Black Seas
"Do you not know that in the service … one must always choose the lesser of two weevils?"
- – John "Lucky Jack" Aubrey
"Stop blowing holes in my ship!"
- – Captain Jack Sparrow
Released in October of 2019, Black Seas is a squadron-scale, Age-of-Sail tabletop wargame produced by the venerable Warlord Games. The system's release was accompanied by several swanky, 1/700 scale models that typically come in boxes with multiple models per pack, at astonishingly affordable prices considering how many you need to play a full 2,000 point game.
Black Seas's lead designer is possibly the only Italian who has ever contributed to the economy. Gabrio Tolentino might be a recognizable name to anyone with copies of Cruel Seas or Pirates of Nassau on their shelf.
Ye be warned: you're about to become much more acquainted with naval terminology than you're comfortable with.
YARRRRR
Gabrio states pretty plainly what his design philosophy was when writing the system down right at the start of the rulebook on page 3; "These rules are designed for a fast-paced and fun game, rather than to give a completely authentic sailing simulation. They're realistic in many respects, but several of the intricacies and difficulties of battling with a fully rigged sailing ship have been simplified to avoid games becoming bogged down in unnecessary minutiae and book keeping."
Boy, does he deliver. Weighing in at a respectable, yet not overwhelming 95 pages, the Black Seas rulebook is an approachable system for players looking for an excuse to blast sea shanties during their game night. The main rulebook contains all you need to play the game, including faction rules, ship points and profiles, upgrades and their costs, as well as, well, the rules. Players coming from the world of Games Workshop will breath a sigh of relief for not needing to carry a library with them to game night if this is on the menu.
One praiseworthy aspect of the rulebook is that it essentially contains two "halves;" a simplified set of rules in the first half, and the full, "advanced" rules in the latter portion of the text. Players can therefore choose how in-depth they'd like to get with their game, such using the basic or advanced wind gauge (discussed later). This can cut down on play time significantly in bigger games where more than a dozen ships are maneuvering and blasting away at each other. The book also contains several scenarios, ranging from an imitation duel based on the opening engagement from Master and Commander, to a to-scale recreation of the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) which requires more than forty ships, and an 8x6 foot table!
Core Mechanics
Black Seas uses a handful of simple mechanisms that are integral to the game's function.
Weather Gauge
This determines three very important aspects of the game; who goes first, where the wind comes from, and how fast a particular ship can go depending on its heading. Simply put, the "wind" necessary to fill our sails always comes in from a table edge, and the ship closest to the wind's source activates first, no matter who controls it or went last. Once that ship has finished, the next closest ship goes, and so on. However, players roll at the beginning of each turn to see if the wind changes direction, effectively giving a chance for a new part of the table edge to be the wind source. Therefore, you can never be entirely certain what ship will go first. The weather gauge widget included in the aptly named Master and Commander starter set is used to record these details. Finally, depending on how the wind hits a ship, it might be possible for the vessel to use its top speed, or come to an abrupt stop if the wind is against it. In the event of the latter, there is real potential to damage your ship as the masts take a beating.
Sails
The amount of sails deployed by a ship determines its speed (duh). The more sails, the faster she goes. Ships can move up or down by one level per turn. There are four levels of sails; anchored, light sails, battle sails, and full sails. Each higher level of sails allows an additional move. As an example, a ship with light sails moves once, while one with battle sails moves twice. Some ships can only use certain levels, while others are restricted. For example, First Rate ships can never use full sails because they're simply too massive to move that fast in a combat situation when its crew is otherwise occupied, not to mention how dangerous a huge wooden behemoth filled with highly explosive powder and more than 3,500 tons of displacement going full-tilt in a crowded battlefield is.
Rate of Knots
Depending on the type and size, ships are assigned a Rate of Knots (typically from 3 to 6), higher numbers being faster. This value gets translated directly to inches of movement. This ties back into the level of sails. Using our prior example on a ship with a Rate of Knots of 5, if we assume it is using battle sails, it will move 10 inches. Meanwhile, if it goes to light sails, it will move 5 inches.
Turning
Ships turn either 35 or 45 degrees depending on their size at the end of every turn to a maximum of three turns per activation. Some ships, such as First Rates, can only do two per activation. Bear in mind that a ship *must* move more than once to get those extra turns, so remember to have battle sails on if you want to make that wide turn!
Ship Mechanics
Ships are condensed into five main subgroups. In ascending order of size:
- Tiny: sloops, cutters, gun yawls, things that you can sink by driving your car or moped into it at relatively low speeds.
- Small: Brigs, schooners, small galleys, xebecs, basically the boats you wouldn't want to be on if anything heavier than a watermelon gets thrown your way.
- Medium: Frigates, smaller merchant ships, and built-up ships like oversized galleys. These are the backbone of most fleets, as they're capable of both dishing and taking respectable punishment while also maintaining maneuverability.
- Large: 3rd Rates, US Navy "super frigates" from the late 18th century, and other things that compensate for lacking manhood.
- Extra Large: The only examples of these are the real thing. First Rate ships like the HMS Victory, L'Orient, or even Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad fit in this category. As is befitting their obscene excess, these ships are prohibitively expensive and bringing even *one* can eat anywhere from a quarter to half of your budget, depending on the agreed point ceiling.
Guns
Where would we be without guns for which to shoot each other? Black Seas condenses all the various types of naval artillery into four main categories: Heavy cannon, Light cannon, Carronades, and Mortars (which technically also apply to rockets, so fuck them and their individuality).
Heavy cannon are your traditional long-range middle fingers. They shoot the farthest, and deal good damage, but are expensive. Light cannons are the same thing but smaller, with the bonus of being cheaper. Mortars are guns which allow you to fire at an enemy you cannot exactly see or draw a clear shot to, however they are wildly inaccurate and unpredictable, leaving potential for scattering your shot elsewhere.
A side bar on what in the fuck is a carronade
Back in 1759, an enterprising Scotsman with a hankerin' for innovating new ways of blowing people up noticed an unmet need in the market for a polite way of telling people trying to requisition steal the shit in your boat to fuck off.[Robert Melvill] met with his associates at the Carron Company, located in Falkirk, Scotland, to find a solution.
Y'see, the crew of merchant vessels weren't exactly familiar hands with naval artillery. This left ships carrying shipping in a precarious position of unpreparedness in the event of piracy. To be fair, piracy as we would think it didn't really exist by this point as most European nations had engaged in a Letter of Marque scheme, but that's not the point.
Melvill and Co. reasoned that most encounters that might require a merchant crew to fire a gun in self-defense would involve a ship of similar speed to the merchant ship itself, having been built to travel from port-to-port as swiftly as possible. Thus, most engagements were at close range. Their solution was simple, brutal, and innovative. Enter the carronade.
Coming in at half, if not less than the size of a traditional long gun, the carronade combined the firepower of heavy artillery with simplicity any civilian could use in a life-or-death situation. Furthermore, its compact shape meant it used less precious cargo space which was needed for the shipping of goods. In practice, the weapon traded range and velocity for firepower and powder efficiency; less need for range meant less of a charge. This was a non-issue for the weapon's intended purpose, and it soon caught on with the British merchant marine, and subsequently, the British Navy. The weapon fired shot well above most other traditional guns, typically in either 32 or 68 pounds, compared to what was regarded as heavy cannon firing 32 pound shot. Seeing the value of using a lightweight gun that needed minimal crewing as a sledgehammer for when opponents came too close, the Brits made it a point to equip numerous rated Ships-of-the-Line with carronades. Hell, they liked it so much they equipped the [HMS Glatton] with 56 of them exclusively; 28x32lbers and 28x68lbers. Some accounts of the Battle of Trafalgar (where both the HMS Victory and the HMS Glatton were present) claimed that a single broadside from the Glatton exceeded the destructive potential of one from the Victory.
With that off my chest; Ship Profiles
While ship size and the guns they sport are crucial to determining the imprint of a ship upon a battle, there are 10 different pieces of information given in more than a dozen ship profiles, from First Rates to Fireships;
- Ship Type: You've seen this before
- Size: Also, seen before
- Broadsides: Details how many and what type of gun are available in the broadside firing arc. First Rates obviously have the most, featuring 4H-3L-3C.
- Stern: How many guns you have poking out of your ass. First Rates have a 1H looking at anyone behind it.
- Bow: Your chasers. Useful for poking and sniping masts on tricksy frigates and brigs. First Rates get 2H.
- Ship Points: Hit Points. For context, a First Rate has 104 while a Frigate (5th Rate) has 36.
- Turn Angle: As noted earlier, determines red or blue angle on a gauge provided in the starter box.
- Rate of Knots: Speed in inches per movement.
- Break Value: If your vessel's ship points reach this number, you must start taking skill checks to see if it will surrender. You *can* repair your way out of it, but you're going to take a skill check every turn until you do.
- Points: Ship point cost per your list budget.
Upgrades
Ships can be fitted with tons of different upgrades to enhance performance in certain areas, from gun accuracy to potency in boarding actions. For a price.
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:
I was going to write this all out, but it's 4.45am and I'm passing out on my keyboard. This was fun, and I'll write more later today I'm two days late but 'ere we go.
Britain
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 we 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 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.
- 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.
France
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 if 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 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.
There's more national fleets, such as the American and Spanish ones, but my break is ending and I need to get back to work. Enjoy the reading material. To anyone reading this with formatting skill: if you can make the National Fleets collapsible, I'd much appreciate it.