7 replies to this topic

[David Nichols]

I thought this question might be easier to find if raise in this area.

 

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In another thread Coachburd said:
I have read through the rules twice. We are going to run our first game thus Saturday.
Two rules clarifications.

1) can you back sail more than once in a segment or is once each segment therefor 3 times
in each turn. If you back sail in a red segment do you have to say you are back sailing
again in the white segment or is it assumed. Also if you lower your movement from 7 to 5
by back sailing in the red segment does it stay at 5 until you do something else.

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Here is a slightly different answer from that I posted in the general questions thread.

Note that backing sail (rule 4.8) seems to be a separtate action from reducing speed (rule 4.4).

If you read the rule for backing sail (4.8) in conjunction with the charts sheets (Chart 1
it would appear that you declare that you are backing sail in one action phase (you would
reduce your MFs by 2 in this action phase) and if you do not stop backing sail you heave to
in the next phase. So backing sail is about bringing the ship to a contolled stop (hove to).

My reading now, is that if you are eligible (ie have the wind on or forward of the beam) you
can back sail and will heave to if you don't declare that you are retrimming your sails.

If you are reducing speed (per rule 4.4) then the reduced speed remain in force until you
either further reduce it or increase it.

Cheers
David

[Cpt M]

David, you nailed it.

[coachburd]

okay now I understand.  One is trimming sails to slow down the ship.  The other is the process of making the ship hove to.  Now when you back sail do you lose to MF's one phase and then lose the rest on the next turn?

[Cpt M]

okay now I understand.  One is trimming sails to slow down the ship.  The other is the process of making the ship hove to.  Now when you back sail do you lose to MF's one phase and then lose the rest on the next turn?

No.  You only lose 2 MFs per phase when backing sails.  For example: let's assume you're moving at 6 MFs and  you want to heave to (come to a stop).  On Red phase you back sails and drop to 4 MFs.  Then in White phase you continue to back sail and drop to 2 MFs.  And finally in Blue phase you continue to back sail and drop to 0 MFs and are now hove to. 

[David Nichols]

Now here I can see a problem Cpt M...

 

The section on Backing sail on Chart 1B suggests, as David B suggested, that heaving to is a two turn process.

Two turns works for me for ships at Battle sail, as a hove to vessel is actually at speed 1 (not 0 and drifting),

but is too quick at any other sail setting.

 

Cheers

David

[coachburd]

I guess I am confused then.  What is the difference from back sailing and just trimming sails in game terms.  If I started at 6 MF's in Red phase could I just slow down by 2 MF's to 4 MF's and then in the White phase slow down two more to 2 MF's and then to zero in Blue phase?  Isnt that the same as back sailing?  What I am trying to find out is if there is a difference between back sailing and just trimming the sails?  After the last explanation they seem the same to me.

[Lonnie Gill]

G' Day Coachburd,

 

There are several ways to slow down as remember, sailing vessels don't have brakes!  You can  decelerate normally (minor changes in sail trim) or let fly the sheets to reduce - 3 MFs per Phase in an emergency as described in rule Section 4.4.  [Note that letting fly has the downside of requiring one Tactical Phase to re-trim a vessel's sails and resume sailing.]  These apply to all angles of sail.  In addition, you can back a sail (to act as a sort of brake) to counter the thrust in the other sails provided the wind is not aft of abeam as described in rule Section 4.8.  Backing sail in multiple Phases is commonly used to heave to as noted in the discussion above.  But backing a sail can also be used as a temporary reduction in movement in a Tactical Phase.  This can confer a temporary reduction in movement for tactical purposes without requiring additional crew and is easily ended by re-trimming sails in the next Tactical Phase.  Backing sail is in addition to a vessel's normal acceleration or deceleration.  For example, a ship under Battle Sail can decelerate - 2 MFs and back sail for an additional - 2 MFs. 

 

Your obt. servant, &c.,

 

LONNIE     

[coachburd]

Okay there it is Lonnie.  I got it now.  Back sailing can be in addition to trimming the sails but only in certain attitudes to the wind.  Thanks alot.  We really like the rules game #2 tonight