tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post2933392623810252802..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: SailingAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-35758854611489317862013-04-21T10:55:52.884-06:002013-04-21T10:55:52.884-06:00This is great to chew on. I'm just about to le...This is great to chew on. I'm just about to leave the house to DM a session in which my players will almost certainly set sail. I have a massive laminated map of the world gridded out for travel, and a dice-based weather-and-inds- system with various effects on their speed and the people they're chasing. But, ship combat still eludes me. Thanks for writing all this, it's really excellent food for thought!Marlinspikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150329880131589088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-61027405201883834342009-07-16T11:59:13.143-06:002009-07-16T11:59:13.143-06:00The galley slave in the ancient world is a myth. ...The galley slave in the ancient world is a myth. I cannot speak to the medieval practices, but the ancient oarsmen, or sailors as they were called, were well-trained and well-paid. You cannot operate a warship with slaves.<br /><br />The Romans used Greeks for the task since their own people were unfamiliar with ships and their operation. During the first of the Punic Wars (the wars with the Phoenicians of Carthage) Rome was at a serious disadvantage due to the Poeni being expert sailors and having a huge navy. They hired Greek (colonist) sailors living in the coastal regions of the Italian peninsula to not only sail (and row) their ships for them, but also to build them. It was from this war that the Corvus device was invented by the Romans to turn a naval battle into a land battle -- something the Romans were very good at. They became a naval power when they won that war.<br /><br />I've been wanting to run a Roman campaign for many, many years. :)Original_Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521777462227997158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-71864929323846640832009-07-16T09:30:19.608-06:002009-07-16T09:30:19.608-06:00Not only the turks... the spanish also had that &q...Not only the turks... the spanish also had that "tradition", as portrayed in one of the Quixote episodes. And I suspect every mediterranean power started to employ prisoners in that duty at the same time.<br /><br />And thank you for taking the point! ^.^<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />ErekibeonErekíbeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01487264760610965431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-60829360484365962982009-07-16T08:03:30.818-06:002009-07-16T08:03:30.818-06:00Point taken. As I remember, those would be the Tu...Point taken. As I remember, those would be the Turks, who lost badly at the Battle of Lepanto in 1580.<br /><br />Thank you for the correction.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-82559299396450435612009-07-15T17:08:19.726-06:002009-07-15T17:08:19.726-06:00Hi!
A really good series of ancient technology fo...Hi!<br /><br />A really good series of ancient technology for D&D, Alexis. Thank you for it!<br /><br />BTW, when you point out that oarsmen were never slaves I assume you are referring to ancient times, cos in the XVI and XVII it was very common to have convicts and war prisoners chained to the oars powering the galleys. <br /><br />Thank you again for these posts!<br /><br />Erekibeon.Erekíbeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01487264760610965431noreply@blogger.com