A Dohwar, a Giff, and a Satyr walk into a bar [IC Thread]

[GM Anthraxus]

No, he is trying to judge the elevation the turtle ship will be at that hex (G) when it gets there, based on it's current heading

Sure, give me an wisdom (insight) check, dc 15.

[Rupert Gladestone]

Wisdom (Insight) Check = [1d20+5]=12+5=17

[GM Anthraxus]

Wisdom (Insight) Check = [1d20+5]=12+5=17

Rupert knows that there are two tactics it could take.  The first would be to stay at the approximate distance that they are now and pepper the ship with ballista.  If they were trying to wear you down or just destroy the ship, that would be the best approach as their weapons have yours beat on range.  If they think you are trying to run, or they want to close in because they have you outmanned and want to take the ship then they will not go any further away if they can help it.  Based on what you have observed and what the Captain has said they messaged, Rupert is pretty confident that the ship is more likely to drop down to your level than to go higher if something was in their way as going higher would push them further away from you, and you don't think that their base speed is any higher than yours so they will likely be trying to close as quickly as possible.

[Rupert Gladestone]

Rupert places the debris field in hex G so that it effectively creates a screen with the debris in hex H, in the same level as our ship to inhibit their approaching us.

[GM Anthraxus]

Round 2
Threadvine - 23.16
Turtleship Movement - 22
Rupert - 19
Turtleship Light Ballista 18
Anders - 17.16
Turtleship Medium Ballista 17
Bill - 15.15
Melville - 15
Annabelle - 14.12
Chick - 13.14
Royce - 11.19
Slick - 8.17
Ashheart - 8.15
Bazzalan - 6
Cash - 4.14
Turtleship Medium Catapult - 2

Moving Debris - 0

---

Rupert launches another debris field between the Riposte and the Turtleship, extending the hazard in the flow.

Both of the light ballista fire.  one of the bolts glances harmlessly off of the tail fluke of the Riposte, while the other bolt slams into the main deck adding a new quivering mast in front of Anders. [[First shot hits, but fails to overcome damage threshold.  Second hits and blows through the damage threshold dealing 18 points to the ship]]

Anders, in surprise, yells, "By the stars!" as she dives out of the way of the ballista bolt.  She scrambles up the forecastle stairs and quickly mutters a Blessing over Melville, Threadvine, and Cash. [[Movement and casting bless over three targets.  Adds +1d4 to attack and saving throws for 1 minute or until concentration breaks.]]

As the Turtleship continues to climb and turn the medium ballista fires as well but harmlessly clatters against the stout timber of the ram and begins settling to the gravity plane. [[Again hit but does not exceed damage threshold.]]

Bill moves over and quickly works the ballista bolt loose and tosses it overboard and out of the way. 

Melville, what are you doing?  Glancing at the scroll Threadvine handed you shows it to be a copy of Insect Plague.

[Melville]

Melvcill is going to cas [i[Fog Cloud[/i] as a 2nd level spell, causing it to increase it's area of effect to 40 foot radius (80' feet across), and places it at the limits of it's range (120 feet) directly between the turtleship and the Riposte. He knows we will leave the Fog Cloud behind really quickly, but it should provide obscurement at leat from the turtleships catapult attack.

While doing this he moves onto the foredeck and gets ready to cast the insect plague scroll when the turtleship gets close enough (if it gets close enough)

[GM Anthraxus]

Round 2
Threadvine - 23.16
Turtleship Movement - 22
Rupert - 19
Turtleship Light Ballista 18
Anders - 17.16
Turtleship Medium Ballista 17
Bill - 15.15
Melville - 15
Annabelle - 14.12
Chick - 13.14
Royce - 11.19
Slick - 8.17
Ashheart - 8.15
Bazzalan - 6
Cash - 4.14
Turtleship Medium Catapult - 2

Moving Debris - 0

---

Annabelle helps Cash ready the catapult again.  [[Armament Assist]]

In the helmroom, Chick flexes her antenna.  Both of them stroke the helm, increasing her contact with the chair.  A faint glow illuminates the helm, her, and her bench.  The hull of the ship seems glow with a faint arcane light as Chick pours magical energy into the helm.  Like a shot the Riposte rocketed forward, turning away from the obstructions the crew put in place and swiftly pulling out of weapons range again. [[Ship Movement + Spelljammer Boost (2nd Level) + Natural Spelljammer Racial ability]]  She yells out the door, "I only have one more of those!"

Royce helps Rupert ready the jettison. [[Armament Assist]]

Slick moves on up to the stern castle to be able to relay orders easily.

Ashheart continues journaling the combat.

Bazz, you doing anything?

[Bazzalan Horngrin]

[OoC: I was wondering...  If Melville had cast his fog cloud onto the deck of the ship, would it have stayed on the deck or would the ship fly away from it? ]

[OoC2:  Was there any point to Rupert using the Bard Inspiration I gave him on the Jettison?  I feel like the debris field just sits in space.  Does it boost the the attack roll help the field hit any better if it's just floating?  I only have 4 of these per day and I want to use them where they'll be the most effective.  So maybe giving it to the person shooting the Catapult would make more sense.  Have we done any damage to the turtle ship?]

[Melville]

[OoC Inspiration to Melkville at this point makes absolutely no sense FYI]

[GM Anthraxus]

[OoC: I was wondering...  If Melville had cast his fog cloud onto the deck of the ship, would it have stayed on the deck or would the ship fly away from it? ]

[OoC2:  Was there any point to Rupert using the Bard Inspiration I gave him on the Jettison?  I feel like the debris field just sits in space.  Does it boost the the attack roll help the field hit any better if it's just floating?  I only have 4 of these per day and I want to use them where they'll be the most effective.  So maybe giving it to the person shooting the Catapult would make more sense.  Have we done any damage to the turtle ship?]

If the point of focus was on the deck the fog would have travelled with the ship.  Targeting it on a point in space causes it to stay where that point is.

When using the jettison to setup debris fields, it is functionally hitting an AC 10 target to get it in the specific hex you are looking for, so it could help it just didn't on this particular shot because Rupert rolled so well, particularly after the advantage.  Similarly it would also help Cash with the catapult, although not with subsequent drifting misses, just the first shot if it is trying to hit something.  

As the turtleship has not been in direct range of any of the Riposte's weapons yet, that does limit the utility of the Bardics, just as it limits the utility of Cash's Ranged weapon bonus, or the benefit of Ander's bless.  One of the downsides of ship based combat in spelljammer is that sometimes people just don't have an option to do anything but wait and attempt to get buffs in place for when range has closed enough for them to be useful.