Inspired by Rhynn’s Corsair (http://autarch.co/forums/house-rules/hr-campaign-class-corsair) I’ve been hacking up an alternative Maritime Hijink system, which I present here for advice and opinion in a pre-finished form.
I’ve still cogitating on a couple things:
- The rewards should be greater. I ballpark various ship’s maintenance and crew costs per month to be between 700 and 5200 GP per month. I expect what I’d do is rework the awards to reflect the same values in the Monthly Hijink Income table on pg 141, taking into account the costs of running ships and the extra costs of failure.
Those extra costs of failure include damage and loss of crew and ship, and captured crew being automatically charged with piracy, which increases legal costs tremendously. This should be riskier, but the rewards should be better.
- I’m not in love with the current solution for basic ship combat. What I’d really want to do is turn ACKS ships into modular D@W:Campaigns units, and use the D@W:C battle resolution mechanic, but that feels way too complicated for this - yes?
=== The Pirate Cove ===
At 9th level, corsairs may establish a secret stronghold called a cove. As they are secret, coves do not secure domains and do not attract peasant families. When a cove is established, the corsair becomes the captain of a crew of 1d6 1st level followers of her own class. Every level gained thereafter, the corsair attracts another 1d6 1st level followers.
Coves must be established in a coastal or island location, with ready access to open water. Whether a particular large lake or river would support such an operation is left to the GM.
The range class of the cove determines what range of operations hijinks may be performed at. The cove has the same range as a market class of it’s same type does for water trade. For example, a Class III cove equates to a Class III Market, so hijinks may be performed in settlements or open water up to 40 hexes away. The cove is not based within a settlement, and it’s size is independent of any settlement size.
Unlike thieves, corsairs require extra equipment to perform their hijinks - ships. While many of the corsair’s followers may do duty as ship’s crew (at the GM’s discretion, followers who join the corsair may often have maritime proficiencies), she may often need to hire additional mariners to properly crew her fleet.
Each month, a properly outfitted ship can perform a maritime hijink against a targeted ship.
==Target Ships and Target Value==
Pirates ply common trade routes seeking easy targets randomly, or may be hired clandestinely to attack a certain ship. Corsairs may target rival corsairs, traders or domain rulers for harrassment.
The target value of a given ship is equal to the level of the person most interested in the successful voyage of the ship. This may be the person who commissioned the voyage, or the intended buyer of the merchandise. It may be the domain ruler who hired the mercenaries on board being carried to their new employer, or the ruler that commissioned the ship for counter-piracy action. In some cases it may simply be the captain of the ship.
This is not necessarily the highest level person involved.
==Maritime Hijinks==
Most maritime hijinks require two successful rolls - one to successfully intercept the target ship, and a second to execute the hijink. The interception roll is an inverse of the Sea Evasion chart on page 100 of the ACKS rulebook, and is presented to the right.
A captain with a third Seafaring proficiency (Master Mariner) gains a +5 bonus to his Interception roll. If the captain of the target vessel is also a Master Mariner, that bonus is cancelled out.
A ship with a qualified navigator receives an additional +2 to the Interception roll, which may be cancelled by a navigator on the opposing ship.
Target Vessel is.....Roll
Faster...............16+
0-30' slower.........10+
31-60' slower........8+
61-90' slower........6+
91-120' slower.......4+
121'+ slower.........2+
Interdiction
Interdiction is the destruction of a target ship; for purposes of destroying cargo, assassination of passengers, or other subterfuge. Interdiction of a ship of the player character’s or a suspicious NPC shipowner/crewmember/passenger is an adventure, not a hijink.
An interdiction may be performed as a boarding action as well.
To successfully interdict a ship, it must first be caught with an interception roll. Then, the captain of the ship makes an attack throw, where the target AC is the experience level of the opposing captain. If successful, the target ship is destroyed with all hands. The corsair is paid 1,000GP multiplied by the level of the highest level passenger marked for assassination, or multiplied by the target value of the ship.
If the attack throw fails, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship has gotten away, albeit
damaged by the amount the roll failed (5% per point). If the attack throw fails by 14 or more, or is an unmodified 2, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was captured or sank, and 50% of the crew captured (the rest killed). The crew is charged with piracy.
On an unmodified 1, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was sunk with all hands.
Interdiction requires an interception roll.
Smuggling
A ship in the captain’s flotilla is able to successfully offload contraband to a port within range. The perpetrator may move 10 loads per level (this may be the captain of the ship, or another assigned crew member). The captain receives 12% of the value of these goods.
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator was not able to move the merchandise. If it fails by 14 or more, or is a natural 1, they have been caught and the merchandise confiscated. Determine charges with 1d6: contraband (1-3), smuggling (4-5), racketeering (6).
Smuggling does not require an interception roll.
Trailing
The targeted ship is followed to its destination. Information on the ship, its route, any cargo or passengers, or other information is worth 3d12*5 gp times the target value.
Trailing requires an interception roll.
Boarding
Boarding is the interception and boarding of the target ship in order to steal any valuable or needed cargo, while optionally leaving the target ship and crew mostly intact.
To successfully board a ship, it must first be caught with an interception roll. Then, the captain of the ship makes an attack throw, where the target AC is the experience level of the opposing captain. If successful, the target ship is boarded. Any valuables are seized, and the corsair is paid 60% of the value of the goods.
Boarding requires an interception roll.
If the attack throw fails, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship has gotten away, albeit damaged by the amount the roll failed (5% per point), If the attack throw fails by 14 or more, or is an unmodified 2, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was captured, and 50% of the crew captured (the rest killed). The crew is charged with piracy.
On an unmodified 1, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was sunk with all hands.
Capture
Capture is the interception and boarding of the target ship in order to acquire it as whole as possible. Existing crew may be pressed into service (amicably or not) or summarily executed. To successfully board a ship, it must first be caught with an interception roll. Then, the captain of the ship makes an attack throw, where the target AC is the experience level of the opposing captain. If successful, the target ship is boarded. Any valuables are seized, and the corsair is paid 60% of the value of the goods.
Capture requires an interception roll.
If the attack throw fails, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship has gotten away, albeit damaged by the amount the roll failed (5% per point). If the attack throw fails by 14 or more, or is an unmodified 2, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was captured, and 50% of the crew captured (the rest killed). The crew is charged with piracy.
On an unmodified 1, the attack was repulsed, and the corsair’s ship was sunk with all hands.
==Shorebased Hijinks==
A corsair may have her crew perform regular hijinks as detailed in the ACKS core rules, in water-adjacent settlements.
The settlement must be within range of her crew as defined for Maritime Hijinks. She must first establish a presence in the settlement, with the founding of a Class VI hideout, which cannot grow larger. Crew members here may perform hijinks as usual.
However, the membership and levels of the local crew may not allow for more profitable hijinks. The corsair may assign a higher level crewmember to perform a hijink in a settlement, but one of her own ships must take that crewmember (or multiple crewmembers) to and from the settlement for that month. That ship is then not available for maritime hijinks.
At the Judge’s discretion, the corsair’s hideout may conflict with pre-established syndicates in the settlement. Hijinks performed outside wharf districts may cause territorial contests.