Re: Tough to destroy ships (was Unhuman War)

     I thought quite a few ships WERE indeed sunk during the Battle of
     Trafalgar (or at least the campaign near the Nile) - in fact I believe
     some of the French ships were actually blown up by lucky hits on their
     powder magazines (not uncommon in those days).

     Also, some of the cannon-shot (the exploding kind) were consciously
     designed to start BIG fires on the enemy vessels - afterall, wood
     burns well, doesn't it ;-)!?  I remember researching this MANY years
     ago when I was trying to build my own cannons with similar "incendary
     grenade" like projectiles (I know - illegal, but boy was it fun!)

     -Jon





______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [SPELLJAMMER] - Tough to destroy ships (was Unhuman War)
Author:  westermeyer.3@???.edu (Paul Westermeyer) at smtp_gway
Date:    7/31/97 1:04 AM



Interesting side note on the "destruction" of wooden ships.  It basically
didn't happen historically.  Take a look at some of the old Napoleonic sea
battles (Trafalger,  for instance).  Not a single vessel was sunk in
battle,  though many were captured then latter destroyed.  Gunfire during
that period wasn't designed to sink the ship,  but rather to destroy its
crew and demast (and thus demobilize) it.  Then it could be "taken" and
destroyed by holing or setting fires if needed.  Storms sank a lot of
vessels,  battles very, very few.  This is a truism of pre-iorn ships with
the sole exception of galley warfare,  where ramming techniques and the
light constrcution of said vessels made them much more vulnerable.  I tend
to think the three dimension aspect of SJ design (and the often shifting
gravity planes) would make them easier to destroy then the traditional
vessels.

"We look on the same stars,  the sky is common,  the same world surrounds
us.  What difference does it make by what pains each seeks the truth?  We
can not attain to so great a secret by one road..."
Symmachus,  "Memorial on the Occasion of the Removal of the Altar of
Victory from the Senate House" (392 AD)

westermeyer.3@???.edu
Paul William Westermeyer


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