Re: Rebuilding the Man-O-War :)

The modern stuff sounds a bit like the INS Stormbreaker I started messing
with a few days ago. Sort of a Realmspace 2007 DR, inspired by d20 Modern
and a Greyhawk 2000 campaign in a Dragon Magazine article some time ago.
Stormbreaker, a modern-day Imperial Elven Navy Guided Missile Destroyer
inadvertently goes back in time to 1374 DR and stops a Scro invasion with
the help of some locals...

"Captain's log, supplemental. Recon photos of the Tears of Selune are
streaming in over the wireless and they make no sense. The Citadel, once the
center of dwarven pressence in Realmspace, is completely intact. It's a
memorial now, I've visited it before. Likewise, Castle Selune should be in
ruins, not whole like the photos show. I've ordered another recon patrol out
to the Boneyard around Gith... I have a hunch it might not be there. I think
it is also time to have a chat with the shipwrecked survivors we picked up."

http://www.spellflight.com/images/StormWipBeauty.jpg


-Mike
"Genius? Nothing! Sticking to it is the genius. I failed my way to success."
-Thomas Edison

-----Original Message-----
From: Spelljammer Setting Discussion
[mailto:SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com] On Behalf Of Charles Taylor
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 2:45 PM
To: SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com
Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] Rebuilding the Man-O-War :)

In message <000001c7ee6a$95aaa0c0$6701a8c0@stevenantec>
          Steven <steven.james.1@??????????.??.uk> wrote:


[snip]
> Still have to mess with the top catapult position as it makes no sense 
> as shown in originals *scratches head*.

I've always thought that the catapult was in a turret in front of the castle
deck, but I'm not sure about the stairs from the Castle deck up to the wing
(on the deck plans). I'm not sure how the turret would operate, however -
its mounted directly above the wall between the bridge and the companionway
(magic? ;-).

[snip]

> The rear section will have a large area above and below the rooms that 
> flank the gangway, these were simply noted as "hold" in original 
> deckplans, again that makes no sense as they are very large, and 
> should have ladder access. I think there should be several weapon 
> positions, or windows there, allowing for elven aesthetics (enjoying 
> space) or for having weapon ports. I was thinking 2 or 3 on each side? 
> Problem is, for a wwarship, the standard Man-OWar has far too little 
> space FOR weapons to fire from.

Well, in the background of the cover of the original Spelljammer boxed set
there was a barely visible Man-o-War that appeared to have large transparent
window blisters in the rear hull, which I think would look good. Perhaps
opening like a Catalina flying boat's gun blisters?
> 
> The idea of "retractable dome/eyes" doesn't make sense either, unless 
> a middle part of eyes literally slides, like a patio door?? So 
> currently, have a square centre section that can open like two doors, 
> to allow weapons to fire out.

I actually like the 'patio door' idea myself.
> 
> Anything else folk's can think of? :)
> 
Well, Night Druid had the same idea that almost everyone else has about the
Man-o-war being under-gunned, and designed this:

http://www.spelljammer.org/ships/drydock/Manowar.html

For the 60-ton version, and used the existing deck plans for a 20-ton
cutter.

One idea I've been having for Men-o-wars - perhaps the wings can flex or
turn a bit about the root - perhaps as a way of gaining extra
manoeuvrability. This would add to the 'living ship' motif a bit.

Wandering off-topic, I was wandering the trade hall when I overheard someone
describing their d20 Modern campaign - apparently the characters where time
travellers (or something) who were using one of the aforementioned Elven
Cutters (BtM was specifically mentioned) as a ship, but they'd replaced the
weapons - I can't recall what the catapult was replaced by, but the 'eye'
ballistae were replaced by 1-pounder maxim guns (yup, a machine-gun firing
1-lb. shells) - which apparently broke d20 modern's autofire rules ;-). (I
have no real knowledge of the d20 modern ruleset).

Just thought I'd mention this :-)

--
Charles

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