Seafaring

Red Age > Rules > Exploration > Seafaring

Voyaging

• Travel between islands takes a number of days (a day of sailing is ~75 miles).
  • This is usually along a known route between a pair of islands; a series of headings, currents, landmarks, and prevailing winds.
  • Milestones (small isles, reefs, etc) may be encountered along the way, some certain, some by chance.
• Daily Actions
  • Progress: if you're on course, make progress toward your destination. Doesn't require any checks unless conditions impose them.
  • Seek Anchorage: even in open sea, you can try to find a small isle, perhaps to escape bad weather, perform repairs, or to seek provisions.
    • If you're near a route milestone, you'll most likely find that. Otherwise, make a lookout check DC 15 to locate a random small isle.
    • If you find an anchorage or happen upon a milestone isle, you may take shelter there in time to avoid sailing checks due to weather.
  • Regain Course: if you've gone off course, you can try to find your way back.
• Weather conditions can impact progress and safety.
  • Normal Conditions
    • Wind
      • Becalmed: no progress can be made by sail. Make 0.5x progress with rowers.
      • Weak: 0.5x progress due to contrary or inconstant winds.
      • Fair: normal progress
      • Strong: 2x progress. You must try to progress, unless you have an anchorage to shelter in. If forced to make a sailing check, take +D.
    • Seas
      • Smooth: no sailing check required.
      • Rough: unless you can stay in a sheltered anchorage (making no progress this day), you must make a sailing check to avoid mishap. Success allows normal progress, while a failure may reduce it, as well as causing damage, etc.
    • Visibility
      • Clear: ships and islands can be sighted at long distances. No navigation check is needed.
      • Hazy (heavy clouds, thin fog, light rain): ships and islands can be sighted at long distances, though details may be hard to make out. A navigation check is usually not needed.
      • Obscured (rain, fog, darkness): ships and islands can be seen only at short distances. If you try to make progress, make a navigation check.
  • Extreme Conditions
    • Rare and dire: great waves, meteor falls, hurricanes, waterspouts, gloomstorms, etc.

Ships & Crew

Checks

• Sailing (Wits bonus)
  • Add Grace to sailing checks where maneuverability and handling matter.
• Navigation (Wits bonus)
• Lookout (Wits bonus)
  • Keen Senses or similar feats apply.
• Repair (Wits bonus)
  • Artisan or similar feats apply.
• Leadership (Spirit mod)
  • Commanding Presence or similar feats apply.
• Gunnery (missile attack bonus)

Hulls

• Pinnace (500 gp, small hull)
• Sloop (1000 gp, small hull)
• Cog (5000 gp, medium hull)
  • Crew (4 / 30), Grace +2, 15 hp, defense 15, 25 tons cargo, 10 slots weaponry
• Frigate (10,000 gp, medium hull)

Crew

• Half the minimum crew is enough to allow the ship to limping along at half speed for 12 hours a day, with +D to most checks involved in seamanship.
• Minimum crew allows sailing 12 hours.
• Double the minimum crew allows 24 hour sailing.
• Crew are needed to "man" weapons representing groups of archers, etc. Any crew can generally fill in, so losses to the unit can be filled by other crew. The size of the unit more represents the limited availability of suitable firing platforms that prevent entire crews from firing, even when they know how.

Upkeep

• Ship Maintenance: 5% of ship cost (e.g. 250 gp for a cog) and 1 week of maintenance per season during which the ship sees use. Modified by fittings that affect hull cost.
• Crew Costs: rower 3 gp / month, sailor 6 gp / month, navigator 25 gp / month, captain 100 gp / month
• Repair
  • Repairs at sea can keep a ship floating, but not restore hp. Mooring at port or beaching is required for proper repairs.
  • A character has a Repair Value = (WIT), +1 with background in sailing (most adventurers on the sea), +1 if Skilled in a suitable craft, and +2 if Expert.
  • Ship hp equal to the two highest Repair Values among the ship's crew can be made per day, with the rest of the crew working under their direction, costing 40 gp / hp worth of raw materials (can be drawn from supply total).
    • Damaged weapons and fittings can be repaired for an hp cost equal to their weapon slots or cargo displacement.
    • If repaired in a decent sized port-town, you can usually find skilled enough craftsmen to repair 4 hp/day or more.

Weapons

• Ballista (250 gp, 2 weapon slots, 2 crew, small ship)
  • Near range, 1d4
    • Manned by only 1 crew, a firing opportunity must be taken to load the weapon. With 2 crew, it can be loaded and fired in a single opportunity.
  • Hullbreaker Shot: 1d6 damage
  • Cannister Shot: 1d6 vs crew

• Archers (200 gp, 5 crew, 1 weapon slot, small ship)
  • Near range, 1d4 vs crew
• Arquebusiers (1000 gp, 5 crew, 1 weapon slot, small ship)
  • Near range, 1d6 vs crew

• Ram (1000 gp, 2 weapon slots, medium ship)
  • Rowed ships only, Abreast, 1d10)

Fittings

• Improved Sails (+10% hull cost, -10% cargo space, 20% daily speed)
• Boarding Rig (+5% hull cost, 3 tons cargo, +2 to ship combat boarding checks)
• Braced Hull (+20% hull cost, -20% cargo space, +20% max hp, rounding up)
• Expanded Cargo Hold (+10% hull cost, +20% cargo space, -2 Grace, -2 defense, -10% max hp)
• Improved Rigging (+10% hull cost, -10% cargo space, +2 Grace, max +4)
• Reinforced Planking (+5% hull cost, -5% cargo space, +2 defense, -2 Grace)

Naval Combat

Crew Strength

• Each crewman to the ship's Crew Strength according to their level and level of martial skill.
  • Combat Dice (d6s) = Crew Strength / 10, rounding up.
• Skill Multiplier
  • Civilian: 0
  • Common Sailor: (level / 2)
    • Merchantman, pirate rabble
  • Martial: (level)
    • Hardened pirates / privateers, marines,
  • Skilled: (level x 2)
    • veteran marines, non-combat focused PCs and villains
  • Warrior: (level x 3)
    • combat focused PCs and villains (warriors, brutes, martial theurges / rogues / abhumans, etc)

• Crew Combat
  • Roll each side's Combat Dice.
    • 1s cancel out 6s. For each extra 6, roll an additional 6 (this can explode; fresh 1s can prevent explosion of these extra 6s). Once all dice are rolled, sum the highest (Combat Dice) of the dice rolled.
  • Each side loses Crew Strength equal to the enemy's (Combat Dice).
    • The loser also loses Crew Strength = (winner's total - loser's total).
  • Loses are applied to NPCs according to the DM's judgement and the player's actions. They may try to shield their crew, leading from the front and taking hits.
    • Every 1 point of lost Crew Strength absorbed by a PC deals 4 hp.
• Monster Combat
  • May be resolved as naval or normal combats.
  • Ship weapons might be usable against monsters, depending on circumstances. Due to reloading time, they will probably only get off a single shot in a normal combat. They deal 3x their listed damage.
  • Monsters big enough to harm a ship (usually at least Huge) deal one-third of their normal damage.
• Spells in Combat
  • Spells with sufficient range can be directed against the crew on deck, using a Do A Deed action.
  • Only spells capable of significant area damage can harm a ship's hp, deailng one-third of their normal damage.

Ranges

• Sighted: visible but beyond range of almost anything. If a ship is beyond this range at the end of a combat turn, it leaves the engagement.
• Far: beyond reach of anything except powerful siege weapons or line-of-sight spells.
• Near: close enough to be hit with ballistas and arrows and spells with at least 100' range.
• Abreast: adjacent or almost so. Able to be grappled or rammed. Attacks with at least 30' range can reach.

Naval Combat Round

Initiative

• 1d8 + captain's WIT + ship's Grace

Naval Combat Round

• Ships act in order of initiative, breaking ties in favor of the higher Grace.
  • A naval combat turn is abstract and longer than a normal combat turn, usually several minutes.
• Each Ship's Turn
  • Reset Command Points
    • If a ship has >0 CP, reset them to 0. If <0, they stay negative.
  • Plan Ship Actions
    • Players decide the actions their characters will take. A character can only occupy one department each round, and can choose actions from that department or the set of General actions.
    • NPC ships will usually just gain a certain number of CP based on their skill / leadership, and spend these.
  • Resolve Ship Actions
    • PCs take their ship actions in the order designated by the captain. They can change actions based on circumstances. Actions continue until all CP are spent or the players choose to proceed.
    • Checks are made by the officer who oversees the department. Attack rolls are made by the PC or crewmember manning the weapon.
  • Resolve PC Actions
    • PCs who took the Do A Deed or Resolve A Crisis actions handle these now.
    • PCs who take the Fight action are dropped into a round or two of combat. Casualties they inflict or enemies they distract or lock into fighting them do not contribute to enemy Crew Strength (neither does the PC), and there may be additional effects based on the situation.
  • Unresolved crises take effect.

• End of Round
  • Resolve Crew Combat
    • Ships locked in boarding combat resolve it now.
  • Check Morale
    • If a ship's crew is at half Crew Strength or lower, they must make a Morale check. If they fail, they seek to disengage and save themselves. Other dramatic events may provoke a check as well.
  • Sink or Sail
    • If a ship has been reduced to 0 hp, roll d6. On a 1-3, it begins sinking. On a 4-5, if wallows uselessly for the rest of the combat, but stays mostly afloat.

End of Combat

• Crises are resolved.
• 1d12-2 x 5% of lost Crew Strength represents actual deaths ("incomplete casualties" never die, such as a 3rd level marine who absorbed 2 only Crew Strength of damage)
  • Reduce the loses by 5% for each Skilled Healer and 10% for each Expert Healer. Every 1 Power worth of healing spells expended reduces the losses 5%.
  • The rest return to duty after a Long Rest.

Ship Actions

Captain

• Bolster the Crew (0 CP, once per turn)
  • Choose an officer. They gain 2 CP to spend on actions in their department.
• Hold the Course (0 CP, once per turn, reaction)
  • Negate a successful ranged attack and suffer a random Crisis instead.
• Into the Fire (0 CP, once per turn)
  • Your crew follows your into peril. Gain (SPT+1) CP and suffer a Crew Lost Crisis.
    • If you have Commanding Presence, Tactician, or similar, this grants +1 CP.

Helmsman

• (These actions are unavailable while the ship is grappled. A grappled ship always loses opposed sailing checks)
• Confound the Guns (2 CP)
  • Make an opposed sailing check (Wits bonus) against an enemy ship. If successful, they have +D to attack this round (does not stack).
• Cross the T (2 CP)
  • Make an opposed sailing check (Wits bonus) against an enemy ship. If successful, you gain +A to attack them this round (does not stack).
• Ramming Speed (4 CP, Near range, rowed ships only)
  • Make an opposed sailing check (Wits bonus) against an enemy ship. If successful, you move Abreast, inflict ramming damage, and may choose to be grappled with them.
• Set Course (4 CP)
  • Make an opposed sailing check (Wits bonus) against an enemy ship. If successful, you move one range closer or farther.
    • If a group of ships are grouped together, you maneuver against all of them together. Each rolls sailing, and if some beat you and others don't, they must either stay together with the losers or split up.

Bosun

• Damage Control (3 CP)
  • Roll craft DC 13. If successful, repair (WIT x 3) hull hp. Each subsequent roll is at +2 DC. The DC resets only after proper maintenance in port.
    • If you have the Master Artisan feat or similar, repair +3 hp.
• Emergency Repair (3 CP)
  • Roll a craft or sailing check DC 15. If successful, retore a disabled weapon to working order, or remove a -2 Grace penalty. Each subsequent roll is at +2 DC. The DC resets only after proper maintenance in port.
• Grapple Ship (2 CP)
  • Make an opposed sailing check (Vig or Dex bonus) with +A against an enemy ship that is Abreast. If successful, you have grappled them.
    • You are automatically successful if grappling a ship that is already grappled or grappling.
• Step Lively (0 CP, no other Bosun actions may be taken this turn)
  • Make a leadership check DC 15 (Spirit mod). If successful, gain 1+SPT CP. If failed, gain 1 CP.
  • If you have the Commanding Presence feat or similar, gain +1 CP on a success.
• Tend the Wounded (2 CP)
  • Roll a healing check DC 15. If successful, recover (1d4 + WIT) in Crew Strength lost this battle. Each subsequent roll is at +2 DC.
    • If you have the Healer 1 feat, recover 1d6+WIT. If you have Healer 2, recover 1d8+WIT. Every 1 Power worth of healing spells expended adds +1 to recovery.

Gunner

• Fire All Guns (3 CP)
  • All weapons and archery units fire once at targets within range.
• Fire Readied Guns (2 CP, once per turn)
  • A number of weapons and/or archery units fire equal to your choice of WIT (tactical acumen) or SPT (commanding). If you have the Tactician feat or similar, +1 weapon can fire.
• Ready the Guns (1 CP)
  • Grant +2 to your next gunnery attack roll. Does not stack but can be applied multiple times to different weapons.
• Target Their Guns (1 CP)
  • Make a Dex or Wits attack opposed their Sailing (Wits mod) check. If you succeed, your next gunnery hit this turn deals no damage but disables one of the weapons (but not ranged units).
• Target Their Sails (1 CP)
  • Make a Dex or Wits attack opposed their Sailing (Wits mod) check. If you succeed, your next gunnery hit this turn deals no damage but inflicts -2 Grace. If reduced to -6, their rigging is destroyed and they cannot take Helmsman actions. Exclusively rowed ships are immune.

Master-at-Arms

• Engage (1 CP, once per round)
  • Order the crew to assault a grappled ship. Crew combat will occur this and subsequent rounds, until one side or the other Cuts Grapples.
• Cut Grapples (1 CP, once a round, and only if you won crew combat last turn or performed suitable PC heroics with Do A Deed)
  • The enemy crew is pushed back / sees the impending separation and falls back, and you cut the grapples. Your ships are Abreast but no longer grappled.
• Fight Defensively (1 CP, once per turn)
  • Make an opposed Leadership check against the enemy Master-at-Arms or Captain. If successful, negate Crew Strength losses this turn equal to SPT, +1 if a Skilled leader or tactician, or +2 if Expert.
• Press the Attack (1 CP, once per turn)
  • Make an opposed Leadership check against the enemy Master-at-Arms or Captain. You will roll your Crew Strength dice twice when resolving crew combat. If the check succeeded, use the higher result. If failed, use the lower.
• Death or Glory (2 CP, once per battle)
  • Make a Leadership check, DC 17. If successful, roll d10s for crew combat instead of d6s. If you fail the check, or lose the combat phase, your crew must immediately check Morale.

General

• (Any officer or PC can take these actions, but only one per turn and no others from General or any office)
• Above and Beyond (0 CP)
  • Describe a plausible action to aid your ship, which cannot be a repeat of the prior turn. Roll a suitable check, DC 14. On a success, grant CP equal to the check's MOD, +1 if Skilled, or +2 if Expert. If failed, -1 CP.
• Deal with a Crisis (0 CP)
  • Describe what you are doing to deal with a Crisis on your ship and roll a suitable check.
• Do a Deed (0 CP)
  • You undertake a personal action not covered by other options.
• Do Your Duty (0 CP)
  • You make yourself useful, granting +1 CP. Some portion of the crew usually takes this action to pay for other actions.
• Fight (0 CP)
  • If crew combat is underway, you attempt personal heroics. Play out a turn or two of combat. Each foe you engage or otherwise distract (even if they survive) doesn't add to the enemy's Crew Strength this turn. Exactly how many and which foes you end up facing is determined by your actions and the DM's judgement.

Crises

• Crises can arise if the Captain chooses certain actions, or if circumstances arise.
  • Crises may be continuing, applying an effect at the end of each of the ship's rounds, or acute, in which case if the crisis is not resolved by the end of the round following when it began, some effect happens and the crisis ends.
  • Most crises can usually stack.
  • If a crisis is rolled that is not relevant to the ship, no crisis occurs.

Crises (d12)

• 1) Cargo Damage (acute): unless secured, 1d10 x 10% of the ship's cargo and supplies will be washed overboard, smashed, ruined, etc.
• 2) Crew Lost (acute): 1d2 x 10% of the ship's Crew Strength will be suffered as casualties as the deck is swamped, loose gear careens wildly, etc.
• 3) Crew Panicked (continuing): the crew's morale is faltering, halving their Crew Strength for combat.
• 4) Crew Scattered (continuing): the crew is disorganized and scattered, inflicting +D to ship skill checks and attacks.
• 5) Fire Aboard (continuing): enemy action or a source aboard sets fire, dealing 1d8 to the ship at the end of each round.
• 6) Hull Sprung (acute): the ship groans with strain. If not shored up, relieved, etc in time, structures will burst, dealing 1d6 damage to a small ship, 2d6 to a medium one, or 4d6 to a large one.
• 7) Rigging Snapped (continuing): lines snap and canvas tears. Until secured, Sailing checks have +D. Purely rowed ships suffer no effect.
• 8) Trapped Crew (continuing): some of the crew are cut off, pinned, etc. Until released, Crew Strength is reduced by 10% and skill checks are at -2.
• 9) VIP Imperiled (acute): a PC or important NPC is threatened. If not resolved in time, roll a save (usually Vigor or Dex), DC 15. If successful, the individual loses half their hp, and on a failure, they lose all hp and suffer 1d6 damage to Life.
• 10) Weapon Loose (continuing): a ship-mounted weapon slips it mount, snaps cables, etc. It cannot be used until it is jury-rigged back into working order. This doesn't affect archers or other crew units.
• 11-12) No Crisis

- quick battle resolution