Mast Damage

[Bos'n]

I like your thoughts, Bob. I have adopted similiar rules. I am in the process of finishing a brig modification and have just started a schooner conversion, and have been pondering the mast damage for them. I have developed a table based on rating for mast damage. I am not sure where Constitution would fit as a 5th rate, but with the huge rig her tonnage required.

I treat Constitution, President, and United States, three sister ships, as 4th rated ships. Their size and armament support this decision. Are you working on an American fleet too?

[Dobbs]

Are you working on an American fleet too?

I am not committed to an American fleet, just making some privateers. I have a tidy little brig almost done and the masts for my topsail schooner are coming along nicely today. I have taken to playing SoW not having to plan a turn ahead on maneuver cards to reflect their agility relative to the bigger ships. A fun engagement with this rule is an Amazon vs. a SoW. The sloop can agility allows it to maneuver and slowly pick away at the Amazon, but if (when) the Amazon gets a hit, the sloop starts to fall apart... Two sloops, and it would be a really tough job for the Amazon!

[Bos'n]

I am not committed to an American fleet, just making some privateers. I have a tidy little brig almost done and the masts for my topsail schooner are coming along nicely today. I have taken to playing SoW not having to plan a turn ahead on maneuver cards to reflect their agility relative to the bigger ships. A fun engagement with this rule is an Amazon vs. a SoW. The sloop can agility allows it to maneuver and slowly pick away at the Amazon, but if (when) the Amazon gets a hit, the sloop starts to fall apart... Two sloops, and it would be a really tough job for the Amazon!

Meshuda is a real ship with a real history. She was captained by Murad Reis, the second of that name, had 28 guns, and was the captured American schooner Betsy. She is represented by the Langton 28 Gun Schooner model and uses the statistics for HMS Cleopatra except has a smaller red zone on her base. The smaller red zone represents the ability to sail into the wind. When I build xebecs and other schooners, I'll do the same. You might want to do the same for your topsail schooner too.

[Dobbs]

Meshuda is a real ship with a real history. She was captained by Murad Reis, the second of that name, had 28 guns, and was the captured American schooner Betsy. She is represented by the Langton 28 Gun Schooner model and uses the statistics for HMS Cleopatra except has a smaller red zone on her base. The smaller red zone represents the ability to sail into the wind. When I build xebecs and other schooners, I'll do the same. You might want to do the same for your topsail schooner too.

It's my intention to flip-flop the green and orange zones, except for the running one. The running one I will change to another color that will represent orange at the next slower speed. My thought is that, in my experience, fore and aft rigs are faster to windward than any other point of sail, and that is probably what made them so popular for pirates and privateers - the quick getaway in the face of a superior foe...

I, too, plan to use an Amazon base card for my schooner, but keep the red zone the same. My thought is to represent that they are faster upwind than other sloops, but cannot sail as close to the wind.