6.1 SHIP CONSTRUCTION

(1) A XEBEC is a small, highly maneuverable ship favored by merchants, smugglers, and corsairs. The Xebec is characterized by a shallow draft, a roughly 6:1 length-to-beam ratio, and relatively small cargo tonnages. Corsairs normally have 25 Hull Hit Points, 15 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 4, Handling 4, and Size 1. A well-armed Xebec may carry up to eight long guns (cannon) on each side, two more as chasers (on the bow) and two as stern guns (total possible armament of twenty guns). A fully armed Xebec requires a Gunnery crew of of sixty, plus ten Gunner’s Mates and two Gunners. The Xebec requires a minimum Sail crew of six men. A Xebec cannot hold a crew of more then one hundred men. Normal Cargon Tonnage for a Xebec is ten tons.

The Pinnace, a lightly-armed packet ship employed by many navies for carrying messages between warships, and the Tartane, a small French merchant vessel used primarily in the Mediterranean, use the same stats as the Xebec.

(2) A CARRACK is a small warship or merchant vessel which first appeared in the 15th century. Carracks have fairly shallow drafts, a length-to-beam ratio of approximately 4:1, and often featuring tall fore- and sterncastles. Carracks normally have 40 Hull Hit Points, 20 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 2, Handling 2, and Size 2. A fully armed Carrack may carry up to sixteen long guns on each side, two more as chasers, and four as stern guns (total possible armament of thirty-eight guns). A fully armed Carrack requires a Gunnery crew of 114, plus nineteen Gunner’s Mates and two Gunners. The Carrack requires a minimum sail crew of ten men. A Carrack cannot carry a crew of more than one hundred-sixty men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Carrack is sixteen tons.

English and Ragusan Carracks have reinforced hulls with 45 Hull Hit Points; English Carracks are always heavily armed.

(3) A GALLEY is a small warship utilized by navies and military orders for coastal patrol and defense and by corsairs for capturing ships and raiding coastal settlements, primarily in the Mediterranean. Galleys have shallow drafts and length-to-beam ratios of about 9:1. Galleys normally have 25 Hull Hit Points, 15 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 2 (5 in dash), Handling 4, and Size 2. A fully armed Galley may carry as many as four long guns on each side, four more as chasers, and two as stern guns (total possible armament of eighteen guns). A fully armed Galley requires a Gunnery crew of fifty-four men, plus nine Gunner’s Mates and two Gunners. The Galley requires a minimum sail crew of six men and 150 rowers. A Galley cannot carry a crew of more than 330 men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Galley is four tons.

(4) A FLYBOAT (fluyt in Dutch) is a Dutch-built merchantman popular with merchants of many countries. Flyboats have deep drafts and length-to-beam ratios of about 4:1. Flyboats normally have 35 Hull Hit Points, 25 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 3, Handling 2, and Size 3. A fully armed Flyboat may carry as many as twelve long guns on each side, two more as chasers, and four as stern guns (total possible armament of thirty guns). A fully armed Flyboat requires a Gunnery crew of ninety men, plus fifteen Gunner’s Mates and two Gunners. The Flyboat requires a minimum sail crew of twelve men. A Flyboat cannot carry a crew of more than one hundred-sixty men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Flyboat is twenty-four tons.

Dutch Flyboats are always close-hauled and fitted with superior rudders.

(5) A GALLEASS is a large merchant galley converted as a warship, heavily-armed but lumbering. Galleasses have fairly shallow drafts and length-to-beam ratios of about 6:1. Galleasses normally have 35 Hull Hit Points, 20 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 2 (Galleasses may not dash), Handling 2, and Size 3. A fully armed Galleass may carry as many as eight long guns on each side, six more as chasers, and four as stern guns (total possible armament of twenty-six guns). A fully armed Galeass requires a Gunnery crew of seventy-eight men, plus thirteen Gunner’s Mates and two Gunners. The Galleass requires a minimum sail crew of ten men and 250 rowers. A Galleass cannot carry a crew of more than 525 men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Galleass is six tons.

(6) A WARSHIP is small Galleon. Warships have deep drafts and a length-to-beam ratio of approximately 4:1; they are most often deployed in fleets, rarely operating outside of European or Mediterranean waters except when gringing cargo of payment for garrisoned troops to colonies in Asia or the New World. Warships normally have 45 Hull Hit Points, 25 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 2, Handling 2, and Size 4. A fully armed Warship may carry up to twenty long guns on each side, two more as chasers, and six as stern guns (total possible armament of forty-eight guns). A fully armed Warship requires a Gunnery crew of 144, plus twenty-four Gunner’s Mates and four Gunners. The Warship requires a minimum sail crew of twelve men. A Warship cannot carry a crew of more than 200 men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Warship is twenty tons.

(7) A GALLEON is a hulking ship, bristling with guns. Galleons have deep drafts and a length-to-beam ratio of approximately 3:1. Galleons normally have 50 Hull Hit Points, 30 Rigging Hit Points, Speed 1, Handling 1, and Size 4. A fully armed Galleon may carry up to twenty-four long guns on each side, four more as chasers, and six as stern guns (total possible armament of fifty-eight guns). A fully armed Galleon requires a Gunnery crew of 174 men, plus twenty-nine Gunner’s Mates and four Gunners. The Galleon requires a minimum sail crew of sixteen men. A Galleon cannot carry a crew of more than 250 men. Normal cargo tonnage for a Galleon is thirty-two tons.

Ragusan galleons are called argosies; they have reinforced hulls with maximum hit points and are always heavily armed.

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