2 replies to this topic

[Brian Weathersby]

In preparing for my first game (Constitution vs. Java), I've noticed something about the ship cards in the main rulebook.  Most of them are marked off into forward/mid/aft sections as per the boarding diagram, but some are not.  In particular, none of the USN ships except the Adams are marked. Also, most of the 6th rate/unrated/merchantmen are not marked as well.  Is this deliberate?  If so, what does this mean?

 

I'm assuming it has something to do with the boarding resolution process, but was unable to find anything in the rulebook about it.  I could understand it for the smaller ships and merchants, as a boarding action against them could overrun the upper deck before there was time to respond.  But I don't think that would hold true for the big US spar deck frigates.

 

On a related note, some of the French corvettes have only one dividing line for the aft section, with the rest undifferentiated.  Does this indicate a raised poop deck that must be taken separately from the rest of the ship?

Thanks,

BWW

[Cpt M]

The lines on the ship cards are strictly aesthetic and have no impact on the rules themselves.  Most ships of this period had a raised poop and foc'sle, and that's what the lines represent.  Others, such as the big US spar deck frigates and the unrateds generally did not have these decks raised.    

 

For boarding combat, all ships (from the smallest cutter to the largest 1st rate) have their decks broken into 3 separate areas.

[Brian Weathersby]

Dividing all ships into 3 areas does make more sense than trying to have exceptions for some.  However, it seems odd to have something on the ship card for aesthetics only, given that everything else on there serves some sort of function.  That was the reason for my question.

BWW