Razeriem- A Captain's Log

[Aerimor]

During the war I had my second taste of being a Captain.

As I noted in my personal journal, I was granted an old restored ship, The Beautiful Lady.  I took her and a volunteer crew to battle in the Naval battle of Audira during the War against the Cult.  I'm afraid the Beautiful Lady will never be combat worth again, but she brought us through. What I did learn in combat was a fundamental 'truth' of warfare on the sea.  Or so I was repeatedly told. I did what I could to rail against the traditions and accepted.  The chances to do so where limited.  With that said, I have given it thought since the war and these are the Three Truth of Naval Conflict as it accepted by the majority and my circumventions.  Many of these observations are not only for individual ships but for a fleet.


The Three Truths of Naval Conflict:
1. A ship can not sail into the wind.
2. Traditional firepower of ships are along its broadsides.  Structural strength of ships is likewise along the broadside.
3. Communication from ship to ship is extremely limited, especially in combat.

Circumventions of the Three Truths:

1. A ship can not sail into the wind.  Thus the ship wind upwind position is at extreme advantage in ship to ship conflict.  

- Use of a Schooner over a Sloop will increase ability to tack into the wind.
- Use of enchanted sails will maximize wind capture and increase ability to sail towards a wind.
- Use of magic can temporarily nullify this disability.  Gust of Wind can be used to momentarily put a ship into the wind.  If used with cunning and timing this temporary sift in accepted paradigm can exploit defenses of enemy vessels.
- Beware of rowed vessels. They are not dependent on wind! Keep distance.


2. Traditional firepower of ships are along its broadsides.  There are very limited weapon banks on fore and aft of ships.  The structural strength of ships is likewise broadside.  Most expectations of warfare is thus base don an exchange of broadside weaponry.

- Use of tactics, speed, increased tacting, and magical aid to out maneuver and rake opponents can remove broadside attacks from ship warfare.
- Never exchange broadsides with a superiorly armed or armored opponent. As in fending with an opponent in full plate with a two handed sword, wear the opponents down with speed, deception and lightning strikes.  Frustrated opponents make mistakes to exploit.  Tactics will always carry a battle or at the least prevent loss.
- Attacking the fore and aft of the ship will maximize damage and disabling of a ship with minimal amount of fire power and injury to those aboard.

3. Communications from ship to ship is extremely limited, especially in combat.

-Look into a communication system like the stones used during the war.  Magic triumphs over mundane.
-Arrange signal flags when coordinating attacks with allies.  Certain flags to signal formations and expectation of actions.
-Require training, training, training and drilling. So each ship involved knows innately their responsibilities in each engagement.  Each captain should know not only the moves their ship will take but the actions each allied ship will take and likely expected moves from enemy ships.  Drill in identification of enemy movements and counters to each.  Drill to teach them to rely on group, and overall tactics to carry a battle.  Not individual actions and heroics.  Each captain,each ship must perform their moves for the whole to compliment to formations.
-Drill combat simulations, ship formation with unexpected difficulties...ie captain lost, see if 1st mate can lead ship through expected movements and function in his absence.  Train for unexpected enemy movements, arrival of flying creatures, unusual weapons and magic.  Learn to think and adapt on the spot.

[Aerimor]

So what is the best type of craft to bring a battle?

The large behemoth designs that sacrifice speed, maneuverability and options in battle for increased firepower and or durability?

The smaller sleek ships that can race circles around opponents and give tactical advantages in positioning, and movement in combat.  The ability to engage and disengage at desire.  But at sacrifice of the ability to truly take the fight to a heavily armed or armored opponent?

Or the perfect blend of each?

Well of course it is a blend, we will leave behemoths to to the Dwarves and racers to the rich.  What we want is a ship that can get into and out of battle, hit with enough force to finish the tasks at hand and take enough hits to sail away afterward.

But what is that blend?  As with personal combat I think that answer is found in a reflection of the mentality of the man wielding the weapon.  In this case, the captain.  There is no best blend, just the best blend for the captain.  Just as there is not best weapon truly, there are many good weapons and more than a few bad ones.  But what separates a good weapon into a great one is the one wielding it.

So that gets to the question of what's the best blend for me?

I think that is obvious, you go with the strengths you have.  The style you are most comfortable with.  A Captain with confidence is the most effective.  As is a warrior.  If i do say so myself, I am pretty darn effective with a Maul. But it is not my style, due to practice and experience alone I am still a dangerous foe with an over sized hammer.  But, its still a shadow of my ability with a rapier.  Why?  Is a rapier a better weapon than a maul?  Well in my opinion is sure in the hells is.  But others would disagree.  The difference is in style and technique.  A rapier allows me to use my strengths to their fullest.  It is near impossible to pull a serious of feints to line your opponent up with maul.  A maul is about lining up the one decisive blow and delivering it.  A rapier is about causing your enemy to over extend, become off balance or over confident and taking what they offer.  If they over extend a thrust, you strike an arm, shoulder or lead leg. You do not have to deliver the knock out blow in one thrust.  But if it is offered, you can claim that as well.

This is how I prefer my vessels.  Sleek, quick, unpredictable, and able to take advantage of what is offered.  To lure an opponent into uncomfortable positions and exploit them.  As myself, I prefer to focus on not being hit, to avoid being where their weapon is.  But able to take a few lucky or skillful hits.  I like my weapons the same way, underestimated.  Luring heavier foes into overconfidence.

That is why I decided to go with only a single obvious weapon.  A front deck mounted swivel ballista.  Lure enemies into overconfidence.  And then present to the the unexpected a weapon with considerable punch.  The weapon is based on a friend of mine's design.  The dwarven hero Argali Trueaxe. I helped her in some of the design stages and snagged a copy of the plans.  It is a costly weapon, with rare metal forged warheads and the unexpected punch, explosives within the warhead.  This weapon was developed during the war to bring down dragons.  I think it will be effective against wooden hulls.  The hidden weapons will be the crew and her Captain.  Magic is the tide turner in warfare.  It is a truth I have learned time and tiem again in my life.  I will seek to add a few capable spell casters to my crew.  Along with my abilities I believe we should not only be able to match larger crews but exceed them.

With the understood maxims of naval warfare and plans on how to defeat them with the use of the Al'noth.  I believe many victories can be won by exploiting the unexpected.  By defeating your enemies through exploiting their expectation for warfare.