There are two broad classes of long range engagement, Cannon and Small Arms. Cannon are Heavy, Medium or Light guns, and Small Arms are further broken down into Muskets, Bows, Pistols, Poison Dart Blowers and Thrown Weapons. Grenades can also be launched or thrown.
If a firing action involves different types of weapon then dice for damage by range and by weapon type as follows:
- Cannon: Heavy - Medium - Light
- Small Arms: Musketry - Pistols - Bows - Dart Blowers - Thrown Weapons
Cannons
Gunpowder weapons evolved and diversified considerably between Drake and Nelson, so, rather than bog players down with poundages and e.g. the relative merits of carronades over long-guns, we simplify matters so that in any given period cannons come in three flavours, Light, Medium and Heavy.
Only light and medium cannon are ship-borne. Heavy cannons protect e.g. towns, fortresses or harbours. To be fired, a cannon needs to be 'manned' by at least one figure, (two figures for a heavy gun), placed next to the cannon, (or if the cannon is below decks, at least one figure per cannon must be set aside for this purpose).
A medium or light cannon 'manned' by one figure can only fire every other turn, or it can fire every turn if manned by two figures.
A heavy cannon with two figures can only fire every third turn, and even with three or more figures a heavy gun can only fire every other turn.
(Note that these figures are "representational" - a 32 pounder had a crew of 13)
Cannon cannot normally fire at targets to which they cannot trace a line of sight. If one cannon in a battery can trace an LoS then all can. Lookouts can direct fire.
Cannons fire straight ahead. Ashore, light cannon can be turned upto 45° and medium or heavy cannon 30° in the same action that they are fired. Cannon cannot be hauled or turned to face beyond this angle and fired in the same turn.
On ship it may not be possible or practical to change the facing of cannon so they are allowed to have the agility to fire up to the same angles, measured from muzzle.
Note that swivel guns are treated as small arms, see below.
Heavy guns cannot normally be hauled at all during the game.
| Cannon Type | Point Blank | Short | Long |
| Light Cannon | > 2" | > 12" | > 24" |
| Medium | > 4" | > 18" | > 36" |
| Heavy | > 6" | > 24" | > 48" |
Firing
The Firer declares their target which must be in LoS or visible to a lookout who can signal the gunners. Remember that if a unit splits its firepower between different targets then each shot requires a separate initiative activation.
It is generally more sporting not to actually measure range until the firing action has been declared. Range is calculated from muzzle of the closest cannon of that calibre to the nearest point of an SBS or the head of the closest figure in the target party. Even if some of a target SBS or party are at a longer range for some or all the cannons, the shortest range is still used.
However casualties outwith an SBS cannot be taken from figures beyond the absolute range of the closest gun.
It is given that if Ship models have been placed at Point Blank range following a collision or grapple attempt, then cannon fire is at Point Blank even if constraints of the models mean that the guns themselves are actually a little outside the range.
Dependent on the number of cannon firing, up to five dice are rolled. If the number of dice to roll is followed by a + sign, the player may pick one dice or more, (the +number), to throw again in order to get a better result, (as in the pokerdice game). If more than five guns of the same type are fired, they are split into groups of up to five. E.g. seven guns would roll as five and two - not three and four. (Note that this is only a convenient administrative fiction and that both rolls are part of the same initiative action). Of course a Captain could order only four guns to fire, and fire the other three as a separate initiative action, as a rolling broadside for instance.
We use ordinary d6s and treat a Straight as 1..5 or 2..6. You can use specially designed dice or actual poker dice if you have them. Credit for the idea of using Poker Dice, (though a bit differently), goes to Rudi Geudens and the Antwerp Fusiliers in their "Jolly Roger" rules.
The reasons we have for using adapted poker dice odds are:
- They have a Pyratical feel. With poker dice the odds ramp up very steeply, but are tempered by the "improving" re-rolls. Tempered, but a Poker (five of a kind) will still do serious damage to your ship, or even sink it in one broadside. This may seem to give chance an unduly heavy hand in the game, but in fact is quite a realistic reflection of the adventurous conflicts we describe. Poker dice odds go a little way to allowing the potentially devastating effects of highly unlikely events. (See "The Black Swan" Taleb 2007 as well as "The Black Swan" Sabatini 1930).
- By inviting players to look for a good combination, not simple addition, they add strategic depths to the element of chance. The trick is to use the odds as best you can and resist the temptation to rely on luck. However, desperate chances sometimes pay off. The skilful Captain will win mostly and every now and again a lucky swab will get a break.
- No distinction is made between a high or low Straight, as the odds of either are identical.
- In the pokerdice game Straights are beaten by Full House. However as the odds are easier for Full House when using dice, it seems more appropriate to give Straights the edge.
- Under some circumstances fewer than 5 dice are rolled.
- Rerolling is handled differently
| | Number of Dice to roll | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Number of Cannon | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| 1 Cannon | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2 Cannons | 4 | 5 | 5+1 |
| 3 Cannons | 5 | 5+1 | 5+2 |
| 4 Cannons | 5+1 | 5+2 | 5+3 |
| 5 Cannons | 5+2 | 5+3 | 5+4 |
The number of dice may be modified as follows, for each roll:
- +1 dice if Target is a Unit in formation
- +1 dice if the cannon is aboard a ship at standstill, at anchor or ashore
- -1 dice if Ship has made a turn this move
| Cannon Fire Results | ||||
| Dice Roll | Structural Damage Long ..... Short | Casualties Long ..... Short | ||
| Pair | 1 | 2 | w | 2w |
| Two pair | 2 | 4 | 2w | k & w |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | k | 2k |
| Full House (2 & 3) | 6 | 12 | 2k | 2k & 2w |
| Straight | 12 | 24 | 2k & 2w | 4k |
| Four of a Kind | 18 | 36 | 3k | 6k |
| Poker - Five of a Kind | 24 | 48 | 4k | 8k |
- k is knockdown, not necessarily killed but no longer an active participant and w is wounded or winded and recovery in game time is possible.
- If firing at Point-Blank then add Long & Short Range damages.
- If cannons are Raking (firing directly onto stern or prow i.e. down the length of the ship) then treat Long Range as Short Range and Short Range as Point-Blank. For a Broadside to be raking the prow or stern of the target must lie between the prow and stern of the firing ship, and angled perpendicular to it, (i.e. T-shaped with the firer as the top of the T). Stern Chasers and Bow Chasers naturally rake ships dead ahead and dead astern when in line.
- If cannon are fired at short range into a Formed Up party, then figure casualties are doubled.
Cannons damage ships, boats and structures, (as well as inflicting figure casualties), which are subtracted from the remaining ship points, (or strength points in the case of buildings), of the target, (see cannon fire results table above). If the target was a group of boats then the damage is inflicted on the the nearest boat at short range or the victim's choice at long range.
Cannons aboard a ship or in a structure are depleted as the ship or structure takes damage. A ship or structure that has lost half its points automatically loses 1/4 of its original cannon. Half the original cannon are destroyed when three-quarters damage has been sustained, rounded up. When a ship sinks or structure collapses it is assumed that all cannon have been destroyed.
Structural Strength Points
These determine how strong a building or fort is. This can be roughly calculated as follows, (it isn't perfect but gives fairly playable results):
- major structures (e.g. forts, town walls) should be divided into c.6" target sections/blocks.
- for rectangular structures multiply the area by the height, (in levels, rule of thumb one and a half inches). E.g a two storey 4" by 5 " building is 40 i.e. (5X4X2)
- for round structures multiply three by the diameter by the height in levels, (or use pi instead of three if you have a calculator handy)
- for walls, multiply the length in inches, (up to 6" target section), by the height in levels.
- multiply by a materials factor, which is one for light construction, two for more substantial timber/brick/stone work and three for stone/solid fortification.
- If necessary round the value of the structure up to the nearest number divisible by four.
- the East Wing of a timber and brick governor's residence (factor 2) six inches by four inches and two storeys high, gives 2X24X2 or 72 points.
- a six inch length of stockade wall (factor 2) three inches high would be 6x3x2 or 36 points.
- a round stone tower (factor 3) of four inches diameter and three levels high (3X4X3(levels)X3(stone)) would be 108 points.
Gates in walls or doors in buildings can be targeted independently by cannons at short range. If at least a Pair is caused by cannon then a door is breached and if Two Pair or better are scored a gate is breached. No strength points are deducted from the structure, but there may be casualties and a fire may be started.
Casualties
Ashore and outdoors, when at point-blank or short range, the receiving player allocates any casualties to the figures nearest to the firing cannon(s), then progressively more distant figures. We recommend measuring with callipers from the cannon muzzle to the heads of potential victims.
At long range or aboard a ship, or inside a structure, any figure, (including figures below decks, in the rigging or inside buildings), may be chosen by the defender as potential casualties. Unless the ship was being raked, in which case casualties must be chosen from the stern or prow first.
Knockdowns are allocated before Wounds. For most figures, two unsaved Wounds means a Knockdown. Wounding may be temporary, (perhaps representing suppression rather than GBH), a Knockdown means out of action for the remainder of this game.(1) The defender doles out the casualties. A figure can be allocated a Knockdown or a Wound. To ensure a fairly fair distribution, no figure can be allocated more than one Wound until all potential casualties have won something, however hard they think they are. A previously wounded figure can be awarded another wound. If there are injuries left over then they are doled out, but you cannot give more than one knockdown or two wounds to a figure, any leftovers are wasted. Say where all the damage is going before you start rolling saving throws.
Saving Throws
Occasionally the cannon ball, (or more likely the vicious foot-long splinter), hits the well placed snuff box or family bible that the recipient had shoved up their jerkin. Generally, a six turns a wound into a "mere scratch" and a knockdown to a "this one's still breathing" wound. A natural six always succeeds and a natural one always fails, regardless of modifiers. Roll when the casualties are allocated.
However, Officers and Captains are a cut, (or slash), above mere mortals, so their basic saving throw is five or six for officers and four, five or six for the Captains. A natural one still fails despite modifiers. In the interests of gameplay this stops people picking so much on the people with the fancy hats. (2)
Optionally a natural roll of one might turn a wound into an "It's worse than that, Jim" situation.
Knocked down figures are removed, (or left lying, or replaced with an appropriate figure, or carried off by mourning comrades, or eaten by something, (or someone), hungry), and each wounded figure is marked in some way, a token would suffice, we find a blob of red plasticine aesthetically effective and easily removed. In campaign games the Knocked Down might be carried back by comrades in the hope that it is not as serious as it looks, after all, particularly if the crew has a Surgeon.
Saving Throw Modifiers
- +1 for long-range.
- +1 in a large ship being fired upon from a small ship
- +1 in good cover (e.g. below decks, in a building or trench, behind a palisade)
- +2 in strong cover (e.g. stone fort)
Being wounded may just entail being stunned, winded or temporarily suppressed, so if a figure is inactive for a whole turn, (i.e. is unengaged the whole of the following turn, doesn't move or fire or act in support etc.), they will recover and rejoin the action in the turn following.
All Guns Ablaze
Normally, a shooting action is between one shooting party against one target, but an exception is made for the broadside cannon if a ship finds itself between two potential targets. A Captain can order Blaze Away, and fire at both targets simultaneously as one action.
Ammunition
Cannon are traditionally supplied with roundshot. It is simplest to assume that gun crew are adequately supplied both with shot of various kinds and sufficient powder for any single scenario. See Spending It Wisely. However it makes for an interesting game if Ships/Strongholds are supplied with a fixed number of tokens that are spent with each shot.
Variant ammunition includes:
- chainshot This is useful when Aiming High, (see below), in order to more effectively take out rigging and sails. Can only be used at short range. Declare before firing. Add a dice to the Aiming High damage roll. Doesn't start fires.
- grapeshot/cannister Nasty anti-personnel stuff. Declare before rolling and can only be used at short range. No structural damage, but double the figure casualties, and no fires started. This also applies to "improvised" ammunition – e.g. rusty nails, cutlery, broken bottles etc.
Declare that you are aiming high before firing. Here the aim is to cripple the sails of a ship without damaging the merchandise, so, for every 12 points of damage or part thereof caused roll a d6.
If any dice is a one then the target ship has suffered severe damage to a mast or rigging. 1d6MA are immediately lost if the ship has any, and this penalty is applied each turn until a repair is made (by a Carpenter, or using Running Repairs). Mast damage is cumulative, so if a further salvo succeeds, 1d6 is lost immediately, but 2d6MA are lost next time MA is calculated.
If a Poker is rolled, then the target ship has been completely dismasted, and until a jury rigged mast repair is made, allowing a maximum of 8MA, the ship can only drift, or be towed or rowed.
Strength Point damage is halved and any Knockdowns are translated to Wounds and Wounds are ignored.
Casualties should be selected from figures in the rigging first.
You can Aim High from long range but remember that Chainshot has to be fired from short range.
Fancy Shooting
Targeting a single target cannon on land is possible, but only when announced in the firing phase before throwing the dice. When at least a full-house is scored, (a straight if the target is in strong cover), the target gun is eliminated and any crew must save against two wounds. Otherwise the shot does no damage.
Fire
When damage is caused to an SBS by Cannon or Grenade, (see Small Arms below), the firing player can roll 2d6. A double signifies that a serious fire has broken out.
Place a fire token on the afflicted SBS, (e.g. a piece of cotton wool). During the action phase a Captain can order a free member of the crew or garrison to extinguish the fire and if they do so uninterrupted the token is removed in the It Just Happens:Fires phase, (see Sequence of Play),
If the Captain neglects to do this, or the firefighter is interrupted, d6/2 worth of damage is caused in the It Just Happens:Fires phase and a second token is added. Etc.
Fire can also be deliberately set: figures that don't move can be ordered to be prepare flaming torches or firepots. if they are engaged they have to abandon the arson. if not engaged and not shot first then next turn they can set fires or hurl flaming pots at an SBS within four inches. In the It Just Happens : Fires phase shake 2d6 for the fire-raising attempt, doubles mean that a fire has taken hold.
(1) not necessarily a permanent departure, as swashbucklers have more lives than a cat, and more comebacks than a rock'n'roll veteran, so there's always the chance of a sequel.
(2) Blackbeard had shrugged off twenty five wounds, including five by shot and a terrible wound in the neck and throat, in his fight with Lt. Maynard before finally dropping dead in the act of cocking another pistol, and in the same conflict one Samuel 'Mr. Lucky' Odell survived seventy wounds, and escaped the gallows as this had been his first, (and last), day as a pyrate, having only joined Blackbeard's crew on the night previous to the engagement. Interestingly, the only other survivor to escape the noose was one Israel Hands who had actually been ashore at the time recuperating after Teach had playfully shot him in the knee. He had still been due to hang but was allowed to plead clemency under the terms of an unclaimed Royal Pardon. He came to a bad end later, one hears.
© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009
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