Ship damage question

[TexaS]

While that is true, a ship is out of the action well before all guns iare gone on one side. The general chaos of battle will lessen the effectivity of the guns much more than just the destroyed guns. This doesn't even include the loss of efficiancy working heavy, hot guns for hours while stepping in the blood of your friends with no rest.

Interesting enough Burden is also the attack value when boarding. There's not much room for small weak vessels overcrouded with boarders as pirates were.