Other instances may be in mutinees for captaincy challenges, or any time a scenario or campaign role playing calls for it. This skill applies equally to pistol, sword or rapiers. This skill does not apply to any other weapon, or an other circumstance. For example you can't use a boarding axe in dueling, and you can't duel a lowly peg legged ships cook. In these circumstances you will be using your normal sword or musket skill.
When two nobles face each other, at the moment the rules make the change from either musket or sword skill to the dueling skill compulsory. It may be after play testing this can be less strict and only occur at the consent of both parties to duel rather than use the normal fight mechanics.
When two sailors settle their grievances on land in a duel, they DO NOT do so using dueling skills. This combat is carried out using their musket or sword skill as appropriate.
All pirate and naval captains, leiutenants and nobles, start with a skill rank of 1. Merchant captains have the option of a skill rank of 1 OR adding 1 to their trading skill and having no dueling skill and therefore unable to duel. All sailors, natives, slaves and lowly land lubbers have no skill rank.
Two pirates dueling start with a base 50% chance each to "win", modified by the opponents dueling skill. The maximum chance to "win" is 95% or "lose" 5%, so going over skill rank 4 is not necessary except when fighting skilled duellers. If you are facing an opponent with a good skill level in duelling and you don't, your best chance is to be somewhere else and let the crew handle them. The dueller with initiative rolls the dice, whether she has the higher chance to "win" or not. The person with the higher skill level is the nominal "winner" of the turn as far as the duel resolution table is concerned.
To resolve the duel, the winner subtracts the losers bonus from her bonus. The person with initiative rolls the dice, and adds the difference between the skill level bonuses to the roll, cross references the duelling table for either pistol or sword and applies the result.
| Skill Level | Bonus to win duel added to base 50% |
| 1 | no bonus |
| 2 | +20% |
| 3 | +35% |
| 4 | +40% |
| 5 | +50% |
| 6 | +60% |
| 7 | +65% |
For example, Nancy Nicebottom, the governor of Tinselton, is facing a marauding pirate band led by Polly, the captain of the fine ship Parrot. Polly has the luck and has won the encounters initiative. The two meet near the village stable amid the skirmish and automatically face up to duel. Nancy has a skill rank of 5 (+50%), perfecting her art over many years of practice. Polly is just a regular old pirate captain, and has a dueling rank of 1 (no bonus).
Therefore, the action is handled thusly: Polly has the initiative and rolls the dice for the duel. Nancy is the nominal winner of the duel because she has the higher skill. Polly rolls the percentile dice for a result of 23, and adds the difference between Nancy's skill bonus and her own (50% - 0% = 50%). Therefore the roll is 73%. Polly applies this to the duelling table for swords and applies the result.
The duelling table is made in such a way that even though you may "win" this round of the duel, you still may not win the encounter. The duel will continue round after round until one player wins the encounter by incapacitating the loser, or forcing them to surrender, or they surrender willingly.
The winner of a sword duel, irrespective of whether they have the initiative or not, has the choice to kill or capture the opponent. If the roll says the opponent dies, and the winner wishes otherwise, the opponent is only incapacitated for the rest of the combat. Of course, even the best duelists make mistakes. You have a base 50% plus your skill bonus to wound and not kill, otherwise they are dead for the rest of the combat.
Duel Resolution Table
| Modified Dice Roll | Sword Duel Result | Pistol Duel Result |
| 1 | You're an idiot. Swords and you don't mix, except of course when you fall on it by mistake. Make a luck roll, or you are dead. If you pass, you are incapacitated for the rest of the combat. | You're an idiot. You place too much powder in the pistol in your haste, and jam the shot tight. Your pistol explodes in your hand. Make a luck roll or lose the hand completely. If you pass, you may not use that hand for the rest of the combat, and hopefully you will have a good surgeon afterwards to mend it. |
| 2 | Your opponent is a professional in disguise. You are dead (barring luck roll) and any of your crew within 4" immediately surrender. All crew within the your command radius make an immediate morale check or surrender. | |
| 3 | You suffer major damage to your non weapon arm. You are in major dissary. Make an immediate morale check for the captain. You are at -20% for the rest of the combat. | |
| 4 | You suffer cuts and slashes to your body. You are at 75% movement, and -10% for the rest of the combat. | |
| 5 | It's all over now, baby blue. You are at your opponents feet begging for mercy. Make a morale roll immediately for all your troops in your command radius. | It's all over now, baby blue. You have a stomach wound, and slump to the ground in shock. You are incapacitated for the rest of the combat. |
| 6 | You feel the weight of bad kharma settling on your shoulders. Your knees tremble and you immediately fall to your knees begging for mercy. | |
| 7 | Your opponent is too good. You are severly wounded, and will die if a surgeon does not attend you immediately after the combat is concluded. | |
| 8 | Your opponent is a god! Your morale has snapped and you flee the combat completely without a trace if the duel is on land, or you jump overboard if it is at sea. Your cowardice ripples through the ranks instantly, and your complete crew are at -10% morale for the rest of the combat. Consider yourself deposed and unlikely to ever set to sea again. | |
| 9 | lose | |
| 10 | Daniel Boon was a man, he was a big man. You seem to have found his brother, for he smacks you with the flat of the sword, and sends you sprawling. Move backwards 3" and get up quick. You're at -10% duelling penalty next round. If you have no room to go backwards 3", go back as far as you can, for you are at 30% duelling penalty next round. | |
| 11 | lose | |
| 12 | lose | |
| 13 | Your sword seems to be made in Taiwan. It shatters into useless pieces. If you have another weapon, you can make the switch, or else you are at your opponents mercy. | |
| 14 | lose | |
| 15 | lose | |
| 16 | Your opponent is better than you are. They overpower you easily. You are on th eground beggeing for mercy | |
| 17 | lose | |
| 18 | lose | |
| 19 | lose | |
| 20 | Your crew have no idea how you got to be their captain. You are at -30%, and your poor showing has moved them so deeply that all of them within 6" make an immediate morale check. If you survive the combat, make a mutiny check. | |
| 21 | lose | |
| 22 | lose | |
| 23 | lose | |
| 24 | lose | |
| 25 | lose | |
| 26 | You are having a very unlucky day. Just as you force your opponent backwards, they stumble and fall, ending up 2" away, but at the same time, they slice your face with their flailing cutlass. You are at -10% bonus for all combat actions in this combat, and back away 6" out of duelling range. Do you run, or do you stay? | You take a nasty wound to the upper body as your opponent stares you down. You edge away 6" out of duelling range. If you spot your opponent again during this combat, you will automatically move away from them and undertake no other action. You refuse to tempt fate. You are at -20% movement, and -15% combat bonuses. |
| 27 | lose | |
| 28 | lose | |
| 29 | lose | |
| 30 | The dice are weighed against you. You are incapacitated for the rest of this combat | |
| 31 | lose | |
| 32 | lose | |
| 33 | lose | |
| 34 | You and your opponent cross swords and stare deeply into each others eyes. It's a stare down you lose as your opponent head butts you and you go sprawling. You retreat 2" and are at -50% next turn. | |
| 35 | lose | |
| 36 | lose | |
| 37 | Your weapon arm is wounded badly. You are at -30% for the rest of the combat. Maybe your surgeon can repair the damage after combat. | |
| 38 | lose | |
| 39 | lose | |
| 40 | lose | |
| 41 | No one is quite sure where this thing is going. Your opponent retreats 3" and you retreat 2" | |
| 42 | lose | |
| 43 | ||
| 44 | Things are rough. Your opponent is bored fighting just you and drags the combat in the direction of your nearest crewman 3". If you end up near one of your crewmen, the opponent has sent them sprawling. They are stunned for the next round AND you are at -50% next round. | |
| 45 | ||
| 46 | lose | |
| 47 | ||
| 48 | lose | |
| 49 | ||
| 50 | Your confidence is shaken. Make an immediate morale check. If you pass, retreat 3". If you can't retreat, you are at -20% bonus next turn. | This just is not your day. Your miss, and your opponent shoots the pistol right out of your hand! If you have no other, you spend the next turn trying to recover the one on the ground, and are at -40% bonus. If you have another, you are at -10% bonus. |
| 51 | You are starting to win over the current stoush. Your opponent makes and immediate morale check. They are at -5% for the rest of the duel. | |
| 52 | ||
| 53 | You are winning the combat so far. Your opponent is at -20% next turn and must retreat 2" | |
| 54 | You are winning the combat so far, but it's a touchy feely thing. Your opponent is at -15% next turn, but you must retreat 2" | |
| 55 | ||
| 56 | You lead your opponent on a merry dance about the terrain. They are forced to retreat 6" where ever you choose.You have the option of how close you wish to be near them. Therefore you have the option to break the duel and be about your way, OR you can stand next to your opponent who is at -25% next round. | |
| 57 | Your sword skills have your opponent on the backfoot, literally. Trying to escape your flashing blade, they have twisted their ankle. They are at -15% for the combat, and at 75% movement. | |
| 58 | ||
| 59 | ||
| 60 | You're a skilled craftswoman of the subtle art of irony. You have spent the last turn of combat tickling your opponent alternately with the flat and point of your sword. Your opponent makes a morale check to continue, or else falls incapacitated for 2 turns. You may bind them as your prisoner next turn if you take no other action, or else you may rush on to more pressing matters and direct a subordinate to undertake the task. | A hit is better than no hit at all. You shoot your opponent in the foot, no more high heels for her. She spends the next turn hopping around in agony, and is at 50% movement for the rest of the combat. Naturally she missed you completely, but a nearby seagull has the fright of his life. |
| 61 | ||
| 62 | ||
| 63 | ||
| 64 | ||
| 65 | ||
| 66 | Fate is not your best friend. You take a serious wound to the left arm and are very upset. You are at 75% movement for the rest of the combat, and -10% bonus when using a sword for the current combat. You retreat 2" if you can, if you can't, you're at a further -10% sword/duelling bonus to your next turn. You take consolation that you at least wounded your opponent, but most likely the evidence will come out in the wash. | Fate is not your best friend. Your opponent is a good shot, but fortunately your left arm got in the way. You are at 75% movement for the rest of the combat, and -10% bonus when using a pistol for the current combat. You retreat 2" if you can, if you can't, you're at a further -20% pistol/duelling bonus to your next turn. You take consolation that you at least wounded your opponent, but most likely the evidence will come out in the wash. |
| 67 | ||
| 68 | Your display of sword skill against your opponent is catching everyones eye. Your unfortunate victim is at -40% AND all crew from both sides within 6" stop fighting to watch the duel UNTIL there is a decisive outcome. At the end of the duel, the losers crew within 6" make a morale check. If, as the duel continues, there is movement, keep the 6" radius moving with the duel and all new crewmen in the circle are likewise drawn into watching the spectacle. None of the previously affected crew will return to combat until after the duel is over. | |
| 69 | ||
| 70 | lose | |
| 71 | ||
| 72 | ||
| 73 | ||
| 74 | ||
| 75 | You've emulated zorro fighting Catherine Zeta Jones. Your opponents top is cut away (or pants if male), caausing them to drop their weapon in embarassment and cover up. If they make a luck roll, they will fight next turn at -10% combat bonus, or else they are at your mercy,. | |
| 76 | You are a whirlwind of death. Your opponent is dead (barring luck roll) and her nearest crewman is also on the ground stunned. Any other enemy crewman within 3" makes an immediate morale check or flee in terror. If on land they are removed from the combat and crew permanently. If at sea, they jump overboard. | |
| 77 | ||
| 78 | ||
| 79 | Zen teaches balance. You cut ventilation slots in your opponents top and give her a new scar to tell tales about. Her movement is at -10%, and she makes an immediate morale roll. However, she has also wounded you, a wild swing cuts your necklace off and you get the fright of your life. Move backwards 2" | |
| 80 | lose | |
| 81 | ||
| 82 | ||
| 83 | ||
| 84 | Your masterful sword play has popped the buttons off your opponents skirt, or the rope bindings on her breaches. Of course, the tangling clothes causes her major trouble. She makes a luck roll or she is at your feet and at your mercy. If she passes, she is at -25% movement, and -10% duelling bonus next turn. | |
| 85 | ||
| 86 | ||
| 87 | ||
| 88 | ||
| 89 | ||
| 90 | lose | |
| 91 | ||
| 92 | ||
| 93 | Combat is boring you. You force your opponent 3" in whichever direction you so chose and his nearest crewmate within 6" is stunned for the next round. | |
| 94 | ||
| 95 | ||
| 96 | You have embarassed your opponent with your obvious skill. You manage to boot them in the butt and send them sprawling. They drop their weapon. If they have another they can draw it and continue at -35% or else they are at your mercy. Any of their crew within 3" of the spectacle make an immediate morale check. | |
| 97 | ||
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| 99 | ||
| 100 | lose | |
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| 115 |
The fighting is fast and furious. You both end up facing each other 5" apart, panting furously. If you are surrounded by 6 other people in combat, you both may decide to break the duel and fight others, or else the duel continues next turn. If only one wishes to duel on, it is a 50-50 chance to either duel on, or face the nearest enemy for regular combat. |
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| 165 | You win the turn decisively. Not only is your opponent dead permanently (no luck roll allowed for survival), and the three nearest opponents making morale checks, you've also skilfully scored a Z on your opponents chest and back at the same time. A shout goes up from your crew and they are at +5% in their next turn of combat. You're a heroine of mammoth proportions! | You are the undisputed mistress of the pistol. Defying the laws of physics, your shot has gone in one eye and come out the other. Your opponent is dead with no luck roll allowed. You have awed the enemy. The most senior enemy officer inside your command radius makes an immediate morale check. If he fails, all subordinates inside his command radius surrender immediately. If they pass, your opponent in the next turn flees immediately, no morale check needed, all other opponents are unaffected. |
Notes: Combat bonuses refer to sword, musket, duelling and personal defence issues. Results refering to the current round refer to the current die roll round as per the rules, the current combat refers to the complete battle currently being fought between the two players today. Any results said to apply to the battle expire after the next sleep of a minimum of 4 hours. Therefore, if you fight a long withdrawal for several days with sleep snatched here and there, the results would still apply. If, for example, you could retire to your boat and outsail your opponent who catches you again the next day, the effect will have expired.
If you are forced to retreat, and cannot do so, you are at an extra -15% combat bonus next turn, unless the description says otherwise.