Editing Black Seas (section)

==National Fleets==
You didn't think they'd send this game out without caricaturing the conduct of nations in the Age of Sail, did you? Upon release, there are rules for American, British, French, and Spanish national fleets. Accompanying them are a gaggle of national heroes as well that can be bought for points and attached to a vessel for the duration of the battle. They are as follows:

===Britain===
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[[File:uktraf.jpg|400px|thumb|"Lieutenant, I don't want to see the French anymore." "Understood, sir." ''- Recorded exchange of commands in an unmarked naval log from a Royal Navy vessel, sometime in ~1800.]]
Being a British company, Warlord of course gave England has some of the best, if not ''the'' best fleet rules in the system. As salty as Americans may be about it, the skill and culture of the Royal Navy precedes itself. The training and testing required to escalate as an officer filtered out the chaff through mechanisms such as the infamous Lieutenant's Exams, which are still conducted today in a similar fashion as they were in the 18th/19th centuries. Furthermore, British officers conducted gunnery training more frequently than other powers did, so gunners on Royal Navy ships arguably produced higher quality broadsides (as much as a smoothbore gun with significant windage allows). Their officers are also above-standard compared to other nation's options. While most others are giving situational buffs, British officers tend to give generalized ones, meaning you can bring them into pretty much any game and slap the shit out of your opponents. To reflect this, British fleets gain:

* '''Drilled:'''+1 to hit when shooting
* '''The Admiralty:''' British ships can re-roll one failed skill test per game, but you *must* accept the result. 

'''British Officers:'''
I'll give you three guesses on what captains you get. 

* '''Edward Pellew'''
You can re-roll one skill test per turn, which is a damn good way to manipulate tacking into the wind to your advantage. You also never strike colors "no matter the circumstances," making his ship a feisty salt-wench. 

* '''Horatio Nelson'''
This is like bringing a [[Roboute Guilliman|Primarch]] to the table. Every ship within 20" (and his own) gains +1 to a dice roll of EVERY skill test. His ship, of course, never strikes colors. Once per turn, EACH gun position on his ship can re-roll once dice that failed its hit, which is fucking nuts. However, they did build a weakness into this beast of an Admiral. If you can land musket fire on Nelson's ship, a D6 roll is triggered. If the result is a 1 or a 2, Nelson dies as if it's Trafalgar in 1805, after which "his special rules have no further affect on the game."

* '''Cuthbert Collingwood'''
The cheapest officer, his only (but not to be underestimated) trait is to give every British ship in a 10" bubble (+ his own) a re-roll on the first broadside it shoots. That means ''all'' dice of the volley, not just one. So, if you skunk the shit out of your roll he's a good insurance policy to have around. This does, however, render him useless after the first shot of your fleet. However-however, he is essentially a slightly more expensive Master Gunner, costing only 10 points more but sporting a 10" bubble instead of a localized buff. You'll probably be taking him whenever you can. 

'''British Named Vessels:'''

* '''''HMS Victory'''''
The legend itself. If you get in Carronade range, you're throwing 11 dice at your target per broadside, potentially firing 28 dice at your opponent assuming you pull a Nero and FIRE EVERYTHING. She's a beefy fucker too at 115 ship points and a break value of 20. Her fleet buff of +1 to skill tests to all ships within 20". Combine with Nelson for maximum [[cheese]]. 
* Nelson + Victory means +2 to skill tests, making even inexperienced crews useful if they hug the Victory. Maybe worth considering if you can manage to keep the ''Victory'' afloat and in a good position. 
* At 550 points, capping out at 610 if you combine with Nelson, this is going to be more than a quarter of your budget in 2,000 point games. She's probably not worth taking in anything below 1500.
* The Spanish fleet's ''Trinidad'' has more [[dakka]] than ''Victory'', so if you're looking for the big tuna, this ain't it. That don't make her unloveable, however.

*'''''HMS Bellerophon'''''
An aquatic, wooden bulldog. She's got a respectable broadside at 3H-2L-2C, but you really should take her for the ridiculous 5+ FNP against all hits scored against her, rendering 1/3rd of all shots that land useless. For 360 points, not a bad deal. 

* '''''HMS Indefatigable''''' 
This is the secret weapon of any British fleet, and if you don't take her you're stupid. Any ship that is below half ship points must immediately test to strike colors at a -1 if they take damage from the Indie. You get 2H-2L-1C and 60 ship points, breaking at 20, with 4" of movement and an INSTANT "fuck you" for 240 points. With good rolls, you can take out the best ship in your opponent's fleet with half the effort before round 4. Fucking disgustingly good.
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===France===
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[[File:BOTC.jpg|400px|thumb|A cultural exchange between France and some waterborne Goddams.]]
The French Navy tended to go either one way or the other; it was a rare moment when the battles it engaged in weren't either decisive victories or defeats. At the command of the French government (whichever one happened to be in power), they tended to act opportunistically. Such was the case in 1775 when they basically ensured final American victory in the American Revolution with the Battle of Chesapeake, which effectively prevented the British from saving Cornwallis. While officers were not exactly of as reliable quality as their British enemies, French ships tended to be well-made, which sometimes made up for... errr... varied qualities of crews and officers. They're some speedy bois though, so don't underestimate them on account of some HONHONHON.  

* '''Streamlined:''' French ships get a super discount on Streamlined Hull (only 40 points now). Combine this with the next discount and you got yourself a fleet of aquatic boxers.

* '''Double Planking:''' Their usual trend of shipbuilding, which sometimes accessed American methods of architecture (as evident in the highly recommended film and book series ''Master and Commander'') meant some of their vessels sported unusual fortitude. So, we get the same discount as Streamlined but for Sturdy. 

* '''Aiming High:''' French gunners were trained to aim for the enemy masts with the philosophy of disabled their maneuvering ability with the added benefit of creating the possibility of capturing the enemy ship, rather than sinking it. This was a damn good idea if you wanted to take prizes, or if you were in the higher circles of naval strategy, grow your fleet at the price of balls, powder, and some men. Shots that aim high only get -1 rather than -2, unless you're firing chain shot, which suffers '''no penalty''', which is fucking absurdly good. Enjoy whipping the shit out of your target while dancing circles around then with Streamlined. 

'''French Officers'''
Somewhat lackluster, but better than nothing. 

* '''Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve'''
It's an unspoken rule that you can only use this character if you wear a beret and smoke a cigarette from a baguette while playing. He was accountable for the defeat at Trafalgar, which says a lot about why his only special buff is allowing his own ship to test skill to ignore critical damage. 

* '''Captain Robert Surcouf'''
This guy is a troll on sails. For 40 points you get the Privateer upgrade for free on whatever ship he captains, but it ALSO effects ''every ship in Surcouf's fleet, except those rated between 1st and 4th rate.'' Take him on a 3rd rate + a pile of frigates and brigs for lols in boarding actions. 

'''French Named Vessels:'''

* '''''L'Orient'''''
Highly situational, but fun when it works. +1 to hitting British Vessels, and <s>if</s> when your opponent lights her on fire with heated shot spam at the expense of many brigs, an unmodified 1 on a skill test to put out flames means she fucking explodes. 
* Combine the +1 against British targets with aiming high and she will become your primary means of disabling the enemy fleet. With 4H-4L-3C and 1H on the stern and 2H on the bow, you'll have a lot of chances to make it work. The cost can be a turn-off, so make your own judgement call on if she's worth it. 

* '''''Bucentaure'''''
In keeping with the French theme of [[Colorz|blue and yellow 'unz go fasta]], the ''Bu'' can make an additional change of direction during any part of its move, and gets a +1 to all skill tests. Combine this with tacking and you've got a ship better than a greased pig at avoiding enemy maneuvers. At 370 points, I'd say she's worth it.
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===Spain===
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[[File:capnsalazar.jpg|375px|thumb|<s>Captain Salazar</s> Admiral Gravina upon discovering Spain is a fleet in ''Black Seas''.]]
Though an oft-repeated joke, the Spanish machismo is quite present in BS. This is evident by their frequent use of [[dakka|more gun]]. Not unlike the French fleet in a similar era, the Spanish Navy was a bipolar fustercluck. Most people like to play up the loss of approximately one-fifth of the Spanish Navy to the British in the surrender following the 1762 Siege of Havana. However, this isn't the whole story. Multiple battles and maneuvers by the Spaniards not only took pressure off the Americans during the Revolution, but in 1741 the Spanish Navy managed to create an resounding victory for the ages at the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cartagena_de_Indias| Battle of Cartagena de Indias]]. In this action, Spanish sailors in six ships and several terrestrial gunnery positions manned by 6,000 ground troops not only staved off 124 ships and nearly 28,000 British infantry, but inflicted a loss of 50 vessels and 18,000 casualties upon the Royal Navy and its charge. Unfortunately, training and discipline were not uniform, and quality varied wildly. As a general principle, however, the Spanish like guns, and lots of them. 

*'''Heavily Armed:''' Spanish First Rates may take the Over Gunned rule for free, but for the trade of never being able to hit full sails without a skill test. 
** This makes the Spanish fleet the navy of choice for anyone wanting to run a fleet of as many First Rates as possible. No one will ever be able to match your sheer amount of iron in the air. 
*** This also has the off-handed effect of making the Spanish much less viable at low-point games, since you're only running one First Rate per every 1,000 points. Your sweet spot is going to be a budget of 2,000 so you can cram two First Rates into a school of large Third Rates.
**** It also makes the Spanish much less beginner-friendly since it is very easy to get entirely lost with what in the fuck is happening within the chaos of a multi-thousand point game. 

*'''Out of Practice:''' Upgrading a crew to veteran status costs 30% rather than the usual 20% since Spanish crews "were not trained very often." However you more than make up for that with your sheer volume of firepower since you brought two first rates, right? 

'''Spanish Officers'''

Don your [[Cybering|feathered cap and frocked coat]], because you're about to become the manliest motherfucker ever to wear stockings in a firefight. Otherwise, we're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for naval heroes, here. 

*'''Ignacio María de Álava y Sáenz de Navarrete'''
Despite having a name you can chew with your teeth on its way out, Ignacio is a cheap officer of only 30 points, but he lends the fun bonus of +1 to hit versus privateers for every ship within 20" of his. While situational, it helps clear out privateer fleets in scenario matches, otherwise useless.

*'''Juan de Lángara'''
The Scientist-Captain himself, he's got a fun little ability that lets you [[Creed|re-deploy him from any battlefield edge after everyone else has placed their ships]]. A fun choice for only 30 points because you can chuck him on a Fireship and ram him into your enemy's back line for lols, or drop him into a bomb ketch and chuck high-arcing explosives into the heart of the opposing fleet. A fun choice for all, and family friendly. 

'''Spanish Named Ships'''

*'''''La Princesa'''''
A vessel of exploration and colonization, the ''Princesa'' has a neat little ability that puts a shore gun emplacement on a beach within 6" of her so long as she's anchored for two full turns within 4" of a beach. Otherwise she's a fragile lass with only 34 ship points and 1H-1L-1C to fight with. 
** This stacks, so in four turns you can get a pretty scary shore battery set up and use it to provide overwatch for damaged ships while they repair behind it, so the ''Princesa'' is extremely useful in certain situations as long as there's a landmass nearby.

*'''''Santísima Trinidad'''''
You don't get this for any other reason aside from having a fort with sails. 144 ship points, possibly breaking at 48, featuring 5H-5L-4C and 2H on the aft and stern. She's a monster, but can only change direction for any reason ONCE per activation, and can only hit full sails after a skill test. Put her next to the island you've fortified with ''Princesa'' and let her shoot the ass out of anyone who thinks it's ok to be within 20 inches of her. 
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===The United States of America===
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[[File:Bhrich.jpg|400px|thumb|"They had us in the first half, not gonna lie." - ''Captain John Paul Jones in response to the enemy captain asking if he had struck his colors, said in action on the USS Bonhomme Richard against the HMS Serapis off the coast of Northern England, September 23, 1779.'']]

The creator of this article would like it to be known that he plays this fleet, and, in fact, anyone who thinks there is a better one is factually incorrect.

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-3ws7b4sZg Appropriate Music]''' 

The United States Navy has a fascinating story beginning in 1774. In the span of forty years, it expanded, shrunk to one ship, which was subsequently auctioned off and the branch dissolved, then re-constituted in 1794, sailed to fight pirates in the Mediterranean in 1801, then the French and British between 1800-1813. Their story is a nice break from the standard tale of tradition and institutional culture associated with other national maritime forces. 

What's cool about the USN in the Age of Sail is its focus on meeting the moment. The fledgling Republic barely had the revenue, let alone the ''legal authority'' to raise funds for the construction of a new fleet of warships, so whatever could be scrabbled together was extremely precious. When Congress authorized the construction of several frigates in response to rising French tensions (that would ultimately lead into the Quasi-War), congressional shipbuilders scoured the young country for specific types of hardwood. This attention to detail culminated in each ship having a distinct personality even if it belonged to a larger class of vessel. The results were a handful of exquisitely built, robust, heavily armed ships dubbed "super-frigates" by history. Though they had the displacement of frigates of Fifth or Sixth rates, they could (and oftentimes were) upgunned to match the firepower of some Old World Fourth Rates. Notable examples include the USS ''United States, President, Constellation, Chesapeake, Congress'', and of course the venerable ''Constitution''. 

*'''Over Fitted:''' In keeping with the theme of "everything but the kitchen sink," US ships get Over Gunned for a 20% discount of 80 points, and Sturdy for 40, which is a pretty fuckin' slick way of turning your 5th Rate frigate into a fast and formidable Third Rate. Furthermore, US naval lists ''CANNOT'' field AMERICAN First, Second, or Third Rate ships. We simply weren't making any, not that we could if we wanted to anyway due to being underdeveloped and undergunned since British policy in colonial times had involved the prohibition on cannon foundries in the colonies. Hence the super frigate approach.
** This is literal. A 5th Rate has 2H-1L-1C per broadside and 36 ship points, along with a Rate of Knots of 5 and a 150 points price tag. . A 3rd Rate has 3H-2L-2C with 74 ship and a Rate of Knots of 4 costing 280. Altogether, buffing a 5th Rate with Over Gunned and Sturdy (120+150) rounds out an American frigate to 270. 
*** Although 10 points cheaper with the same armament as a Third Rate, you're making a trade here for speed over staying-power. You're going to have almost 20 less ship points than a real Third Rate, but you'll have another inch of speed, which at full sails gets you 3 inches farther than the actual thing. 

*'''Drilled:''' Same thing as the British national trait, since American sailors were also periodically trained in gunnery and old hands at seamanship. Combine with Over Gunned to get the most "bang" for your buck with the +1 to hit when shooting. 
** Drilled + Over Fitted means that Americans are the ''de facto'' kings of fire-and-maneuver on the open sea. Where the Spanish castle up, the French stay out of their enemy's arc of fire while hitting sails, and the British use formations, Americans are all about planning your moves three sails ahead and putting your firepower *exactly* where it needs to be, while maintaining enough speed to get the fuck outta dodge. This is perfect for avoiding Spanish killing fields, British formation moves, and French disabling maneuvers. 


'''American Officers'''

Everyone else has a slate of pretentious officers while we got some '''BADASS MOTHERFUCKERS'''. 

*'''COMMODORE Stephen "Pirate-Shafter" Decatur'''
Revolutionary, Pirate Hunter, and motherfucker all around, Stephen is your anti-privateer officer. Slap him onto a super frigate and have him snipe your opponent's privateers. His +1 to hit against them, followed up by a +2 on boarding actions to them makes him the best officer in the book for the job. Otherwise completely useless. 

*'''  CAP'N James "Don't stop the party just because I've been shot" Lawrence'''
One of America's first Naval heroes by virtue of his immortal words (paraphrased above) that he spoke before being carried below decks following a fatal gunshot wound in the course of fighting a boarding action against the ''HMS Shannon'', James has exactly one fun trait: A ship under his command NEVER strikes the colors. The full quote, which justifies this rule, is ''"Don't give up the ship. Fight her till she sinks."'' Which is pretty badass considering he had been shot at close range by a gun loading a .70 caliber BALL. 

*'''Oliver Hazard "Your ships? My ships." Perry'''
The Hero of Lake Erie, Perry managed to capture [[Awesome|an entire squadron of British ships on Lake Erie during the War of 1812 with nothing more than 5 schooners, 3 brigs, and a sloop, effectively doubling the American fleet presence in that body.]] He's got a very simple, yet fun rule for scenario games. Any battle agreed to be upon any US Lake (so the Great Lakes or Finger Lakes, or fuckin Lake George, I don't know) imparts a +1 to hit modifier when shooting an +1 to any skill test to the entire US fleet. 

'''American Ships'''

*'''''USS Constitution'''''
The closest thing we have to a national shrine other than the Gettysburg Battlefield and Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh where the Revolutionary War was officially concluded. The ''Constitution'' is a sumanabitch that is a true superfrigate and she certainly presents that way in-game. For 290 points, Old Ironsides has a smackingly good broadside of 3H-3L-1C and 1L on the bow to give anyone a swift kick in the arseholio. She's got 60 ship points, breaks at 20, and goes 5" per move. For 290 points, it's not bad at all considering her special is that every time you're hit, a successful skill test divides incoming damage by half each time it's inflicted, rounding up. Old Ironsides, indeed. 

*'''''USS Essex'''''
The whip of choice for a swashbuckler. +2 to boarding actions (ALL boarding actions). And for 190 points, that's a pretty good deal. Otherwise she's got a somewhat better profile than your normal frigate with 45 ship points, breaking at 15, 2H-1L-1C and of course the standard 5" of your [[Standard Template Construct|STC]] frigate. 
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