale. Boats can turn at a penalty of 1MA per point without having to make headway. Boats can back water at half speed, (i.e. 2MA per unit). Boats lose 1MA into the wind, 2MA if it’s a fresh wind, and 1MA upstream or into a current, 2MA if it's strong. They can also gain speed moving with the current. Drifting boats move 1" with any current, or if no current, 1" with the wind.

Gunnery
A light cannon can be fired from a boat greater than 4" long if it is aligned to prow or stern. A medium cannon can be carried but not fired. (2)

Beaching
Boats can be beached, in which case when relaunched due to the inertia and finiking around, they move at half rate.

Standing Off
To allow for a quick getaway, boats can stand an inch off shore and figures can wade ashore, at a cost of two MA as getting into or out of a boat costs two MA.

Loading/unloading
E.g. cannon or cargo, to/from shipboard to/from boat(s) is a turn action for dedicated stevedores.

Unloading/loading cargo ashore is either figure by figure, laden, or a chain of figures touching bases can be formed and a boatload (dis)embarked in one move. The cargo is then a heap at the end of the chain.

Lowering a boat or taking it on board
is a turn action and if the ship is not heaved to or anchored then a d6 is rolled and on a 1 the boat capsizes, anything or anyone in it is now in the drink. The exception is "Abandon Ship!" when the boat may be launched and loaded with figures immediately, this turn, (on penalty that on a d6:1 the boat capsizes and all the figures nominated are in the water).

Towing
It takes an turn action and one free Crew member on each vessel to fix lines between vessels that are 2" or less apart. A boat towed by a ship effectively becomes part of that ship from the moment of attachment.

Towing rowboats can move a becalmed or sail-less ship from the following turn. It takes 2 rowboats with four rowers each to move the ship the speed of the towing boat. Towed vessels turn from the point of attachment, i.e. if a ship is being towed round by boats attached to the prow then the stern is held and the prow swung round to match the heading of the boats.

Note that Ships towing other ships e.g. off a sandbank or as prizes suffer a D6 MA penalty.

(1) Old Etonians can count a certain Captain Jas. Hook amongst their number.

(2)Although swivel guns are common quite early, light cannon were only used in Boats from the very end of the 18th Century and medium cannon from the 19th Century, in especially adapted boats.

© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009