Editing Black Seas (section)

==Core Mechanics==
[[image:BSMCSS.jpeg|right|thumb|The starter set comes with a double-sided sea battle map, 3 frigates, 6 brigs, the rulebook, a bunch of D10's, and some other goodies for a price that would cause GW to have a stroke if they tried to offer similar product at the same MSRP.]]
''Black Seas'' uses a handful of simple mechanisms that are integral to the game's function. 

===Weather Gauge===
This determines three very important aspects of the game; who goes first, where the wind comes from, and how fast a particular ship can go depending on its heading. Simply put, the "wind" necessary to fill our sails always comes in from a table edge, and the ship ''closest'' to the wind's source activates first, no matter who controls it or went last. Once that ship has finished, the next closest ship goes, and so on. However, players roll at the beginning of each turn to see if the wind changes direction, effectively giving a chance for a new part of the table edge to be the wind source. Therefore, you can never be entirely certain what ship will go first. The weather gauge widget included in the aptly named Master and Commander starter set is used to record these details. Finally, depending on how the wind hits a ship, it might be possible for the vessel to use its top speed, or come to an abrupt stop if the wind is against it. In the event of the latter, there is real potential to damage your ship as the masts take a beating. 

===Sails===
The amount of sails deployed by a ship determines its speed (duh). The more sails, the faster she goes. Sails can move up or down by one level per turn. There are four levels of sails; anchored, light sails, battle sails, and full sails. Each higher level of sails allows an additional move. As an example, a ship with light sails moves once, while one with battle sails moves twice. Some ships can only use certain levels, while others are restricted. For example, First Rate ships can never use full sails because they're simply too massive to move that fast in a combat situation when its crew is otherwise occupied, not to mention how dangerous a huge wooden behemoth filled with highly explosive powder and more than 3,500 tons of displacement going full-tilt in a crowded battlefield is.

===Rate of Knots===
Depending on the type and size, ships are assigned a Rate of Knots (typically from 3 to 6), higher numbers being faster. This value gets translated directly to inches of movement. This ties back into the level of sails. Using our prior example on a ship with a Rate of Knots of 5, if we assume it is using battle sails, it will move 10 inches. Meanwhile, if it goes to light sails, it will move 5 inches. 

===Turning===
Ships turn either 35 or 45 degrees depending on their size at the end of every turn to a maximum of three turns per activation. Some ships, such as First Rates, can only do two per activation. Bear in mind that a ship *must* move more than once to get those extra turns, so remember to have battle sails on if you want to make that wide turn!

===Skill Tests===
Roll a D6 and hope it goes high. Inexperienced crews pass on 6, normal on 5+, veteran at 4+ (I think). Dozens of things get decided this way, from tacking to sailing close to other ships without entangling ropes and sails, as well as boarding actions and repairing. 

===Striking Colors===
All ships have what's called a Break Value. If the ship's health drops to the Break Value, that boat must make a Skill Test at the top of every activation thereafter if its ship points are not above the break value. If a test is failed, the ship surrenders. Do not remove it from the board, now it's simply terrain. 
* You ''can'' repair your way out of this, but you better hope you pass the skill test to get a thicc D6 repair roll.
* What this means is you can go several turns straight of passing break tests, and eventually succumb to the roll of statistical failure.
* If you keep battering a ship past its break point it'll just sink once the ship points reach zero.