Naval Sequence of Play

The following describes the order in which actions are performed during a naval fight. The movement and adjustment of ships occurs in normal game rounds. To keep track of everything that is happening, a sequence of play has been included in the system.

Each phase of the sequence must be played in a specific order, as indicated below. Descriptions for each are linked for further reading.

The initial phases describe the Ship Sequence. These phases apply to every round of combat, as orders to the crew are given so that they may have the ship turn or change speed. This creates a time delay that accounts for the crew hearing orders before they can react, overcoming the ship’s momentum and the officers judging the situation of battle.

1. Wind Phase
A die is rolled every five rounds to determine if a change in the wind takes place, and if so, how it will change. Dice are rolled every 5th round.

2. Unfouling Phase
All ships wishing to do so attempt to unfoul their ships. With orders given, the entire ship’s crew must spend 5 rounds attempting to free the ship’s rigging from other ships.

3. Movement Notation Phase
Orders are written down to proscribe the movement allowance of ships over the next 5 rounds.

4. Movement Execution Phase
Ships are moved simultaneously according to the orders that are given in Phase 3.

5. Grappling & Ungrappling Phase
Ship crews attempt to grapple or ungrapple enemy ships.

6. Ship’s Weapons Phase
All ship’s weapons load or fire. This fire happens according to initiative in the standard way of D&D combat.

7. Boarding Preparation Phase
Roll normal initiative to determine who is free to make the first action in hand-to-hand combat between ships.

8. Melee Phase
All standard D&D combat is resolved normally.

See Naval Combat