NiE index »  Alternative Naval battle system
Text is originally by Claus Westh, from official Napoleon in Europe forum.

Fleets are divided into the following ship-types:
Name     # guns *     Hull Points     Cost †
Frigate ca. 32 1 HP 8 PP
3rd rater ca. 74 2 HP 15 PP
1st rater ca. 100+ 3 HP 27 PP

*   For historic reference only.
†   The cost is to reflect their value in battle.
Sea battles:

The battle board is a "skirmish"-battle board with one battle sector for each opposing force, and a middle sector. Instead of a reserve zone and a retreat zone one "surrendered" zone is used.

Initiative:
Each player roll one die. The winner "has the wind" (explained below).
The die roll is modified by the following:

• Half or more than half of the ships are British +1
• Admiral with the navy+2
• Interceptor+1
• Half or more than half of the ships are Ottoman-1
Set up: All ships are placed in the battle sectors leaving the middle sector free.
Play Sequence:
  1. Fire phase
  2. Move/escape phase
Fire phase:

Firing is supposed to take place simultaneous (could be in turns with the side that has the wind firing first). Each ship can fire at one enemy. The firing ship roll as many dice as it has remaining HPs. At long range each rolled "6" is a hit. At short range each "5" and "6" is a hit. Each hit lowers the target's HP. When the HP of a ship is 0 or less roll one die. On a 1-2 the ship has been sunk; on a 3+ the ship has surrendered and it is placed in the surrendered zone.

Move/escape phase:

The side with the wind moves first. He can choose to move one sector (for example to close range) or the escape. Then the side, that hasn't got the wind is allowed to escape or continue the battle. He is not allowed to move on the battle board (too difficult to move against the wind [closing on the enemy with the wind against his will] or moving with the wind away from the enemy [without the enemy following up unless he tries to break away from the battle]).

If a player tries to escape from battle every enemy ship still in the battle is allowed one round of fire before the escaping fleets have escaped. The retreating player physically retreat one ship at a time and the firing player announces which ships fire on that particular ship. Only ships of the same class or lighter can fire at an escaping ship; (frigates were faster than 3rd raters and 3rd raters faster than 1st raters). Only ships in close range may fire, (you have to "engage the enemy more closely" unless you want him to escape the battle unharmed), however the long range "to hit roll" is used (only "6" is a hit) in firing "the last broad side".

After the battle all ships in the winner's surrendered zone rejoins the winner's fleet. The ships in the loser's surrendered zone are lost. All ships that survive the battle are considered as good as new in the following player's turn.
In more advance rules the loser's surrendered ships could be considered as captured and replaced by ships in "the winners colour". In addition damaged ships should have to spend one whole month in a friendly port, to be repaired to normal. But I fear such rules will upset the game balance too much.

Interception of Squadrons:

Roll as per normal rules with a +1 modifier for having more frigates than the enemy.

Interception of troop transports:

On a roll of "1" the transport is intercepted. The interception chance is raised by one for each more frigate in the intercepting fleet.

Attacking ships in a port:

The defender also places 2 coastal batteries in the battle sector. These are considered 3rd raters but cannot move, and the battle ends when the defender has no more ships in the battle or voluntarily surrenders.