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Sails Of Glory
House Rules

NEW RULE: Communications

The Senior Naval Officer may give verbal instructions prior to the game commencing. Players may not communicate verbally during the game. During the planning phase a message may be written on a small post-it note (size 50mm x 35mm). The message is placed in the Unused Actions box of the Ship Mat. At the start of the next planning phase it is passed to all friendly players.

NEW RULE: Line Astern

Ships can enter the playing area in line astern. When doing so the first ship is placed on the table touching the table edge. The other ships are considered to be off-table in line astern behind the first ship. All ships plan actions and movement as normal but the movement cards of off-table ships are ignored. Instead, at the end of each movement phase, the next ship in line is placed on the playing area in exactly the same position as the first ship. This continues until all ships are on the playing area.

NEW RULE: Drifting

Ships that have Struck sails will drift unless anchored or entangled/grappled with an anchored ship. Other ships will not drift. Ships that drift should move one ruler width in the wind direction at the end of each movement turn. Ships that would overlap or touch because of drifting become entangled.

NEW RULE: Anchoring

Anchoring using the bower anchor
Anchoring can only be performed in waters where it is permitted by the scenario. To anchor, a ship must perform the following three turns in sequence:

  1. Play a reduce sail action. Turn so as to sail into the wind.
  2. Play & execute the reduce sail action. Play a blank action. Play a straight ahead red manoeuvre card.
  3. Play a blank action. The sails will now be struck. Rotate the ship so as to be heading into the eye of the wind and then. Play a straight back red manoeuvre card. The ship is now anchored and may not move.

Weighing Anchor and getting under way
To weigh the anchor and get under way perform the following three turns in sequence:

  1. Play a make sail action. Play a blank action. Play a straight ahead red manoeuvre card.
  2. Play a make sail action. Play a blank action. Play a straight ahead red manoeuvre card.
  3. Play a blank action. Play any rearward red manoeuvre card. The ship is now under way.

AMENDED RULE: Fire

This rule was amended to make fire break out less often on ships while adding the possibility of an explosion.

Damage counters with the "Fire" symbol indicate a risk for fire or explosion.

If the fire damage counter is in the last hull damage box then the ship will explode at the end of its next movement phase. Any ship grappled or entangled with the exploding ship will immediately take the number of fire special damage counters equal to the exploding ship's burden. Ships within musket range will immediately take two fire special damage counters and those within grapeshot range will immediately take one fire special damage counter.

A ship will catch fire if:

  • It has full sails set when it takes fire special damage either as a result of firing or explosion.
  • It is fired on within musket range when it takes fire special damage.
  • It is fired on by a coastal battery capable of using heated shot when it takes fire special damage.

Place a fire marker in the Special damage section of the ship mat to indicate that the ship is on fire. At the beginning of each turn, before the planning phase, the ship takes one fire damage marker for each fire on board, and places it on an empty box of the Ship Damage track. The fire on board ends its effect when the fire is extinguished by the appropriate action.