When a solid stone ball fired from a catapult hits a level surface, it will 'skip' - meaning that the ball continues forward with enough speed to do damage to several persons that may be in the catapult ball's path.
The image to the right is intended to simplify the conditions of a skipping ball as much as possible. Everyone in the "skip shadow" can potentially take damage. In the above, once the ball has either missed or hit figure A (it makes no difference which), the ball will then enter the hex immediately behind A, that occupied by figure B. The ball then "attacks" B, requiring a successful roll against B's armor class to hit and do skipping damage (4-14 for a light catapult, 4-16 for a heavy catapult).
The ball will then take one of three paths - left, right or straight. In the case above, if the ball were to skip right, it would then "attack" figure C. A left or right breaking ball would then either skip to the left or right one last time - either out of the skip shadow or passing through one more potential attack hex.
If the ball were to skip straight ahead or two the left, it would pass by figure D - but it would not attack D because by that time the distance of 20 feet from the target has slowed the ball down enough that it can be dodged.
See Also,
Ship's WeaponryWeapons List
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