Naval strategy

[Dead Guy]

So, since my only experience of combat with ships comes from Pirates!, I wonder if there are any well known strategies from naval engagements one should know about. Did fleets form lines like in land battles in any way?

Do you have to broadside to fire your cannons and does that in turn leave you open to fire?

Is it best to attack with the wind so to speak?

How significant is boarding other ships in this time period?

[Sir Beane]

Huzzah! I like boats and naval battles, so this thread is excellent.

Naval Tactics 101

Preparing for the battle

It's best if you can manouvre yourself so that the enemy fleet is facing the wind and your own ships have the wind behind them. This is known as having the weather gage.

From Wikipedia: The weather gage is a nautical term used to describe the advantageous position of a fighting sailing vessel, relative to another. A ship is said to possess the weather gage if it is in any position, at sea, upwind of the other vessel.

Having the wind behind you allows your ships to travel faster and turn faster, and allows you to decide how quickly the battle is met.


Before a major battles the smaller support ships (supply sloops, messenger ships, ammo barges and similar craft) would either be taken aboard the larger ships or would sail away to a safe area.

Beginning the Battle

In the majority of naval battles ships would form a 'line of battle'. Any ship big enough to fight in a line of battle is known as a 'ship of the line.' The line of battle is formed by the ships sailing towards the enemy in a long line, their port and starboard sides facing allied ships. When your line of battle meets the enemy line, turn all of your ships to the left or right so that their broadsides are all now facing the enemy. If the enemy is in range then fire away!

Specific Tactics

Crossing the 'T'

This is where a ship uses the weather gage advantage or superior manouverablilty to sail itself into a position where it can fire a broadside directly at the enemy ships bow (the front bit).This gives you the advantage of being able to fire without recieving significant fire in return. It is so called because the enemy ship is the stalk of the T and your ship is the line across the top.

Doubling Up

This is where you use superior numbers or an advantage gained through skillful positioning to allow two of your ships to fire on the enemy at once. Basically it means getting a ship of yours on either side of one of the enemy ships. This works incredibly well if you manage to pull off a double 'T' crossing thus leading to a shape like a capital I. Fire from both fore and aft will very very quickly devastate a ship.

Boarding

Boarding was not uncommon in battles of the time. Pirates especially fought specifically to board an enemy ship, as did many privateers or warships attacking enemy cargo vessels.

Before boarding be sure to cripple the enemy ship. From a distance shoot out the sails and mast using 'chain shot'. This is shot that is made from two havles of a cannonball linked with a length of chain. It rips sails and cuts masts and rigging. Doing this kills the enemy ships speed and monoeverabilty and prevents them escaping.

Next get into close range and cross the enemy ships T. Fire a full boradside of 'grapeshot'. These are little balls the size of a grape that are loaded into a cannon in large numbers. It acts like a giant shotgun and ise used to kill crew without significantly damaging the enemy vessel. Once the crew has beend epleted the enemy may surender. If they do not then do the following: Pull up alongside her. Throw over grapples and pull your ship in close. Move boarding planks into position and attack! Afterwards you can scuttle the ship, destroying it. You could also take it as a 'prize', the term for a captured vessel.



Hope that helped! And feel free to ask more questions about the tactics of the time.

[Fisherking]

Naval Tactics 101!

Hay! That’s my course and I have tenure! Even if they made you assistant dean…



Anyway about battle lines.

You can form a line abreast or a line ahead. The line abreast puts all your ships side by side but also could make them vulnerable to a rake if you don’t turn in time. The advantage is that rather than turning one ship to the enemy when you get into range, you have them all ready to turn.

The line ahead is where they all play follow the leader.

In both you have the trouble of faster and slower ships being separated and as they are wind powered you have to find means to keep them together by adjusting sail etc.

Being down wind, as the French most often chose will allow you to meet the enemy coming into range and will also allow you an avenue of escape if you are out gunned.

Forming a second line of faster ships may also be advantageous, but let your heavy ships engage the enemy before committing the lighter vessels. The enemy likely lacks enough crew to fire both sides of their ships and the faster lighter ship have a chance to do damage without as much risk.

[Sir Beane]

Naval Tactics 101!

Hay! That’s my course and I have tenure! Even if they made you assistant dean…

I'll leave the course to you then, professor . Can I at least still teach Piracy 101? It's my specialty after all.

[Fisherking]

I'll leave the course to you then, professor . Can I at least still teach Piracy 101? It's my specialty after all.

You are most welcome to move on to 102 or any others and yes piracy is your specialty so have at it.

I’ll stick to 101 and remedials except for Advanced Frigate Employment 428. All others are yours.

I shall especially be looking forward to your course on Heavy Metals Abatement from the Spanish Fleet.

[batemonkey]

The British in particular were very wary of long range firing and preferred to get up close and personal before firing.

They were in general much more aggressive in action than say the French, whose captains were keener on completing their assigned missions.

In fact the British were so suspicious of captains/admirals that didn't engage they shot/hung (can't remember) at least one during our period, many more were accused of cowardice.

On the campaign map, the British found that they started to dominate the French navy after they became skilled enough to have ships continuously cruising off the western approaches to France.

Even if you missed the ships on the way out from France they had to come back some time to repair, re-supply, refit.
No need to chase them round the world, it also meant if there's going to be any funny business in the channel you can get down there quickly, using the prevailing winds (although I doubt these will be represented in the game).

In fact the British got so good at this they used to have all the naval ports on France's western cost under close blockade in all weathers.

Naval pinch points are also important, places like Gibralter, South Africa The Falklands, Singapore are all in areas where shipping lanes become crowded in to a small area. You can dominate the world from, these places.

[Fisherking]

Fire Ships!

That is a good way to break the line of the enemy! I am sure it would be wise to keep a few Sloops at hand if that were a desirable tactic in the situation but best used against a fleet at anchor.

I feel sure it will be an option if you care to sacrifice a ship.

[KozaK13]

Look at the battle of trafalger and battle of gravelines(grave-leene whatever gravelines sounds better)

from what i understand trafalger did involve some genius, or just luck.