Naval Armament

[trentonian7]

I've been entertaining the idea of ships with ballistae along the sides like cannons mounted on vessels of the Victorian age. Is it feasible? Could a ballistae do damage to an enemy ship and if so would they want to? I understNd vessels were often taken as opposed to sunk. Perhaps the ballistae could take out sails or oars? Furthermore, I imagine to have any speed these ships would need to be built as galleys. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[skip.knox]

They would be effective in clearing decks. Anything to disrupt the enemy's ability to maneuver and to return fire.

 

[Saigonnus]

Why not swivel guns?? Like cannons in miniature used to clear the decks?

Another idea is using birdshot and gunpowder in small ceramic jars to serve as grenades.

 

[trentonian7]

Why not swivel guns?? Like cannons in miniature used to clear the decks?

Another idea is using birdshot and gunpowder in small ceramic jars to serve as grenades.

My world is pre- gunpowder tech.

 

[X Equestris]

If they're stone throwing? Yes, ballistae could work quite well in place of cannons.

Ships in this era were often captured because you had to board them anyway (if you weren't ramming), so you might as well take the ship and use it as your own. The use of ballistae at long range to outright sink ships could be a tactical gamechanger for your setting. Similar to how Spanish naval tactics were made largely obsolete by Anglo-Dutch naval gunnery.

 

[Saigonnus]

Catapults might also work then... Especially with flaming oil...


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[trentonian7]

Catapults might also work then... Especially with flaming oil...


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I know the Romans often used catapults and oil on their warships. I kind of just like the imagery though of a ship lined with ballistae. Perhaps a combination of the both.

 

[Ban]

I don't think ballistas would be used for damaging the other ship simply because catapults can do that job much better but maybe you could use these ballistas for boarding. The ballisrtas could shoot bolts attached to ropes and once shot your crew could pull in the rope again and board the other ship once it's close enough.

Just an idea

 

[X Equestris]

I don't think ballistas would be used for damaging the other ship simply because catapults can do that job much better but maybe you could use these ballistas for boarding. The ballisrtas could shoot bolts attached to ropes and once shot your crew could pull in the rope again and board the other ship once it's close enough.

Just an idea

It's important to note that there were two types of ballistae: bolt throwing one, and stone throwing ones. Stone throwers could sink a ship easily enough, while the bolt throwers would be better suited to clearing the decks.

 

[Garren Jacobsen]

I don't think ballistas would be used for damaging the other ship simply because catapults can do that job much better but maybe you could use these ballistas for boarding. The ballisrtas could shoot bolts attached to ropes and once shot your crew could pull in the rope again and board the other ship once it's close enough.

Just an idea

But, with the catapults, I think that the way they work could pitch the ship unnecessarily, since the force is going to be applied downward and laterally. A ballistae would apply the force laterally so that wheels could mitigate the amount of force transferred into the ship. Also, if we are talking about these smaller ships the force would be more pronounced with catapults.

 

[chrispenycate]

In the second of the Drake/Flint Bellisarius series, In the Heart of Darkness, there is a fairly detailed pre-gunpowder naval artillery battle (the next book has cannons). And it just happens to be in the Baen free library In the Heart of Darkness by Eric Flint and David Drake - WebScription Ebook, so is the right price for research, too.

Actually, the more downward force you can get, and the less horizontal, the less it will make the ship heel over, so high trajectories coming down on deck are easier to aim than horizontal shots bouncing off the surface of the sea, and cracking the hull, but aiming at sea is going to be complicated at the best of times - remember, ballistics with its complicated arithmetic, was one of the principal reasons Arabic numerals took over from Roman numerals as soon as accurate artillery became available.

 

[chrispenycate]

Oops. It put it twice.

 

[Humabout]

I don't think ballistas would be used for damaging the other ship simply because catapults can do that job much better but maybe you could use these ballistas for boarding. The ballisrtas could shoot bolts attached to ropes and once shot your crew could pull in the rope again and board the other ship once it's close enough.

Just an idea

Historically, small ballistas were regularly used on galleys, actually. They typically threw 15-lb stones. Scorpions (ballistas that fired spears) were also common and usually fired ~36" bolts, sometimes with ropes for the sake of anchoring ships together. Catapults were also used. Additionally, crew members often fired personal ranged weapons (bows, crossbows, etc.) at other vessels and their crew.

Still, primary ship-sinking/disabling tactics usually involved either ramming or a fast close pass that sheared the other vessel's oars, since wind was too unreliable for use in battle. A ship without oars was little more than a barge.

 

[SmaugTheFrog]

Since ballistae bolts are essentially just big arrows, their sinking power would be very little to none. There is an argument for their use in clearing decks, but I think that it would be very inefficient. I mean, I don't think four foot long crossbow bolts are terribly cheap to make. Also, in order to hit effectively you would need more maneuverability than cannons do.

One possibility that comes to mind, however, is using them to set fire to the enemy vessels. Perhaps instead of having an arrow-head, you affix a vial of oil (Greek fire) that ignites on contact with oxygen. When the arrow hits, it sprays flaming oil.

Of course, I believe a good squadron of archers would do just as much damage at medium range. Other options to consider are: a ram, Greek fire, mounted catapult, or crossbows. Despite all this, the most effective way to take a ship during this era was to board it.

 

[Saigonnus]

Of course you shouldn't forget mages serving aboard ships. Lightning out a clear sky could set a ship alight. Fireballs could serve much the same purpose, and the defenders would have to take time and effort fighting the fire instead of defending their ship.


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