POTSM Ships of the Spanish Main

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Ships of the Spanish Main Savage WorldsTM House Rules by Jordan Peacock for use with Pirates of the Spanish MainTM RPG

Even More Ships 10-Mast Ship Up to 3 Masts. 1/2 Crew (round down) Acceleration: 2 Toughness: 28(8) when under oar power. -1 Cargo Space and +10 The Pirates RPG covers most of the Passengers per Mast. 10 oarsmen per Mast are Top Speed: 5 Wounds: 10 basic ship types found in the Pirates universe. required to man the oars. Top Speed 4, Travel 30 + 80 3 However, various expansions to the Pirates of Crew: Travel Speed: Speed 2, Acceleration 2, and +2 to Handling the Spanish Main (or Pirates of the Cursed Seas) Cargo Space: 16 Handling: -6 when moving under oar. PocketModel game introduce even more ship Guns: 40 Cost: $400,000 In addition to tales of types than are covered in Savage Worlds rules. Heavy Armor, Solid Longship, Viking: Notes: ersatz Vikings, there are Until official rules should appear for such wild rumors of ancient ships, here are some fan-made additional ship New Ship Types longships that appear on types, plus assorted ship-related house rules I moonless nights, crewed use in my campaign. (Special thanks to Jack Ace In these descriptions, “Masts” is used as a measure of ship size. For instance, a Viking by drunken warriors on from the Pinnacle forums for inspiration for the leave from Valhalla ... or Ship Edges house rules.) Longship is listed as “1 Mast,” so this ship type can only be applied to the basic “1-Masted Ship” escaped from Hel’s Larger Ships template (p. 116, Pirates RPG). This is used as a domain. Certain ships - so far, only junks - may have measure rather than “Wounds,” since some ships 1 Mast. Has statistics as more than the normal limit of 5 masts. These have additional Wounds. the Longship, but with 0 Guns, +1 are suggested statistics for such craft. (Note Galley, Barbary: These lateen-rigged ships Cargo Space, and Cost of $9,000. The Shallow that these are theoretical “standard” 6-Mast and use banks of oars Draft Edge does not count against this ship’s 10-Mast ships, before the “Junk” type is applied.) when the waters of limit. the Mediterranean Schooner (1700s, house rule version): From are becalmed, the 18th century making them ideal onward, this ship for Barbary Coast design sees much use, corsairs raiding merchant ships. as its sails are designed Up to 4 Masts. 1/2 Crew when under oar to be repositioned to power. -1 Cargo Space and +10 Passengers per make best use of the wind, even when sailing Mast. 10 oarsmen per Mast are required in order close into it. to man the oars; Top Speed 4, Travel Speed 2, Up to 4 Masts. +2 Handling, -2 Toughness, Acceleration 2 when under oars. Taking the 1/2 Guns. The Shallow Draft Edge does not Ram Edge does not count toward a barbary count toward this ship’s limit. 6-Mast Ship galley’s Edge limit. Turtle Ship: Also known as “kobuk-son,” Acceleration: 2 Toughness: 24(4) Junk: These well-designed oriental ships are hese rare Korean ships Top Speed: 5 Wounds: 6 designed with shallow drafts and protect the crew with a shell Crew: 26 + 52 Travel Speed: 3 adjustable rudders that can of overlapping metal Cargo Space: 12 Handling: -4 be dropped to act as a keel, shields on a sturdy wooden allowing them to be 24 $150,000 frame. Guns: Cost: equally at home on rivers Notes: Heavy Armor, Solid 1 or 2 Masts. 1/2 or on the high seas. Crew when under oar Some have reached power. -1 Cargo Space immense size, such as the and +10 Passengers per 10-masted Chinese treasure ship, the Baochuan. Mast. 10 oarsmen per Up to 10 Masts. +2 Handling, -2 Armor, -1 Mast required to man oars. Top Speed 4, Travel Acceleration (minimum 1). The Shallow Draft Speed 2, Acceleration 2 when under oars. +2 and Storm Worthy Edges do not count toward Wounds (due to armor), double Cost. These this ship’s limit. extra Wounds do not increase the number of Longship: In the Frozen North, Edges this ship may have. Scandinavian pirates sail Until these extra Wounds are lost, the ship’s ships designed to hearken crew and passengers are immune to crew hits back to the days of their via grape ammunition, and any enemy boarding Viking ancestors. Unlike attempts are at -2 (to the group Throwing roll) their Viking ancestors, per Wound of shielding remaining. however, they use cannons.

Savage WorldsTM TM, Pinnacle Entertainment GroupTM, GreatTM White GamesTM, and all relatedTM marks and logos are copyright © 2007-2008 by Great White Games (http://www.peginc.com). All Rights Reserved. Savage Worlds , Pinnacle EntertainmentTM Group , GreatTM White Games TM, and all related marksTM and logosTM are copyright © 2007-2008 by Great White Games (http:// Pirates of the Spanish Main , Pirates of the Mysterious Islands , Pirates at Ocean’s EdgeTM , Pirates of the Cursed Seas , Pocketmodel ,TM and all related marks and logos are copyrightTM © 2002-2008 WizKids TM www.peginc.com).Games (http://www.wizkidsgames.com/pirates). All Rights Reserved. ThisPirates game referencesof the Spanish the Savage WorldsMain game, Pirates system, available of the from Mysterious Pinnacle Entertainment Islands Group, Pirates at www.peginc.com. at Ocean’s Savage Edge Worlds, and Pirates all associated of the logos Cursed and Seas , TM trademarksPocketmodel are copyrights, ofand Pinnacle all related Entertainment marks Group. and Used logos with permission.are copyright Pinnacle © makes 2002-2008 no representation WizKids or warranty Games as to the (http://www.wizkidsgames.com/pirates). quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product. New Ship House Rules for this purpose. These Edges may only be acquired by a ship during its construction (by spending of Maximum Ship Edges Conversely, desperate captains can lighten their load to better their speed across the Advances or offsetting with Hindrances), and Ships with more than 6 Wounds are water. A ship with empty capacity equal to its they stay with the ship. They cannot be added nonetheless limited to a maximum of 6 Edges. total number of Cargo Spaces gains +2 to Top later through Advances. Edges gained as offsets to Hindrances do Speed, +1 to Travel Speed, and +2 to Handling Crew Edges not count toward this total, nor do Edges listed when avoiding reefs and shallow waters. The following Edges are considered Crew as not counting toward the ship’s limit. This can be accomplished either by having Edges: Artillery, Disciplined Crew, Hated Foe, Solid a completely empty Cargo Hold, or by tossing and Rapid Fire. The only Crew Hindrance is Solid ships benefit and suffer from inertia. cannons overboard so that precious provisions Poor Crew (minor). That is, it’s hard to steer them quickly, but it’s don’t have to be sacrificed. Every 2 Guns These Edges may only be attained by also very hard to knock them off course. removed count as one empty Cargo Space spending Advances, and are possessed by the If a ship with the Solid characteristic is hit for purposes of gaining this bonus. Hence, a Crew as a whole - not by individual characters, by damage that equals or exceeds its Toughness, 1-mast sloop could discard 2 8-pdr cannons (or or by the ship. If the crew should move to a and the captain is forced to make a Boating roll 4 4-pdr cannons) in order to keep one Cargo new ship, the Edge goes along with the crew. to avoid going out of control, he gains a bonus Space full of provisions. As long as the rest of Crew Edges do not count toward the maximum to Handling equal to the maximum number of its hold is empty, it still number of Edges a ship Wounds the ship has. gains the bonus to Speed can have - since these for having an “empty Edges don’t belong to For example, if an enemy ship hits the hold.” the ship anymore under Grand Path (a 6-Masted Junk) with an 8-pdr this house rule. cannon shot that deals 20 points of damage (AP Transporting Cannons 4), the captain gains a +6 bonus to the Handling Cannons consist If 20% or more of of his ship (normally -2 for a 6-mast junk), for a of two parts: the barrel the crew are lost, this total of +4 to his roll. and the wooden “truck.” Edge is temporarily 4 cannons may be lost as well. It takes Passenger/Gun/Cargo Conversion transported per Cargo approximately 1 week Space for Passengers, Guns and Cargo may Space. Alternatively, you per 20% of the crew that be converted from one to the other, at a rate of may transport 8 cannon has been replaced for the 1 Cargo Space = 2 Guns = 10 Passengers. Thus, barrels or 8 wooden new hands to get up to 1 Cargo Space could be converted into room for trucks in a Cargo Space. speed. 10 more Passengers, 2 Guns could be converted (If a wooden truck is into 1 more Cargo Space, etc. Equipment Edges destroyed or discarded, it The following Lightening the Load costs $50 to replace the Edges are considered Light pirate sloops with empty holds should truck.) Equipment Edges: Long Range Guns, Oars, be able to overtake Spanish galleons laden Overgunned, Powerful Guns, Ram, Swift with gold and riding low in the water, even if a Ship Edge Types Topsails, and Windcatcher. sloop’s normal Top Speed is less than that of a As an optional house rule, Ship Edges are 5-masted galleon. divided into three types: Ship, Equipment, and These Edges may be acquired by a ship at its construction, or added on later via Advances. Depending on the amount of the ship’s Crew. The reason for this distinction is that At the GM’s discretion, it may be possible to Cargo Spaces that are full, its Top Speed, Travel while it works just fine for NPCs to throw transfer these Edges to a new ship, so long as Speed, and its Handling may be affected. “Disciplined Crew” and “Extra Cargo Space” into the same pile, this system falls apart as this doesn’t put the new ship past its maximum Use the ship’s base Cargo Space before soon as the PCs get involved. They may number of Edges. conversions to other uses; if Cargo Spaces capture a pirate ship, put the crew in irons, then Buying and Selling Ships With Edges have been converted to Guns, or are filled with decide to keep the ship for themselves. Or Passengers, those count as filled Cargo Spaces maybe their own ship gets stolen or sunk while Sometimes, ships with Edges get sold. The they (and their entire crew) are off carousing. Edges don’t just go away - and this should be Lightening the Load Which Edges do they keep? Which ones go reflected in the sale price of the ship. away? Ships with “Ship” or “Equipment” Edges (not balanced out by Hindrances) have their % Cargo A bit of GM “hand-waving” can be done Cost increased by $1000 per Mast of the ship. Filled Effect on Ship to rationalize just about anything (perhaps the Empty +2 Top Speed, +1 Travel crew is despondent about the loss of its ship Ships with Hindrances not balanced Speed, +2 Handling* and is therefore no longer Disciplined when out by Edges have their Cost decreased. If Up to 25% +1 Top Speed, +1 Handling* the PCs get a new frigate), but at a certain the Hindrances can be repaired, the Cost is Up to 75% No effect. point, it can get silly ... and, more importantly, decreased by the amount that would be required Over 75% -1 Top Speed, -1 Handling* frustrating to the players. to have them repaired. Otherwise, the Cost is 100% Full -2 Top Speed, -1 Travel Speed, Ship Edges decreased by $1000 per Mast of the ship for a -2 Handling* The following Edges are considered Ship Major Hindrance, or $500 per Mast of the ship Edges: Extra Cargo Space, Helmsman’s Dream, for a Minor Hindrance. (* avoiding reefs and shallow waters only) Fast, Passengers, Shallow Draft, Storm Worthy, It’s up to the GM to determine what ship Thick Hull, Unsinkable, and Well Built. types are available for sale. Generally speaking,

Savage WorldsTM, Pinnacle Entertainment GroupTM, Great White GamesTM, and all related marks and logos are copyright © 2007-2008 by Great White Games (http://www.peginc.com). All Rights Reserved. Pirates of the Spanish MainTM, Pirates of the Mysterious IslandsTM, Pirates at Ocean’s EdgeTM, Pirates of the Cursed SeasTM, PocketmodelTM, and all related marks and logos are copyright © 2002-2008 WizKids Games (http://www.wizkidsgames.com/pirates). This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product. if a given ship type is widely available for sale in accordance with the Ship Edge Types house slam into it, and the captain gets a +4 bonus to in a given port, then any Edges can be found rules presented earlier. any Boating rolls required to avoid going out of that don’t normally count against that ship’s Boarders (Crew) control as a result. limit. In other words, if the heroes are shopping The crew of this ship has been trained to Please note that this only applies when other in the Far East for a junk, then they can easily coordinate its boarding efforts, gaining a +2 ships slam into it - not when it slams into other find junks with the Shallow Draft and/or Storm bonus to group Throwing rolls for boarding (see ships. For the latter, you need the Ram Edge. Worthy Edges. p. 136, Pirates RPG). Spotter (Crew) Boats and Light Craft Concentrated Fire (Crew) The crew is trained to use this ship’s second The general difference between a boat and a The crew of this ship are trained to perspective on the target to assist allied ships ship is that a boat can be carried on a ship. coordinate their attacks with those of another in their cannon fire. Allied ships within 10” ship to devastating effect. If the crew of this of this ship gain a +1 bonus to Shooting rolls. Boats are below the scale of even sloops; ship fires cannons on the same action as an Unfortunately, it provides no bonus to this ship’s they do not have Heavy Armor, so they can be allied ship (by going on hold until the other ship own cannoneers, though this ship can benefit damaged by regular weapons fire. However, if fires, or vice versa), and they target the same from Spotting performed by another ship’s crew. targeted by a Heavy Weapon, such as a cannon, ship, they gain a +2 bonus to Shooting rolls to even a single wound sinks a boat, no matter how Waveskipper (Ship) hit. many Wounds it has left; the fact that a boat has When this ship carries no cargo, its Top more Wounds than a sloop is simply a reflection Fireproof (Equipment) Speed is increased by +2, and its Travel Speed by of the difference in scale. Any time a Fire would start on this ship (due +1. (If speed is of the essence, but there’s cargo that can’t be sacrificed, cannons can be unloaded Boats, despite having multiple Wounds, may to Critical Hit, spreading Fire, touching a Fire instead; every 2 Guns spaces left unoccupied are not be granted Edges. Ship, etc.), roll 1d6. On a roll of 4+, the Fire does not start or spread. Fire crews get a +4 the equivalent of one empty Cargo Space. Except as specified otherwise, boats cannot bonus to rolls to put out Fires on this ship. carry guns. Passenger Space may be converted New Ship Hindrances Fortification (Equipment) into Cargo Space (at a rate of 10 to 1) but Cargo Hunted (Minor) This ship is constructed with fortified and Passenger Space cannot be converted to Your ship is infamous among sailors of a positions and other measures to greatly aid its Guns. particular nation or faction, for some particularly crew in repelling boarders. Attackers suffer a -4 Ships may carry one dinghy per Mast; one grievous transgression (real or imagined). Pick a penalty to their group Throwing roll to board longboat can be carried instead of two dinghies. major seafaring faction or nation (e.g., America, this ship. Dinghy Barbary Corsairs, England, France, Spain) Hard to Hit (Ship) active in the campaign (the GM determines Acceleration: 1 Toughness: 8 (2) This ship presents a smaller silhouette what constitutes “active” enough). Any ship Top Speed: 3 Wounds: 3* that makes it harder to hit at long ranges. Any of that nation or faction gains a +1 to attack Crew: 1+4 Travel Speed: 1 cannon attacks made against this ship at long rolls and boarding attempts against this ship. Cargo Space: 0 Handling: +2 range (or longer) have double the normal range This Hindrance may be taken twice, each time Guns: 0 Cost: $500 penalty to hit. There is no effect upon cannon associated with a different enemy. Notes: Boat. Includes oars; may be fire within short or medium range. Luddites’ Revenge (Major) rowed by 1 or more crewmen for Also, lookouts have a -2 penalty to spot this The ship statistics as listed. -2 to Shooting ship at a distance with Notice checks. seems to be attempts to hit this boat with cannon Hardy (Ship) cursed with bad fire. This ship is blessed, lucky ... or its builder luck. Any time just did a really good job at making it more a 1 is rolled on Longboat durable than it appears. Somehow, emerges a Shooting roll (regardless of the Acceleration: 2 Toughness: 10(2) relatively unscathed from a number of scrapes. Wild Die) when Top Speed: 6 Wounds: 3* If the ship would otherwise be damaged, once per session the ship gets a Soak roll against the firing this ship’s cannons, a mishap renders the Crew: 2+10 Travel Speed: 1 remaining damage, using the regular crew’s Spirit cannon inoperable until it can be repaired (a Cargo Space: 0 Handling: +2 (a group roll) instead of a Vigor roll. Repair check and an hour of work). Guns: 0 Cost: $2,000 Low in the Water (Ship) Sluggish (Minor) Notes: Boat; may mount a bowchaser. When this ship’s cargo hold is over 50% Travel speed is for sail. Includes oars; Enemy ranged attacks against this ship suffer a minimum -2 penalty to hit due to range, full, it suffers a -2 penalty to its Top Speed, and may be rowed by 6 or more crewmen even when this ship is within Short range. -1 to its Travel Speed (minimum Travel Speed for Acceleration 1, Top Speed 3, Travel of 1). E.g., a ship with 4 Cargo Spaces and this Speed 1. -1 to Shooting attempts to hit Luxurious (Equipment) Hindrance will suffer the penalty to movement this boat with cannon fire. The interior is extravagantly appointed, when it has 3 Cargo Spaces filled. Cargo Spaces with a spacious galley and entertainments for converted to mount extra cannons count as the crew and passengers. Fatigue due to Cabin New Ship Edges “full” for purposes of this calculation (see Fever happens half as quickly; one fatigue level “Lightening the Load”). The following are new Edges, most of per 60 days at sea for most ships. them inspired by special ship abilities from the Shock Resistant (Ship) Pirates PocketModel game. They are identified This ship takes half damage from collisions as either “Ship,” “Crew,” or “Equipment” Edges, when other ships (or similarly large objects)