Duuuuude, you were a character in the Wapsiholics Anonymous Meeting and you aren't even reading the fanfics?Gyrrakavian wrote:I'll just assume Cornelius is from one of the fanfics.
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Duuuuude, you were a character in the Wapsiholics Anonymous Meeting and you aren't even reading the fanfics?Gyrrakavian wrote:I'll just assume Cornelius is from one of the fanfics.
There's more room for error on an uproll shot. Firing on the downroll risks firing down into the sea if the gunner is slow or the gun itself hangs fire slightly. Firing on the uproll helps range and even a late shot, firing high on the roll, may damage the target's rigging.Sgt. Howard wrote:
…snippage…
except that you want to fire on the DOWNROLL, as then a water hit will still bounce into the target-
I think it's safe to say the real trick to it is to shoot at the damn boat and not miss.louisxiv wrote:There's more room for error on an uproll shot. Firing on the downroll risks firing down into the sea if the gunner is slow or the gun itself hangs fire slightly. Firing on the uproll helps range and even a late shot, firing high on the roll, may damage the target's rigging.Sgt. Howard wrote:
…snippage…
except that you want to fire on the DOWNROLL, as then a water hit will still bounce into the target-
And that's a nice trick . . . if you can manage it.GlytchMeister wrote:I think it's safe to say the real trick to it is to shoot at the damn boat and not miss.louisxiv wrote:There's more room for error on an uproll shot. Firing on the downroll risks firing down into the sea if the gunner is slow or the gun itself hangs fire slightly. Firing on the uproll helps range and even a late shot, firing high on the roll, may damage the target's rigging.Sgt. Howard wrote:
…snippage…
except that you want to fire on the DOWNROLL, as then a water hit will still bounce into the target-
Out of the playroom in the Library's Children's Section? This is the Library that provides explosive switches for people to amuse themselves with or can scramble helicopter gunships, after all. There's no telling what odds and ends it may have on hand, and what peculiar notions of propriety it may follow.lake_wrangler wrote:And where did they get a cannon like that?
Well, cussing like a sailor does fit in with the theme.AnotherFairportfan wrote:Tanta Phix! Language in front of the sprout!
If they fire a second shot, I think that they're going to have Phix vent her ire on the seat of their breeches. She does have quite the short fuse, and Shelly at the very least could survive such battery. I'm not sure whether Castela is of the same caliber as the sphinxes when it comes to durability, but she could find herself bombarded with verbal abuse and then grounded for a good long while. Being confined to her room during all her free time would be quite a bore to her, so she'd probably recoil from the idea.AnotherFairportfan wrote:I really hope this isn't just a one-shot; i would love to see where this could be going.
Hear hear. At pistol shot range that's a little hard; which is why that or even closer was considered the ideal range at which to fire a broadside.GlytchMeister wrote:I think it's safe to say the real trick to it is to shoot at the damn boat and not miss.louisxiv wrote:There's more room for error on an uproll shot. Firing on the downroll risks firing down into the sea if the gunner is slow or the gun itself hangs fire slightly. Firing on the uproll helps range and even a late shot, firing high on the roll, may damage the target's rigging.Sgt. Howard wrote:
…snippage…
except that you want to fire on the DOWNROLL, as then a water hit will still bounce into the target-
yes believe it or not there are some of us that basically dont post or read anything but the comments hereGlytchMeister wrote:Duuuuude, you were a character in the Wapsiholics Anonymous Meeting and you aren't even reading the fanfics?Gyrrakavian wrote:I'll just assume Cornelius is from one of the fanfics.
Didn't ships occasionally fire a charge of "chain shot" for this purpose? A length of steel chain flying at high speeds might take out the mast or spars, and even if it misses the woodwork it would be likely to shred the sails and snap the shrouds.eee wrote:Re firing on the up-roll: They might have been aiming at the mast in the hopes of disabling the enemy ship. De-masting a foe is an elegant way to win a battle.
That's not much more than a signal cannon, truth be told. Still pretty loud...jwhouk wrote:It is. Sorry, it probably helps if you realize that Cornelius = Sarge, who is a big fan of big boomers like the one in today's strip.Gyrrakavian wrote:I'll just assume Cornelius is from one of the fanfics.
I would guess that a "signal cannon" is SUPPOSED to be loud. After all, you want your entire fleet to hear the signal.Sgt. Howard wrote:That's not much more than a signal cannon, truth be told. Still pretty loud...jwhouk wrote:It is. Sorry, it probably helps if you realize that Cornelius = Sarge, who is a big fan of big boomers like the one in today's strip.Gyrrakavian wrote:I'll just assume Cornelius is from one of the fanfics.
Getting in the way of anything coming out of a cannon is likely to spoil your whole day, though M&C is pretty good at hinting the real threat was wood splinters from ball impacts on the structure of the ship.Dave wrote:Didn't ships occasionally fire a charge of "chain shot" for this purpose? A length of steel chain flying at high speeds might take out the mast or spars, and even if it misses the woodwork it would be likely to shred the sails and snap the shrouds.eee wrote:Re firing on the up-roll: They might have been aiming at the mast in the hopes of disabling the enemy ship. De-masting a foe is an elegant way to win a battle.
... to say nothing of how uncomfortable it would be for any sailors who happened to be in the way :(
Yes they did. The common load for this was a length of light anchor chain the same weight as the cannonball the gun was designed for (hence the designation "12 pound, 14 pound, 16 pound, etc.). And you are right about the effect it had on rigging and sailors. The round used when you wanted to get rid of the crew but still have a ship likely to be in sailable condition was grape shot, basically a really big shotgun round with about 3/4 to 1 inch diameter iron shot inside a cloth or leather bag to the weight limit for the gun. Light damage to the ship but doubleplus ungood for the crew above decks. The counter to that was to put the guns under the main deck on a separate gun deck, which also had the effect of allowing ranges battles in inclement weather without risking wet powder.Dave wrote:Didn't ships occasionally fire a charge of "chain shot" for this purpose? A length of steel chain flying at high speeds might take out the mast or spars, and even if it misses the woodwork it would be likely to shred the sails and snap the shrouds.eee wrote:Re firing on the up-roll: They might have been aiming at the mast in the hopes of disabling the enemy ship. De-masting a foe is an elegant way to win a battle.
... to say nothing of how uncomfortable it would be for any sailors who happened to be in the way
Cool pictures :)Hansontoons wrote:Visited the Elissa in Galveston this weekend. They were training crew on the ropes, maneuvering sails and furling. So lots of fiddly bits to get messed up with high shot. One thing I just noted about films like Master & Commander, during the scenes when the ships are closing for battle, you never see the crew on the sails.
You ever make it to Boston, mate, let me know and we will go and see "Old ironsides". I work less than a mile from it.Hansontoons wrote:One more with crew in the sails.