If you enjoy the Age of Sail period, but despair of finding a rules set that allows you to refight Trafalgar in a reasonable time, you might want to have the drummers begin "beating to quarters." Great Lakes member Phil C. Fry has just released "Fire As She Bears! Rules for Naval Combat in the Age of Fighting Sail."

This simple rules set is meant for players to control an average of three to seven ships each. Phil says he designed it with five priorities in mind, wanting "Fire As She Bearsl" to be:

• Fun to play
• Easy to learn
• Yield historical results for historical tactics
• Rapid-paced and quick to complete
• As historically accurate as possible, given the above four items

By abstracting some of the minutiae of sailing, ship size and gunnery, "Fire As She Bears!" succeeds, One major aspect of the game that eases play is it takes place on a square grid. Ships sail along the rows and columns, and also the "diagonals," allowing movement in eight directions. Players do not need to measure distances with rulers or split hairs over which direction the wind is coming from. The square grid makes this effortless. Some may complain that this feels "boardgame-like," but after a turn or two, the grid all but disappears in the gamer's mind.

Hull and Rigging Boxes

A Ship Record Sheet is used for each vessel to keep track of its characteristics and any damage it may receive. Hits come in the form of Hull and Rigging boxes that are marked off. Each box has a printed value inside, which goes down as it incurs damage. For example, Nelson's flagship, the HMS Victory, has 11 Hull boxes, with values ranging from "5," when undamaged, decreasing to %11," then "X" -- the last box -- which indicates the ship strikes its colors. There are also critical hits to represent fires, jammed rudders, fallen masts, etc.

Another simplification is the Hull value is also used for gunnery. When firing, players roll two eight-sided dice and add the value of their largest, unmarked Hull box. Beneath the Hull boxes on the sheet are corresponding bonus numbers to be factored in when the ship pummels an opponent at close or medium range with bow or stern rakes. Larger ships, like the Victory, adjust the opponent's roll downward on the Firing Chart with a negative Ship Defense Factor. Smaller ships, like 50-gun ships of the line, may have Defense Factors that add to the opponent's shooting score.

The Rigging Boxes are used to determine the maximum amount of movement points, or speed points, the ship can use to sail. The Victory's 11 boxes have values ranging from "6" to "0," for example (0 = dismasted). These points are translated into a movement allowance in squares by looking at the wind direction in relation to your ship's current facing. This can range from three movement points to "beat" into the wind one square, to one movement point per square to "broad reach" with the wind blowing efficiently across a ship's quarter. A simple chart, one side showing the wind blowing along a row or column, the other side illustrating point values when blowing along a diagonal, makes this calculation simple for beginning players. Movement points are also expended for making 45 degree turns (this amount varies per size of the ship -- the massive Victory needing three movement points to turn, a frigate one).

Command and Control

Players do not need to pre-plot movement. An Initiative system is combined with cards to randomize the order of movement. When a red card is drawn, for example, the admiral in charge of the "red side" designates one of its squadrons to move. The side that has the Initiative (a roll modified each turn by quality of the admiral, wind gauge, and cohesiveness of formation), may "pass" or deny one card per turn (either their opponent's or their own, depending if they'd rather get in the first move or "wait and see").

Although ships do not need to plot movement, they do need to indicate the number of movement points (or speed points) they will use each turn. This functions as an abstracted "sail setting," and if set too high can cause additional rigging boxes to be marked off when hit by enemy fire. Movement points can be increased by one or decreased by up to two, from turn to turn. Command and Control is simplified, also. Ships must be within two squares of a flagship to be "in command," or within one square of another ship that is itself in command. This forces ships to adopt historical formations, or suffer the penalties of being out of command. The main restriction of this is you must indicate ahead of time whether you will go "straight" (no turns allowed), "port" (must turn at least once that direction) or "starboard."

"Fire As She Bears" contains simple rules for all the necessary Age of Sail actions, such as boarding, wind and weather change, signaling, collisions, anchoring and running aground. There are also a host of simple, optional rules, also. These cover things like fortifications, heated shot, night actions, fog, etc. The booklet includes Ship Record Sheets for every type of ship necessary, and suggestions on how to modify them if you wish. There are also cardstock charts to help players along, and chits to indicate speed points and all relevant game situations.

"Fire As She Bears" succeeds in providing a fast-play set of Age of Sail rules. The grid battleboard may irk a few, but most will find they don't notice it after a while. My friends and I played in the Phil's "Camperclown" scenario, and had a great time. Personally, I felt that long range fire was too accurate, but his rules for Carronades can be easily plugged in to remedy this to my taste. One thing that stuck out as ahistorical, though, was it was too easy for all ships in a squadron to concentrate their fire on one unlucky enemy. Perhaps I need to read a bit more on the period, but I did not feel this was a significant factor of naval war at thistime.

However, like long range fire, this can be modified by players if they feel it necessary. I have long searched for a simple set of Age of Sail rules. Too many are so complex that players can handle a ship or two at most. "Fire As She Bearsl" is a set designed to refight the actions you read about in the history books -- and have fun (not migraines) while doing it.

So, if you raise your telescope to the signals flying from my masts, you'll make out, "All captains, pick these rules up immediately!"

Fire As She Bears! is available from Phil C. Fry, 6766 Woodgate, Toledo, OH 43617. E-mail: philfry@juno.com.