2015 Solo Mission - Fishermans Shoals by ShadowDragon

[Bligh]

Here are Dave Manley's rules for Mortars.

Mortars in SGN


By David Manley.

Bomb vessels may fire mortars at anchored or grounded ships, or shore batteries and other specific
shore targets.
Maximum range of a mortar is TWICE the length of the gunnery ruler.
Minimum range is equal to the length of the gunnery ruler.
Bomb vessels may only fire their mortar when they are at anchor (NOT when grounded)
To determine the fall of shot:
Create two decks of cards. the first deck comprises 9 cards and determines the direction of shot:
• North
• South
• East
• West
• North West
• North East
• South West
• South East
• On Target
The second set of nine cards determines the deviation:
• Zero (on target) x1
• Very Short (C/D) x3
• Short (B) x5
Draw one card of each type to determine where the shot lands.
For second and subsequent shots at the same target, once a very short card has been drawn,
subsequent shots other than "on target" will be at very short range. Once a shot is "on target" (from
either deck) the mortar is zeroed in and subsequent shots hit the point of aim.
If the shot falls on a static ship's base or a battery the target draws four B damage tokens. if a shot
lands on a moving ship it draws four A damage tokens (but remember moving ships cannot be
specifically targeted)

[Bligh]

And here are my modified rules, borrowing heavily from Dave's as you can see.

Mortars.

Bomb vessels may fire mortars at anchored or grounded ships, or shore batteries and other specific shore targets.
Maximum range of a mortar is TWICE the length of the gunnery ruler.
Minimum range is equal to the length of the gunnery ruler.
Bomb vessels may only fire their mortar when they are at anchor (NOT when grounded)
After anchoring lower a ship boat, one move.
Carry out your stern anchor, one move. Deploy anchor and attatch spring, one move.
You may now move the aim of your Bomb Vessel by pivoting one corner the width of the range ruler each movement phase, thus being able to change your target by aiming the ship.


To determine the fall of shot:
Create two decks of cards. the first deck comprises 9 cards and determines the direction of shot:

· North
· South
· East
· West
· North West

· North East
· South West
· South East
· On Target

This works fine, but for quick games we only used four cards.
Over, under, Left, and right.

The second set of nine cards determines the deviation:
· Zero (on target) x1
· Very Short (C/D) x3
· Short (B) x5



Draw one card of each type to determine where the shot lands.

For second and subsequent shots at the same target, once a very short card has been drawn, subsequent shots other than "on target" will be at very short range. Once a shot is "on target" (from either deck) the mortar is zeroed in and subsequent shots hit the point of aim.

if the shot falls on a static ship's base or a battery the target draws four B damage tokens. If a shot lands on a moving ship it draws four A damage tokens (but remember moving ships cannot be specifically targeted)

For a very short miss in front of the target we allowed one crew damage card to simulate shrapnel from the explosion as if the fuse were cut too short and premature ignition had taken place.
You may also like to add the option of the chance of a ship catching fire or exploding if a direct hit is registered. An extra card can be placed in the deck or the Ares chits can be drawn which is what Captain Kiwi and I have done in the past.

Bomb Vessel
Manoeuvre deck A
Burden 3 (stout construction)
Veer 7
Seven damage boxes on hull and crew rows
1/1/1 - 4 - 1 - M
1/1/1 - 4 - 1 - M
1/1/1 - 4 - 1 - M
1/1/1 - 3 - 1 - M
1/1/1 - 3 - 1 - M
1/1/1 - 2 - 1 - -
1/1/1 - 1 - 0 - -

(bow gunnery / beam gunnery / stern gunnery - crew actions - musketry - Mortar)

Reloading the mortar takes one action, as for a normal broadside.
If firing over an intervening land mass, you would need a spotter ship which was in view of both the Bomb and the target to range in for you by signal flags. In this case the Bomb may only fire every four cards.