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5.0 Sailing and Cannon Fire
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5.1 TIME
All references to time in the rule book refer to game time (see the clock at the bottom of the sailing area). The
clock is incremented 10 SECONDS at a time during the sailing portion of the
game. By looking at the game clock when you give a TURN or FIRE command you can figure out when your ship will
turn or when the guns will be reloaded. See the TURN and FIRE commands for specific information about the time delays associated with those commands.
5.2 DISENGAGEMENT
Whenever the two ships sail approximately 1500-2000 yards away from each other the ships will disengage. Upon disengagement one hour of time will elapse on the game clock. During this time the ships will attempt to repair any damage that has been sustained. Hull and sail damage may be repaired. You will see more hull points if your hull was repaired, and an increased speed if your sails were repaired, but no new sails or masts will appear on your ship. Repaired damage will be subtracted from each player's victory point total (see section 7.0 for details on victory points). Next, play will resume with the ships being placed back within 1500 yards of each other. Ships may continue to disengage several times in succession (determined randomly), allowing the ships additional time to repair.
5.3 TURNING
Turning to port or starboard takes place 30 degrees at a time. After a TURN command is given there will be a time delay before the ship turns. During this delay if you attempt to display either TURN TO PORT or TURN TO STRB you will see a TURNING message instead of the TURN command. While TURNING is displayed neither TURN command will be accepted by the computer. There is a delay before a turn is executed, to represent the actual time it would take a ship of the period to complete a turn of 30 degrees. The time delay between giving a TURN command and the execution of the turn can be set by the player by selecting CHANGE VARIABLES on the options page.
5.4 SPEED
All speeds in game are expressed in knots.
5.5 PORT AND STARBOARD
If you are facing toward the bow (front) of the ship, then Port is on your left side and Starboard is on your right side.
5.6 BROADSIDES
The computer will automatically select which broadside is closer to the enemy ship. This selection applies during SHOT, AIM, and FIRE commands. For example, if the enemy ship is on your port side when you select a SHOT command, whatever type of SHOT you selected will be loaded into the port broadside. If the ship is on your starboard side when you select AIM the starboard broadside will be aimed according to your selection. The port broadside would still be aimed where they were last aimed. It is possible then to have the port and starboard broadsides loaded with different types of SHOT and to AIM one broadside at the sails and AIM one broadside at the hull. When you fire a broadside what type of SHOT is fired and where it is aimed depends on the last commands given for SHOT and AIM when the enemy ship was on the side of your ship that you are now firing from. Once a SHOT or AIM command is given for a particular broadside it remains in effect until you give a different command for that broadside. For example, if you select CHAIN SHOT while the other ship is on your port side then your port broadside will continue to be loaded with CHAIN SHOT until you give a different SHOT command while the enemy ship is on your port side. In the arcade game, your guns will always be loaded with solid shot, and double damage will always result from broadsides.
5.7 LINE OF SIGHT
A ship's broadside may only fire at full effect within a 30 degree arc as shown in the diagram at the top of the next page. A ship may fire a further 15 degrees on each side of the main arc, but at only ½ effect (see exception in section 5.8).
5.8 POINT BLANK FIRE
Fire at point blank range (defined as fire at 125 yards or less) causes double damage. A ship cannot miss when it is firing at point blank range (i.e. the range selected by the player
will not affect the broadside). A ship at point blank range which can sight the target with at least a third of its guns (see section 5.7) will automatically be able to have its full broadside sight the target. Also, point blank fire is automatically considered to be fire directed at the hull, even if AIM AT SAILS has been selected. Note that chain shot is extremely ineffective against the hull.
5.9 RAKES
A broadside which is judged to be raking an enemy ship will cause double damage. A rake occurs whenever the two ships are moving along perpendicular courses as shown below.
5.10 COMMANDS (Arcade and Tactical)
Each command below specifies what types of games (arcade and tactical) that command can be used in. Not all commands are available in the arcade game.
TURN TO PORT
(Arcade and Tactical)
Ship turns to port after a delay of 10 seconds to 8 minutes of game time. For the Arcade version the delay is 50 seconds. For the Tactical version the standard delay can be set anywhere between 10 seconds and 8 minutes. See sections 5.3 and 2.4 for more informa tion. Excessive damage to the rigging or
hull will slow a ship's turning speed (over 50 hull points lost or 50% rigging damage). Additional damage will continue to slow a ship's turn rate.
FASTER SPEED
(Arcade and Tactical)
Continues to increase speed until MAX SPEED is reached. Stays in effect until one of the other SPEED commands is given (STEADY SPEED or SLOWER SPEED).
STEADY SPEED
(Arcade and Tactical)
Cancels either of the other SPEED commands (FASTER SPEED or SLOWER SPEED) and continues the ship at its current speed.
SLOWER SPEED
(Arcade and Tactical)
Continues to decrease speed until the speed is 0 knots. Stays in effect until one of the other SPEED commands is given (STEADY SPEED or FASTER SPEED).
BACK SAIL
(Tactical only)
Ship reduces current speed to ½ of its present value, 30 seconds after the command is given. During this 30 second interval, you may not give another back sail command. Backing sail was accomplished by temporarily turning sails into the wind. This command will not affect any of the other SPEED commands; for example, if FASTER SPEED is in effect when you give the BACK SAIL command, it will still be in effect after the BACK SAIL command has been executed.
BATTLE SAIL
(Tactical only)
Standard rigging for ships entering battle. The game starts with both ships at BATTLE SAIL. This command also cancels the FULL SAIL command. There is a delay of 2 minutes 40 seconds before the FULL SAIL command is canceled and you are at BATTLE SAIL. The 'F' next to the maximum speed display is erased when BATILE SAIL takes effect. See FULL SAIL command for more information.
FULL SAIL
(Tactical only)
This command takes effect after a delay of 2 minutes 40 seconds. An 'F' is placed to the right of the maximum speed display when the FULL SAIL command is in effect. While at FULL SAIL
there are two consequences. First, your MAX SPEED is doubled, allowing you to sail faster if you so desire. Second, if
you suffer sail damage while at FULL SAIL the amount of damage will be one and a half to two times the damage you would suffer at BATTLE SAIL. Both the faster speed and the greater damage
effects apply only while the 'F' is displayed. Once you have lost approximate-
ly a third of your sails, you cannot go to FULL SAIL for the remainder of the game.
If you are at FULL SAIL when this occurs your ship will switch to BATTLE SAIL.
SOLID SHOT
(Tactical only)
Your standard cannonball. This shot can be fired both at sails and hull. It does standard damage against both sails and hull. SOLID SHOT is the only shot that can inflict hull damage (see CHAIN SHOT for one minor exception). It is also the most effective shot for destroying enemy guns. Solid shot is automatically loaded into each broadside at the beginning of the game, and during the arcade game.
CHAIN SHOT
(Tactical only)
This shot is for destroying sails (sail damage in this game represents
damage to both sails and rigging). Several types of shot were actually used to destroy sails and the term CHAIN SHOT in this game represents all of them. This shot can only be fired at sails. CHAIN SHOT does two times as much damage against sails as SOLID SHOT does. Guns are destroyed less frequently when you aim at the sails. The maximum range of chain shot is roughly 700 yards.
GRAPE SHOT
(Tactical only)
This shot was used for killing crew. It can only be fired at the hull and only kills crew. This is by far the most effective shot against the crew (crew casualties can also cause casualties to your snipers). The maximum range of GRAPE SHOT is roughly 400 yards. If you are planning to board this is a good shot to use to prepare the way.
AIM AT SAILS
(Arcade and Tactical)
Alms either port or starboard broadside at sails. This command will be ignored if GRAPE SHOT is currently loaded in the appropriate broadside (however, loading Grape Shot will not change the aim of your guns for future firings of solid shot). Aiming at sails is not as effective as aiming at hull for destroying the enemy's guns. This is the default target at the beginning of each game.
AIM AT HULL
(Arcade and Taictical)
Aims either port or starboard broadside at hull. This command will be ignored if CHAIN SHOT is currently loaded in the appropriate broadside (however, loading Chain Shot will not change the aim of your guns for future firings of solid shot).
FIRE, RANGE XXXX YARDS
(Arcade and Tactical)
This command fires either a port or starboard broadside at the range XXXX (XXXX stands for whatever range is displayed for this command). Players have the option of either guessing the correct range or having the correct range automatically given. The option of guessing ranges gives you three ranges,
each 100 yards apart, one of which is correct. The other option allows you to fire automatically at the correct range. The Arcade game begins with the correct range option and the Tactical game begins with the guessing range option. You may switch from one option to the other while playing the game by hitting ESCAPE, R, and then ESCAPE again.* If you guess the correct range or have the correct range given to you, the computer will next calculate and display the amount of damage done to the enemy
ship in the display area. See section 3.0, Sailing Screen for an explanation of
damage. After firing there is a time delay before you can fire again, to represent the time it took to reload the guns. In the Arcade version the standard delay is 30 seconds in game time. The delay can be set by the player by selecting CHANGE VARIABLES on the options page. If you turn to the FIRE command before the delay is over, a STILL LOADING message will be displayed instead of range. While this message is displayed a FIRE command will not be accepted. Loading time is increased due to crew
losses as follows: each time a ship loses a number of crew equal to the number of guns on its initial broadside its loading time will be increased by 10 seconds. Example: A ship which starts the game with 27 guns on each broadside will have its loading time increased by 30 seconds if it loses 81 crew. There are three ways you can miss the other ship. First, if you are playing the Tactical version you can select the wrong range. Second, the distance to the other ship might be farther away than the maximum range of the type of shot you are using. Third, the other ship might not be in the line of sight of your guns. If your broadside misses, then you will see a splash where the shot hit the water. Sometimes the range you select is beyond the displayed playing area, in which case there will be no splash.
* New feature in Apple 2.0 version.
TURN TO STRB
(Arcade and Tactical)
STRB is short for starboard. This turns the ship 30 degrees to starboard with all of the same restrictions that apply to TURN TO PORT.
html-ized by Dan Vernon -- May 2002
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