The Azure Art of Sailing

This sailing rework is an active development effort. All rules are subject to sudden change.

These rules offer a mechanical development for all ships: sailing boats, rowing boats, flying boats, etc. They are appropriate for use in any vehicular operation which includes a captain and (possibly) crew.

Ship Statistics

All ships are classified with the following statistics.

Health

A normal ship has thirty health levels: five -0 health levels, five -1 health levels, ten -2 health levels, and ten -4 health levels. An incapacitated ship is not sunk; rather, it is rendered immobile and is taking on water. While incapacitated, the captain cannot spend tempo and the only available ship-specific action is Remove Bilge.

Repairing the ship is a craft project. Simple repairs sufficient to render an incapacitated ship able to limp back to port are a basic project. More expansive repairs are a major project, with each success repairing a single health level. A superior project (rating 2 for large-scale construction) can repair the ship to full operating functionality in one go.

As long as resources are available, the ship passively heals one health level every two days while docked.

Weight and Size

Weight measures a ship’s heft, while the ship’s maximum Size represents the amount of crew and cargo it can hold.

Rowboats are considered Tiny when compared to other vessels.

Tiny Vessel: This vessel adds +2 Evasion against any attack made by a larger vessel. The crew of the larger vessel subtracts 2 successes from their attempts to notice this vessel during combat operations.

Medium craft and larger have Legendary Size.

Legendary Size: This vessel does not take Onslaught penalties inflicted by enemies without Legendary Size. This vessel cannot be reduced below 1 Initiative from attacks by enemies without Legendary Size, unless that attack deals 10 or more raw damage; the attacker still gets all their Initiative. It cannot take more decisive damage in a single attack than the attacker’s (Strength + 3). It cannot be grappled by enemies without Legendary Size. It cannot be staggered or knocked back with smashing attacks from attackers without Legendary Size. If it engages another entity with Legendary Size, neither gains the benefits of Legendary Size.

A boat has (maximum Size) slots for crew and cargo. A battlegroup requires one slot per size; a size 3 group requires 3 slots, etc. Size 5 battlegroups cannot be housed on a ship other than a city-ship; they must be broken into multiple Size 4 groups across multiple ships. Vast Wealth, an Incredible Treasure, or other Specialty Goods take up 1 slot each.

Armament

A normal ship has ranged capability. In most circumstances, this is a complement of archers who release volleys of (possibly flaming) arrows targeting the enemy ship. Larger vessels, especially huge ships of the Realm, mount ballistae which can fire heavy bolts to sink enemy ships. A few of the most powerful ships, especially in the Fire Fleet, mount flame cannons which spew huge gouts of fire.

All shipboard weaponry, under normal circumstances, has the following stats:

Shipboard Weaponry: Accuracy -5/-3/+4/+2/+0; Damage 15; OVW 3.

Your ship itself is also a weapon. In most cases, your objective is not to whittle the enemy ship down with ranged broadsides, but rather to ram your opponent and board them or crack their ship in half to sink them.

Operation

Normal Operation

Under normal circumstances, the ship simply functions. The captain is competent, the crew are effective, and the day-to-day of the ship just happens. No rolls or narrative complications are expected during normal operation.

Exceptional Operation

When the possibility of the ship failing in its tasks becomes narratively interesting, the ship enters a period of exceptional operation. Examples of exceptional operation include operating in storms, navigating through a dangerous straight, rounding the horn on choppy water, pursuing a ghost ship through the underworld currents, etc.

During exceptional operation, the captain is responsible for all rolls ensuring the safe operation of the vessel. When rolling, she may use any of her Attributes, based on her description; effectively ordering the crew to response may be social, seizing the wheel herself and steering through dark water may be physical, and outwitting her pursuer through tricky maneuvering is probably mental.

The crew of a ship has their own skill and experience, and are able to operate at a basic level of efficacy even under the command of a novice captain. As long as your crew consists of experienced sailors, wizened shellbacks, and able crewmen, you get +2 on your Sail roll to a maximum of 5 Sail.

Combat Operation

When the life and livelihood of the ship are in direct danger, the ship enters combat operation. Combat operation is fully explained in the shipboard combat section.

---

Table of contents

• Shipboard Combat
• Combat Actions