Broadsides

[Richard G]

New to Hammerin' Iron and thoroughly enjoyed our first game.

Hammerin' Iron broadside query.

I get the 2,1,2,1 for firing broadsides. However, we found that a ship crossing the river could not fire a broadside at one sailing up it. The firing ship is always at 60 or 120 degrees when in the hex as per the rules so the target ship had to be in the adjacent hex to be in the 2,1,2,1 template.

Is this correct?

[martin goddard]

Hello Richard.
I am not sure I am following this properly. Sorry.
If the broadside 2,1,2,1 crosses the target at any point/time the broadside can be had.
Thus, if the target is out of arc then in arc then out of arc a broadside can be had.
Not sure if that helps. Does it?


martin

[Sean Clark]

This is the situation Martin. It's a picture from the Peter Pig website.

If you ignore the island and the fact that the ship closest to camera is a little skewed. A ship travelling down the green line can only be hit in the proximity hex.

I must admit this has never cropped up in one of my games, but I think this is what Richard is alluding to.

The dots are the broadsides available  from either hex side depending on which way the ship would be facing.

[martin goddard]

That really helps Sean

Tanks.
Yes a ship can avoid broadsides.

That has always been the historical problem with "broadside" ships.
This is why turrets changed everything.

The shape of ships creates two  effective faces for shooting  (Broadsides).
Broadsides need to be "lined up". Turrets do not.

martin

[Richard G]

Thank you Sean. I had just drafted a long explanation as I couldn't see how to attach a diagram I have drawn. The only way I can see that the ship on the left can use its broadside is if it fires along a hex edge rather than a corner, which it can't do whilst correctly facing a hex edge at the end of its turn. If it does so "mid turn) whilst using any remaining movement it would have to use a move and fire order every turn.

[Richard G]

Thanks Martin - my post crossed with yours. I think we will develop a local tweak, as it is the placement in the hex rather than the shape of the ship that allows the ship to avoid a broadside.

[John Watson]

If you turn the firing ship either slightly to port or starboard you can hit the approaching ship every turn.
John

[Richard G]

Thanks John. That's my thinking.