Any tips on spicing up an ocean voyage and/or battle?
- Thread starter ConnorSB
- Start date
Some things to spice up combat on a ship. (tech may be too low in a few examples)
1- Sharpshooters. A common tactic was the placement of sharpshooters up the masts. These make nice targets for your PCs, as they're somewhat distinct from "average guy engaging in melee."
2- Sail Cutters. If ballistae are used, a large ship is capable of putting spiked/razor sharp chains on at the center of gravity of two ballista bolts. While typically they can be used at medium range to slow ship by slashing through the sails, no one would think twice of sending one through a massed group of combatants on board. Be as descriptive as you like in detailing what razor sharp chain does to a cluster of lightly armored seamen when traveling at 70 odd miles an hour. Heads may roll, Torsos may thump, or the peg-leg guy at the harbor may be in for a lot of business ^_^
3- Lit Arrows. Are some of your PCs not combat oriented, no doubt a few lack HP. Putting out arrows is an excellent task for people who don't want to be absolutely useless but don't want to impale themselves on a saber.
4- Fire Ships. If a ship just won't surrender, but has too many combatants on board and cargo isn't the point of the raid, there's nothing wrong with putting explosives on rowboats, putting a few stout lads on it, and sending them to do some dirty work. Just get the boat stuck to the ship (Rudder? Yeah) and light a few fuses, then dive and escape. Cannons etc usually have a hell of a time hitting these little buggers when they get close, and if nothing else it'll give your PCs yet-another-problem to deal with.
5- Ramming. If your boats support bronze or steel rams, you can always have the final attack of the opponents be a ram of some sort. This defies Age of Discovery tactics (lets line up and broadside each other repeatedly fighting for the best winds) but, hey... could happen. Anyway, handling a crew is one problem, handling a captain bent on smashing into you full speed is a total other problem. It'll make the PCs figure a way to get onto the boat, kill the big Bad, and win the day.. Or, it'll make the cast deal with now owning a completely different ship if they fail to stop the ram but win the day.
1- Sharpshooters. A common tactic was the placement of sharpshooters up the masts. These make nice targets for your PCs, as they're somewhat distinct from "average guy engaging in melee."
2- Sail Cutters. If ballistae are used, a large ship is capable of putting spiked/razor sharp chains on at the center of gravity of two ballista bolts. While typically they can be used at medium range to slow ship by slashing through the sails, no one would think twice of sending one through a massed group of combatants on board. Be as descriptive as you like in detailing what razor sharp chain does to a cluster of lightly armored seamen when traveling at 70 odd miles an hour. Heads may roll, Torsos may thump, or the peg-leg guy at the harbor may be in for a lot of business ^_^
3- Lit Arrows. Are some of your PCs not combat oriented, no doubt a few lack HP. Putting out arrows is an excellent task for people who don't want to be absolutely useless but don't want to impale themselves on a saber.
4- Fire Ships. If a ship just won't surrender, but has too many combatants on board and cargo isn't the point of the raid, there's nothing wrong with putting explosives on rowboats, putting a few stout lads on it, and sending them to do some dirty work. Just get the boat stuck to the ship (Rudder? Yeah) and light a few fuses, then dive and escape. Cannons etc usually have a hell of a time hitting these little buggers when they get close, and if nothing else it'll give your PCs yet-another-problem to deal with.
5- Ramming. If your boats support bronze or steel rams, you can always have the final attack of the opponents be a ram of some sort. This defies Age of Discovery tactics (lets line up and broadside each other repeatedly fighting for the best winds) but, hey... could happen. Anyway, handling a crew is one problem, handling a captain bent on smashing into you full speed is a total other problem. It'll make the PCs figure a way to get onto the boat, kill the big Bad, and win the day.. Or, it'll make the cast deal with now owning a completely different ship if they fail to stop the ram but win the day.
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William Ronald
Explorer
Attack from below: An intelligent undersea race, such as the sahuagin, aids a naval vessel attacking the PC's ship. The Sahuagin could emerge from the water to help attack the PCs on the deck of the ship, or could try to sabotage the ship from below.
Kraken!! Kraken!! (An old joke in a campaign I was in. A group of PCs survived an encounter with a kraken and a player would occassionally imitate his character in a state of shock, muttering the word kraken.)
From the depths: An island may rise from the sea at certain times, revealing either ruins or an inhabited city. The question for the latter is inhabited by what? Lovecraftian horrors are appropriate here.
Kraken!! Kraken!! (An old joke in a campaign I was in. A group of PCs survived an encounter with a kraken and a player would occassionally imitate his character in a state of shock, muttering the word kraken.)
From the depths: An island may rise from the sea at certain times, revealing either ruins or an inhabited city. The question for the latter is inhabited by what? Lovecraftian horrors are appropriate here.
johnsemlak
First Post
Hmm, interesting, Landlubber that I am, I wasn't aware of that.bloodymage said:
Are the chances of survival really so low because the victem usually is knocked unconsious by falling overboard?
Silver Moon
Adventurer
That's funny, Kriskrafts DMed a module last summer where mutant sharks were the main villain. She came up with the idea after watching an episode on the Discovery channel. There's a company that even makes humanoid shark minatures!Nightfall said:
I wrote up a naval encounter generator for an upcoming Mongoose book (book of the Sea). Let's put it to work:
1. The PCs' ship encounters a huge merchant vessel, with representatives of a neutral good merchant's guild on board. However, one of the merchants is Neutral Evil - he has bargained with a demon. The merchant ship hails the PCs, and asks them to drop off a sealed letter at the guildhall in the port the PCs are heading towards. This letter is marked with the seal of the merchant's guild, but actually contains instructions to a demonologist ally of the evil merchant. If the PCs break the seal and read the letter, they can uncover the demonic plot and possibly win the favour of the guild.
2. The PCs come across a damaged and slowly sinking ship. The only person on board is a cleric. His only cargo is an idol, retrieved by a church-sponsored adventuring party. He demands that the PCs bring him and the idol on board, so he can travel with them to the port city, where he will obtain another ship to bring the idol to his ultimate destination.
When the crew of the PCs' ship bring the idol on board, though, they recognise it. It's a relic of the locathah, something that belongs on the bottom of the sea. The cleric's ship was damaged by a storm sent by the locathah druids, trying to retrieve their treasure. Do the PCs help the cleric, or listen to the fears and superstitions of their crew and dump the icon overboard?
3. The PCs' ship passes a tiny island. An agent of the crown or whatever local government the PCs are loyal to hails them from the shore. He's been assigned to watch ships passing the island, which is on a major shipping route. A few hours ago, he saw a warship flying the flag of a rival nation sailing towards a port. The port must be warned and the warship stopped.
The warship is actually just testing the resolve and the defences of the crown - but if the PCs help out and are too trigger-happy, they could spark off a war.
One more for the sea...
4.An elemental storm. Bah, that's just freaky weather.
5. A merrow starts stalking the PCs ship - it climbs on board during the night, gobbles up a sailor, then slips back underwater. The merrow is very agile and strong. To catch it, the characters will either have to fight it on its own territory, or take a night watch themselves and try to kill a monster that clambers up the side of the ship swiftly, drags one of them overboard, then slips back into the black waters....
1. The PCs' ship encounters a huge merchant vessel, with representatives of a neutral good merchant's guild on board. However, one of the merchants is Neutral Evil - he has bargained with a demon. The merchant ship hails the PCs, and asks them to drop off a sealed letter at the guildhall in the port the PCs are heading towards. This letter is marked with the seal of the merchant's guild, but actually contains instructions to a demonologist ally of the evil merchant. If the PCs break the seal and read the letter, they can uncover the demonic plot and possibly win the favour of the guild.
2. The PCs come across a damaged and slowly sinking ship. The only person on board is a cleric. His only cargo is an idol, retrieved by a church-sponsored adventuring party. He demands that the PCs bring him and the idol on board, so he can travel with them to the port city, where he will obtain another ship to bring the idol to his ultimate destination.
When the crew of the PCs' ship bring the idol on board, though, they recognise it. It's a relic of the locathah, something that belongs on the bottom of the sea. The cleric's ship was damaged by a storm sent by the locathah druids, trying to retrieve their treasure. Do the PCs help the cleric, or listen to the fears and superstitions of their crew and dump the icon overboard?
3. The PCs' ship passes a tiny island. An agent of the crown or whatever local government the PCs are loyal to hails them from the shore. He's been assigned to watch ships passing the island, which is on a major shipping route. A few hours ago, he saw a warship flying the flag of a rival nation sailing towards a port. The port must be warned and the warship stopped.
The warship is actually just testing the resolve and the defences of the crown - but if the PCs help out and are too trigger-happy, they could spark off a war.
One more for the sea...
4.An elemental storm. Bah, that's just freaky weather.
5. A merrow starts stalking the PCs ship - it climbs on board during the night, gobbles up a sailor, then slips back underwater. The merrow is very agile and strong. To catch it, the characters will either have to fight it on its own territory, or take a night watch themselves and try to kill a monster that clambers up the side of the ship swiftly, drags one of them overboard, then slips back into the black waters....
Lots of interesting nuggets have been tossed in to the pot so far, mostly to do with external encounters (pirates/monsters and so on) - I'm going to look at internal encounters (crew/officers/passengers et al).
The Rivals - two of the ships officers just don't get on. What started as simple dislike festers into mutual loathing over the course of the voyage. Each officer has a following (who reflect the animosity of their principals) but for the most part the crew and other officers are unhappy neutrals in this dispute. Can the PCs intervene before the feud escalates to violence or the discord endangers the ship?
The Jonah - someone is fingered as bringing bad luck to the ship. He is ostracised and persecuted by his superstitious shipmates. Is he a Jonah? If so can the curse be lifted? If not, how do the PCs save the victim (or profit from his misfortune)?
The Stowaway - there's a stowaway on board. How did they get here? Why? Will they bring trouble? What will happen if they are discovered? What do the PCs do about it?
Pecculation - the PCs discover that one of the crew has been selling off the ship's equipment (sails, cordage, masts, rations - whatever falls under his authority) and pocketing the proceeds. What do they do about it?
Corruption - the PCs discover that whoever did the ship's last refit used sub-standard materials. What do they do about it?
The Favourite - one of the ship's officers is utterly unfit for duty; unfortunately the captain or owner thinks he's the bee's knees. Can the PCs unmask him as an incompetant before he gets everyone killed?
The Tyrant - the captain is a cruel bully; promoting his favourites, persecuting those who cross him and driving everyone round the bend with his arbitrary and inconsistent behaviour. The crew are being pushed to their limit and a mutiny is a real possibility. Can the PCs prevent a mutiny? Should they?
The VIP - one of the passengers is potentially a rich source of patronage. Everyone on board wants to be in his good books but noone wants to look too obvious in their toadying. Hijinks ensue.
Hoarding His Tot - one of the PCs friends/followers within the crew is discovered passed out and stinking of rum. Can they cover for him? Should they?
Cargo Carnage - Part of the cargo has breached its packaging and is spoiled. Left alone it will endanger other cargoes, the ship or the crew (cf. "The Cargo of Rice", "Dracula"). Can it be disposed of safely? How will the owner of the cargo react to the loss of his property?
All Hands On Deck - owing to a navigational error the ship has become embayed on a lee shore... Can the crew save the ship? If they avoid shipwreck how did such a mistake get made?
Regards
Luke
The Rivals - two of the ships officers just don't get on. What started as simple dislike festers into mutual loathing over the course of the voyage. Each officer has a following (who reflect the animosity of their principals) but for the most part the crew and other officers are unhappy neutrals in this dispute. Can the PCs intervene before the feud escalates to violence or the discord endangers the ship?
The Jonah - someone is fingered as bringing bad luck to the ship. He is ostracised and persecuted by his superstitious shipmates. Is he a Jonah? If so can the curse be lifted? If not, how do the PCs save the victim (or profit from his misfortune)?
The Stowaway - there's a stowaway on board. How did they get here? Why? Will they bring trouble? What will happen if they are discovered? What do the PCs do about it?
Pecculation - the PCs discover that one of the crew has been selling off the ship's equipment (sails, cordage, masts, rations - whatever falls under his authority) and pocketing the proceeds. What do they do about it?
Corruption - the PCs discover that whoever did the ship's last refit used sub-standard materials. What do they do about it?
The Favourite - one of the ship's officers is utterly unfit for duty; unfortunately the captain or owner thinks he's the bee's knees. Can the PCs unmask him as an incompetant before he gets everyone killed?
The Tyrant - the captain is a cruel bully; promoting his favourites, persecuting those who cross him and driving everyone round the bend with his arbitrary and inconsistent behaviour. The crew are being pushed to their limit and a mutiny is a real possibility. Can the PCs prevent a mutiny? Should they?
The VIP - one of the passengers is potentially a rich source of patronage. Everyone on board wants to be in his good books but noone wants to look too obvious in their toadying. Hijinks ensue.
Hoarding His Tot - one of the PCs friends/followers within the crew is discovered passed out and stinking of rum. Can they cover for him? Should they?
Cargo Carnage - Part of the cargo has breached its packaging and is spoiled. Left alone it will endanger other cargoes, the ship or the crew (cf. "The Cargo of Rice", "Dracula"). Can it be disposed of safely? How will the owner of the cargo react to the loss of his property?
All Hands On Deck - owing to a navigational error the ship has become embayed on a lee shore... Can the crew save the ship? If they avoid shipwreck how did such a mistake get made?
Regards
Luke
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
One of the great things about a naval battle is that it has a completely different environment.
There are things to consider like the weather. By having the players fight in a storm, chaos becomes far more common. The inability to see more than a few feet in front of you can play havoc with missile specialists. Things like heavy winds can also cause issues. All the while, don't forget gold old thunder and lighnting, especially if an enemy druid or other weather controlling type is around. These individuals can make live misearable for the party.
There is also the limited amount of space on a boat. An enemy spellcaster can have a field day peppering a deck with area effecting spells and where are the players going to try and move?
This doesn't count the potential adventures or combat situations that can happen in the water. If someone gets into into the water, finally, a good use for bull rush, then there could be other issues at stake. For example, if the fight's already started and blood is flowing, sharks! Heaven help the player in full palte who gets knocked overboard.
On the other hand, you don't want to make every sea voyage terrible. In my youth, I tended to make every trip worthy of Sinbad's greatest travels and pretty soon the party took to the open road. Always to the road. If they couldn't get to where they needed to, they'd sell magic items for teleportation spells.
There are things to consider like the weather. By having the players fight in a storm, chaos becomes far more common. The inability to see more than a few feet in front of you can play havoc with missile specialists. Things like heavy winds can also cause issues. All the while, don't forget gold old thunder and lighnting, especially if an enemy druid or other weather controlling type is around. These individuals can make live misearable for the party.
There is also the limited amount of space on a boat. An enemy spellcaster can have a field day peppering a deck with area effecting spells and where are the players going to try and move?
This doesn't count the potential adventures or combat situations that can happen in the water. If someone gets into into the water, finally, a good use for bull rush, then there could be other issues at stake. For example, if the fight's already started and blood is flowing, sharks! Heaven help the player in full palte who gets knocked overboard.
On the other hand, you don't want to make every sea voyage terrible. In my youth, I tended to make every trip worthy of Sinbad's greatest travels and pretty soon the party took to the open road. Always to the road. If they couldn't get to where they needed to, they'd sell magic items for teleportation spells.
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