Welcome to the golden age of naval warfare! These rules were intended to be a playable simulation of naval warfare in the age of sail. The first edition of the rules, published by Hard Cover Designs and Raider Games in the mid 1980s concentrated on fleet actions. The second edition, published by Felix Enterprises, was the product of twelve years of development, bringing the rules to a stage where they could be used for fleet or frigate actions alike. The third and current edition was published by A&A Game Engineering in 2000, following the demise of Felix Enterprises the previous year.
Several major changes have been made since the first edition was published twelve years ago. Many new sections have been added, including crew quality, new rules for oared warships, different ammunition types, shore batteries and shore parties, boat operations, mortars and bomb vessels, fire ships and Algerine ships for those wishing to refight some of the US Navy’s early actions in the Mediterranean.
Despite the increase in scope offered by the new edition, all the additional rules have been written with the same philosophy as the original rules in mind - that they should be as realistic as possible whilst keeping the system as simple as possible, allowing the players to concentrate on tactics rather than ‘fighting the rules’. Above all the most important factor to be retained is for the players to have fun.
New players may find the semi-random movement system bizarre to start with. However, experience suggests that the system does force players to contend with the trials of seamanship in the age of sail in a rather more circumspect manner than they may be used to. Ships will not manoeuvre on command at regimented speeds, and the risk of collision when sailing in close company is ever present. Anyone who has been sailing will appreciate those moments when one of your ships encounters a patch of still air, whilst the enemy’s vessels surge ahead!
FLoB 3 Errata and Optional Rules
Errata to the Third Edition, plus some additional optional rules can be found here
Answers to some questions that have been raised concerning the third edition, together with some minor amendments and suggested additions to the rules can be found here
Scenarios, Backgrounds, etc. -
These files should be usable with FLoB2 and 3
The Battle of the Nile - August 1798, includes FLoB data sheets (pdf format)
Kamperduin - October 1797
The Battle of Bantry Bay - hypothetical action off the coast of Ireland, 1796
Yellow Coast - wargaming the Opium War using FLoB (and other age of sail rules)
The Dutch Wars - some suggested modifications to the rules covering the period of the Dutch Wars and the Restoration. See also the link to Geert-Jan Kruijff's site referenced below.
Amendments for FLoB 1 and 2
These page covers all 'official' changes to the FLoB 2 rules, lists the more frequently asked questions, and includes some optional and experimental rules which were developed during games with the Trowbridge Irregulars and the Naval Wargames Society. Some of these rules have now been included in FLoB3
FLoB Amendments
Expanded FLoB - more rules variants, including firing at rigging
Signalling - a first stab at rules for flag and light signalling.
The intention is to add pages here with scenarios, optional rules and other useful bits of information for FLoB players (feel free to submit your ideas for inclusion to me here).
Alan Saunders has a website which includes a review of the rules, optional rules for use with the First Edition (some of which can be used with FLoB2 as well) and some rather nice scenarios.
I am also developing a set of campaign rules for use with not only with FLoB, but also with other rules set in the Age of Sail. If you are after something like this they should be available early in the New Year, or if you want to give them an early try drop me an e-mail (warning: the rules are NOT fully developed yet!)
Age of Sail Links
Broadside - a collection of pages describing life in Royal Navy in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.
Wargaming the Age of Fighting Sail - a page of links to age-of-sail wargaming sites (including this one!)
The Inshore Squadron - Mark Barker's excellent new site, with Clear for Action in mind, well worth a look for anyone interested in Age of Sail.
HMS Victory - Homepage for the preserved warship at Portsmouth
Napoleonic Naval Miniatures for Wargaming and Model Building - Ted Roy's page specializing in small scale model ship building and terrain
The Fighting Sail Chronology - does exactly what it says on the tin!
HMS Surprise - a frigate simulator for Windows 95/98 (useful links too!)
Napoleonic Naval Image Gallery - More images of my models from several years ago, hosted by Felix Enterprises.
Bravé - dedicated to the French Navy and its allies during the Revolution, the Republic and the First Empire ; 1785 - 1815 Royal Navy During the Napoleonic Era (1793-1815)
The Articles of War, 1749 - Essential reading!
The Dutch Wars - a new site by Geert-Jan Kruijff