Flying Colors

Theme: Flying Colors is a naval war game set during the Age of Sail, when the countries that controlled the seas were the superpowers of the world.

Fly your colors on your mighty men-o-war and Ships of the Line and re-enact battles containing dozens of ships on each side.

Gameplay: In Flying Colors, naval warfare in the age of sail is given a new focus. Battles are conducted using a ruleset that focuses on the abilities of broad classes of vessels, allowing players to focus on the flow of the battle.

This is not a strategic level game where one piece represents several ships. Flying Colors includes 300 individually named ships rated for size, gunnery, boarding ability, and damage capacity. Also included are nearly four dozen individually named commanders, rated for their ability to control their formations as well as the impact of their presence within the fleet. The game system provides what naval enthusiasts will expect in a tactical Age of Sail game: broadsides, rakes, anchoring, wind effects, weather, shore batteries, and much more. All this is packed into a short, accessible rulebook.

Included within Flying Colors are 17 historical scenarios ranging from the Battle of Minorca (1756) during the Seven Years War to the Battle of the Capes during the American Revolution and on through the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) during the Napoleonic Wars. The battles range in size from small engagements playable on a single map through huge engagements like the Glorious First of June playable on three maps. Players are also free to create their own variants and "what-if" scenarios using point values for each ship. Most scenarios can be played within a few hours and two players can complete even the largest within a day. Several are also well suited to solitarie play.