[POLL - Where are you from?]

That makes 4 from Maine.  Home of "Downeasters", Bath Iron Works, and Maine Maritime Academy, among other things nautical..........

[An Introduction]

Welcome aboard.

[Profanity usage in game.]

Wicked funny!!  

Good going devs!

[Stuck in the loading screen...]

Oh no,

now I have to find something real to do tonight.!!!!!!!

[Ship Behaviour Under Bare Poles Is Unrealistic]

No chain in those days.  Just wicked large, grubby rope and a very big anchor (compared to today).  

 

When battle was imminent, retrieving the anchor later was the least of their worries.  (A SOL carried 5.)

 

 

Fighting at anchor frowned on and was usually because of surprise.   Or if you were under the guns of a fort or in a very protected position.  Maneuverability was lost at anchor.

[Gives me the willies!!]

Check this out!   My hands can't clench tight enough..........

 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1295347623900272&pnref=story

 

Notice that all the standing rigging is steel cable........   Not worn out hemp......

 

 

Enjoy

[Useful books on combat, sailing and naval history in the age of sail]

Don't know if anyone posted these but,

 

Here are some more good ones:

 

For a good reference and pretty detailed account of "everything" (And I mean everything) Royal Navy in the age of sail get:

 

"The Royal Navy, a History from the Earliest Times to 1900"  By Clowes. In 5 Volumes.  1900 first printing.  Available as reprints in paperback.

 

Vol. 3 -5 are best for NA info.   Details on Hundreds of single ship actions.  Dozens of large fleet actions.  With lists of combat ships, specs maps etc.  Also good info on, guns, crew, ship losses, captains lists, and on and on.

Vol 3 covers the American Revolution and wars with France.

Vol 4 covers the Napoleonic period to just before Trafalgar.

Vol 5 Covers Trafalgar to 1815.

 

Wicked good stuff!   

 

Vol 5 available here  (covers Trafalgar): http://www.amazon.com/The-Royal-Navy-History-Earliest/dp/1861760140

[Maps and combat scenarios - help wanted]

Maps and scenarios.

 

At present we are in test mode with large and small fleet battles.  Historically, reliving real fleet battles would be exciting and many happened.  There are dozens of good historical scenarios to choose from and I have designed quite a few for miniatures rules.  

 

As Naval Action progresses and more folks transition to larger ships, there will be plenty of opportunities (in just battle mode) to "refight" some of histories most famous battles.  For example: The Saints, Battle of the Chesapeake, Glorious First of June, Cape St Vincent, The Nile and Tricomalee to name a few.  Most were fought far enough from land that a "map" would be just water.

 

For Naval Action, these could be "canned" scenarios ready to go, with a list of ships, start lines, wind direction, etc all listed.  All the players would need is a patch of water and an historically accurate number of ships (or proportionately equal)  for each side and away you go.  The objective, as in most wargames, is to see if you can do better than histories greatest admirals.  

 

 

So, can we do this in the future?

[Masts and rigging damage]

Mast wreckage masking your broadside was not uncommon.  If it did fall on the ship, it sometimes took awhile to clear.  Big problem.

 

I would also like to see clearing mast wreckage as a reason to use a damage chit.

[Ship Behaviour Under Bare Poles Is Unrealistic]

I do not agree. The tendency of ships to lie ahull under bare poles (and then to get knocked down) is the result of impact from the waves (not the wind). The waves are necessarily coming from the same direction as the wind. In the almost flat waters of most maps the ships wouldn't lie ahul, they would turn to present their narrowest aspect to the wind. The exception is the storm map where a ship should lie ahull and then be knocked down.

My experience at sea is that most ships/boats DIW, lie broadside to the wind.   A large ship running under bare poles will struggle to get her head pointed downwind, let alone up wind.  Makes sea anchors very useful.

 

Don't know about getting"knocked down" under bare poles?  I know it happens but very unusual?  Rolling the masts out, very likely.

 

Maybe we're splitting hairs?

[Ship Behaviour Under Bare Poles Is Unrealistic]

Bare poles.?

 

Each ship is different and will act differently depending on hull configuration and design etc.   Also wind speed has a great influence.   In a light breeze the ship could easily turn broadside to and just drift.  I heavy air it could be possible to get enough weigh on that the rudder has some affect.  In any case rolling will be aggravated.

 

Depends on how deep the GL team wants to get into that?