Sail, Swab, Scurvy is a naval supplement for Block, Dodge, Parry and Cairn that brings swashbuckling adventure to your tabletop. It maintains BDP’s philosophy of meaningful choices and organic storytelling while adding ship-to-ship combat, boarding actions, and high-seas drama.
Why Make Another Naval Supplement?
While working on this, I kept coming back to one core idea: ships shouldn’t just be vehicles that get characters from A to B – they should be stages for drama. Every naval encounter should open up story possibilities rather than close them down. Even defeat should lead to interesting choices rather than just a “game over.”
What’s In The Box?
Ships
- Hit Protection (HP) represents a ship’s ability to avoid serious damage
- Hull (HUL) tracks structural integrity
- Maneuverability (MAN) for those tight tactical situations
- Speed (SPD) for dramatic chases
- Plus detailed cargo systems that affect how your ship performs
Dynamic Ship Combat
Combat flows naturally between ship-scale and personal-scale action:
- Track relative positions through “distance brackets”
- Players man different stations during battle (trim sails, take aim, perform evasive maneuvers)
- Tactical advantage system makes positioning matter
- Seamless transition into boarding actions
The Drama of the High Seas
Every encounter is an opportunity for storytelling:
- Rich encounter tables that generate both ship type AND situation
- Reaction system that accounts for everything from your reputation to your figurehead
- Detailed trade goods system where cargo has practical gameplay uses
- Weather and journey systems that make every voyage feel unique
Individual Heroics
While the party shares the same vessel, every character gets chances to shine:
- Specialized roles like lookout, navigator, and diplomat
- Personal combat during boarding actions
- Clear ways to contribute to larger battles
- Skills that matter both on deck and in port
Adaptable to Your Setting
While designed for Age of Sail adventures, the system includes guidelines for:
- Ancient Mediterranean galley warfare
- Viking Age coastal raiding
- Far future space opera
The core mechanics stay consistent – just dress them in different narrative clothes.
Boarding Rules
I think the boarding rules turned out quite neat: they capture that chaotic, swashbuckling feel of movie naval battles while keeping things tactically interesting. Players can swing between ships, duel on the deck, and rally the crew – all while contributing to the larger flow of battle.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!