War by Sail
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Bote Action - 1550 - 1815 War by Sail is a simple yet comprehensive age of sail wargame¸ aimed at small fleet actions of 3 to 30 ships per side¸ with a focus on historical accuracy and flavor. Researched and playtested for 10 months¸ War by Sail includes detailed ship rosters for 20 different conflicts¸ spanning from 1563 to 1812. Generic units are also provided for the 1300 - 1550 period. A Generic ship list is given for each period (such as "Third Rate"¸ "Fourth Rate" etc.)¸ as well as individual named ships (over 1¸700 in total!)¸ showing each ship's weaponry¸ size¸ maneuverability and suchlike. Get ready to learn how many Demi-Cannons and Culverins your favorite 17th century English ship had... War by Sail emphasizes crew quality and morale¸ as well as real tactics of the periods¸ and carefully reflects changes in naval technology throughout the centuries. Conflicts Covered: Generic Ships ‐ 1300 ‐ 1550 Northern Seven Years' War ‐ 1563 - 1570 Battle of Lepanto ‐ 1571 Spanish Armada ‐ 1588 First Anglo-Dutch War ‐ 1652 - 1654 Second Northern War ‐ 1655 - 1660 Second Anglo-Dutch War ‐ 1665 ‐ 1667 Third Anglo-Dutch War ‐ 1672 - 1674 Scanian War ‐ 1675 - 1679 Nine Years' War ‐ 1688 - 1697 Great Northern War ‐ 1700 - 1721 War of the Spanish Succession ‐ 1701 - 1714 War of the Austrian Succession ‐ 1740 - 1748 Seven Years' War ‐ 1756 - 1763 American War of Independence ‐ 1775 - 1783 Russo-Turkish War ‐ 1787 - 1792 Russo-Swedish War ‐ 1788 - 1790 French Revolutionary Wars ‐ 1792 - 1802 Napoleonic Wars ‐ 1803 - 1815 War of 1812 ‐ 1812 - 1815 A game of War by Sail can last anywhere from an hour and a half to 2 or 3 hours¸ depending on the size of the battle. At the start of the turn all ships make a mandatory forward move based on their direction relative to the wind (SPILL SAIL! WE'RE ABOUT TO COLLIDE)¸ after which individual ships activate¸ making turns¸ and attacks (providing their crew is on the ball enough...). Crew quality determines if a ship is able to activate and also the speed at which they reload. War by Sail uses damage markers on the base of a ship's miniature for a more visual representation of its condition¸ although Ship Roster sheets are provided for people who would rather track damage off-table. Damage Markers and game aides are provided at the end of the rules¸ and can be printed out for use. Rules are provided for coastal forts and batteries¸ as well as optional rules for a more in-depth naval experience. A printer-friendly version of the PDF is provided.