A question on Aerial and/or Naval adventures

[captainjapan]

Does anyone happen to remember what the first published module with either aerial or naval (ship-to-ship) combat was? I wonder how adventure writers either handled or declined to handle these other modes of encounter.

[derv]

Judges Guild put out Modron and the Island Book. Don't know if they were the first. Pretty sure they assumed hex based movement using the LBB's and an emphasis on man to man combat. Though it's worth saying that the naval rules in U&WA are fully playable without the use of miniatures.

[captainjapan]

I don't know about the Island Book, but I do remember picking up a copy of Modron at the Old Book Barn in my hometown. I got an armful of Basic and JG books, being that I was in Decatur where JG was headquartered. Some of it I still own. Not Modron. It was all color. There was a port city and an underwater city, I think. Lots of NPC backstory. Maybe, Modron was the sea god's name?. It's been a long time. There was no naval combat in Modron that I am aware of. It WAS a hex crawl, though. Something allowed you to breath underwater so you could treat it like a wilderness adventure. Unless, the mermen had seahorse mounts to jet around on, I don't think it's going to fit the bill. Can you say any more about the Island Book?

[countingwizard]

I really need to try and run the U&WA naval rules. I always default to something easier, but from what I remember the last time I tried to run it, the rules feel more wonky than usual. The standard encounter distance doesn't appear to work here; or at least if the players are intending to avoid the encounter.

[derv]

Without the use of miniatures I've used graph paper to plot relative positions where 1"=100 feet. You can use yards if you prefer. Roll a d8 for compass bearings for positioning ships in relation to one another at the start. Surprise is not generally a factor on the open sea, so I do not consider it. The 40-240 yards (1.25-7.25 inches) can work for encounter distance, but I prefer a little more room and would just use 4-24 inches (400-2400 feet). It's all about wind direction and the relative speed of the craft. Run, ram, grapple, and board. Then switch to standard combat procedures. This is all pre-gunpowder, but you can incorporate ballista's, catapults, and magic, if you choose.

[dicebro]

My guess is X1 Isle of Dread.

[retrorob]

Mar 3, 2021 20:37:41 GMT -6 derv said:

This is all pre-gunpowder, but you can incorporate ballista's, catapults, and magic, if you choose.

Let's not forget about the greek fire

countingwizard
I found aerial and naval rules too complicated and cumbersome. For me they belong more to wargaming rather than D&D. Correct me if I'm wrong, but these rules weren't included in so-called Guidon draft. Even the wording is a bit different (hits to kill - Arnesonian touch, I suppose).

But still I use some of them. Wind Force table is really good (and in fact one can employ it as a weather rule). I like also Command Control range (based on Charisma), "hidden" Saving Throw vs. falling, Chance of Drowning and waterborne monsters.