Wanted to rework the combat system to be solo friendly and added a bit more complexity. Hope its ok to post this here.


Broadsides & Boarding Parties Variant


Speed: Each ship begins the game with a speed of 3 (use a die to mark this). Speed determines the maximum number of forward cards that may be added to the maneuver deck. A ship loses speed by moving against the wind or by playing anchor cards, and gains speed by moving with the wind. A ship can have a max speed of 3 and a min speed of 0.


Wind: On turn 1 roll a die to determine the direction of the wind (it may not be blowing directly at either ship to start so there are only 6 possible opening positions). On each turn thereafter, the wind can shift to the left or the right by 1 compass point or stay the same (so 3 options on 1 die roll). A ship may not move directly into the wind. If a forward card is drawn, the ship is not moved and ship speed is reduced by 1. Whenever a ship ends a maneuver facing with the wind, add 1 to current speed (up to a max 3).


The Board: The center of each ‘square’ on the board (where the diagonal lines cross) is considered a valid movement pip (thus it would take 2 moves to cross the ‘square’ diagonally). Normal maneuvers can be performed on these ‘center pips’. You can move from one center pip to an adjacent center pip as if they were connected by a line. Ships may use the edge of the board for movement but any maneuver that would move off of the board is treated like an anchor card.


Reefs: The islands are now considered reefs. A ship may move into a reef space but takes 2 hull damage tokens (player may choose which side) if speed is 3, 1 hull dmg if speed is 2, and no damage If speed is 1.


Maneuver Decks: Each turn, ship movement is determined by playing cards drawn randomly from a deck of 6 cards. Cannon fire is determined after each card is played. After 3 cards have been played the turn ends. Next turn a new maneuver deck is created. Rules for which cards may be added to the deck follow.

-Speed determines the maximum number of Forward cards that may be added to the deck.

-Damage cards must be added to the deck for each destroyed mast (up to 3 max). When a damage card is drawn it may not be affected by the captain or first mates abilities, the ship is not moved though cannon may still fire.

-Damaged hull tokens reduce the number of maneuver cards that can be added to the deck. For each hull token on the port side, remove 1 starboard turn card. And for each hull token on the starboard side, remove 1 portside turn card. Note: a stack of 2 dmg tokens (see below) only removes 1 card.


Crew: At the start of each turn, crewman can move up to 2 squares (total move can include only 1 diagonal move). A cannon (with its 2 crewman) may be moved 1 space (not diagonally). Cannon may not be moved up or down a ladder or on to a mast space. Cannon can not be fired from the center squares. Up to 2 crew may occupy a mast space.

-Captain: Adds +2 to melee combat rolls. Once per turn after drawing a maneuver card, may discard it and draw a new one which must be played (may not discard damage cards).

-First Mate: Adds +1 to melee combat rolls. Once per turn after drawing a maneuver card, may reshuffle it into the maneuver deck then draw a new card which must be played (may not reshuffle damage cards).

-Boatswain: Whenever you play an anchor card, you may repair 1 damaged hull token if the boatswain is present on the same deck (fore, aft, mid).

-Master Gunner: Adds +1 to melee combat rolls. Cannon fire does not have to roll for ‘drift’ if the master gunner is present on the same deck (fore, aft, mid).



Ship Combat: Whenever ships end their maneuvers within 2 movement pips of each other they may exchange cannon fire. Create firing arcs for each deck (fore, aft, mid) to determine which cannon may fire. For each shot declare the target row on the enemy vessel then roll 1 die to see if the shot ‘drifts’. On a roll of 1-2 it drifts one row to the left, 3-4 there is no drift, and on a 5-6 it drifts one row to the right. Note: drift can cause the shot to miss the ship entirely. (Cannon on the same deck as a master gunner do not have to roll for drift). A die is then rolled as normal to determine where exactly the cannon ball hits. When a deck space is hit, remove either 2 crew, or 1 cannon + 1 crew. If a mast space with crew on it is hit, dmg is done to the mast first. Further hits can kill the crew as normal. If no units are on a deck space there is no effect. On a roll of 2 you score a hull hit. Place a hull damage token along the side of the ship next to that row. If a second hull hit is scored on that row place a 2nd dmg token on top of the first (stacked hull damage tokens may not be repaired) Further hull hits on that row (on that side) have no further effect. If there are 5 or more rows with hull dmg tokens along a single side of a ship, it sinks.


Boarding Action: When ships collide, align the ships according to the normal rules and make a final broadside attack. Follow the combat sequence below. The player with the larger crew moves first. If a tie then roll a die. Leave cannon and masts in place.

-Move each crew up to 2 spaces using the same rules as above. Up to 3 crew may occupy a space (2 in a mast or cannon space).

-If you move into an enemy occupied space fight hand to hand. Attacking player rolls 1 die and adds +1 for each attacking crew, + bonuses for attacking officers. Defending player rolls 1 die and adds +1 for each crew in the defending space, +1 if defending top of a ladder, +1 if defending a higher deck from a boarding action, + bonuses for defending officers. Loser removes units equal to the difference in the combat values.

-If all defending units in a space are killed, attacking units are moved into the space.

-After all attacks have been resolved the sequence is repeated for the other player until one side surrenders or wiped out.