Icewalker
2007-08-08, 07:15 PM
I'm working on a seabased campaign, and as such am currently creating a system for ship to ship combat.
However, I've realized that I am running into a lot of things I'm going to have to guess for. I'm wondering what other people might think for some of these.
Currently, I'm trying to decide about thickness of the side of a ship. I'm using the breaking objects system from the PHB.
On ships, the sides of the ship are far heavier than the front and back, as they are expecting cannonfire in broadsides.
The way the system works, hp needs to be measured with a 'breaking' number, which is the amount of damage a cannonball has to deal to break through the side. It must vary slightly by ship, but a range is needed.
The wood is probably about 1-2 feet thick. There is a 1 ft. thickness masonry wall in the PHB chart for hardness etc, but the hp looks to me like it is measured for the whole wall, instead of punching a hole in it.
What do people think the Breaking damage should be for a 1 ft. thick side, or a far more weakly armored (and probably half the thickness) front or back?
The average cannonball damage from a normal size cannon which would be used in most broadsides is 14, or 18 on a ship with heavier armament. My thoughts are that on average, a shot won't break through, so for a 1 ft. thickness which would be on a frigate, perhaps around 18 or 16.
It would be excellent if somebody who actually knows correct information about these could give me bases to guess from, such as how often cannonballs did actually pierce the sides of a ship.
However, I've realized that I am running into a lot of things I'm going to have to guess for. I'm wondering what other people might think for some of these.
Currently, I'm trying to decide about thickness of the side of a ship. I'm using the breaking objects system from the PHB.
On ships, the sides of the ship are far heavier than the front and back, as they are expecting cannonfire in broadsides.
The way the system works, hp needs to be measured with a 'breaking' number, which is the amount of damage a cannonball has to deal to break through the side. It must vary slightly by ship, but a range is needed.
The wood is probably about 1-2 feet thick. There is a 1 ft. thickness masonry wall in the PHB chart for hardness etc, but the hp looks to me like it is measured for the whole wall, instead of punching a hole in it.
What do people think the Breaking damage should be for a 1 ft. thick side, or a far more weakly armored (and probably half the thickness) front or back?
The average cannonball damage from a normal size cannon which would be used in most broadsides is 14, or 18 on a ship with heavier armament. My thoughts are that on average, a shot won't break through, so for a 1 ft. thickness which would be on a frigate, perhaps around 18 or 16.
It would be excellent if somebody who actually knows correct information about these could give me bases to guess from, such as how often cannonballs did actually pierce the sides of a ship.