Ramming & boarding

Vessels declare and move charges after shooting like other units. At each first contact a warship rolls d10 for a catastrophic event (broken keel or ram); a 10 destroys it, and barges rammed by warships sink. Charges against walls or beaches add d6 to the vessel's move, after which the assault unit disembarks. All figures on vessels count in ship-to-ship melee; winners capture enemy vessels whose crews rout into the water.

At each first contact against other ships or barges a warship must roll a D-10 to determine if a catastrophic event occurs

Contact is made by moving straight ahead and conforming. Each squadron rolls 2d6: 5 or less means it is Disordered and must test morale; 6-8 the enemy loses half a stand; 9-10 one stand; 11-12 one and a half stands. Modifiers are crew quality +/-1, Disordered -1 and the formation differential; 2-vs-1 fights share losses.

Then, each squadron in contact performs a Battle test by rolling 2d6 and aiming at 6+ for success. Results are applied immediately.

If ships collide on opposite courses or stem strikes stem the result is a draw. A successful ram must strike the side or stern, and in the mêlée the ramming vessel is motionless during the succeeding move.

To deliver a successful ramming blow the ram must strike the side or stern of the enemy.

Any rammed ship sinks, and bow-to-bow rams sink both; damage to the rammer is umpire-settled. As a general rule at least 6 knots superiority of speed is needed to ram. Boarding is decided by the umpire from the men available on both ships.

Any rammed ship is sunk. If ships ram bow to bow both are sunk.

Target must be stationary or moving at most one square; d6 vs d6, boarder must win or draw to grapple. Then each side adds its weaker broadside Gunnery minus 2 per mast lost to a d6 (+1 British, -1 Spanish): boarder wins and the enemy strikes, draw continues next turn, loss ends attempts. Grappled ships fire only at each other at Pistol Shot, hitting only on 5s.

If the boarder wins the enemy strikes his colors immediately. A draw means the two ships remain grappled together and the fight continues next turn.