Trouble with catapults in Skull and Shackle

[Molly Dingle]

Ok so I have some questions about how catapults are supposed to work in Skull and Shackle.

You have to Aim again every time you choose a new target or square. So, does a moving ship count as a target, or, when it moves, are you choosing a new square?

The former, and it seems that once you get a hit on a ship, you'll never miss with subsequent shots because it's the same target, you don't have to re-Aim. You get that +10 bonus to hit which almost guarantees a hit because of the low DCs to use catapults.

The latter, and it seems you'll never get a shot off because of the long Aim time. By the time you've aimed at a square, a few rounds have passed and the ship doesn't occupy that square any more and you've got to Aim again.

So... which is it? Never miss? Or never hit? Or is there some other way to interpret this that makes catapults useful on a ship other than bombarding immobile targets (like coastal settlements -- which the rules don't cover... )?

[Goddity]

You have to aim where the ship is going. If you can't shoot em, then go back the gamers second standby. Ram them.

['G']

Maybe the emphasis is that catapults are for stationary or static targets like forts and ports or ships docked at port, where as ballista are for moving dynamic targets. Which means that you could aim it at a stationary space in the path of your intended target by aiming where they are going, but then have to spend the time rearming, as the target moves. Where as ballista can be fired more on the run.

[Cevah]

A catapult is indirect fire. You aim at a square. If you hit, great. The next shot at that same square is more likely to hit.

A moving ship covers several squares. If you aim for the front square of the ship and hit, then if any part of the ship is still in that square when you next fire, you get the bonus. If the ship has moved passed the square and no longer covers that square, then no matter how much bonus you have for that square, it does not help, since you must re-aim at a new square.

Another caveat: if your ship is moving, that counts as aiming at a new square.

This simulates the fact that relative motion requires a new aim point. The GM might let you keep the bonus if your relative positions remain the same, but don't expect it.

/cevah

[shambles]

The amount of time to aim can be reduced by adding extra crew to the catapult; with enough crew you can fire a catapult every round.

[General Dissa Ray]

I was actually looking at this last night. I plan to GM Skull & Shackles after our group finishes Kingmaker. My intent is to utilize two components for siege engine targeting: Relative Movement & Sea State.

Relative movement is vital: If two ships are moving the same direction at the same speed, neither ship would have to re-aim. However, any change in relative position would force a change in either range or azimuth, requiring the re-aim. This should apply to terrestrial combat as well - ship vs. land, land vs. ship, land vs. land, ship vs. ship.

Sea State: Wind = Waves. Not all waves are equal, which means a choppy or rolling or even dangerous waters will complicate the firing solution for any vehicle siege engine fire. While an archer may be able to cushion disruption, and the release of an arrow is only a fraction of a second, the firing of a catapult or trebuchet is literally fixed to the deck of the ship and takes more than a second to release.

I also like the idea of incorporating the entire crew: Captain, and Coxswain are working to keep the ship aligned for optimal firing or evasion, while siege engine crew is working to fire effectively at the target. I may introduce a Teamwork Feat to allow competent and experienced crews to fire more effectively.

Just my opinion.