Damage to Hull & Rigging

Ship strength is an expression of its hull points and rigging points, as described under ship types. These points are illustrated as a series of squares, which are then crossed off as damage is caused to the ship.

Total hull points are divided into “exterior” (EH) and “unprotected” (UH) hulls, in a ratio of 2:1. The caravel, for example, has a total of 30 hull points. Two thirds of these, a total of 20, are assigned to the exterior hull. The remaining 10 are assigned to the endangered hull. Where a fraction occurs, always assign the extra hull point to the exterior hull.

Rigging points are divided into blocks of 4 squares, with the remainder making up a block of 1 to 3 squares. Each block is a mast. These should be labelled, in order of presence, the main-mast, mizzen-mast, or fore mast; if there is a fourth mast, this is the jigger mast.

Caravel total strength points in hull (30 pts) and rigging (8 pts).

A caravel has 8 rigging points, which are divided into two masts, the main-mast and the mizzen-mast.

The layout of squares for a caravel would appear as shown in the image, with four blocks of squares, two representing the hull and two representing the mast.

Assigning Damage

All hull damage is assigned to the EH, or exterior hull, until that part of the hull is completely destroyed. Thereafter, further damage is recorded against the UH, or unprotected hull. When the EH is gone, the ship’s condition in the water has begun to sag; the ship’s yare is reduced by one degree (from A to B, from B to C, and so on).

When the UH is gone, the ship is considered in such danger of sinking that it cannot be sailed or the weapons fired.   All crew and persons aboard are considered to be acting to keep the ship afloat. If these persons are removed, the ship will sink completely in 5 to 100 rounds, a number that is divided by the wind speed and may be calculated in seconds.

When a hit succeeds against the rigging within a ship’s hex, the mast nearest that hex is affected (therefore, all the ship’s hexes in a ship’s design should be designated to a particular mast). When a mast is completely destroyed, the ship’s yare is reduced by one degree. This happens each time a mast is destroyed. The ship’s yare cannot be reduced below a yare of E. When all rigging is destroyed, the ship can take no actions except to drift.

When assigning half a point of damage to either the rigging or the hull, draw a single line through a box, as shown. When assigning a full damage to a hull box, draw a cross inside the box to show that strength point is completely destroyed.

See Naval Combat