Combat (CSH)

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As stated in the Concordance of Arcane Space, AD&D® game combat is not changed in space. All of the standard AD&D game rules apply.
However, the Concordance also provides a collection of ship-to-ship combat rules. This section explains when each should be used.
The ship-to-ship combat rules are more of a tactical exercise than a role-playing game. Moving ships on a hex grid makes it difficult for some players to see the battle through their characters' eyes. For some groups, ship-to-ship combat is a welcome change that adds some tactical challenge to combat. For others, it is an unwelcome interference in the role-playing experience.
The DM should consider the players' interests. If several of the players would enjoy a war-gamelike battle in the SPELLJAMMER® campaign universe, go ahead and use the ship-to-ship combat rules. To make it fun, involve lots of ships in the battle and give everyone a ship or two to play. Some players might even enjoy playing the villains; if you let them, they will surprise you with how aggressive they will be.
If most of your players do not enjoy these kinds of games, just describe the battle as the characters see it. Give them a description of the huge ships moving silently through space, describe the wiggling tentacles of the attacking nautiloid, and use a few simple die rolls to resolve any attacks. When the individual characters can effectively act, use standard AD&D® game combat. The DM should not need to pull out a hex sheet every time two ships fight.