Dark Kingdom Koreana: Dragon’s Wake
Product: standalone tabletop skirmish game
Format: digital files (PDF)
Number of pages: 56 + peripherals
System: Dark Kingdom Engine (naval only)
Author: Dave Thaumavore
Artist: Dave Thaumavore (no AI-gen artwork)
A set of naval combat rules set in 16th century East Asia. Written and illustrated by RPG reviewer Dave Thaumavore, this zine projects the Imjin War between Korea and Japan (1592-1598) in fast, engaging ship-to-ship combat scenarios.
Dark Kingdom Koreana: Dragon’s Wake is a set of naval combat rules set in 16th century East Asia. Written and illustrated by RPG reviewer Dave Thaumavore, this zine projects the Imjin War between Korea and Japan (1592-1598) in fast, engaging ship-to-ship combat scenarios.
NOTE: This product can be used as a standalone skirmish game! The rules are self-contained. They can also be used as part of any tabletop RPG. (Original rules developed by Luke Stratton of Limithron, author of Pirate Borg, but have been heavily modified).
This game includes:
a 56-page PDF for rules and ship stats
digital virtual tabletop (VTT) assets
All artwork for this game was created by a human.
Naval Combat Revised
Naval combat from Pirate Borg has been modified for more speed and tactical depth:
Explosive speed: Damage reduction has been eliminated for speedier rounds.
Oar Power: All the new boats have an oar speed bonus. Additionally, flat-bottomed ships can spin in place, rotating 180 degrees or more on a single turn.
New Captain Action: Crew Bonus points are divvied out by the captain each round for Crew Action rolls, creating more for the captain to do and think about. Deplete an enemy's Crew Bonus by attacking them with Small Arms.
No Agility: Ships do not have an Agility stat anymore. Instead, they each have a Difficutly Rating (DR) associated with them that covers all actions against them.
Ram damage is revised to move the combat along.
Boarding mechanics are revised to simplify possible confusion for the GM.
Positioning and Wind Rules remain the same
Tactics of Catastrophe (Avoidance)
A ship reaching 0 HP becomes a serious event.
Catastrophic Damage and Derelict Table: Rolling a Crit on a cannon attack can cause any of twenty different catastrophic events, and dropping to zero Hull leads to anything from fire and leaks to "The ship refuses to sink," where the dead rise to serve a new master.
Strategic Repairs: You can put off repairs for a while during combat, but note that if the Hull drops below 50%, you can only repair it up to 50% without a harbor.
14 historic vessels
Step into a whole new world of naval skirmishes and scenarios with boats and ships from 1500s Korea and Japan:
1. Ttebaegi (Raft): A humble "log raft" lashed together from timber and reeds, used for river crossings, smuggling, and desperate escapes. It moves through shallows, marshes, and swamps with surprising speed where larger vessels run aground.
2. Narubae (Ferry Boat): A sturdy "crossing boat" designed to shuttle people, animals, and carts across rivers and estuaries. When using a guide rope stretched across the water, it moves with remarkable efficiency.
3. Jogakbae (Fishing Skiff): Literally a "piece boat," this small fishing vessel is the backbone of coastal villages and island communities. It can be repaired almost anywhere using driftwood, scrap lumber, and salvaged wreckage.
4. Hyeopseon (Pinnace): The swift "narrow ship" served as a courier and dispatch vessel for admirals and governors alike. With favorable winds in its sails, it becomes one of the fastest craft on the sea.
5. Kobaya (Patrol Cutter): The Japanese "little fast boat" was built for scouting, pursuit, and raids through reefs, inlets, and river mouths. Its speed and low profile make it notoriously difficult for enemy cannon crews to hit.
6. Suncheolseon (Patrol Boat): A "patrol iron ship" with a reinforced bow designed for ramming smugglers. It gains a base speed bonus when moving directly toward an enemy.
7. Bangseon (Guard Ship): A "defense ship" that serves as a maneuverable yet sturdy platform for coastal operations. It deals extra cannon damage when attacking targets already damaged by allies.
8. Sekibune (Frigate): A versatile "checkpoint ship" with a raised fighting deck used for fleet battles and raids. It can grapple adjacent ships as a free action, reducing their speed to zero.
9. Panokseon (Ship of the Line): The "Board-Roofed Ship," a multi-decked powerhouse capable of firing cannons in any direction. It can go nova and end combat with swift and brutal prejudice.
10. Geobukseon (Turtle Ship): The legendary armored vessel with spiked plating that makes it immune to boarding. Its figurehead can bellow toxic arsenic gas to decimate enemy crews.
11. Sōkōbune (Ship of the Line): A "Full Armor Ship" modified with an enclosed roof to protect boarding parties from arrows. It can attempt a boarding action as a free action and is highly resistant to fire.
12. Atakebune (Floating Fortress): A colossal "Safe Residence Ship" that serves as a resilient command center for the Japanese fleet. It provides heavy cover to adjacent allies and is designed for devastating, massed arquebus fire.
13. Daeson (Large Ship): A fictional vessel of mythic proportions, this Korean ship serves as the basis for mega-battles and entire floating dungeons to be explored.
14. Tenka Maru (Heavenly Ship): This is the Japanese equivalent to the Daeson, a fictional ship so large and powerful that it could change the tide of a lopsided battle.
A set of naval combat rules set in 16th century East Asia. Written and illustrated by RPG reviewer Dave Thaumavore, this zine projects the Imjin War between Korea and Japan (1592-1598) in fast, engaging ship-to-ship combat scenarios.
Digital assets include:
A 30+ page PDF containing all 14 ships, all rules for movement and combat, all special environmental hex rules, as well as many skirmish scenario types with example maps
Individual images of each ship's side view and top view in color.
Hex map in two sizes
Rock formation tokens to create infinite tactical scenarios
Ship generator with millions of possibilities across 14 ship classes
Ship "character" sheet with rules summary.
Print-and-play sheet for 1-inch scale hex maps.
A Skirmish Game
These ships and rules can be used in an RPG, or as a standalone skirmish game. In order to create compelling tactical scenarios, this digital version contains a hex grid map, as well as rock formation tokens, a treasure token and more. The PDF also explains 10 skirmish paradigms with example maps. You could easily go beyond even these to build any imaginable naval combat scenario with the tokens.
A set of naval combat rules set in 16th century East Asia. Written and illustrated by RPG reviewer Dave Thaumavore, this zine projects the Imjin War between Korea and Japan (1592-1598) in fast, engaging ship-to-ship combat scenarios.
Watch the full tutorial on how to play
A set of naval combat rules set in 16th century East Asia. Written and illustrated by RPG reviewer Dave Thaumavore, this zine projects the Imjin War between Korea and Japan (1592-1598) in fast, engaging ship-to-ship combat scenarios.