Britain’s Royal Navy introduced a system of rating the ships of its fleet based on the number of guns they carried. This rating system takes its name from the capability of ships to stand in a line of battle (Ship-of-the-Line). Initially introduced by Samuel Pepys in 1677, the rating system underwent numerous revisions until the…
The 21st October marks the anniversary of the greatest naval battle in military history. We take a look at the celebrated battle, and look at replicating the game using the Black Seas rules system! After pursuing the Admiral in charge of the Franco–Spanish Fleet, Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, to the Caribbean and back, Admirals Lord Nelson and…
Known fondly as “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate that tangled with Barbary Pirates and the Royal Navy! USS Constitution was one of six Heavy Frigates commissioned by the United States Congress in 1794 to protect American shipping against Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean. These frigates were designed to outmatch…
Discover the Spanish Navy in all its glory and sail your tall ships into history as the Almirante of your own fleet in Black Seas! The Spanish Navy The history of the Spanish Navy in the Age of Sail is one of varying fortunes: involving both major successes and massive defeats. At the beginning of…
Black Seas enables you to select from a number of different types of ammunition. We examine their usage and impact in the game. At the start of a game of Black Seas, or at the start of a ship’s activation, you can change ammunition at any or all gun positions. Whilst this does lend ships…
A number of the most famous ships in history were 1st rate ships-of-the-line hailing from the Age of Sail. We take a look at 1st Rates in Black Seas. The Rating System Britain’s Royal Navy introduced a system of rating the ships of its fleet based on the number of guns they carried. This rating…
Today we’re heading back to 1798 to the Battle of the Nile, where Nelson scored a famous victory that secured the Royal Navy’s dominance on the seas. Also known as the Battle of the Aboukir Bay, the Battle of the Nile marked a turning point in strategic naval dominance for the British in the war….
We’re looking at an individual with a remarkable claim to fame – one of the only men verified to be at both Trafalgar and Waterloo! Miguel Ricardo de Alava “Alava, the Spanish General, so attached and devoted to the Duke (by-the-bye, he was a Captain of a Spanish battleship or frigate, I forget which),…
Discover the Great British Royal Navy in all its glory and sail your tall ships into history as the Admiral of your own fleet in Black Seas! The Royal Navy By the late 1700s, Great Britain had established itself as the most prominent and powerful navy of the time. This was mostly due to the…
Discover the French Navy in all its glory and sail your tall ships into history as the Amiral of your own fleet in Black Seas! The French Navy The French Navy has a history of highs and lows, both in terms of successes in battle and in the number and quality of its ships. In…
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
RichC