A misunderstanding?

[TexaS]

I have long used the shortest range for double shot. It's not only motivated by historical facts but is also a balancing factor in game play. Double shot is just too good as written in the rules. Chain and grape is also too bad. With that short range you really need to get good results from it, and that you simply don't get. I've wondered about the range of chain shot too, but haven't really felt the need to use them so I never bothered questioning the range. I still think 7% mast and 13% sail is too little chance to make me switch from ball, even if the scenario is all about stopping a ship from escaping/getting through/crossing the map.

I think this discussion is very good and from now on my house rules will not just shorten double shot, but switch the range with chain shot.

[Bligh]

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons, many authorities mention the fact that the French carronade was inferior to that of the British. I came across this snippet in my search for the truth about close action encounters.
The Obusier de vaisseau was a large calibre but light piece of naval artillery mounted on French warships of the Age of Sail. Designed to fire explosive shells at a low velocity, they were an answer to the carronade in the close combat and anti-personnel role. However, their intended ammunition proved too dangerous for the crew, and the French navy phased them out at the beginning of the Empire in favour of the carronade.

Accounts by British warships of the armament of captured French ships tend to describe them as carronades. However, when the description includes the remark that the weapon was brass, this suggests that it was an obusier.






It seems that the French did not adopt the Carronade proper until 1803 and thus in games set before that date only the British should be able to use the Carronade option as set out in the rules.

Rob.