Salvo strikes a balance between reality and simplification for control in order to create a gaming environment that respectfully represents history and also creates a enjoyable experience. Below are some of the details about Salvo, details that represent the sort of game that Salvo is:

Ship Types

The variety of ships within the Age of sail was infinite, and classifications varied from year to year and from one nation to the next. Salvo is more concerned with armament, speed and capacity to withstand damage, however, here are some of the vessel types that you will see in various scenarios:

Firts Rate Ships of the Line
Second Rate Ships of the Line
Third Rate Ships of the Line
Fourth Rate Ships of the Line
Fifth Rate Ships of the Line
Frigates
Brigantine
Ketch
Yawl
Xebec
Schooner
Bombard
Shore Battery
Fire
Merchant

Countries

The principle nations of the age of sail are represented. There were many more nations who had active navies -from Russia to Italy, but only 7 are included in the initial release of Salvo.

England
France
US
Spain
Netherlands
Caribbean Pirate
Mediterranean Pirate

Damage Levels

The condition of each ship in Salvo is depicted by the ship’s graphics, but also reiterated with more factual data, just a mouse click away:

Rigging Damage Levels
Hull Damage Levels
Crew Moral Guns Steering Fire Repair
Damage Report
Enemy Right Click

Ship Actions & Events:

The basic core actions that a fighting vessel in the age of sail would undertake are distilled into Salvo’s Ship actions. These actions are available during the game as ship action markers or as automatic actions. Ships controlled by the computer will undertake these actions as they are appropriate. The player will also be able to undertake each action as opportunity presents itself, based on action markers:

Move
Shoot
Turn
Tack
Grappling
Boarding
Down Anchor
Up Anchor
Capture
UnGrapple
Stop

Events:

Ship Behaviors

Ships in Salvo have tendencies toward independence because the captain of a vessel in the age of sail had a lot of freedom of command. Ships will – to some extent – be inclined to:

Capture Victory Flag:
Engage Enemy Ships
Capture Struck Ship
Flee From Danger

Ship Control Modes

In larger and more complex battles, it may be convent to automate some ship’s actions, or even turn some ships loose to choose their own destiny. Salvo’s Ship control modes allow the player to clearly enforce the way that each ship will act:

Player – Ship Initiates No Change
Squadron – Ship participates in Squadron Activities
Self – Ship does own thing

Player Actions

Salvo is a game of combat between ships, or between fleets of ships. Playing salvo, you will be controlling ships or controlling Squadrons of ships. Your whole fleet of 30 ships of the line may be a single squadron, or it may be divided into 6 or more squadrons. Or you may have a single ship in a single squadron. What ever the situation demands, Salvo Delivers:

Ship Actions
Form Squadrons
Command Squadrons

Ship UI Screens

Salvo supports and is (to some extent) geared toward truly massive fleet encounters, however control and information about individual ships is not neglected. For each ship in your fleet, detailed information and intricate controls are just a right click away,

Control
Crew Allocation
Armament
Info/Damage

Squadrons

Salvo shines when you use Squadrons to automatically control a group of ships, a must for the larger battles. You may still choose to individually direct your vessels in the heart of the fight, but why not let the computer guide the late arriving squadron as it approaches the fray?

Squadron UI
Ships In Squadron
Squadron Control Flags

Locations

Caribbean
Atlantic
Channel
Mediterranean

Land & Shallows on Map

Sea
Shallows
Land

Scenarios

24 Scenarios
Each Scenario is a Campaign
Win – Lose
Play Smart

Scenario Types

Convoy
Raid
Blockade
Runner
Cutting Out
Surprise Attack
Large Engagement
Duel

UI Features

Battle Map
Ship List
Mission
Settings

Settings

Salvo has a full range of customizable game options, some amounting to full scale cheats. Set the relative challenge of the game to meet your experience level, or customize interface features, such as Fog-of-War or the display size of ships.

Display Size
Damage Factor
Fog of War
Audio
Tool Tips
Ship Tips
Ship Display Size

Weather

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

Haven’t you had enough yet?

If you still have any doubt about Salvo, please checkout the Salvo Quick start, Tutorials or down load the demo from ShrapnelGames.

QuickStart
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Tutorial 3
Tutorial 4
Demo
Documentation
Shrapnel Games