When a ship enters another ships hex and it has a ram, it can attempt a ram. A ship that begins its turn in the same hex as another ship may not attempt a ram. Only one ram attempt is allowed per ship on its turn. To attempt a ram, the helmsman rolls and adds his proficiency bonus and any modifier for the crew status. He then compares the total to the target ship’s AC. If the ship does not have a ram, it can attempt to crash into the other ship. Roll to hit as normal, calculate relative SR as normal, but apply crash rules and crash damage.
In the instance of a head on ramming, if the attacking ship misses the ram to hit, the target ship may immediately attempt a reaction ram attempt on the original attacker. In this case the original target ship, is now the attacker for damage purposes.
Damage from Ramming
Damage from ramming is the tonnage of the attacking ship divided by 10 (rounded up) times the relative SR of the impact. The SR of the impact is determined by the hex facing from which the attacking ship entered the target hex, as is the amount of damage the target ship takes from the ram.
If the attacking ship enters the target’s front hex, the SR is the SR of the two ships added together, and the attacker takes damage equal to one quarter of the damage done to the target rounded down. One hex side off from the front, half of the target ship’s SR is added to the attacking ship’s SR. One hex side from the rear, half of the targets ships’s SR is subtracted from the attacking ship’s SR. From the rear, the target ship’s total SR is subtracted from the attacking ship’s SR. If the relative SR is below 0, no ram occurs.
If the ram type of the attacker is a blunt ram, the target ship suffers a ship shaken event (see critical hits), as well as another random critical hit from the critical hit table. If the target ship falls below the half hull point threshold, another critical hit happens as well.
If the ship has a piercing ram, the target ship suffers a ship shaken event, and a hull holed event. Also the ships are grappled. If either of the ships helmsmen wish to ungrapple from this ram, they must make a successful attack roll against the other ships AC. If the other helmsman does not wish to release grapple, it becomes an opposed roll, with both side adding their proficiency bonus and the ship that rammed having advantage on the roll.
Movement After Ramming
A successful ram reduces both ships to a speed of 0. If both of the helms can move the total tonnage of both ships, or if neither of the helms can, the speed will remain 0 until they are separated or one helmsman stops controlling his ship. If only one of the helms can move the total tonnage of both ships, that helmsman may move the joined ships freely, but the SR is halved and the MC is reduced to F.
In the case of a missed ram, and either a missed ram or no attempt by the target ship, the attacking ship must continue its total declared SR. It cannot attempt another ram during its action, but if it enters another ships front facing hex, that ship gets a reaction ram attempt.
Shearing Attacks
A shearing attack is a special ramming action that targets the maneuvering equipment of the opposing ship. It is resolved the same way as a standard ram, but the damage is a reduction in the target ship’s MC by one rating. If the attack misses, the target may attempt a reaction shearing attack on the original attacker as well. A ship may not have its MC reduced by more than two ratings due to shearing attacks.
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