What about those Optional Rules?

[Mahan]

Dear Gamers,

In SoG there are a lot of Optional Rules to play with. I would like to ask you more experienced gamers on what O.R.s you prefer, or do you play them all? Are some of them in favour of any country, or are they well balanced? Is there one, or more, O.R.s you really dislike?

Any hints on this subject will be very helpful.
Thx

:happy:

[fredmiracle]

I've been forming my own opinions :takecover:

Here's where I am right now:

* Let The Men Drink = Fun!

* Lacking Training = Very useful from a simulation/scenario-balance point of view, but it can be frustrating when you have to actually command badly trained sailors

* Entanglement = Use it always, seems like a good, simple way of discouraging collisions

* Continuous Fire = Don't use it, seems to be less fun to me. It's more realistic, of course, but I find the suspense and planning of broadside fire is more enjoyable

* First Broadside = Don't use it. Already too many chits flying around. A ship can start double-shotted if it wants, and that could be a form of first-shot advantage.

* Forced Aim = As written it doesn't seem to work well. But I don't like "thread the needle" shots either. I'm still struggling to come up with a compromise that seems to address all situations.

* Double Shot = Use it sometimes

* Aiming High = It doesn't seem like a tactic I would use much, so I haven't taken the time to learn and apply it. In principle it's fine

* Boarding = Well, it seems like you need to have it. But it hasn't come up in my games all that often. It seems to work ok.

* Flagship = Haven't used it, not sure how well I like it. It isn't something I've read about having a big effect on battles

* Sinking Ships, Spreading Fires = Like the idea of these, but haven't chosen to use it just to keep the complexity down

* Surrendered Ships = I use and like this, they shouldn't just disappear

* Variable Wind = In principle I like this. In practice I mostly don't use it, because it's an added thing to remember and keep track of.

* Terrain/Forts = Good stuff


My $0.02

[Ducky]

I've been forming my own opinions :takecover:

Here's where I am right now:

* Let The Men Drink = Fun!

* Lacking Training = Very useful from a simulation/scenario-balance point of view, but it can be frustrating when you have to actually command badly trained sailors

* Entanglement = Use it always, seems like a good, simple way of discouraging collisions

* Continuous Fire = Don't use it, seems to be less fun to me. It's more realistic, of course, but I find the suspense and planning of broadside fire is more enjoyable

* First Broadside = Don't use it. Already too many chits flying around. A ship can start double-shotted if it wants, and that could be a form of first-shot advantage.

* Forced Aim = As written it doesn't seem to work well. But I don't like "thread the needle" shots either. I'm still struggling to come up with a compromise that seems to address all situations.

* Double Shot = Use it sometimes

* Aiming High = It doesn't seem like a tactic I would use much, so I haven't taken the time to learn and apply it. In principle it's fine

* Boarding = Well, it seems like you need to have it. But it hasn't come up in my games all that often. It seems to work ok.

* Flagship = Haven't used it, not sure how well I like it. It isn't something I've read about having a big effect on battles

* Sinking Ships, Spreading Fires = Like the idea of these, but haven't chosen to use it just to keep the complexity down

* Surrendered Ships = I use and like this, they shouldn't just disappear

* Variable Wind = In principle I like this. In practice I mostly don't use it, because it's an added thing to remember and keep track of.

* Terrain/Forts = Good stuff


My $0.02

Uhm I have to agree with Fred

[DeRuyter]

I have used a number of O.R. in my games. For large convention games you may want to keep it simple; however some are indispensable IMO and some are helpful more in particular scenarios (islands, forts and reefs for example). Quick list: Boarding and Entanglement are a must! (entanglement in particular since I use a house rule for collisions), Let the Men Drink, surrendered ships (what Fred said!), double shot and these are useful for scenario balance; Lacking Training, Flagship and the Ability cards.

I have not used Continuous Fire, Forced Aim or Variable Wind for the reasons Fred mentioned.

Eric

[spiessbuerger]

I like the Variable Wind Direction rule.
In my opinion it's easy to made at the beginning of a new turn. And it brings some unexpected maneuvering into the game. Like in real sailing life. :steer:

I don't like Double Shot (too complicated)
And never (yet) used Aiming High, Flagship, Ammo Explosion, Sinking Ships, Spreading Fire, Surrendered Ships, Variable Wind Strength

Too much optional rules makes the gaming stressfull for me.

[nilliom]

I've been forming my own opinions :takecover:

Here's where I am right now:

* Let The Men Drink = Fun!

* Lacking Training = Very useful from a simulation/scenario-balance point of view, but it can be frustrating when you have to actually command badly trained sailors

* Entanglement = Use it always, seems like a good, simple way of discouraging collisions

* Continuous Fire = Don't use it, seems to be less fun to me. It's more realistic, of course, but I find the suspense and planning of broadside fire is more enjoyable

* First Broadside = Don't use it. Already too many chits flying around. A ship can start double-shotted if it wants, and that could be a form of first-shot advantage.

* Forced Aim = As written it doesn't seem to work well. But I don't like "thread the needle" shots either. I'm still struggling to come up with a compromise that seems to address all situations.

* Double Shot = Use it sometimes

* Aiming High = It doesn't seem like a tactic I would use much, so I haven't taken the time to learn and apply it. In principle it's fine

* Boarding = Well, it seems like you need to have it. But it hasn't come up in my games all that often. It seems to work ok.

* Flagship = Haven't used it, not sure how well I like it. It isn't something I've read about having a big effect on battles

* Sinking Ships, Spreading Fires = Like the idea of these, but haven't chosen to use it just to keep the complexity down

* Surrendered Ships = I use and like this, they shouldn't just disappear

* Variable Wind = In principle I like this. In practice I mostly don't use it, because it's an added thing to remember and keep track of.

* Terrain/Forts = Good stuff


My $0.02

I use all but the following:
Lacking training (not done any scenarios yet)
Aiming high, just has not come to use yet
Flagship, again I find it to be more of a scenario thing
Terrain and forts, still more scenarios, but terrain could be fun, not just learned maneuvering enough yet to complicate it further :happy:

[soul taker]

Boarding was the first optional rule that my son wanted us to use. It comes up in most of our games. We also use let the men drink, Entanglement, Surrendered Ships, and allow Double Shot. We just never seem to use Double Shot since it takes longer to load.

[Comte de Brueys]

Until now we only used the advanced rules and the optional rule:

Let The Men Drink :beer:

[Andy Blozinski]

Here are the optional rules I've used at conventions:
Let the Men Drink
Entanglement
Double Shot
Aiming High
Boarding
Variable wind direction
Terrain elements

[Jack Aubrey]

Until now we only used the advanced rules and the optional rule:

Let The Men Drink :beer:

Let the men drink is a very good rule.....:beer: