A Tale of Four Gamers - the Sequel

Started by Steve J, 23 November 2016, 10:00:39 PM

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Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

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Lord Kermit of Birkenhead
Muppet of the year 2019, 2020 and 2021

Duke Speedy of Leighton

Spill Phil!

Tufts done, now to label them up.
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

hammurabi70

Quote from: FierceKitty on 19 October 2020, 02:57:04 AM
The Spanish squadron should be ready to join the Venetians and Maltese today (we're just expecting the Inquisition, but don't tell them that); the it's the Genoese and Papal forces, and I can get going on the Turks. Does anyone have any idea if the diekplus manouevre was still extant in the early modern era?

I doubt it.  The cannon would get in the way.  No mention of it by Guilmartin.

Techno II

Only 'fantasy', Ian/Steve/Will ;)

I'm pleased with them (which makes a change.. ;)).....'cos I've started  them all completely from 'scratch'......Ratties and Amazons.  ;)

Cheers - Phil :)

Steve J


FierceKitty

Quote from: hammurabi70 on 19 October 2020, 05:16:28 PM
I doubt it.  The cannon would get in the way.  No mention of it by Guilmartin.

My impression too. I've never been altogether sure why it was considered so deadly in antiquity, honestly. After the leading ships had done their bit, the following units can't have much work.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Ithoriel

It was easier for ships to keep station in line abreast. So less well trained fleets preferred this formation.

A fleet with lighter, more agile ships and better trained crews would aim to break the line. The flagship, leading, would use it's advantages to sheer off the oars of one of the ships it is passing between. Inevitably, losing one side's oars causes the ship to turn because the oars on the other side are slill moving, for a moment at least. Thus presenting it's beam to the ram of the second or third ship in the diekplus. If other ships in the less agile and well trained fleet attempts to intervene it opens it's beam in turn to further attack.

Rinse and repeat.

Of course if the enemy turn out to have better trained crews or nimbler ships than you expected, or a trick up their sleeves, things could go south in short order.

Also, it doesn't matter if you've lost your oars if you can use a corvus, harpax or similar to simply bind the enemy to you and prove that no amount of seamanship helps you if you have a century of Roman Marines roaming your deck!

Ram vs. board is as much a seesaw as any other arms race. Leading to oddities like the Ptolemies catamaran "Forty" and the Roman corvus and the hemiola and trihemiola.
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

FierceKitty

Mmm, I remember John Warry's clear illustrations of the workings of the diekplus. But after you shear the vessels to left and right of the column (they wouldn't be the Bismark and Tirpitz; not enough to cripple an enemy force), what next? Fight it out in a disorderly on the assumption that your ships are better? Dull gaming if tactics are just about how to make a grand slam when you have thirteen spades in your hand....
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

FOG IN CHANNEL - EUROPE CUT OFF
Lord Kermit of Birkenhead
Muppet of the year 2019, 2020 and 2021

Techno II

You're welcome, Both !   ;)

(I'll be able to relax, once I know that the box has arrived safely !......It's insured for lots of pennies, but I'll still be happier when I know it's reached Pendraken Towers.)

Not sure whether Leon intends to pop any piccies up.  :-\.......There are a good few that aren't 100% finished.....They're at 'super dolly' stage, which I'll get back (in multiples) to finish off those particular codes.

Cheers - Phil. :)

Ithoriel

Quote from: FierceKitty on 20 October 2020, 03:17:13 AM
Mmm, I remember John Warry's clear illustrations of the workings of the diekplus. But after you shear the vessels to left and right of the column (they wouldn't be the Bismark and Tirpitz; not enough to cripple an enemy force), what next? Fight it out in a disorderly on the assumption that your ships are better? Dull gaming if tactics are just about how to make a grand slam when you have thirteen spades in your hand....

You clear the enemy line, turn in succession and have another go, hoping no doubt to catch some enemy vessels in mid-turn as they try to follow you.

Or you watch in horror as your ships are winched alongside the enemy by harpaxes. Or as those big slow ships pelt your lighter vessels with rocks/ bolts/ fire arrows from their catapults. Or as your ships are showered with clay posts full of really pissed off bees! Or as your ship's rams get wedged in the enemy and are dragged down with them. Or as your ram is snapped off by the impact and you start taking on water.

So many ways for things to go wrong :)  
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

Duke Speedy of Leighton

50 odd rebased bases of Romans sanded and pva'd this am.
70 and odd arab cavalrymen base coated and inked this pm (did the horses a few weeks back).
Stared at the next batch of 1:3000 warships, maybe too soon?

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Steve J

First brigade of mdf figures had grit applied to their bases. Hopefully will get to do another brigade tonight.

Steve J

Two mdf brigades primed and painted black, ready for the next stage.