ponders nirvana.From 4P Press
Watermarked PDF – Sale Price $13.99 USD
Set of rules for naval warfare in the Pre-Dreadnought age. The rules are neither fast-play nor deeply detailed, but rather something in between. For example, Naval Mania is content to know that a shell knocked out the pumps, but not that it also destroyed the coffee cup in the engineering officer's cabin. And while the cup may not become a casualty, it's owner, the engineering officer, just may.
However, the jettisoning of minute detail does not mean a simplistic game. The mechanics of the game bring about a realistic result based on the actual abilities of each ship in play, not ship ratings based on generalized vessel types.
Included in these 180+ pages is an extensive ship ratings list, featuring nearly every ship from 1880 to 1905, plus some before and after, from over 30 navies. That totals 2,367 ships, from Argentina to Zanzibar. If you can find a model of it, then you can find it in Naval Mania.
Also included are a generous section of optional rules to mix and match, a QRS with useful information to speed up gameplay, and a campaign system complete with a sample what-if campaign.
In a separate download, a set of Excel spreadsheets is included that will create the playing sheets used for each ship. They are easy to use and a massive time saver. And also in the same download is a set of turning circles originally used for Naval Mania's fast-play cousin, Contested Seas, that will offer an alternative to the turning system.
Both the Excel files and turning circles were created by the multi-talented Chris Ferree, whose generosity and ability never cease to amaze me.