Form Line of Battle

Form Line of Battle A Naval Entertainment

A set of simple instructions for fleet engagements in the age of sail.

From the Introduction section (page 2)"This game contains a number of novel mechanisms designed to capture the flavor of naval conflict in the great age of sail. We freely admit that they contain a touch or two of "Hollywood," but they should give you plenty of excitement, some doubts, uncertainties, stress and confusion. Record keeping is minimal and a fairly large fleet action can be fought in two or three hours."

Players are advised to furnish the following: A handful of six-sided dice, some 'broadside fired' markers made of white cotton and some 'on fire' markers made of colored cotton. Three red and three black cards from an ordinary pack of playing cards. Finally, two fleets of 1/1200 or 1/3000 scale model ships.

The 16 page rule book contains the following sections:

1. Introduction
2. The Playing Area (on a table top)
3. The Sequence of Play (control, moving and firing randomized by draw of the six cards for either the 'red' or 'black' player.
4. Wind Direction
5. Sailing Attitudes
6. Movement (1 to 5 D6 based on attitude to wind and class of ship)

• Turning
• Tacking
• Anchoring
• Shoals and Shallow Water
• Re-floating after Running Aground
• Falling Masts
• Cutting Free a Fallen Mast
• Collisions
• Grappling
• Cutting Grapples
• Captured Vessels
• Boarding

7. Firing

• Broadside Firing Results Table (rolling 2 D6)
• Fire (i.e. ship catches fire)
• Damaged Steering
• Command and Control

8. Wind Direction Spinner
9. Point of Sailing Indicator (player aid)
10. Broadside Indicator (arch of fire player aid)
11. Fallen Mast Indicator (player aid)