Fighting Questions And Answers

Q) My players and I are in disagreement over how the wounds actually work in Pirates. Some think that the penalty 'gained' from being wounded is applied only to specific areas, and others that it is an overall penalty that affects everything the Character does. Can you help clarify this for us
please?

A) The Wound Penalty applies everywhere. The game is abstract, so specific body areas are not dealt with. If you get stabbed in the arm (-2) and shot in the leg (-3), you have a -5 total for every future to avoid dying. The way we see it, even if you're shot in the leg, it affects your ability to swing a sword because you can't maneuver on your feet as well, hence the overall penalty.
Combat makes use of all your body parts at all times. If Players get upset at that, remember, it works both ways, so all enemies build penalties quickly as well (and woe to the poor Game Captain who would otherwise have to keep track of individually wounded body parts for dozens
of red-shirt guards in a fight).

Q) What happens if a crew surrenders and then in the same Round of Mass Melee the opposing captain is brought down? Do they both surrender or what?

A) Interesting impasse. This would become a judgment call by the Game Captain, but should come down to who is fighting who. For if the survivors who outnumber their enemies are pirates, then they will start the battle over, giving into greed and bloodlust. However, if those who outnumber their enemies are Royal Navy, they will demand a surrender from their enemies, and if refused, continue the battle, knowing that they have the advantage. If things are too close to call, the vessel of the Player Characters may do some 'recruiting', as their former enemies volunteer to switch sides, while the others will simply leave, renewing the fight only if they have nowhere to go (their ship blown out from underneath them, etc). But if a solid ruling is ever needed, a double-surrender will result in the battle simply continuing, the surrenders canceling each other out.

Q) How can a point-plank shot or strike of any kind really miss, no matter the modifiers?

A) This is a game, and there must always be some element of chance in order to keep things fun and exciting. But more than that, it is important to keep in mind that a failed Attack Roll is not necessarily  a 'miss', but rather a 'mis-take', such as hitting an enemy's weapon rather than their flesh, or having forgotten to put powder in one's pistol, or causing a target to trip rather than bleed, or anything else that may go 'amiss'.