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Is Post Captain just GQ 3 with sails?!?


First, to clear up some misconceptions. Post Captain (or PC) is NOT GQ3.3 with sails. While the rules, logs and charts are similar in format (and it does use GQ3.3’s D12s), the mechanics are generally not (the gunnery system is vaguely similar, but not directly so). Obviously, the game mechanics used for WWI and WWII don't translate to AoS! To use the family analogy, if General Quarters 3.3 and Fleet Action Imminent are siblings, then Post Captain is the third cousin, twice removed (PC gets invited over for Thanksgiving and Christmas and not much else!).
Now to some specifics:

Scale: PC is scale neutral; you can use any scale miniature you like. The ground scale is the same as the miniatures used (1/1200 ships use a 1/1200 ground scale, 1/2400 use 1/2400, and so on). The game comes with 1/1200 and 1/2400 gauges and additional gauges for 1/1000, 1/2000 and 1/3000 are available for free download on ODGW’s website.

Scope: PC is geared for single ship up to squadron (4 to 5 ships a side, although its been playtested with as many as 10 a side) actions (yes, you can play out Trafalgar, but that would be a bit a chore. Somewhat akin to gaming Jutland with Fleet Action Imminent). The reason for this is that there were far more small actions (100s) than the large full fleet actions (which number roughly a half dozen). This also allows the game to model each ship with its own unique characteristics (as opposed to generic stats required for a game with a larger scope).

Movement: PC features a very new and innovative movement system that realistically models movement under sails while being intuitive and easy to use and learn (complete novices have mastered the movement system in under 10 mins!). The movement system that Lonnie has invented is easily the most radical break in AoS games in many a year. It truly takes the pain out of the one major challenges of playing with sailing ships.

The Navies: PC will include the British, French, Spanish and US navies. The first three covers the vast majority of the actions of the period while having the US opens up the War of 1812 (and even the Quasi-War between France and the US). If interest is there (and sales justify it!), a supplement will add the Russians, Swedes, Danes, and Dutch (and maybe some others) and the lake battles of the War of 1812. Further off, there may be a second supplement for the AWI period (referred to as the American War).

The Game: PC will include rules for cutting out actions, shore raids, bomb vessels, coastal batteries, weather (from dead calm to full gales) and more, as well as everything for ship-to-ship combat.

Additionally, there will be a wealth of freebie downloads available (additionally ship logs, scenarios, counters for coastal batteries and land troops (for shore raids).

The Authors: Lonnie Gill (author of GQ1/2/3, FAI) has 50+ years of experience at the tiller of sailboats of all sizes and Michael Baulch has 30+ years as a working deckhand on many sailboats (and several years as a crewman on the Star Of India, the oldest iron hulled square rigger extant. And yes, the museum takes her out under sail on a yearly basis). So both bring a considerable amount of knowledge to table when it comes to sail. And both of are ardent readers of the period (during this project both of their librarys exploded with new AoS books. Including some French and Spanish language references).

Finally (and EVERY author says this… or should), this is the AoS game Lonnie and Mike wanted to play (but it wasn't out there… So they had to invent it!). And they hope you feel the same way….


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