Ships that go boom in the night

[toaster]

This is intended as a rules query but it may mutate in a house rule discussion in which case it will be on the wrong board, sorry.

When a ship receives enough damage to reduce its hull to zero should you roll for criticals just to see if it explodes? After all if a ship with almost all its hull intact can sometimes explode from a reactor hit surely one that is destroyed should have at least the same chance if not more.

Which brings us to the question what does hull reduced to zero mean? A ship that is nibbled to death by non penetrating hits takes no criticals and can be fully functional with only one point of hull remaining. So is a zero hull ship totally destroyed or does it just mean that it has become combat ineffective?

What does everyone think?

Robert

[coldsteel]

If you like to see things go boom, by all means roll the crits. I leave it up to the players to decide when it happens.

A ship reduced to zero hull is combat ineffective. Even if the crew is still alive, they are busy trying to stay that way.

[warchariot]

Because real life casualties mean killed, wounded, and missing. I always believe our lead friends suffer the same. Some are dead, more are wounded and some disappear later to be found dead/wounded or not at all. So, the easy answer is no, ships are still there but some are destroyed totally.

So to answer your question, no we don't roll. Normally by the time ships are coming off we know who is going to win. We might roll if the outcome would change based on a critical, but haven't so far.

[bubbacleese]

Blowing up the ship has always been one of the best perks of wargaming. Whatever the system when you have a chance to make something on the game board go boom you take it as the enjoyment level around the game table is always raised when you can put out smoke / flame / destroyed figures.

[robertthedamned]

I've always imagined the '0 hull' level is the point where a ship will have taken so much damage that the hull starts to break up. Not necessarily a massive fireball explosion but the ship isn't in one part any more.

[bubbacleese]

I agree, everytime something goes down to zero does not mean fireball and a loud noise...but on the other hand if I can get everyone at the table chanting for that final roll to come up for a ship to explode I'll will. Laughing, shouting, jumping out of their seats; that is what my games are all about. ;D