Advice needed for fleet morale

Started by FierceKitty, 22 December 2019, 06:34:49 AM

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FierceKitty

I'm much less a naval gamer that a land one, so I'd be glad to hear the ideas of others here: what ended a naval battle in the age of sail? Slow dimenuendo as the firing died away and ships struck their colours? Order from an admiral to pack it in? Squalls that scattered the survivors? A message along the lines of Gallant foes, you have done all that honour and duty require, and have won credit and glory for your country; now it is time to think about seeing your families again in a few months....?
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

paulr

I can almost certainly think of examples of all of the above :-/
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FierceKitty

Should rules include provision for  general collapse, as tends to happen in land engagements, or would isolated ships smothered in smoke have little idea what was happening twenty yards away?
How do we decide it's time to pack things away, shake hands, break out the port, and start blaming the bad dice or defects in the rules for our defeat?
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

iain1704

Hi Mr Kitty

I included both Fleet and Squadron Morale rules in my 'General at Sea' rules published by the Pike & Shot Society and covering the Anglo-Dutch Wars. You might want to pm me privately to discuss these more

kind regards

Iain

Ithoriel

Osprey's new "Fighting Sail" rules track fleet morale and abstracts much of the nitty-gritty of damage/ casualties/ movement reduction.

Morale is reduced by damage taken and ships lost

I've yet to play them but it does look like it reduces much of the table clutter of ship cards and the like that plague so many naval games and focus on things important to admirals rather than to captains and first lieutenants.
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FierceKitty

I've had only one encounter with cards on the table - a silly sci-fi fleet combat fantasy thing. It left me very disinclined to take it further.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

paulr

Quote from: FierceKitty on 22 December 2019, 07:57:06 AM
Should rules include provision for  general collapse, as tends to happen in land engagements, or would isolated ships smothered in smoke have little idea what was happening twenty yards away?
How do we decide it's time to pack things away, shake hands, break out the port, and start blaming the bad dice or defects in the rules for our defeat?

In general I think it was very hard for ships to know what was happening in their immediate vicinity, let alone the overall situation

We tend to play until the commander(s) on one of the sides decides this isn't fun any more, this usually coincides with them realising there is little to no chance of victory
Lord Lensman of Wellington
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Duke Speedy of Leighton

Poseidon's Warriors has quite a good command system
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FierceKitty

Quote from: paulr on 22 December 2019, 06:37:11 PM
In general I think it was very hard for ships to know what was happening in their immediate vicinity, let alone the overall situation

We tend to play until the commander(s) on one of the sides decides this isn't fun any more, this usually coincides with them realising there is little to no chance of victory

Hmm...I try to discourage the practice of surrendering as soon as one has lost an important unit. Not fair to the one who's winning, and it throws away a chance of recovering. Not everyone is guilty of this, but some players aren't interested in driving anything but a Roll Royce.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

paulr

Quote from: FierceKitty on 23 December 2019, 02:47:04 AM
Hmm...I try to discourage the practice of surrendering as soon as one has lost an important unit. Not fair to the one who's winning, and it throws away a chance of recovering. Not everyone is guilty of this, but some players aren't interested in driving anything but a Roll Royce.

Not a problem we have with our regular group, fortunately :)
Lord Lensman of Wellington
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FierceKitty

Actually, it's the main reason why we don't do many campaigns. Just too depressing for Muggins who lost most of his army in the first season nd now has no chance of getting anywhere in the next three years, by which stage his capital city will be under siege.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

FierceKitty

A reminder why a name like Fletcher means a lot in the English tradition.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.