Innate ship class abilities

I have been thinking of some innate abilities that can be added to different ship types (sloops, frigates, ships of the line etc) to give them more variaty and historical flavour here is what I am thinking. They would probably need wording adjusting, balance tinkering/playtesting.

Sloop; scout: If this ship fires at an enemy ship at (A) Range a subsequent friendly ship may exchange 1 zero damage chit for 1 (B) damage chit when attacking that same ship. You may only use this ability once per turn , once per sloop.

Ships of the line (1st, 2nd ,3rd rates) may not attack this ship if it is in (A) damage range unless this ship has fired this game.


Frigates: Ships of the line (1st, 2nd ,3rd rates) may not attack this ship if it is in (A) damage range unless this ship has fired this game.

Ship of the line (1st, 2nd,3rd rates): Once per turn when making musketry or boarding attacks 1 blank damage chit can be exchanged for another chit from the (E) damage bag.


These abilities give sloops a scouting role and the bigger ships a slightly more demonstrative example of their larger crews. The smaller ship evasive abilities also represents the taboo ness of a ship of the line firing on a frigate < ship unless it has fired encourages smaller ships to play an at range game and the bigger ships a more up close brawler role.

The problem really is, unfortunately, sloops have no role in the same map space as a 1st Rate. Obviously, the scouting role was more a part of operational (or grand tactical) maneuvering than it was on the tactical battlefield. That solution is similar to how WAS handled the IJN Tone class scouting cruisers, but for SOG, IMHO, it comes across as a bit "gamey."

Even if you did use a sloop as a scout, if it came within firing distance of a SOL, the SOL could fire a warning shot with no penalty to its broadside. If the sloop didn't immediately withdraw it was fair game.
I read a similar event somewhere, but can't remember where.