Ship of the Line

Age of Sail Naval Rules

Reviewed by Mark Swanson

Ship of the Line, (32 pages) have been republished by Juggernaut (P.O. Box 17638, Philadelphia, PA 19135). These are the most popular rules for sailing ship miniatures. They are closely related to Avalon Hill's boarclgame, WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN. The only change in Juggernaut's edition is the new cover with a preposterous illustration of a three decker.

The rules play quickly, are easy to pick up and provide some historical flavor. Scenarios are easy to generate, bypassing problems with the overly flukeywinds, inaccurate point system and the lack of restrictions on crew quality. Players typically handle three to six ships each and will usually find some rule to cover any situations that occur. The simplistic sailing and boarding rules work well at this level, allowing one to play out a small fleet action in an evening. Period enthusiasts and yacht club members may prefer more realism, especially in single ship actions. The rules assume and work far better on a surface with a 1" square grid. These are one of the rare miniatures "old standards" and are worth picking up if you have any interest in the period.

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