Salt & Steel: Naval Combat System

Document Type: Design Specification — Core Systems
Status: Canonical Draft
Last Updated: 2026-04-24
See Also: Combat System | Movement and Controls | Skill System | Pillars: Dual-Layer Combat

Overview

Naval combat is not on-foot combat at a larger scale. It is a different art, requiring different thinking. On foot, you read an enemy's body. At sea, you read the wind.

Salt & Steel's naval combat system is built on the same foundational philosophy as its on-foot system — consequence is the teacher, positioning is the skill, and the 3d6 engine runs invisibly beneath everything. But the tempo is slower, the stakes are larger, and the decisions play out across minutes rather than seconds. A well-positioned broadside takes fifteen seconds to set up and three seconds to deliver. A poor choice of engagement angle strands you in the enemy's fire arc for thirty seconds you cannot undo. Naval combat rewards captains who think ahead.

The Pillar 3 requirement is clear: the naval combat layer must be good enough that players would play a game built entirely around it. This document specifies how to meet that requirement.

1. Ship Statistics

Every ship in Salt & Steel has six core statistics that define its naval combat identity. These statistics are the ship equivalent of character attributes — they determine what the ship can do and how well it does it.

1.1 Hull Points (HP)

The ship's structural integrity. Hull Points represent the combined structural soundness of the vessel. The ship is not dead when HP reaches 0 — it is dead when it sinks. A ship can be functionally defeated (unable to fight effectively) well before it sinks.

Hull Points have a sectional damage model (see Section 4.3). The ship's total HP distributes across four sections: Bow (15%), Port (25%), Starboard (25%), Stern (15%), Below Waterline (20%). Damage to any section reduces the total HP pool and applies section-specific penalties.

HP Recovery: Crew assigned to Damage Control repair Hull Points at a rate determined by the ship's Damage Control crew (see Section 2.3). Underwater hull breaches can only be patched while in port or by divers (underwater exploration mechanic).

1.2 Crew Count

The number of able crew aboard. Crew Count is both a resource and a damage metric:

Grapeshot and boarding attacks reduce Crew Count
Crew Count affects reload speed, repair rate, and boarding power
At 50% Crew: all crew-dependent actions at −1 effective skill
At 25% Crew: all crew-dependent actions at −3; ship cannot execute complex maneuvers
At 10% Crew: skeleton crew; only basic steering and minimal fire is possible
At 0 Crew: ghost ship (see Boarding rules)

Maximum Crew Count is determined by the ship's size and Crew Quarters upgrade level.

1.3 Speed

The ship's movement speed in knots, measured as the number of hexes (ship-scale) it can move per 6-second naval combat round. Speed is not fixed — it varies based on wind angle, sail configuration, and damage state.

Speed is affected by:

Sail Trim: Optimal trim for the current wind angle (see Section 3)
Wind Angle: Running before the wind is fastest; beating against the wind is slowest
Chain Shot Damage: Each successful chain shot volley reduces Speed by 1 until repaired
Below-Waterline Flooding: Each flooding hex reduces Speed by 0.5
Encumbrance (cargo): Overloaded cargo hold reduces Speed by 1 per encumbrance tier

1.4 Maneuverability

The ship's turning rate — how many degrees it can turn per round. This is critical for positioning and determines how quickly the ship can bring its guns to bear or escape an unfavorable angle.

High-maneuverability ships can dance around slower opponents. Low-maneuverability ships must plan their approach earlier — they need more sea room to execute a turn. Damaged rudders (stern section damage) reduce Maneuverability.

Measured in degrees per round (6-second interval):

Sloop: 60°/round (full 90° turn in 9 seconds)
Brigantine: 45°/round
Frigate: 30°/round
Galleon: 20°/round
Junk: 50°/round (different mechanism — can turn tighter)

1.5 Firepower

The sum of the ship's offensive capability. Firepower is not a single number — it is a profile of cannon count, cannon type, and arc coverage.

Each cannon has:

Caliber: Small (2-pounder), Medium (9-pounder), Heavy (24-pounder), Bombard (mortar)
Range: Effective range and maximum range differ; beyond effective range, accuracy penalties apply
Reload Time: Determines the interval between broadsides (base rate, modified by crew skill)

Gunnery Skill: The ship's effective Gunnery skill is the combined skill of its gun crew, averaged and modified by the number of crew assigned to the cannons. A ship with 5 expert gunners at Gunnery-15 averages better than a ship with 20 mediocre gunners at Gunnery-10. Crew quality matters as much as cannon count.

1.6 Armor

The ship's hull Damage Resistance — the naval equivalent of character armor DR. Armor reduces incoming cannon damage before it affects Hull Points, just as character armor reduces weapon damage before affecting HP.

Armor values by hull type:

Light wood hull: DR 1
Standard hull planking: DR 2
Reinforced hull: DR 3
Iron-plated hull: DR 4 (available late-game; significant weight/speed tradeoff)
Enchanted hull: DR 3 + DR 2 vs. supernatural/fire specifically

2. Naval Combat Resource: Crew

Crew is the naval equivalent of Fatigue Points — the resource that powers every ship action. Unlike FP, Crew does not recover quickly. Each crew member lost is a permanent reduction until port or crew recruitment.

2.1 Crew Roles

Crew members are not interchangeable. Each crew member has a primary role that determines their contribution to ship function. The player assigns crew to roles from their total roster.

Role	Function	Max Allocation
Gunnery	Cannon reloading and accuracy	1 per 2 cannons (optimal)
Rigging	Sail trim and maneuver execution	3–8 (depends on ship)
Damage Control	Hull repair and fire fighting	2–6
Combat (boarding)	Boarding party and repelling boarders	Remainder
Navigation	The Captain's own; uses captain's Navigation skill	1 (the captain)

Crew can be reassigned between roles during combat (takes one round, during which neither role is fully staffed). This creates mid-combat crew management decisions: reassign gunners to damage control when flooding becomes critical, or pull damage control to repel boarders, accepting more hull damage.

2.2 Crew Skill Effect

Individual crew members have skill levels that directly affect their role performance. The Crew system from the Captain's Fantasy pillar means these are named characters with specific advantages and disadvantages — a Gunner with "Intuitive Mathematician" (+1 to all Gunnery rolls) genuinely fires more accurately than a standard Gunner.

Gunnery Crew Skill → Reload Interval:

Crew Gunnery Skill	Reload Time (base)
10 (trained)	90 seconds
12	75 seconds
14	60 seconds
16	45 seconds

Rigging Crew Skill → Maneuver Success: Rigging crew skill is tested when the captain calls for a sharp maneuver (emergency turn, sudden stop, full-speed sprint into wind). The crew's collective Seamanship skill is rolled on 3d6 — success means the maneuver executes as intended; failure means a reduced version; critical failure means a rigging mishap (temporary Speed reduction).

2.3 Damage Control

Damage Control crew repair Hull Points and fight fires. Their effectiveness:

1 crew in Damage Control: 2 HP repaired per 6-second round
4 crew in Damage Control: 8 HP repaired per round (linear scaling up to about 6 crew)
Flooding control: 2 crew required per flooding hex to stop inflow; 4 crew per hex to actively reduce it

The Chirurgeon crew member has a unique damage-control ability: once per naval combat, they can stop the bleeding of any single crew casualty, preventing one permanent crew death (instead, the crew member is incapacitated for the rest of combat but alive).

3. Wind, Positioning, and the Weather Gauge

3.1 Wind Direction

Wind is the master variable of naval combat. Every naval engagement has a dominant wind direction (displayed as a compass indicator in the ship helm UI). The wind direction is set at engagement start, shifts by approximately 20° every 3 minutes, and is affected by weather events.

Wind is not an obstacle to circumvent. Wind is a resource to exploit. The captain who better reads and uses the wind wins the positioning game.

3.2 Points of Sail

Every angle of sailing relative to the wind has a different speed characteristic:

Angle to Wind	Point of Sail	Speed Modifier	Notes
0–30°	In Irons / Close-Hauled	×0.3	Almost stopped; sails barely catch wind
31–60°	Close-Hauled	×0.6	Beating against the wind; difficult
61–90°	Close Reach	×0.85	Workable upwind angle
91–120°	Beam Reach	×1.0	Optimal for most ships; broadside-to-broadside position
121–150°	Broad Reach	×1.15	Good speed; wind from behind-side angle
151–180°	Running	×1.1	Downwind run; fast but sail control harder

Why This Matters: A sloop running before the wind at 1.15× speed can escape a frigate close-hauled at 0.6× speed even if the frigate's base speed is higher. The captain's decision about engagement angle directly determines whether they can control the encounter or are at the enemy's mercy.

3.3 The Weather Gauge

The "weather gauge" is the upwind position — being upwind of the enemy ship. This position confers significant tactical advantages:

Speed advantage: The upwind ship is on a better point of sail; it can choose to close or disengage.
Initiative: The upwind ship can attack when ready; the downwind ship must receive the attack or attempt to maneuver (at speed penalty).
Powder smoke: In historical naval combat, powder smoke blew away from the weather-gauge ship into the leeward ship's crew. In Salt & Steel, weather-gauge ships have +1 to all Gunnery rolls; leeward ships have −1.

Experienced players fight for the weather gauge before engaging. The first 60–90 seconds of a naval encounter is often a maneuvering battle where both ships attempt to position favorably before committing to cannon fire.

Gaining the Weather Gauge:

The ship currently upwind must be maneuvered around — it controls its own position
Forcing the enemy downwind requires approaching from an angle that intercepts their escape route
Fast ships (sloops) can gain the weather gauge against slow ships through raw speed
Experienced captains use feints — appearing to take one angle, then tacking to take another

3.4 Wind Shifts

Every 3 minutes, the wind shifts by 15–25° in a direction determined by the weather simulation (the Living Sea pillar). Wind shifts are telegraphed 30 seconds before they occur — the wind indicator begins oscillating, and experienced captains recognize the visual cue.

A well-timed wind shift can completely reverse the tactical position. The downwind ship suddenly becomes the weather-gauge ship as the wind swings 90°. This creates tactical opportunities in extended engagements — a captain who is losing the positioning battle waits for the wind shift and is ready to exploit it.

4. Cannon Mechanics

4.1 Broadside

The broadside is the fundamental attack of naval combat. It fires all cannons on one side of the ship simultaneously, creating a concentrated wall of shot at the enemy.

Broadside Resolution:

The captain calls a broadside (port or starboard, targeting one of four sections: hull, rigging, crew, or waterline)
The Gunnery crew rolls 3d6 ≤ Gunnery skill for each cannon (hidden from the player — shown as accuracy percentage in the UI)
Cannons that hit deal their individual damage (modified by range, target section DR, and cover)
All damage is summed and applied to the targeted section
Special effects trigger based on cannon type and targeting choice (see below)

Range Modifiers:

Range Band	Gunnery Modifier
Point-blank (< 50m)	+2
Close (50–200m)	0
Medium (200–500m)	−2
Long (500–1000m)	−4
Extreme (> 1000m)	−6 (bombards only)

Targeting Choice — The Section Decision:

Target	Goal	Result on Penetrating Hits
Hull	Reduce ship HP	Standard damage to hull section; risk of flooding (waterline) or fire (midships)
Rigging	Reduce speed	Each hit: −1 Speed (repaired at 5 HP/round per crew-crew assigned)
Crew	Reduce crew	See Grapeshot below (this option only for grapeshot and close range)
Waterline	Cause flooding	Below-waterline hits cause flooding; flooding reduces Speed and requires Damage Control

Raking Fire: If the firing ship is positioned perpendicular to the enemy's bow or stern (within 30° of the centerline), the broadside becomes a "rake" — all cannon shot passes through the full length of the enemy ship. Raking fire hits multiple sections simultaneously and doubles the Crew damage (shot travels the length of the gun deck). The most devastating attack in naval combat and the primary goal of aggressive captains.

4.2 Cannon Shot Types

Round Shot (Standard) The default ammunition. Large iron spheres that penetrate hull planking and cause structural damage.

Damage: By cannon caliber (2-pounder: 2d; 9-pounder: 4d; 24-pounder: 6d)
Wound Modifier: Crushing (×1) against hull; the weight of the shot is what matters
Best used: Hull targeting at medium range for reliable HP reduction

Chain Shot Two balls connected by an iron chain, tumbling through the air and shredding rigging.

Damage: Half of standard round shot damage to hull; maximum Speed reduction
Effect: Each hitting chain shot applies −1 Speed and −0.5 Maneuverability for 5 minutes (until repaired)
Range: Effective at close and medium range only (the tumbling chain is inaccurate at long range: −2 Gunnery additional)
Best used: Against faster ships; force them to slow down before committing to a broadside duel

Grapeshot A canvas bag filled with iron balls that spreads on firing, like a massive shotgun. Devastating against unprotected crew.

Damage: 2d against Crew Count per cannon that hits; hull damage negligible
Range: Close range only (< 100m effective)
Effect: Each crew hit forces a HT check (3d6 ≤ HT) or is killed/incapacitated; failed checks reduce Crew Count permanently
Best used: Just before boarding; weaken the enemy crew to make the boarding action more survivable

Hot Shot Cannonballs heated in a special furnace until glowing red. Ignites anything they touch.

Damage: Standard round shot damage PLUS 1d burning damage per round for 5 rounds at the impact point
Special: Ignites the target section; a new crew fire must be fought by Damage Control crew or spreads
Risk: Hot shot can only be fired from a prepared ship (Hot Shot Module upgrade); firing without preparation risks an accidental ship fire (10% chance per shot)
Best used: Against ships with high DR hulls (fire bypasses DR for the burning component) or to force Damage Control crew to choose between firefighting and other roles

Bombard (Mortar) Shot High-arc explosive shells, fired from a dedicated bombard cannon. These are long-range siege weapons, slow to reload, devastating to unarmored targets.

Damage: 4d in a 3m radius at impact; both hull and crew affected
Range: Extreme range only (500m+); useless at close range (minimum firing arc)
Reload: 3× longer than standard cannon reload
Special: Bombards can fire over intervening terrain (islands, other ships); the only weapon system that can attack ships sheltering in coves
Best used: Long-range softening; attacking anchored ships in harbor; bombarding coastal fortifications

4.3 Sectional Damage Model

Ships take damage to specific sections, not a single HP pool. Each section has its own HP allocation and damage effects:

Bow Section (15% total HP)

Reduced: Reduced bow structural integrity; difficult to ram (no ram bonus if bow < 50% HP)
At 0 HP: Bow flooding begins; Speed −1; cannot reduce flood until repaired in port

Port/Starboard Sections (25% each)

Reduced: Cannon mounts damaged; for every 20% reduction, one cannon lost per side
At 0 HP: That side is completely defenseless (no cannon fire); hull breached; flooding begins
Cannon loss is permanent until port repair

Stern Section (15% total HP)

Reduced: Rudder damage; Maneuverability reduced proportionally
At 0 HP: Rudder destroyed; ship cannot turn (moves in straight lines only); catastrophic vulnerability

Below Waterline (20% total HP)

This section cannot be targeted directly — only hits that penetrate lower sections reach it
Each breach creates a flooding hex; flooding hexes increase at 1 per 6-second round without Damage Control
At 5 flooding hexes: Speed halved; HT check for the ship (Carpenter's skill, 3d6 ≤ skill) each minute or ship sinks

5. Special Naval Maneuvers

5.1 Ramming

Closing to physical contact and driving the prow into the enemy hull. The most aggressive move in naval combat — it ends range-fighting entirely and commits both ships to close engagement.

Requirements: Speed ≥ enemy ship's Speed at moment of contact. A faster ship can always choose to ram; a slower ship can attempt a ram only if the enemy is stationary or approaching.

Resolution:

The ramming ship's captain rolls 3d6 ≤ Navigation skill to control the approach
On success: Ramming ship takes (enemy Armor × 2d) structural damage; enemy takes (ramming ship's Speed × caliber modifier) crushing damage to the struck section. This is the most single-hit damaging attack in the game.
On failure: Glancing blow — both ships take reduced damage; the ramming ship is off-balance (−2 Maneuverability for 30 seconds)
On critical failure: The ships become entangled without a clean ram impact — effectively an unintended boarding action begins immediately

Ramming Calculation Example:
A frigate (Speed 8, ram-reinforced bow) rams a stopped sloop (Speed 0, hull DR 2). Navigation success: Frigate takes 4d crushing (2 × DR 2); sloop takes 8 × 4 = 32 base damage crushing to the struck section. With sloop hull DR 2: 30 penetrating. Applied to sloop's bow section (which has perhaps 50 HP): the bow takes 30 HP in one hit, triggering immediate flooding.

Ram Hull Upgrade: Fitting an iron ram to the bow increases ramming damage by 50% but makes the bow section more prominent (−1 armor to bow vs. non-ramming attacks; cannon shots have a larger target).

5.2 Boarding Action

When ships are within grappling range (< 30m), the captain can order a boarding action — crew cross by rope, plank, or direct hull contact to fight on the enemy deck.

Boarding Resolution:

Phase 1 — Grappling: Grappling hooks are thrown; each successful hook (Seamanship roll, 3d6 ≤ Seamanship + relevant advantage) draws the ships 5m closer. Three successful hooks at close range means ships are locked together. The enemy can attempt to cut hooks (crew action, 1 crew member per hook, Knife or Axe roll).

Phase 2 — Boarding Party Crossing: The boarding party (Combat-role crew + the captain) swings/walks across on ropes and planks. Each crew member crossing is exposed for 0.5 seconds; enemy crew assigned to repel boarders gets a free attack (grapeshot or ranged attack) during this crossing. The number of crew who successfully cross is the boarding party size.

Phase 3 — Deck Combat: The game transitions from naval combat (helm view) to on-foot combat (isometric view). The captain and surviving boarding party fight the enemy crew on the enemy ship's deck. The enemy crew has stats based on their ship's Crew quality ratings.

Environment: The enemy ship deck is a combat arena with features relevant to the on-foot combat system:

Enemy cannons provide cover (DR 4 from cannon barrel and carriage)
Rigging ropes can be cut or swung on (grapple mechanic)
Hatchways lead to the gun deck (narrow quarters combat)
The ship's motion applies deck-combat modifiers (see Combat System, environmental modifiers)

Phase 4 — Naval Combat Pause: While boarding combat occurs, the ships are locked together. The owning player's ship is briefly uncontrollable; crew remaining on both ships continue minimal functions (Damage Control, passive defense). The naval combat state is frozen while the player fights.

Boarding Outcome:

Player wins: Enemy captain dead or surrenders; player can choose to take the prize (sail it to port with a skeleton crew), sink it (loot first), or release it (reputation effect: Honor or Mercy)
Player loses: Player character is captured or retreats; ship is at the enemy's mercy

Boarding vs. Hull Integrity: It is never worth boarding a ship that is about to sink. The smart move is softening a target (reduce crew with grapeshot, reduce speed with chain shot) and then boarding rather than destroying — a sunk ship is lost treasure, lost crew, and a lost prize.

5.3 Emergency Maneuvers

Hard About (Emergency Tack): Throw the ship into a rapid turn, trading speed for repositioning.

Activation: Helm input for maximum rudder
Cost: Reduces Speed to ×0.4 for the duration of the turn
Requires: Rigging Crew success (3d6 ≤ Seamanship); failure means a failed tack — the ship stops and must try again, completely helpless for 6 seconds
Use: Escaping a raking angle; reorienting to bring damaged-side cannons out of fire; gaining weather gauge in a single turn at the cost of speed

Sudden Stop (All Sail In): Order all sails furled simultaneously, bleeding speed rapidly.

Activation: Rigging order
Effect: Ship decelerates rapidly (Speed drops to 0 in 12 seconds rather than 30)
Use: An enemy behind you expecting to close the gap suddenly overshoots; a ramming attempt by the enemy misses as you stop in front of them; positioning to receive a boarding action on your terms

Full Sail Sprint: Every possible inch of canvas deployed; crew up the rigging; maximum speed at risk.

Activation: Rigging order
Effect: Speed ×1.3 for 60 seconds
Risk: Rigging under full sail stress; any Rigging damage during sprint applies double the Speed reduction; if a mast is struck during sprint, it may fall (catastrophic Speed loss and crew casualties)
Use: Escape when outgunned; close distance to begin a boarding action; flee an incoming storm

6. Ship Roles by Type

Each ship type has a distinct tactical identity. Salt & Steel does not "balance" ships to be equally capable — a sloop cannot trade cannon-fire with a galleon and live. The ships occupy genuine niches that reward tactical awareness.

6.1 The Sloop

Hull Points: Low (180 HP base)
Crew: 20–50
Speed: High (Base 12 hexes/round)
Maneuverability: Very High (70°/round)
Firepower: Low (6–12 small/medium cannons, broadside only)
Armor: Very Low (DR 1)

The sloop is the pirate's blade — fast enough to control every engagement, nimble enough to find the angle no other ship can reach, fragile enough that a mistake costs everything. Sloop captains live by two rules: never trade broadsides with a heavier ship, and always have an escape route.

Sloop Strengths:

Fastest point-of-sail transition; can change from close-hauled to running faster than any other ship
Gains the weather gauge in virtually every engagement against larger ships
Ideal for hit-and-run: approach, fire, disengage before reload; enemy cannot catch
Extremely effective at chain-shotting rigging — slowing heavy ships until they are helpless

Sloop Weaknesses:

Cannot absorb cannon fire; two successful heavy broadsides can sink a sloop
Low crew count limits boarding party size
Small cargo hold limits loot and prize capacity

Playstyle: Aggressive harrassment. The sloop captain is always moving. They never sit still for a broadside duel. They use speed to stay outside effective range while their own accurate long-range chain shot slows the enemy, then they close for a devastating single broadside before sprinting away to reload.

6.2 The Brigantine

Hull Points: Medium (320 HP base)
Crew: 50–100
Speed: Medium-High (Base 10 hexes/round)
Maneuverability: Medium-High (45°/round)
Firepower: Medium (14–18 medium cannons; square-rigged main; fore-and-aft mizzen)
Armor: Medium (DR 2)

The brigantine is Salt & Steel's "starting ship" for most captains and the most versatile hull in the game. It cannot match the sloop for speed or the frigate for firepower, but it can do both well enough to handle any encounter through skilled play.

Brigantine Strengths:

Mixed rigging allows good performance at multiple wind angles (better than square-rigged-only ships on close reach)
Sufficient crew for both fighting and boarding simultaneously
Fast enough to dictate engagement range against frigates; tough enough to survive brief exchanges with small frigates
The most upgrade-flexible hull — its mid-size means it can mount either heavier guns or better sails without as severe a tradeoff as larger ships

Brigantine Weaknesses:

Jack of all trades; excels at nothing except flexibility
Outrun by sloops; outgunned by frigates
Requires higher Navigation skill from the captain to exploit its full flexibility (multiple rigging type management)

Playstyle: The flexible opportunist. A brigantine captain takes what the situation gives — engaging head-on when they have the wind, using speed to reposition when they don't, supporting larger allied ships in fleet engagements.

6.3 The Frigate

Hull Points: High (520 HP base)
Crew: 120–200
Speed: Medium (Base 7 hexes/round)
Maneuverability: Medium (30°/round)
Firepower: High (24–36 medium and heavy cannons; port and starboard broadsides devastating)
Armor: High (DR 3)

The frigate is the apex combat ship of the pirate era — fast enough to hunt anything, powerful enough to kill anything except another frigate or larger. A well-handled frigate controls every engagement on its terms.

Frigate Strengths:

Broadside firepower is the highest of any "fast" ship — a successful frigate broadside can one-shot a sloop
Enough armor to absorb significant damage while maneuvering into position
Crew sufficient for large boarding parties after a sustained naval action
Prestigious: appearing with a frigate deters many potential attackers (Ferocity reputation benefit)

Frigate Weaknesses:

Slow enough that sloops can deny engagement entirely if they choose
Expensive to maintain (large crew has daily costs)
Requires careful management of ammunition and crew — a frigate depleted of gunners or shot cannot fight regardless of hull integrity

Playstyle: The line fighter. The frigate captain wins by getting into broadside range and firing more accurately and more reliably than the enemy. Their challenge is getting there — against a smart sloop captain, the frigate must use its weather gauge and cut off escape routes rather than chasing.

6.4 The Galleon

Hull Points: Very High (800 HP base)
Crew: 200–400
Speed: Low (Base 5 hexes/round)
Maneuverability: Low (20°/round)
Firepower: Very High (40–60 cannons, including heavy and bombard mounts)
Armor: Very High (DR 4)

The galleon is a fortress on the sea. It is the fleet flagship, the command ship, the pride of any navy or pirate fleet — and it is difficult to handle, expensive to maintain, and nearly impossible to maneuver in tight quarters.

Galleon Strengths:

Most HP in the game; absorbing punishment is what it does
Maximum firepower; even sloops die in one or two broadside hits at close range
Bombard mounts enable long-range harassment unavailable to other ship types
Intimidation beyond any other hull — enemies may flee before combat begins

Galleon Weaknesses:

Cannot pursue any ship that does not want to be caught
Requires enormous crew (maintaining that crew costs substantial daily gold)
Reef and shoal navigation requires a skilled navigator; a galleon that runs aground is in serious trouble
Boarding a galleon with full crew is a suicidal proposition for small boarding parties

Playstyle: The siege commander. A galleon captain controls sea lanes, blockades ports, and fights battles of attrition. They position themselves and let enemies come to them, because going to the enemy takes too long.

6.5 The Junk

Hull Points: Medium (300 HP base)
Crew: 60–120
Speed: Medium (Base 9 hexes/round)
Maneuverability: High (50°/round) — unique rigging enables exceptional turning
Firepower: Medium (16–24 medium cannons; some fire forward as well as broadside)
Armor: Medium (DR 2)

The junk's distinctive square lug-sails allow it to sail closer to the wind than Western-rigged ships. It turns differently — the batten sails are reefed by lowering rather than gathering, meaning turning and sail adjustment happen simultaneously in ways other ships cannot match.

Junk Strengths:

Best close-hauled performance of any ship (60°/round plus better upwind speed modifier)
Can fire forward-facing swivel guns alongside standard broadsides (arc coverage advantage)
Close-hauled agility makes it excellent in confined waters (archipelagos, reef navigation)
Culturally distinct: access to Eastern trade routes and faction relationships

Junk Weaknesses:

Lower maximum firepower than equivalently-sized Western ships
Less armored hull typically (wood choice)
Less effective running downwind than a square-rigged ship (the sails are less efficient at true downwind)

Playstyle: The weather witch. A junk captain wins on close-reach angles where their superior upwind performance and turning rate give them angles other ships cannot access. They force engagements on their terms by always having the wind angle where they are fastest.

7. Ship Customization

The ship is the captain's home, weapon system, and identity. Customization is deep and every choice has mechanical consequence.

7.1 Hull Upgrades

Hull Planking Tier:

Light Planking (base): DR 1, standard HP pool, standard Speed
Standard Planking: DR 2, +10% HP, no Speed change — the default upgrade
Heavy Planking: DR 3, +25% HP, −1 Speed — the tank build
Iron Plating (late-game): DR 4, +40% HP, −2 Speed — fortress at sea

Special Hull Features:

Ram Bow: +50% ram damage; can board via ram without grappling phase; takes −1 bow armor
Copper Bottom: Reduces barnacle growth (speed loss over time without port maintenance); eliminates the gradual Speed penalty from fouling
False Colors Hull: Can mount fake nation flags convincingly; +2 to Deception rolls when approaching neutral ships
Smuggling Holds: Hidden cargo space (20% of hold invisible to faction inspections); costs normal hold capacity (−15%)

7.2 Sail Configurations

Canvas Grade:

Standard Canvas: Base speed modifiers as listed
Heavy Canvas: −0.5 Speed; +1 Armor vs. fire attacks (damp, heavy canvas harder to ignite)
Light Racing Canvas: +1 Speed; −1 Rigging HP (tears easier in storms)
Silk Canvas (Eastern, expensive): +0.5 Speed; beautiful cosmetically; unique reputation effect

Enchanted Sails (magical; require access to Tide Caller's Circle):

Tide-Blessed Sails: +1 Speed on all points of sail; passive Fog Weave effect (light fog trail behind the ship at all times, −1 to enemy ranged attacks beyond 300m)
Ghost Sails: The ship runs without running lights and with reduced sound; +3 to all Stealth rolls at sea; ideal for night operations
Storm-Caller Sails: In storm conditions, the ship gains +2 Speed instead of the standard −1 from storm weather; crew morale does not drop during storms

7.3 Cannon Load-Outs

Cannons are purchased and mounted on specific deck positions. Each ship type has a maximum cannon point budget:

Sloop: 12 points
Brigantine: 20 points
Frigate: 32 points
Galleon: 50 points
Junk: 22 points

Cannon Costs:

2-pounder (small): 1 point; 2d damage; fast reload; best for grapeshot
9-pounder (medium): 2 points; 4d damage; standard; the general-purpose cannon
24-pounder (heavy): 4 points; 6d damage; slow reload; devastating
Swivel Gun: 1 point; 1d damage; fires in wider arc; crew-targeting specialist
Bombard (mortar): 5 points; 4d area; extreme range only; two per ship maximum

Cannon Placement: Cannons are placed in specific deck positions. Different positions affect firing arc:

Broadside ports: Standard 90° arc perpendicular to ship axis
Bow chasers: Fire forward within 30° of ship's heading
Stern chasers: Fire backward within 30°; essential for escape routes
Swivel mounts: 180° arc; mounted on rails; crew-adjustable

7.4 Figurehead

The figurehead is the ship's iconic prow decoration. Each provides a passive ship-wide effect:

Figurehead	Effect
Sea Serpent	+1 Crew morale in all conditions; enemy crew morale −1 on first sighting
Drowned Woman	+2 to all Bone Singing spells cast from ship; eerie effect deters some neutral ships
Cannon Saint	+1 Gunnery to all crew; reload time −5 seconds across all cannons
Fortune's Wheel	Once per naval combat, crew may reroll any single Gunnery or Navigation roll
Mermaid	+2 to all social Reaction modifiers with seafaring factions; reduces port entry tension
Ram's Head	+30% ram damage; Intimidation check vs. enemy captain before first broadside — success causes enemy ship to attempt to flee
Void Star	Supernatural damage dealt by the ship's cannons (requires Hot Shot + special powder); enemies hit by cannon take 1 Dread
Leviathan Jaw	Crew never suffer morale penalties from storms or sea monsters; the Leviathan watches over them

7.5 Crew Quarters and Cargo Hold

Crew Quarters Grade: Crew quarters quality directly affects crew morale, recovery rate, and maximum crew size:

Hammocks (base): Maximum crew determined by ship size; no morale bonus
Berths: +5% maximum crew; crew morale regenerates 10% faster after losses
Officer's Quarters: First Mate and specialist crew gain +1 to their skill rolls; crew morale cap +2
Comfort of the Seas: Maximum morale never drops below 50% regardless of casualties; crew loyalty +1

Cargo Hold Configuration: The standard hold stores generic cargo. Specialized holds unlock specific game functions:

Standard Hold: General cargo; loot storage; baseline
Armory Hold: Stores additional ammunition types; enables Hot Shot without a separate furnace module
Alchemist's Hold: Required for crafting consumables aboard ship; stores volatile materials safely
Prison Hold: Houses captured crew and officers from prizes; enables ransom and crew-recruitment from captives
Trophy Hold: Stores unique monster trophies and legendary items with special care; items stored here cannot be damaged by hull damage effects

7.6 Special Modules

Special modules occupy dedicated ship upgrade slots. Each ship has 2–4 module slots depending on size.

Module	Function
Diving Bell	Deploy for underwater exploration without FP drain; allows crew dives too
Hot Shot Furnace	Enables Hot Shot ammunition; +2 fire damage to all incendiary attacks
Crow's Nest (Enhanced)	+200m maximum vision range; enemy ship positions visible from further
Hospital Bay	Chirurgeon crew gains +2 to First Aid; crew casualties reduced by 10%
Smuggler's Lab	Can process raw magical components into usable items at sea; requires Alchemy skill
War Drum	Once per naval combat, the war drum rolls — crew initiative increases; one extra salvo may be fired before the first enemy broadside
Sorcerer's Compass	Detects magical ships and enchanted items within 500m; reveals Sea Serpent and supernatural creature positions
Ballista	A large bolt-firing weapon that can entangle enemy rigging (chain effect); alternative to standard grappling for boarding

8. Fleet Combat (Endgame)

When the captain commands multiple ships, naval combat expands to a fleet engagement. This is Salt & Steel's endgame naval system — the GURPS Mass Combat framework applied to naval warfare.

8.1 Fleet Command

The player directly controls their flagship (standard naval combat). Companion ships in the fleet follow general orders issued by the captain:

Engage: Attack the designated target independently
Protect: Shadow the flagship; intercept attacks directed at the flagship
Board: Move to boarding range; initiate boarding without the captain's involvement (resolved as crew vs. crew using crew quality stats)
Withdraw: Exit combat range; protect the ship's own integrity
Formation Hold: Maintain relative position to the flagship

8.2 Hero Effect

The captain's individual actions on the flagship have multiplied effects in fleet combat:

A successful boarding action by the captain removes the enemy flagship from fleet control
The captain's Navigation skill adds to all fleet formation maneuvers
The captain's Gunnery skill provides a +1 bonus to all fleet Gunnery rolls (the captain's reputation and training radiates through the fleet)
A captain with Leadership 15+ can change fleet orders instantaneously (normally takes one round for orders to relay)

8.3 Fleet Morale

Fleet morale is a collective stat for all ships under the captain's command. It is affected by:

Ships lost: −10 morale per ship sunk
Enemy flagship sunk: +15 morale
Captain's personal combat visibility (a captain who fights bravely generates morale bonus)
Weather conditions: Storms reduce morale unless the captain has weather-resistant crew/sails

At 0 fleet morale, non-flagship ships rout — they disengage and attempt to flee. The captain must either successfully command a rearguard action or accept the fleet's retreat.

9. Living Sea Integration

Naval combat does not pause the Living Sea simulation. Weather, creatures, and events persist through combat encounters.

9.1 Weather in Naval Combat

All weather systems (see Pillar 4) continue functioning during naval combat:

Storm: Both ships take storm penalties (Speed modifiers, Gunnery penalties). The ship with better storm-rigging (heavy canvas, storm-caller sails, crew with high Seamanship) performs relatively better.
Fog: Reduces engagement range; opponents within 300m are visible; beyond that, only heard. Gunnery becomes estimation; both sides are vulnerable to surprise approach.
Calm: No wind. Both ships are becalmed — neither can move under sail. Oared longboats become the only means of repositioning; this is where a ship with a Rowing Module (minor module) gains unexpected utility.

9.2 Sea Creatures During Combat

Sea creatures do not pause their behavior because a naval battle began.

Sharks: Attracted to blood in the water; crew who fall overboard during boarding actions immediately attract sharks (environmental hazard; retrieving overboard crew becomes a timed operation)
Giant Squid: If a naval battle occurs in a Giant Squid's territory, it may attack either or both ships (environmental threat that changes the combat calculus — a brief alliance against the squid is not unprecedented)
Sea Serpent: The apex predator. A Sea Serpent encounter during a naval battle is a complete reversal of priorities — the serpent attacks the closest ship with no faction loyalty. Players who can rapidly end the naval battle (boarding, sinking, or forcing surrender) before the serpent decides they are prey survive; those who linger do not.

9.3 Emergent Encounters

While a naval battle is ongoing, the world's emergent event system continues generating:

Other ships may appear (allied, enemy, neutral — each reacting to an in-progress battle differently)
Storm cells generated by the weather simulation may approach (15-minute warning)
SOS signals from unrelated distress encounters may trigger (the player must choose: continue the battle, or respond)

These interruptions are not guaranteed — they are probabilistic outcomes of the living world. They add texture and memorable stories: the players who won a desperate battle against a frigate, only to sail into a storm immediately after with a crippled ship and half a crew, are the players who tell stories.

10. Design Principles: What Naval Combat Must Always Feel Like

The Wind Is Always Working. No naval engagement is a static broadside trade. The wind is constantly shifting the tactical picture, and the captain who ignores it loses. Wind should be visible, readable, and responsive — always there.

Positioning Beats Firepower. The more powerful ship loses if the better captain takes the wrong angle. The weather gauge must feel meaningful and worth fighting for in every engagement.

Consequences Are Felt. A shattered cannon port, a lost mast, a flooding hold, a thinned crew — these must feel different, not just count against a number. The ship's behavior changes when it takes damage. The player sees and feels what the ship is going through.

Transitions Are Earned. Boarding is not a button press at close range. It is the result of positioning, grapeshot to weaken the crew, and a daring crossing while the enemy is off-balance. The transition from naval combat to on-foot deck combat should feel like the climax it is.

Both Ships Are Real. Enemy ships have AI captains with their own skill levels, tactical preferences, and risk tolerances. A veteran navy captain fights differently from a pirate captain — the navy captain tries to maintain range and use superior gunnery; the pirate closes for boarding. The AI must express this identity so the player feels like they are fighting a person, not a pattern.

The Ship Is Alive. The crew shouts, the sails crack, the hull groans. Every action has audio and visual response. When the ship is taking damage, the world communicates it viscerally. When a broadside lands clean on an enemy ship, it is spectacular.

See Also:
Combat System — On-foot combat for boarding actions
Skill System — Naval skills (Seamanship, Navigation, Gunnery) on the Skill Atlas
Movement and Controls — Ship helm controls and boarding transitions
Pillars: Dual-Layer Combat — Design philosophy for the two-combat-system commitment
The Living Sea — Weather and creature systems that affect naval combat