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modernknight1

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  1. Its nice to know that my little articles sometimes get noticed. MK
  2. Well this discussion has managed to pull me out of my disinterested reverie. Some excellent points made here. Because of past positions, I am actually part of a real world discussion group which is forming this strategy, however, I have not yet contributed - and not sure if I am going to or not yet. A big reason for this has already been excellently stated by Picard. The US does indeed have an immense amount of blood on its hands with 121 bombs a day still being dropped and no actual declarations of war against any nation legally present. I was very critical of this before I retired after a quarter of a century of service and with a very bright career which I am certain would have led to even higher promotions. In some ways I regret my decision because I may have been able (probably not) to have affected some change as I rose higher. A colonel is just a peon at the funny five sided building which many jokingly name the chicken house because of all of the birds. Civilians are in charge of the military at the top level - bottom line. This became painfully evident to me on a daily basis my last few years in the service. Incompetence is rampant. As someone else said earlier the military industrial complex is a liability. That is indeed true. It must justify its reasons for existence, hence the endless expansion, manufacturing enemies and arming them, and lethal military meddling in the middle east and other areas continuing. Rather than having a cohesive military and foreign policy that makes sense we have been playing all sides against the middle for decades to the point where trust and credibility for the US by other nations is at an all time low. We cannot be everyone's friend and arm and help their enemies at the same time. I witnessed programs at the funny shaped building which had not produced an iota of value or progress in years, yet still managed to pull in major funding to add high paying positions to their little empires. We came to call these little empires replete with dozens of government civilians collecting their second welfare incomes - "self licking Ice Cream Cones". The internecine conflicts between some of these offices and programs were fierce and sometimes beyond petty. It was always both amusing and disheartening when I would witness two different programs working on nearly the exact same project - but in complete isolation from one another. Even more disheartening is when I would learn that the same contractor was building them their software and upon comparison would note that the interfaces were nearly identical - they were getting paid twice for the same thing. (happened more than once). When I would raise the red flag and tell people about these kinds of things - I became labelled as a "boat rocker". However, regarding this "space force", I think there is a real glaring need and I will tell you why. First off - years ago many treaties were signed by many nations agreeing upon no weaponization of satellites in space. This caused us to come up with all kinds of alternative solutions in future battle simulations - like weaponized high altitude airships (Steampunk LOL) or take off and land space vehicles that were more like fighter/interceptors but with the capabilities of being able to leave orbit. Why do we need these things. As someone else brought up earlier, the downed weather satellite by China in 2007 was a major eye opener. With an arsenal of satellite killing missiles, all communications in the world are at risk. As another pointed out, without communications - game over. I was part of a panel that discussed this at a major military communications conference in Georgia back in 2010. I asked why we continued to be insistent on tethering our infrastructure to comsat and milsat capabilities when our challengers in the world were doing just the opposite. China has for the last 20 years been hardening an ever expanding underground IPv6 infrastructure to include endless thousands of miles of 48 strand fiber optics buried deep under ground between all of their cities. Day 1 of WW3 would be an onslaught of satellite killers taking everything out they could. While our financial, banking, commercial, private communications, internet, and military communications in the entire west all bite the dust, the east will continue normally. To believe that missiles (as we know them now) are the future is naive. Someone said lasers are too far off. That person has done no research. This stuff isn't even classified anymore. We have been developing what we call directed energy weapons for decades. For many years we experienced great problems like batteries and a lengthy regeneration between bursts. I personally watched a demonstration of a warehouse sized model knock a hole in two feet of steel plate back in 2005. Since then we have tackled and overcome the problems with overheating, battery size, power regeneration between bursts allowing almost rapid fire. Our Phalanx gun systems that were developed to take out in bound enemy mortar and artillery shells before they could hit our bases in the middle east were replaced by these directed energy systems over a decade ago. The continuing advances in this technology have allowed these systems to be put aboard both aircraft and sea going vessels already for a number of years. Bottom line - lasers have already been here for a while now. Also they are not the BEW BEW BEW pink and green and red beams of light one sees in the movies. You can't see them in the air until they hit something - and the point of impact is blinding when they do hit. There is no doubt the west is ahead of the east in this technology and the east knows this all too well. They have been redoubling their efforts to build similar capabilities, but in addition, they are developing a smart next generation system of missiles that are self intelligent. Imagine missiles that will emerge from beneath the water after having navigated themselves some miles away from their mother subs before surfacing. Once on the surface they begin a haphazard journey to their target that is low beneath any radars abilities to track them and they may make numerous readjustments in course before deciding which target out of a list that would be the optimal based on the situation. Scary. I foresee a day in the near future where coastal defense batteries once again become a matter of importance but batteries of directed energy platforms that can auto engage in a split second based on advanced ground surveillance radar feeds. In order to deal with this threat to our Achilles heel satellite infrastructure, the space force is a vital necessity in order for the west (US) to maintain its power, but also keep its future enemies and/or competitors from gaining too much of an edge. For the east, the new leaps forward in directed energy technology are a dangerous threat to making the nuclear arsenals which have kept an uneasy peace for so long - from being invalidated. The way nukes work is that the nuclear explosions only occur when the detonators function. If a direct energy weapon takes out the nose cone of the weapon then its guidance system and detonator would both be destroyed rendering it a giant piece of worthless pig iron. That one idea alone turns everything on its ear and this is one of the reasons the Russians are so uneasy about this new "missile shield" capability that the west is employing all over the world. I've been out of the loop for too long of a time to know what these missile shield systems comprise of - but if I were a betting man I would say that directed energy weapons are part of the suite of systems - or they soon will be. The last reason is that the space junk problem has just got out of control. Routine damage to satellites is becoming a very common and costly thing. We have so many thousands of derelict objects in space now traveling at 10s of thousands of miles per hour that navigating the expanse outside of the atmosphere and safely putting new objects into orbit is beginning to become a challenge. With non satellite based platforms with directed energy capabilities a regular mission for this force would also be keeping the space clean from all of this dangerous fast moving junk. So I will leave it there. Just some additional food for thought. I guess the last thing I would say is that the continuing vitriolic attacks on the POTUS are just childish. Growing up in the military I was always taught that even if I didn't like an officer appointed over me or even hated him that I still had to respect him and "SALUTE THE RANK NOT THE MAN". I've never said anything bad about a sitting president in the office because I personally believe its seditious. I hated George Bush and still believe he was the worst POTUS in history, but never once said anything bad about him while he was in the office. I didn't vote for Trump either(I didn't vote for anyone), both because I am a strong middle of the road Independent and also because I haven't believed that we have had a fair selection process in many years(since Kennedy in fact). There were 13 people on that last ballot. If someone can get enough signatures to get on the ballot then they should all get equal press/air time and equal budgets issued by the gov't. Private, foreign and corporate interest Money has ruined the system and money has changed all the rules - allowing PACS and superpacs - which need not identify themselves when they fund both parties candidates to ensure they have a leash on whomever wins either way. Don't be angry with the POTUS, be angry at the system in place which is allowing all of the current situation to take place. Be angry with the deep state which has wriggled its way into the power structure. Its not a new thing - its just worse than its ever been before. Remember Teddy Roosevelt's words: “Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of today.” AMEN MK www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-shields-9a3b293
  3. Thanks very much for the essay Fluffy Fish! This was some darn good reading. I thought I had collected about everything on the subject - especially concerning the Venetian Arsenal - but there were some nuggets in here that are absolute gold! I find it is still of some value to occasionally peruse this forum. While this is fascinating information, these two Italian gentlemen's focus on Mediterranean warfare causes them to forget all of the innovations that were happening in the Low Countries, Sweden and England at the same time. The English focusing on improved iron gun manufacture instead of the preferred bronze for large guns had some tremendous breakthroughs that would influence ALL gun manufacturing practices into the next century. Also the Dutch were the greatest ship builders/exporters and arms builders and arms traders of the 17th century founding and financing the great armories at Tula, Wetzlar and Asslar, and numerous factories in Sweden which would come to produce the finest most reliable bronze guns in Europe. In several very reliable sources I've read - it is posited that the Dutch were responsible for manufacturing roughly 80 percent of the worlds ships and arms both for domestic use and export consumption (for the entire world) during the 1660s/70s. In Liege the Spaniards had converted the old bell foundries to building massive bronze 50 pounder naval and fort guns that were exceptional in beauty, function, reliability and design. They were the largest in mass production of that period. I'm certain most of you aren't interested in what happened back in the boring old 1600s/17th century though.... but I thought I would reciprocate in kind for these fine sources and provide my favorite source (written by one of my favorite historians who also happens to be Italian) Carlo M. Cipolla https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Sails-Empires-Technological-Innovation/dp/0760701113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517927681&sr=8-1&keywords=guns+and+sails Here are a couple of articles of my own that are directly germane to this discussion that also may be of some interest. MK https://buccaneersreef.com/2017/02/26/a-most-murderous-monument/ https://buccaneersreef.com/2017/08/28/picture-day/
  4. Ummmmm..... NO. I'm afraid not. The first is actually believe it or not - a famous princess (hot chick) who got her eye stuck either in a fencing match or being thrown from a horse during the 1550s/16th century! LOL https://columbiaclassicalfencing.com/2013/03/09/the-princess-and-the-eye-patch/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_de_Mendoza,_Princess_of_Eboli
  5. The answer to the post question is YES. But they never exploited their victories or advantages. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Beachy_Head_%281690%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lagos_%281693%29 Also sometimes training, discipline and better equipment have nothing to do with it....sometimes its just luck or fate. If the wind had not shifted halfway through the Battle of Barfluer, the French would have surely won. The loss of this ONE single battle by the French crippled their naval power for decades after. If they had won, history would be much different. It was the wind.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Barfleur_and_La_Hogue They also made some HUGE mistakes... 7 SOTL (12 ships in all) lost on the reef lured there by the Dutch running into a fog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Aves_archipelago http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_II_d%27Estr%C3%A9es
  6. I don't really feel comfortable creating a thread here about it. Sorry. They have made it very appearent that they aren't interested in this era and don't plan to portray it. The crowd here seems very Napoleonic and I am not going to try to twist anyone's arm. I already got banned elsewhere for trying to influence development - although the majority of that community voted in favor of the 17th/early 18th century era but was vetoed by the admins. I already have my own little niche website dedicated to this time and a game mod that portrays it quite well that I'm continuing development on - which I shared a few posts back. I am just frustrated seeing so many people here spinning their wheels in so many places asking the devs to give you this era and these types of ships, when its clear they are focusing on the circa 1800 timeframe. I was simply sharing my vast resources to others that love Dutch ships and the Dutch Golden Age. Plus folks were asking for models of the Zeven Provincien and plans. So I provided them. The whole reason I've contributed here recently was to get a feel for the direction things were going here. I've made my assessment - and will now exit stage left. MK
  7. I'm not sure why I am providing this as it has been made very clear in the previous disussions I have been involved in on this site that this era won't be portrayed in the game to my great dissappointment. I guess its because I have to share with others that love Dutch ships as much as I do.... You need plans of Zeven Provencien? Well I've compiled the most comprohensive sets of images and plans for her anywhere else on the web. Model Ships sites use my ship picture albums regularly. Here she is: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157624964465779/ Her rigging: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157632010415614/ Her guns and gun port detail sets: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157632012093110/ Kris Wood was working on the most detailed 3D model available of for inclusion in GOF ERAs and it was 95 percent complete. When PA! banned me work stopped. I am attempting to finish the model myself. I do have another version that was aquired by friends of mine to whom I had provided all of this same documentation for that build. She is not as detailed but I have modified her myself and skinned her. The skin isn't totally accurate but she is pretty nice. Take a look: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15773057943/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15770620724/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15671077453/in/photostream/lightbox/ Also if you want Dutch ships.....I have gobs more. In fact I am probably your best online source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157632134773565/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157624827690955/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157636152714623/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157632563658303/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/sets/72157624811694901/ And here is a fleet of Dutch ships I've assembled for action in my game: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15066704208/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15250173631/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15066583880/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15066510109/in/photostream/lightbox/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15178112579/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15178115139/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/14451987762/in/set-72157632143794763/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/14449994171/in/set-72157632143794763 https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/14473519903/in/set-72157632143794763/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15364529402/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/14709486972/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/15178275888/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/14729654143/in/photostream/ I would say my game mod has more Golden Age ships and more varieties of Dutch ships than any other PC game out there period: buccaneersreef.com MK
  8. @Destraex: Well if a segment of this game were going to be set during the Golden Age or you could choose what era you wanted to play in the answer is YES. Scotland actually had a very powerful navy at one time. Their navy under James IV was more powerful than England's. Scotland's warships were as good as any ships afloat during the Golden Age. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/ScottishShip1650%E2%80%931674.jpg The Great Micheal was one of the largest, grandest ships of her time. Some historians say that she was the largest ship on earth at the time of her launching: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_%28ship%29 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Model_of_%27The_Michael%27%2C_Newhaven_Primary_School%2C_Edinburgh.JPG Here's a link on the history of the Royal Scots Navy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Scots_Navy Variety is such a beautiful thing. EDIT: I stand correct on the date. I got it mixed up in my mind with the end date for the War of Spanish Succession in 1714. The Act of Union, uniting Great Britain and Scotland took place in 1707. MK
  9. The movie looks epic. I almost had a chance to see it this week. I featured it on my website: https://buccaneersreef.com/feature-day/ There is actually a version of the trailer with English subtitles as well. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/glwnk5x1scY?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Such a pity that Naval Action doesn't intend to portray this period of history. Such beautiful ships in this period of history. I think there will be a lot of renewed interest as more historical offerings like Admiral/Michiel de Ruyter come to the public. There are other media offerings/movies in the works as well. Hopefully the 17th century will finally get it's due and credit soon. MK
  10. She could be classified as an English Race built I suppose, but the plans are taken from the famous Stockholm Galleon of 1610. http://www.modelships.de/Stockholm_Galleon/Photos-Stockholm-Galleon_whole_ship.htm I have her in my ERAS2 mod. https://www.flickr.com/photos/49225014@N05/ Edit: Also she would never be referred to as "British". Before 1714 the term "British" didn't exist in reference to a nationalistic apellation. She would be English. It was the official union with Scotland that caused the new nationalistic brand "British" to emerge. MK
  11. Hello All, My first post here. I am very impressed with your thinking and methods on this topic. If you would like I can provide some very rudimentary damage solutions I used to use in military and analytical simulations. I don't know how early you plan to take this game's development - I am hoping at least 16th century eventually and I know there are a lot of fans of this era. Historically speaking, I would add that there are actually quite a few examples of powder magazines exploding from hits during the 16th and 17th centuries. The best ones I can think of right off the top of my head are Sir John Hawkins destruction of the great Almiranta galleon Santa Clara at the Battle of San Juan Ulloa with the great aging Hanseatic carrack Jesus of Lubeck. Also there's Heemskerk's famous attack on the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Gibraltar where the Dutch Admiral's flagship Aeolus destroyed one of the great battle galleons - I think it was the Our Lady of Vega, but I can't remember. Several of the lesser actions of the Anglo-Dutch wars also resulted in capital ships lost to powder magazine explosions but I would have to look them up to remember the battles and ship names. Regards, MK
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