Tonights Game

[scrivs]

A new opponent for a change tonight. Matt is playing Epic 40K so I'm having a game against Steve who has only played once before. I've picked a couple of 1200pts fleets:

Royal Navy

Rear Admiral - 35pts

3rd Rate Large - 290 Master Gunner, Marines, Sturdy Construction

3rd Rate Large - 250pts Sturdy Construction, Boarding Nets

3rd Rate Large - 250pts Grapeshot, Sturdy Construction

3rd Rate Large - 240pts Sturdy Construction

5th Rate Frigate - 135pts Sturdy Construction

Spanish

Rear Admiral - 30pts

1st Rate - 340pts Extra Light Cannon, Ships Physician, Boarding Nets

1st Rate - 375pts Over Gunned , Grape Shot, Grenades, Chain Shot

3rd Rate Large - 240pts Over Gunned, Grapeshot

3rd Rate Large - 215pts Chain Shot, Grenades

Steve is a big fan of the 1st Rates so he'll likely be the Spanish while I get to be the victims, err Royal Navy. Hopefully I'll have time to make some notes and post up a report tomorrow.

[scrivs]

Well here's an interesting situation that came up.

The wind changed direction and because of this, a Spanish 1st Rate was Taken Aback and In Irons. In the same turn it's rudder was shot away.

Without a rudder, could it attempt to tack out of a Taken Aback position?

[Mattblack]

I dont think you can as to tack or box haul you have to move the rudder over fast in order to pass to the other beam. If you were dead in the water then you might have to get out a ships boat and tow her over. Mind you if you had no rudder you migth want to stay in the taken aback position and let her drift anyway because you couldnt steer well no matter what heading you were on.
I found the link below quite interesting in terms of seamanship - it explains what box hauling is for example - only trouble is you might need to have the explaination explained as well!
http://www.psych.su.oz.au/vbb/woronora/ ... rking.html

[scrivs]

Crikey, that's a read and a half. I would not like to have to answer questions

[Bosun]

I don't know the exact turn of events but as far as I can see you should have tried to box haul or tack before doing anything else as movement comes before gunfire unless your opponent used the fire as you bear rule and moved first.
If thats the case you were very unlucky.

Brian

[scrivs]

Ok here are the events:

1/ In shooting phase a critical hit shoots away the Spaniards rudder, it can only move straight forward unless a 6 is thrown.

2/ In the weather phase of a subsequent turn the wind changed direction leaving the Spaniard in a Taken Aback position.

3/ In movement phase could the the Spaniard try to tack if there is no rudder? Or, if he cannot turn out of the wind does he continue to roll on the Foremast Damage Table? Would it still continue to throw in every sailing phase on the foremast damage table until the rudder is fixed and a tacking attempt can be made?

[TikaKino]

The Taken Aback rules (p11) give two options, for "if the ship moved last turn or was part way through its movement" or "if the ship was stationary last turn".

For the first turn, the Spaniard would obviously come under option one; it would have to try and tack or boxhaul, or come to a full stop. As to whether it can tack or boxhaul - there's no explicit definition in the rules I can find, so my gut reaction would be to rule that the damage (a special case) takes precedence over the normal rules; thus, it would be unable to tack or boxhaul and would come to a full stop, taking foremast damage.

On later turns, he's already come to a full stop and so comes under option two ("if the ship was stationary last turn"), so he does not take further foremast damage. Whether he can Heave To is another thing where there's no explicit definition in the rules, so following the logic above I'd say he'd just have to anchor or drift while he tries to make repairs. Sucks to be that Spaniard!

I'm not sure how Heaving To works in the real world, so maybe it would be possible with sails and no rudder? Might be something to look up and houserule if necessary.

[Bosun]

Thanks for the heads up Scrivs, as you have no rudder then tacking and box hauling can't happen and for the first turn you will have to roll on the mast damage table, the only thing you can do is heave to as you are taken aback (p 14). It says you can then turn on the spot by up to 90 degrees, whether you need a rudder for that I'm not sure, but I don't think so as its on the spot.
In the real world heaving to means, effectivley, you drift down wind, which is alright in the middle of the ocean but a bit dodgy close to land, unless you anchor!!

Brian