In Harm’s WayA Napoleonic Naval Roleplaying Game

It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexo-rable, that those who will not risk cannot win.”

Captain John Paul Jones, American Continental Navy

copyright 2006 Flying Mice Games

by clash bowley

Smuggling insert by Rich Parkinson

“Dragon on the Sea” courtesy Ryan Span

The Clarissa Letters courtesy of El Zambo

Cover & Illustrations by clash bowley

Story fragments from “A Voice from the Main Deck”

by Samuel Leech

A powder monkey in the British Navy in the War of 1812

Special Thanks to David Johansen

for the concept of trading chance of success

for quality of success

From his excellent RPG “Galactic Adventures”

Used here with his permission

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And a huge thank You goes to our playtesters!

Alpha Testers:

Klaxon Bowley. El Zambo, Adam Jarrell,

James Belmonte. Jake Mattison, Paul Calo

Beta Testers:

Max Cairnduff, Marco Chacon, Albert Bailey, Rich Parkinson,

Rachel Bailey, Roger Calver, El Zambo, Neil Duffell

Without them, In Harm’s Way would be nothing but rootless ideas

looking for a home

clash bowley, 2006

Flying Mice Games

http://jalan.flyingmice.com

From Better Mousetrap Games

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In Harm’s Way Role-Playing Game

-Dragon of the Sea-

WÜtzÉÇ bÇ g{x fxtby Ryan A. Span

Rain whipped across the deck in sheets as thick as lead. The ocean sky wasslashed black and blue, heavy clouds trimmed with gold from the afternoon sun, andHMS Arrow chased the rainbow as swiftly as she chased the enemy.

ʺStormʹs getting worse, Capʹn!ʺ shouted Arrowʹs sailing master, Mr. Henry.He held his hands up to his mouth like a megaphone to make himself heard over theroar of the mounting wind. ʺThe fore and mizzen topgallant are going to crack if wedonʹt reef them!ʺ

ʺThank you, Mr. Henry,ʺ the captain answered. His spyglass never seemed toleave his eye, utterly focused on the American frigate not a mile off the starboardbow. She couldnʹt run much longer.

Midshipman Mayhew stood on the starboard rail, a thick longcoat pulled overhis Royal Navy uniform, which was now flapping violently in the storm. He didnʹtmuch care. He pointed at the enemy frigate for the benefit of his fellow Middies whoserved as an impromptu audience. He was seventeen, and surely up for a promotionto Leftenant soon, so he couldnʹt pass up an opportunity to impress his youngers.

ʺThatʹs the Yankee, all right!ʺ he cheered. ʺShe canʹt get away from us thistime!ʺ

As if to punctuate his words, the frigate spat a final volley from her chase guns,then tacked halfway into the wind to present her formidable broadside to theapproaching Arrow. A hail of solid shot came screaming towards MidshipmanMayhew, and he quickly got his head down. For a moment, the crack of splinteringwood and ripping canvas was louder than even the storm.

The captain pulled him up to his feet by his collar when the volley had passed by.ʺTo your guns, gentlemen,ʺ he said pointedly, and the other Middies disappearedbelowdecks like fleeing rats. The captain smiled as he finally let Mayhew go, thenstrolled back towards the bow to take command of the engagement.

Mayhew collected his hat and rushed to the hatch. One moaning soul was beingcarried below by two others, covered in blood and missing his right arm.

The air belowdecks was thicker than a London fog. Men sweated at their gunseven as they shivered, half from fear, half from cold. Another volley thundered into

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In Harm’s Way Role-Playing Game

-Dragon of the Sea-

the water just outside their gunports. They ached to respond in kind, but not yet,not yet.

Rope and canvas creaked as Arrow tacked onto her new course, her timbersstraining, and the mass of the Yankee frigate crept into view from Mayhewʹs gun-port. The officers told their gun crews to wait, wait just a little longer . . .

ʺFire!ʺ came the order, and the crew of HMS Arrow opened up Hell.

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In Harm’s Way: A Napoleonic Naval Roleplaying Game

Table of Contents

In Harm’s Way - an Introduction ........................ 1Introduction ......................................................... 1Designing In Harm’s Way ................................... 1Honor and Practicality ......................................... 1Notice and intraparty competition ....................... 1Class distinctions and Interest ............................. 2Troupe Play ......................................................... 2Ship to ship battles .............................................. 2Who is the hero? .................................................. 2In summation ....................................................... 2Smuggling! A profitable business ....................... 2In Harm’s Way Character Generation ................. 3Character Generation Procedure ......................... 4Culture ................................................................. 4Actions ................................................................ 4Generating Characters ......................................... 4Directed Method .................................................. 4Place initial characteristics and cash ................... 4Mother’s Milk Skills ........................................... 5Either Directed or Template Characters .............. 5Midshipman Profession ....................................... 5Naval Officer Profession - Lieutenant ................ 5Naval Officer Profession - Commander .............. 5Naval Officer Profession - Post Captain ............. 5Aging ................................................................... 5LUCK .................................................................. 6Good Examples of LUCK ................................... 6Bad Examples of LUCK ..................................... 6Mother’s Milk Skills ........................................... 6What are Mother’s Milk Skills? .......................... 6Selecting the Character’s Mother’s Milk Skills. . 6Using the Tables .................................................. 6Character Advancement after Generation ........... 7Equivalent Ranks ................................................. 7Equivalent Naval Ranks ...................................... 7In Harm’s Way Character Generation Tables ..... 8In Harm’s Way Character Generation Tables - Class ................................... 9Mother’s Milk Skills ........................................... 10Skill Sets - British ............................................... 10Appropriate Skill Sets by character background . 10Mother’s Milk Skills ........................................... 11

Skill Sets - American ...........................................11Appropriate Skill Sets by character background .11Mother’s Milk Skills ............................................12Skill Sets - French ................................................12Appropriate Skill Sets by character background .12Template Lieutenant Characters ..........................14The Sailmaster .....................................................14The Monkey .........................................................14The Warrior ..........................................................14The Intellectual ....................................................14The Zealot ............................................................14The Brute .............................................................14The Boarder .........................................................14The Seaman ..........................................................15The All-Around ....................................................15The Socialite ........................................................15The Charmer ........................................................15The Bladesman ....................................................15The Shooter ..........................................................15The Topman .........................................................15The Slogger ..........................................................15PC Careers ...........................................................16Midshipman .........................................................16Naval Officer .......................................................16Troupe Characters ................................................16Sailors ..................................................................16Able Bodied Seamen ...........................................16Ordinary Seamen .................................................16Landsmen .............................................................16Sailor Characters Skill List. .................................16Warrant and Petty Officers ..................................17Purser ...................................................................17Master ..................................................................17Master’s Mate ......................................................17Bosun ...................................................................17Bosun’s Mate .......................................................17Sailmaker .............................................................17Sailmaker’s Mate .................................................17Carpenter ..............................................................18Carpenter’s Mate ..................................................18Cox’n ...................................................................18Surgeon ................................................................18

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Surgeon’s Mate ................................................... 18Gunner ................................................................. 18Gunner’s Mate ..................................................... 18Marines ................................................................ 19First Rate ............................................................. 19Second Rate ......................................................... 19Third Rate ............................................................ 19Fourth Rate .......................................................... 19Fifth Rate ............................................................. 19Sixth Rate ............................................................ 19Other Vessels ....................................................... 19Marine Officer ..................................................... 19Marine Non-Commissioned Officer .................... 19Marine ................................................................. 19Avocations: Hobbies and Interests ...................... 20Intelligence Agents .............................................. 20The Intelligence Skill Set: ................................... 20Musicians ............................................................ 20The Musician Skill Set: ....................................... 20Naturalists ............................................................ 20The Naturalist Skill Set: ...................................... 20Modelers .............................................................. 21The Modeler Skill Set: ........................................ 21Gamblers ............................................................. 21The Gambler Skill Set: ........................................ 21Sportsmen ............................................................ 21The Sportsman Skill Set: ..................................... 21Guide to Skills ..................................................... 22Skills .................................................................... 23In Harm’s Way - Skills ........................................ 24Non-Player Characters ........................................ 28Non-Player Characters ........................................ 29Chance Met NPCs ............................................... 29The Instant Character .......................................... 29The Temporary NPC ........................................... 29NPC Missions Table ............................................ 31Object of Mission Table ...................................... 31Incidental Skill Table .......................................... 32Quick and Dirty Personalities Table ................... 32NPC Relative Wealth Table ................................ 33NPC Relevant Skills Table .................................. 33Relevant ............................................................... 33Skill Level Table ................................................. 33Quick Stats .......................................................... 33Table .................................................................... 33Ruffians and Runagates ....................................... 34

Ruffian .................................................................34Thug .....................................................................34Constable .............................................................34Runagate ..............................................................34Army: ...................................................................34Highwayman ........................................................34Assassin ...............................................................35Marine: .................................................................35Ranger: .................................................................35Thieftaker .............................................................35Double Master: ....................................................35The Permanent NPC ............................................35Playing the Game .................................................36The In Harm’s Way RPG .....................................37Creating a character .............................................37Constitution ..........................................................37In Harm’s Way Task Resolution .........................37Initiative: ..............................................................37Chance of Success: ..............................................38Skill Check ...........................................................38Attribute Check ....................................................38Cover Check ........................................................39Quality of Success ...............................................39In Harm’s Way Combat .......................................39Trading Points ......................................................39Ranges ..................................................................40Cover ....................................................................40Healing .................................................................41Applicable Skills ..................................................41Weapons and Skills ..............................................41Firearms ...............................................................42Suppressive Volley Fire .......................................42Grenadoes ............................................................42General Knowledge and Languages ....................42Levels of Mastery ................................................43Descriptions of Success or Failure .......................43Complex Problems and Solution Points ..............43Practicality and Honor .........................................44Command .............................................................44The Chain of Command .......................................44Troupe Play ..........................................................45Giving Notice .......................................................45Negative Notice ...................................................45Medicine and Surgery ..........................................47The status of surgery and surgeons ......................47Debilitating Wounds ............................................47

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