maturin Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Surprise new vessel announcement! The extreme clipper-built brig USS Niagara will be added to Naval Action. Niagara served as flagship for the United States' other War of 1812 triumph, the Battle of Lake Erie. If you've seen this video, you can see why USS Lawrence started the battle as flagship, but Niagara ended it. A century later, her remains were raised from the lakebed, and some of her timbers incorporated in the sail training vessel that operates out of Erie, PA. Her very low, sharp hull and towering rig make her a sort of Lynx with square rig, and Niagara ought to be one of the game's fastest vessels. The brig's very shallow draft made her comparatively leewardly, however, so we might expect to see her speed drop off sharply any closer than 80 degrees to the wind. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this announcement is that a certain 'shipbuilder Andrew' has been credited. I am speculating, but could he be the first to provide usermade content to the game? 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazednConfused Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 it would be cool if a mod can merge this with the shipyard thread on the niagara so we see all her info too be damned if i can find that thread tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyaah Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Her very low, sharp hull and towering rig make her a sort of Lynx with square rig, and Niagara ought to be one of the game's fastest vessels. Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernWolves Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The shallow draft will put the wales into the water at a full press of sail but like you said she will be fast. Question is, is the Rattlesnake faster? I can't wait for both of these TBH. Picturing a privateer fleet with Lynxs, Niagaras and Rattlesnakes. Though we would be banned from attacking trading ships by the ROE I'm sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremiah O'Brien Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 This is quite a pleasant surprise. I guess I know what ship I'll be buying next, once it's available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surcouf Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 This is not a ship on the lakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I am incredibly stoked about the Niagara. I just wish she had bow chasers for privateering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormtrooperCaptain Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 How would a lake ship do on the high seas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 In rough weather, I wonder if there would be a mechanic for it getting swamped? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surcouf Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I do not know if it's a ship for lakes, I ask myself. But if one is, I doubt he can go high seas. But is it a lake ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Loe Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I do not know if it's a ship for lakes, I ask myself. But if one is, I doubt he can go high seas. But is it a lake ship? It can surely survive Naval Action Storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maturin Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 Niagara is an extreme vessel thatv demands a lot of skill and caution to reduce the threat of capsize or being driven onto a lee shore. But she's far more equipped for the open sea than the likes of Lynx, and far larger than the yacht, cutter or Pickle. Mercury is also a sort of 'lake' vessel, since she was designed for the Black Sea (a far less dangerous body of water than Lake Erie, in point of fact). If anything Nigara's crew would be happy to see the last of shallow Erie's steep waves and nonexistent sea room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BungeeLemming Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I had to compare the Niagara to the Mercury for the last few minutes. Checking plans I came to the conclution that the design is about the same. They look strikingly related. Niagara Length: 33.7 m <-> Mercury length: 29.46m. Guncount will be the same as well as shotweight. I dont think we will get a 32pd Carronade Niagara O_o In conclution: She will be lightning fast but suffers in turning compared to the Mercury. And Mercury already is really fast.. hmm... just my guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maturin Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 Mercury could probably get a speed cut, since she wasn't known for it. Give her the HP instead, because crazy Russians. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Connor Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I wasn't too keen on having the lake boats in the open world, but that's a gorgeous model... Anyway, Niagra is very large for a brig, extremely fast, heavily armed, big crew. But all things come at a price, her draught and freeboard border on non-existent (I'm serious, she draws significantly less water than the Lynx), meaning rough weather would be "interesting" to say the least, and with such a large crew in a hull with next to nil capacity for provisions her range would be extremely limited. She was after all never designed to operate far from home, so that's how it is. But yeah, seriously pretty model, stunningly close to the real ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Just out of curiosity, what is the process from workable model to in game use? Stats agreed upon, price set, coding emplaced, patch? IE - What needs to be done so we can be kids at Christmas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maturin Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 Just out of curiosity, what is the process from workable model to in game use? Stats agreed upon, price set, coding emplaced, patch? IE - What needs to be done so we can be kids at Christmas?There's no process yet, which is why I really want to hear from Andrew. (Assuming his actual name isn't Andrei the GameLabs employee) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Loe Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Just out of curiosity, what is the process from workable model to in game use? Stats agreed upon, price set, coding emplaced, patch? IE - What needs to be done so we can be kids at Christmas? These facts remain behind closed doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Check. The best surprises are surprises, after all. Can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akd Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Guncount will be the same as well as shotweight. I dont think we will get a 32pd Carronade Niagara O_o I don't see why she shouldn't get 32pd carronades. Likewise, I don't see why the Mercury doesn't get 24pd carronades (subbing for very short Russian 24s she carried). The weight equivalence by class is off in game (32pdr = 9lb long gun, not 12), but each carronade should really be in its own class (like the 18pdr carronade already is), as even where some smaller ships could carry the weight of a long gun they might not have the room or crew to work it. This has lead to the situation where many small ship broadsides and larger ship top works are allowed never carried or carried and found to be unworkable overarmament in long guns, but can't carry historical loadouts for carronades. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Question: With the Niagara's shallower draft and making more leeway, would she turn faster when using manual sailing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maturin Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Question: With the Niagara's shallower draft and making more leeway, would she turn faster when using manual sailing? Her draft definitely means leeway, although possibly she makes up for by just being fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I ask because manual sails seem to be essentially skidding the boat across the water, so it seems that something with more leeway would do it more quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maturin Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 I don't think having shallow draft aids turning, because short, deep British frigates were considered more handy than long, shallow French frigates. French frigates also tended to be long in wearing, which is the same thing as a downwind manual sails turn. Niagara is very shallow and wide for her length. That probably leads to close-hauled performance more than maneuverability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderhorn Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Ah, I didn't think about her width. Correct me if I'm wrong, but turning rate is really a function of surface area in contact with the water, as far as steering by sails go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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