If part of a ship model comes into contact either deliberately or accidentally with another ship then you have either a sideswipe, stern shunt or ramming situation.
Sideswipes & Stern Shunts
If a ship sideswipes or stern shunts, another when navigating then the smaller ship conforms to the heading of the larger and the two are positioned Point Blank, (2" apart). Either align the smaller ship in parallel or T or V formation with the larger ship - whichever is most logical. The hulls may actually be further apart, than 2" as rigging, yards, oars etc. may make it impractical to position the models cheek by jowl. There may be a possibility of knock-on sideswiping if several ships are close to each other.
If both ships are of equal size, shake a dice or cut a card to see who conforms to who.
If an oared galley, or ship with the sweeps out, (not boat), sideswipes or is sideswiped it takes 2d6 damage and if a double is rolled then that number of rowers are incapacitated for the duration, (n.b. range 1..6 not 2..12), no saves permitted.
Ramming
When a vessel's bow collides with another ship as part of forward movement, it has rammed the other ship. The ships are now entangled, (treat as automatically grappled, see below). Note that there is no need to place the bow against the hull. If part of the fore part of a ship touches any part of another ship model it is given that a ram has taken place. Note: If the forepart of the ship came into contact while turning to a new heading, this is a sideswipe not a ram.
Damage is inflicted/suffered according to the following chart:
Rammer / Rammed | Large Ship | Middling Ship | Small Ship |
| Large Ship | Both lose 1d6 points | 1d6 points/2d6 points | No damage/2d6 points |
| Middling Ship | 2d6points/1d6 points | Both lose 1d6 points | 1d6 points/2d6 points |
| Small Ship | 2d6 points/no damage | 2d6points/1d6 points | Both lose 1d6 points |
Momentum damage is added for each MA that the rammer had left, at the following multiplier rates: Large Ships 3, Middling Ships 2 and Small Ships 1. E.g. A large ship with 6MA remaining at time of impact would inflict a further 18 ship strength points of damage.
A ship fitted with a purpose built ram, (e.g. an oared war galley, or drop down ram), inflicts 3d6 additional damage on all vessels and takes no damage itself when ramming.
Boats and canoes always sink when rammed by a ship.
When a vessel collides without ramming or closes to within two inches, (allowing for the model), of another without colliding, an immediate, initiative seizing, action can be made in an attempt to grapple. This requires at least two spare Crew figures who have performed no other action this turn and can do nothing else later except joining a boarding party.
1d6, adding +1 for each additional grappler: 3..6 Successfully grappled, 1..2 Stand off at one inch. Natural 1 always fails.
Successful grappling uses up any outstanding momentum.
The smaller ship conforms to the heading of the larger, (toss/cut for equal sizes).
Grappled ships are brought together, either side to side or T-shape.
Boarding
Boarding is a separate initiative action, but, if a grappler's ship had used less than half of its MA before grappling then a Boarding party may be declared as an Initiative Seizing action and a boarding made immediately. If however, the would be boarder had used more than half their MA then they will have to wait for the initiative, and the would be Boardee might ungrapple or choose to board first.
Boarders board to the enemy decks and rigging. Players can either use the model itself or a template. If you use the model then the number of figures that can board depends on the room available on the target vessel. If there is no room to place figures on the model you cannot board or if too few figures could be accommodated then it is probably not a good idea. Stand off and make some room. However, if a boarder starts a boarding action and then finds that only one or two figures can cross, then that is their misfortune. Using the model itself looks better than a template, but it may be more convenient to use a simplified template, especially if the model is well detailed. In this case, the defending figures are transferred to the template before the boarder moves their figures across.
The Boarder places their figures on the enemy model, or template, one at a time, leader first. In the boarding action the one inch rule does not apply. It is not necessary to trace a clear path to the final destination as it is assumed that boarders swing through the rigging over the heads of intervening figures. These are swashbucklers after all. Range is also elastic when boarding. Some slight shunting around of figures on the deck model in order to make room, if all parties are agreeable, is quite acceptable, but keep any advantages mutual, use common sense and maintain good humour. Resolve any boarding action mêlée. Use the Mêlée rules below but if the boarding party loses they must retreat back to their ship/boats if they can. Boarding actions are continued until either the boarders are repelled or the ship is taken/strikes her colours.
If a ship is captured the boarding party become the Prize Crew, and the officer who led the boarding party becomes the Prize Captain. Figures below decks or in the rigging become prisoners. Prisoners below deck may be freed and join the Prize Crew. Anyone who turns their coat in the It Just Happens: Prisoners phase becomes one of the Prize Crew.
Ships/boats may be boarded by rowboats and canoes, and swimmers. These don't grapple, but close in and swarm aboard or trick their way past the dozy watch, as soon as they make contact with the target ship. If the attacker has a Cunning Plan, (e.g. sneaking up dressed as traveling seamstresses or trinket vendors), then board as normal. Note that a Cunning Plan can be thwarted by an Suspicious Beggar. Boarding an alert ship is not easy, so if the attacking figures number less than the crew of the target vessel, (the whole crew including sailors/rowers and gunners), a roll must be made on the Boarding Mishaps table for every figure boarding.
Boarding Mishaps
| D6 Roll | Result | Notes |
| 1 | Davy Jones's Locker | save d6: 5..6 means wounded in the water |
| 2 | He's Fallen in the Water ! | Swimming, or at least afloat. Can try to board again next turn, or find another ship/boat. |
| 3..6 | Successfully Boarded | Aargh!! No Quarter!! |
The crew of a sunken ship/boat ends up in the water. Roll a sink or swim d6 for each figure. On a one the figure was bashed, trapped or otherwise unfortunate and pays Davy Jones an impromptu visit, the rest may swim (2"/turn), however, if anyone is still in the water after three turns, (including this one), then they must roll each turn to keep afloat, (one = sinks, one or two if the figure is wounded).
Floating "flotsam", can keep swimmers afloat, and they can cling or be tied to boats and rafts. They can also try to board ships. They are automatically taken aboard friendly vessels but must roll boarding dice to gain a hold on unfriendly ones, unless surrendering.
When fired upon, (only possible with small arms), the sea counts as light cover. Figures cannot usually swim in irons, or armour. Figures are advised to keep an eye out for friendly dolphins, sea turtles, useful flotsam and suspicious dorsal fins.
© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009
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