Related to  http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=14501

Doing this setting is going to require some ship to ship combat rules for Bronze Age Ships.

Convergence Point has two systems for dealing with "big combat".

1) Tactical system: Since everything is built like a character, most vehicle to vehicle combat is just like regular combat with a few more action options available. The chase rules will work. Players will make "crew rolls" inside this combat turn which will give the ship advantages (or not).

2) The Mass Combat system echo's Bushido, where after figuring various factors for capability, equipment, etc, both sides roll 1d6. The different is applied to loss of troop unit. Unique to this system is that PCs involved in the Mass Combat get "action results", they do things and things happen to them durring this mass combat turn. PCs usually have to resolve this event (usually with one or two die rolls, but sometimes it is a duel like combat).

The Design Consideration for Convergence Point was always been cincematic and engaging player experience. At the same time, there is some crunch there, so it is a balancing act. However, I am not looking forward to making a whole new system, so I am trying to use one of the existing systems with minimal additions.


Now if I used #1 for regular combat, this leaves people on the ship with little to nothing to do (except maybe make a crew or command roll). This works well for Starships and Tanks, but there are a lot of things you might be able to do in the Bronze Age sailing/ rowing ships.

If I use #2, it abstracts ships into a military force, but gives great PC results. This is unsatisfying as it makes boats a new system different from the rest of "everything else".

WIth a variation of #1, I could cludge ship to ship combat into a regular character combat round, making the ship another character. However it does make PC's actions a bit dependent in many cases. ("I need the ship to go first" or "I need to go before the captain moves the ship.. so the captain is going to delay his move, thus the ship's move?" Perhaps the ship should go at initiative zero, when gravity and the wind goes... however what about ship's ability to move?

Edit I could make a dual system. Ship Impulse, Player Impulse(s), but then you get a Herosystem-esk "one turn takes forever because it is broken down into four parts" issue.



Any suggestions?

Just in case someone spots this and wants to help, the issues have been resolved.  

One Ship Impulse is 5 character impulse, use the combat rules as per normal.  Captain of the ship gives orders, crew checks are made (taking 3 impulses of the 5), and the ship does stuff.  If the ships get close, it is archery or boarding time and we basically fall into standard tactical time.


Now, if you want to help with some Age of Sail Issues I am having....  PM me.