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Re: (TFT) Hirst Arts Melee/Wizard Arena
GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTNOTES -
Weather Patterns:
The Caribbean is a warm ocean. The water surrounding the islands stays
a constant 77 degrees F. This steady sea temperature maintains a
pleasant climate on the surrounding land, although weather and
elevation cause notable variations. The most extended period of bad
weather occurs in the summer and fall, from June to November, with
hurricanes not uncommon in the later part of this season.
In all seasons, the prevailing winds are trade winds coming from the
east. Of course, local, temporary variations are not uncommon.
Channels & Passages:
The classic sailing pattern in the Caribbean was to enter through the
Caribbee Islands (Lesser Antilles), put into ports along the Spanish
Main (the coastline of Terra Firma), swing northward into the Yucatan
Channel northward to catch the North Atlantic prevailing westerlies
back to Europe. Along this route the Florida Channel was the point of
maximum danger. Unwary captains could be driven upon the Florida
coast, or tack too far upwind and become lost in the treacherous
Bahaman shoals.
And this also;
A GAZETTEER OF SHIPS CIRCA 1690
Among the myriad types, sizes and rigs of ships sailing the Caribbean,
nine basic approaches to shipbuilding can be discerned. Although each
ship was individually designed and build, shipwrights learned by
copying one another, producing ships of remarkable similarity. These
general types are summarized below. However, expect to meet the
exception more often than the rule!
DEFINITIONS -
Burden, in tons, refers to available cargo space, after deduction for
food, water, crewmen, and other common materials and stores. This
should not be confused with tonnage that describes the entire
weight-carrying capacity of the ship when completely unloaded.
Speeds are given in leagues (about 2.5 miles) traveled during a watch
(about four hours). The first value is best speed in light wind, the
second is best speed in strong wind.
Best Point of Sailing refers to the wind direction in which the ship
makes its best speed. Each type of ship has a different point of
sailing.
Beam Reach
|
Broad Beam Reach | Close-Hauled Beam Reach
\ | /
\ | /
Broad Reach \ | / Close-Hauled
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
Running Broad \ \ | / / Close-Hauled
Reach \ \ | / / into the Eye
\ \ \ | / / /
\ \ \ | / / /
\ \ \ | / / /
Running \ \ \ | / / / Into the eye
Before the Wind \ \|/ / of the Wind
+------------------------- + -------------------------+
/ /|\ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
Running Broad / / | \ \ Close-Hauled
Reach / / | \ \ into the Eye
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
Broad Reach / | \ Close-Hauled
/ | \
/ | \
Broad Beam | Close-Hauled
Reach | Beam Reach
|
Beam Reach
* SPANISH GALLEON *
7-15 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach...........Best Point of Sailing
36 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
20-24 Guns............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
288 Men...............Maximum Personnel
275 Men...............Typical Crew and Passengers
160 Tons..............Cargo Space
Galleons are the largest sailing vessels on the Spanish Main.
Originally they were created because one large ship was cheaper to
build than two smaller ones. However, large ships were much less
maneuverable, which increased the chance of shipwreck, not to mention
hindering them in battle. Galleons are slow to turn, and are
especially poor sailors close-hauled. Tacking into the wind is very
difficult with this type of ship. Still, the enormous carrying
capacity and powerful armament makes the galleon a formidable opponent
in battle.
* SPANISH WAR GALLEON *
7-15 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach or........Best Point of Sailing
Running Reach
32 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
28-32 Guns............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
256 Men...............Maximum Personnel
250 Men...............Typical Crew and Passengers
140 Tons..............Cargo Space
War Galleons are similar to mercantile types. They have less cargo
capacity, but more guns and crewmen. The most important difference is
that war galleons are crewed by soldiers and commanded by noble
officers, making them brave and formidable opponents in battle. Due to
their better crew, war galleons are slightly faster than merchant
Galleons on a running broad reach, but otherwise just as ponderous and
unmaneuverable as their more peaceful cousins.
Only the most powerful warships can expect to engage a war galleon and
succeed. The preferred Spanish tactic with these ships was to run
alongside the opponent, fire one broadside at point-blank range, then
board for hand-to-hand combat.
* FAST GALLEON *
9-12 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach or........Best Point of Sailing
Running Reach
28 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
24 Guns...............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
224 Men...............Maximum Personnel
215 Men...............Typical Crew and Passengers
120 Tons..............Cargo Space
The northern European powers refined the basic Galleon Design,
revising the sail plan for more flexibility, then reducing the
upperworks and hull shape for better seakeeping. The resulting ship
was smaller than a Spanish galleon, but faster in light winds and
considerable more maneuverable. However, it suffers the universal
disadvantage of all galleons - poor speed when close-hauled. Still,
its superior maneuverability and seakeeping showed when the English
fast galleons and smaller craft defeated a Spanish fleet of
conventional galleons in 1588.
* FRIGATE *
9-12 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach or........Best Point of Sailing
Running Reach
28 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
26-28 Guns............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
224 Men...............Maximum Personnel
190 Men...............Typical Crew
120 Tons..............Cargo Space
Square-rigged frigates are fast sailors, fairly handy to maneuver, and
faster than most square-rigged ships when close-hauled. A frigate is
extraordinary useful for patrols and independent cruises. Almost all
frigates are built for the Crown as naval warships. With their
well-drilled and professional crews, frigates are dangerous opponents
at any time. Most pirates and buccaneers disappear over the horizon
whenever a frigate appears.
* MERCHANTMAN *
9-12 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach...........Best Point of Sailing
24 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
6-12 Guns.............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
198 Men...............Maximum Personnel
20-45 Men.............Typical Crew and Passengers
100 Tons..............Cargo Space
Square-rigged merchantmen are a trader's dream. They have large cargo
capacity, space for numerous guns for use in dangerous waters, and
plenty of room for crew and passengers. Furthermore, where appropriate
they can be sailed with a smallish crew to save money.
Most merchantmen are peaceful traders, disinclined to fight. They tend
to have large cargoes and sometimes a bit of wealth. Privateers and
pirates always look forward to capturing a "juicy" merchantman.
However, some merchantmen have been converted to pirate ships, with
stronger armament and a ferocious crew of cutthroats. These ships are
extremely dangerous.
* CARGO FLUYT *
9-12 Leagues..........Best Speed
Running Reach.........Best Point of Sailing
20 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
4-12 Guns.............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
160 Men...............Maximum Personnel
12-24 Men.............Typical Crew and Passengers
80 Tons...............Cargo Space
Fluyts were invented by the Dutch around 1600, then widely copied
throughout northern Europe. Essentially a smaller but much more
economical merchantman, it can be sailed with a tiny crew (12 to 15
men is not uncommon). A fluyt has large cargo spaces, but a draft so
shallow it can enter rivers, coves and small harbors unsuitable to
large craft. It's sailing qualities are equivalent to a merchantman,
although the best point of sailing is slightly different.
The smallest of the square-rigged ships, fluyts make poor warships.
Almost always they are manned by peaceful traders who often surrender
after a broadside or two. They are unpopular as pirate ships.
* BARQUE *
9-12 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Beam Reach......Best Point of Sailing
16 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
4-6 Guns..............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
128 Men...............Maximum Personnel
12-36 Men.............Typical Crew and Passengers
60 Tons...............Cargo Space
The largest for-and-aft rigged ships, barques are a traditional design
similar to many Mediterranean merchant and war craft. Many barques are
built in the Caribbean, rather than in Europe. Barques are good
sailors for quiet seas, but all too easily come to grief in a rough
ocean crossing. This means that few Barques return from the Caribbean
to Europe, as the North Atlantic west-to-east route is often stormy.
Barques are the slowest close-hauled sailors among fore-and-aft rigs,
and the least maneuverable. However, the advantages of the rig are so
great that Barques still surpass all square-rigged ships in both
departments. Furthermore, barques carry oars, allowing them to row
straight into the eye of the wind. Due to its large size and good
handling, a pirate barque can be a formidable adversary.
* SLOOP *
9-10 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach or........Best Point of Sailing
Broad Beam Reach
12 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
4-6 Guns..............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
96 Men................Maximum Personnel
8-12 Men..............Typical Crew and Passengers
40 Tons...............Cargo Space
Another Dutch design that gradually appeared during the 1630s and
1640s, the sloop (or jacht, or schooner) became very popular in the
Caribbean. It is extremely fast and exceptionally maneuverable -
better than almost any other ship in light winds. Close-Hauled it
sails very fast, and under oars it can move directly into the wind.
Most importantly, sloops have a shallow draft, allowing them to sail
over shoals with no risk. The main weakness of a sloop is that in
strong winds it is considerable slower than a large square-rigged
ship. The only advantage is its maneuverability and its superior speed
close-hauled or into the wind.
Despite its modest size and cargo capacity, a sloop's maneuverability
is so great that many buccaneers prefer it to larger, more powerful
craft. Indeed, in recent years the English Royal Navy has built a
number of sloops for its own use as pirate-catchers.
* PINNACE *
9-10 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Beam Reach......Best Point of Sailing
or a Beam Reach
8 Guns................Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
2-4 Guns..............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
64 Men................Maximum Personnel
8-12 Men..............Typical Crew and Passengers
20 Tons...............Cargo Space
Until the advent of the sloop, pinnaces were the primary small craft
of the Caribbean. Like a sloop, a pinnace is very fast, very
maneuverable, and with a draft that permits sailing in shoal waters.
Sailing upwind (close-hauled) it is even faster than a sloop, and much
faster when rowing into the wind.
However, a pinnace is also much smaller than a sloop, with minuscule
capacity for cargo and guns. Still, many a pirate raid was conducted
in tiny pinnaces crammed with fighting men. Drake himself abandoned
his merchantmen in favor of pinnaces when raiding on the Spanish Main.
Okay then, 2.5mph * leagues / 4 (hour watch) = ship mph.
Ship mph * 5280 / 3600 = ship fps.
Ship fps / 4.3 = ship hps (hexes per second)
Ship hps * 5 = ship hpt (hexes per turn)
Ship hpt / 9 ~ ship BMpt (BattleMaps per turn)
And I represent ship movement using modified Car Wars rules.
I build them sorta like Car Wars too but again, the wood could just as well go to constructing a house.
I have a BUNCH of stuff for this but does anyone object to this kind of format for boats?
Yet another subject I'm not an expert at...
Anyone have any suggestions or existing work here?
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