Does anyone kow whether the rules will cover fireships and 'cutting out expeditions', please? If not, these are things to consider.
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Does anyone kow whether the rules will cover fireships and 'cutting out expeditions', please? If not, these are things to consider.
Probably not right off the bat--even a 32 would be a ridiculously large and expensive FS, and we won't get introduced to the smaller vessels until Wave 2. (Which has an unbalance issue that I hope Wave 3 corrects with a British larger 36/38 frigate and a French unrated...)
But, a lot of fireships were used as sloops after the tactic was abandonede, and a lot of FS's were converted sloops at the other end, so... the soonest I'd expect to see 'em would be as an add-on ruleset with Wave 2.
Not to thread-jack (what the heck...PIRATE!! :angry: ) but what is the unbalance issue you are already predicting for Wave 2?Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondback
By which I mean the two First Rates will roughly balance each other out, but one side gets a Heavy 5th Rate (as opposed to the Light 5ths of Wave 1) and the other gets a lowly UNrated sloop-of-war... vaguely reminiscent of the old Wings of War WWII Series 2, where the Axis was all bombers and the Aliies all fighters.
Yes -- and the arguments were over *which* side was getting shafted on the deal. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondback
I have read about historical cutting out expeditions quite a bit lately. I wasn't aware how popular of a technique it was. I think it definitely warrants a house-rule discussion if not included in the published rules.Quote:
Originally Posted by Naharaht
I have not followed Ares' publication of rules, but is there anything it them about boarding? Regardless, I imagine there would probably need to be some tweaking due to the nature of the boarding - from smaller boats, possible sneak attack, etc.
As for boarding actions on a long game I'd like to use my 25-28mm miniatures and some ships I have. It would be fun to have the fast sailing action of SoG on one table and the hand to hand melee of a boarding action on another for such scenarios. :happy:
I can see how having two different tables et up would be beneficial if the rules were detailed enough to make melee more than a simple mass-effect roll. Your idea opens up some interesting possibilities for those wanting more when resolving boarding. One could easily draw the outline of a ship deck on a game mat having 1" squares, and use minis accordingly.
I'd use another rule set that also plays fast such as Warhammer Legends of the High Seas or Blood & Swash - Thunder & Plunder. A mash up. Heck a little construction paper and cardboard would also work as a set of decks.
What scale are those rules sets for? What would 1" translate to? 5 feet? 10 feet?
An inch is roughly about 5 feet a little less.
I recall many years ago running small ship boarding actions using gridded deck plans, 15mm figures and a modified version of the Traveller RPG combat system from Azhanti High Lightning. It seemed to work very well :happy:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cmmdre
Could use the old Broadsides and Boarding Parties
http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic1068529_md.jpg
http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic86468_t.jpg
http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic86498_t.jpg
All pics from boardgamegeek.com
That sounds good too. 15mm would work if that's what you've got or are used to gaming with. Sure would be a space saver. Or as Daniel posted using models from Broadsides and Boarding Parties for the basic ship would also work well. That's a game I wish I had a copy of. I've bid on a few on ebay over the years but most are to rich for my blood and I drop out of the bidding. One of these days I'll secure a copy.Quote:
Originally Posted by David Manley
Which IMO was actually BOTH... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by csadn
Hi All,
I maybe able to help. I got a free download of a boarding game. It has around 10 diffirent ship deck plans made up of a number plates and rules. all you add are the crews. They want you to buy the crew figs. "Master & Commander Close Quarters" by www.capitan-games.com
Be safe
Rory
Hi Rory,Quote:
Originally Posted by Devsdoc
Every link I have found to these rules leads to an Error Page. Do you have a direct link to the game rules? Did you secure these recently? I am wondering if they are no longer available.
Thanks.
All I can find seems to be that it is 24,95 euros, maybe it was a freebie back in Feb when it was posted.
Here is a model of a nice looking cutter.
Hi All,Quote:
Originally Posted by Devsdoc
I to can not get into the page now :angry: :hmmm:. But I have the it all. The only way I can pass on this free download is if you PM me your e-mail and I will post it to you. I may have to do it in 2 or more goes as the boards are large and in colour. From 1st rate to small non-rate ships. You must only add the crew models.
Be safe
Rory
It wasn't precisely a cutting out mission, but I always think about (and think it might be fun to recreate on the game table) the story of Commodore Stephen Decatur and the burning of the Philidelphia.
From the wiki article:
Burning of the USS Philadelphia
Grounding and capture of USS Philadelphia
On October 31, 1803, the USS Philadelphia, under the command of Commodore William Bainbridge, ran aground on an uncharted reef (known as Kaliusa reef) near Tripoli's harbor. After desperate and failed attempts to refloat the ship she was subsequently captured and her crew imprisoned by Tripolitan forces. In an elaborate plan put together by Commodore Decatur,[49] Decatur sailed for Tripoli with 80 volunteers intending to enter the harbor with the Intrepid without suspicion to board and set ablaze the frigate USS Philadelphia, denying its use to the corsairs. The Syren [Note 2], commanded by Lieutenant Charles Stewart, accompanied the Intrepid to provide supporting fire during and after the assault. Before entering the harbor eight sailors from the Syren boarded the Intrepid, including Thomas Macdonough who had recently served aboard the Philadelphia and knew the ship's layout intimately.[51]
On February 16, 1804, at seven o'clock in the evening under the dim light of a waxing crescent moon, the Intrepid slowly sailed into Tripoli harbor. Decatur's vessel was made to look like a common merchant ship from Malta and was outfitted with British colors. To further avoid suspicion, on board were five Sicilian volunteers including the pilot Salvador Catalano, who spoke Arabic. The boarding party remained hidden below in position, prepared to board the captured Philadelphia. The men were divided into several groups, each assigned to secure given areas of the ship, with the additional explicit instruction of refraining from the use of firearms unless it proved absolutely necessary.[52] As Decatur's ship came closer to the Philadelphia Catalano called out to the harbor personnel in Arabic that their ship had lost its anchors during a recent storm and was seeking refuge at Tripoli for repairs.[53] By 9:30 p.m. Decatur's ship was within 200 yards of the Philadelphia, whose lower yards were now resting on the deck with her foremast missing, as Bainbridge had ordered it cut away and had also jettisoned some of her guns in a futile effort to refloat the ship by lightening her load.[54][55]
Burning of the USS Philadelphia
As Decatur approached the berthed Philadelphia he encountered a light wind that made his approach tedious. He had to casually position his ship close enough to the Philadelphia to allow his men to board while not creating any suspicion. When the two vessels were finally close enough, Catalano obtained permission for Decatur to tie the Intrepid to the captured Philadelphia. Decatur surprised the few Tripolitans on board when he shouted the order "Board!", signaling to the hidden crew below to emerge and storm the captured ship.[56] Without losing a single man, Decatur and 60 of his men, dressed as Maltese sailors or Arab seamen and armed with swords and boarding pikes, boarded and reclaimed the Philadelphia in less than 10 minutes, killing at least 20 of the Tripolitan crew, capturing one wounded crewman, and forcing the rest to flee by jumping overboard. Only one of Decatur's men was slightly wounded by a saber blade. There was hope that the small boarding crew could launch the captured ship, but the vessel was in no condition to set sail for the open sea. Decatur soon realized that the small Intrepid could not tow the larger and heavier warship out of the harbor. Commodore Preble's order to Decatur was to destroy the ship where she berthed as a last resort, if the Philadelphia was unseaworthy. With the ship secure, Decatur's crew began placing combustibles about the Philadelphia with orders to set her ablaze. After making sure the fire was large enough to sustain itself, Decatur ordered his men to abandon the ship and was the last man to leave the Philadelphia.[57][58] As the flames intensified the guns aboard Philadelphia, all loaded and ready for battle, became heated and began discharging, some firing into the town and shore batteries, while the ropes securing the ship burned off, allowing the vessel to drift into the rocks at the western entrance of the harbor.[59]
While Intrepid was under fire from the Tripolitans who were now gathering along the shore and in small boats, the larger Syren was nearby providing covering fire at the Tripolitan shore batteries and gunboats. Decatur and his men left the burning vessel in Tripoli's harbor and set sail for the open sea, barely escaping in the confusion. With the cover of night helping to obscure the enemy gunfire, the Intrepid and Syren made their way back to Syracuse, arriving February 18.[60][61] After learning of Decatur's daring capture and destruction of the Philadelphia without suffering a single fatality, British Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, who at the time was blockading the French port at Toulon, claimed that it was "the most bold and daring act of the Age."[62][63] Decatur's daring and successful burning of the Philadelphia made him an immediate national hero in the USA.[50][64] Appreciation for the efforts of Preble and Decatur were not limited to their peers and countrymen. At Naples, Decatur was praised and dubbed "Terror of the Foe" by the local media. Upon hearing the news of their victory in Tripoli, Pope Pius VII publicly declared that "the United States, though in their infancy, had done more to humble and humiliate the anti-Christian barbarians on the African coast in one night than all the European states had done for a long period of time."[65] Upon his return to Syracuse, Decatur resumed command of the Enterprise
I live near (and grew up near) Decatur, Illinois and have heard and read this story quite a number of times during my life.
You want real fun: Decatur was convinced he could have gotten _Philadelphia_ out of the harbor; but Preble had beaten into his "boys" the idea "you follow order *to* *the* *letter*"; and the letter of Decatur's orders was "burn her, and make good your retreat". Now suppose Decatur had been a little less obedient....