Errare humanum est (To err is human) – Seneca

Creating wargames with a vast number of variables inevitably leads to ambiguities and even errors. One can only strive to minimise them. This page will therefore compile players’ questions regarding game rules (FAQ) as well as corrections. The latter are implemented in the army builder, whose records, according to the rulebook’s golden rule, always take precedence.

FAQ

6 February 2025

5.2 Anchoring and 6.6 Critical Hits

Do I turn while anchored with a damaged rudder?
NO. According to the anchoring rules: An anchored ship cannot make any turns and is also unaffected by river and sea currents.
At the same time, there is a rule stating that ships with the “stop” order may turn up to 15 degrees.
Both rules should be understood as follows: a ship with a damaged rudder that has the stop order and is NOT anchored must make 15-degree turns (if the rudder damage rule dictates so), as this is the maximum turning allowance for a stationary ship. However, a ship that is anchored makes no turns at all.

7.2 Surrender of a Ship

Can I fire at my own ship before she surrenders?
NO. According to section 6.3: “Ships may only fire at enemy units that are within their line of sight and field of fire of their guns.” Thus, firing at one’s own ships is not allowed.
However, it is possible to fire at a surrendered ship, as permitted by section 7.3.

9.3 Ship Upgrades and Fleet Add-ons

What happens if I have a captain with excellent mechanics and remove bridge damage in the same turn? Do I issue any order I want for the next turn?
According to the critical hit effects table, bridge damage cannot be repaired. The player must change the passive order immediately upon receiving bridge damage. At the start of the new turn, this order becomes active, and it is no longer planned—only a new passive order is planned, which is no longer affected by bridge damage.
This effect simulates, for example, the shock caused by a nearby shell hit, which wounded or stunned part of the bridge crew, rendering them unable to act for a while.

17 October 2024

5.2 Anchoring

Which action is performed first: declaring the end of anchoring or changing the order that would move the ship (slow/half/astern) to “stop”? One is described as happening “after its reveal (referring to the order),” while the other is “immediately upon revealing (the order).” What is the correct sequence?
First, change the order that would move the ship (slow/half/astern) to “stop.” Then—after this change—declare the end of anchoring. According to the rules, anchoring will end at the conclusion of the repair and reorganisation phase of this turn. In the next activation, the ship will be able to move.

31 August 2024

MISSION CARDS

• Ramming Speed Card: If the player successfully rams an enemy ship (regardless of the outcome of the ramming), they gain 2 victory points. If the rammed ship is sunk as a result, then in addition to these two points, the player receives twice the normal points for sinking a ship of that class when scoring at the end of the battle.
  • Example: Player A, with the “Ramming Speed” mission active, rams Player B’s class 2 ship. The success of the ram (before determining its outcome) grants 2 victory points. Player A rolls for the ramming outcome—resulting in an 8. Player B’s ship is sunk. At the end of the battle, Player A receives 12 points for sinking this ship instead of the usual 6 (for a class 2 ship). Plus the 2 points already awarded for completing the mission objective—successfully ramming. A total of 14 points. That was a truly successful ram!

STRATAGEM CARDS

• A card that allows a 15-degree turn in any direction, regardless of orders, can be used to turn in any direction—independent of the order’s heading (since it’s a “wałek”). However, it cannot be used if the ship has a damaged rudder. In that case, the ship must turn as specified in the rulebook’s rudder damage section and may not make any other turn.
• A card that allows a player to modify an opponent’s roll can also be used to modify the roll of an opponent who has used this same card. If the opponent uses their card, rolls successfully, then the player may use their own identical card. If the player succeeds in their test, they can modify the opponent’s roll result for the test of their card’s success (as described).

FAQ for v 1.0 version

The English translation of the rulebook is based on 1.1 version of the Polish rulebook, but we left the FAQ for the 1.0 version of the book, because some of the answers may be helpful.

FIRING

• Can I fire after ramming an opponent or after running aground on an island?
  • YES. A ship may always fire after completing her movement—provided she still has functioning guns (and a valid target).
• Can I split the fire of a single artillery battery or save some of its guns for later firing?
  • NO, this is prohibited. According to section 6.2: “All guns within a single battery must fire at the same target during that activation.”

19 February 2023

• Storms reduce ship speed. Can I issue orders at any speed, or must I adhere to the storm-imposed limit?
  • Any new orders planned while the storm is in effect must be no more than one level higher than the storm allows. The ship will still move according to the storm’s limit. When the storm ends, the ship may move at the designated speed.
  • This clarification also prevents a ship (without the “high manoeuvrability” trait) from accelerating from slow to full speed in a single turn after a storm ends.
• How do I determine which guns can fire when their number is limited due to weather?
  • Ships may fire with only half of the guns in each battery (rounded up). Check the number of guns in each battery, divide by two, round up—that is the number of guns that may fire.
• If only mine markers remain on the battlefield, which are definitely mines, must they still be identified?
  • YES.
• If a ship exits the battlefield through the designated scenario objective edge and has damage (fires, flooding, rudder damage), must these still be repaired?
  • NO. In this case, she does not need to be repaired.
• If a ship has a turn order and turns before moving, then makes a 15-degree turn using the high manoeuvrability trait, must she turn further after movement?
  • NO. In this case, no further turn is necessary.
• Are mines placed directly behind the stern of the ship, or can they be placed differently?
  • The only correct way to place mine markers is shown in the diagram in section 9.5 of the rulebook (under “mine layers”). They must be placed touching the rear edge of the ship’s base and be centred relative to the base, as illustrated.

ERRATA

31 July 2024

A good practice is to collect feedback from players continuously and, after gathering enough, publish a comprehensive errata. At the same time, we do not want to leave you without clarifications or rulebook updates. Therefore, we will add points here as needed, which will later be published as a full errata in PDF format.

Errata will be placed here if necessary 🙂

For any feedback, please contact us at: biuro@gmboardgames.com

ERRATA FOR SHIP CARDS

If any errors are found on certain ship cards, they will be listed here.

USS Olympia
Some print versions of this card may incorrectly mark the destruction of light artillery with a black diamond in the fifth hull field. Olympia does not have this type of artillery. Instead, the destroyed light artillery should be marked in green without a diamond.