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Dynamite cannons

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Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:29 am

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Hello, it's me again with another unconventional idea.

What about a pneumatic cannons, "firing" large, dynamite (actually, blastite gelatine) filled projectiles for Imperial Navy? They could be wery handy against coastal defenses. They are:

- Extremly powerfull; the 380-mm dynamite gun shell, filled with over 100 kg of blastite gelatine, was the most powerfull explosive ammo in the world before the advent of aerial bombs.

- Relatively recoiless, and could be installed even on small ships (or even civilian ships with steam engines)

- Smokeless and soundless, making them the perfect weapon for night application

- Relatively cheap

-Not reproducible with the current enemy technology and industrial culture.

So, i imagine some series of dynamite-armed gunboat (in fixed mounts, like "Vesuvius" or in rotary mounts, like "Niteroy") or even the low-profile monitors, carrying dynamite guns as auxillary weapons.
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Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by MPCatchup   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:48 am

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I don't really see the need for these. With the cannon that the Empire already has they can batter coastal defenses to dust. I think it would be a misuse of resources and time to try to develop a new type of cannon that is totally different from any cannon in existence on Safehold. The manufacturing capacity and the raw materials that Charis has is already pushed to the limit with the projects they currently have.
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:32 am

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With the cannon that the Empire already has they can batter coastal defenses to dust.


Any old-type coastal defenses. After some expirience, the Church undoubtedly come to more practical gun pits solutions (possibly even to some crude analogue of the disappearing gun mounts) and the effectiveness of rifled guns will be greatly reduced. Marine guns are not particularly suitable for hinged fire, so the flow of ammunition for the gun pits suppression will be... extreme.
------------------------------

Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:44 am

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MPCatchup wrote: I think it would be a misuse of resources and time to try to develop a new type of cannon that is totally different from any cannon in existence on Safehold.


But the Charis ALREADY used the heavy pneumatic industrial equipment. ;) There are virtually no gap between pneumatic industrial equipment and pneumatic gun.

MPCatchup wrote: The manufacturing capacity and the raw materials that Charis has is already pushed to the limit with the projects they currently have.


Well, they already wasted a lot of resources for the sea-going iron-hulled ironclads without the enemy navy to confront with them. Conversion of old galleons to steam and armour would be cheaper, and building the large monitors for coastal operations would be much more practical.
------------------------------

Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by n7axw   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:03 am

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Dilandu wrote:
MPCatchup wrote: I think it would be a misuse of resources and time to try to develop a new type of cannon that is totally different from any cannon in existence on Safehold.


But the Charis ALREADY used the heavy pneumatic industrial equipment. ;) There are virtually no gap between pneumatic industrial equipment and pneumatic gun.

MPCatchup wrote: The manufacturing capacity and the raw materials that Charis has is already pushed to the limit with the projects they currently have.


Well, they already wasted a lot of resources for the sea-going iron-hulled ironclads without the enemy navy to confront with them. Conversion of old galleons to steam and armour would be cheaper, and building the large monitors for coastal operations would be much more practical.


The iron clads are being built to assure ICN supremacy against enemy shells. Converting old galleons wasn't a practical idea due to size, weight, and displacement requirements for steam, armor and artillery. King Harahlds are being built to withstand ICN's own heavy shells. Riverclads are more like the monitors you describe. Bear in mind that Sharpfield isn't supposed to confront Dohlarians without King Harahlds.

As I recall, there is a pretty good discussion of the issues Charis faces in building ironclads in HFAF.

Don
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:17 am

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Well, IMHO large, sea-going monitors would be much more effective and cheaper than "King Haarahld"'s. But we are talking about pneumatic guns here. ;)
------------------------------

Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by pokermind   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:39 am

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Hmm, another useful adjunct to pneumatic guns is a way to power other useful things without dangerous live steam lines. Things like winches, turret motors, and ammunition elevators. Conventional small 'steam engines' can be powered by air with out the need of multiple boilers. Not to mention filling scuba air tanks for the sappers mentioned in Teeny-Tiny HFQ Snippet #2.

And after the war pneumatic pumpkin throwing contests :lol:

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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Potato   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 7:57 am

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They already have discovered guncotton, so they have access to nitrocellulose based propellants and explosives, which was what slew the pneumatic cannon on Earth. Dynamite guns are also shorter ranged and more inaccurate compared to current artillery available to the ICA and ICN. They do not need a pneumatic cannon design.
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Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:26 am

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Potato wrote:They already have discovered guncotton, so they have access to nitrocellulose based propellants and explosives, which was what slew the pneumatic cannon on Earth. Dynamite guns are also shorter ranged and more inaccurate compared to current artillery available to the ICA and ICN. They do not need a pneumatic cannon design.


You would be right, if we are talking about two technologically comparable forces. But the fact is, that rifled breechloaders of 1890th type are virtually impossible for Church to obtain in near future.

So, against the CHURCH fortification, pneumatic guns wouldn't be "outdated" for decades. And they are REALLY powerfull. One 380 mm shell from the dynamite gun contain more explosive than ten ordinary artillery shells. And the pneumatic gun is much cheaper, easy to produce, and could be placed virtually on anything.
------------------------------

Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
Top
Re: Dynamite cannons
Post by Dilandu   » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:39 am

Dilandu
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Joined: Sat May 07, 2011 1:44 pm
Location: Russia

P.S. Something about "building the large naval guns in XIX-early XX century" (on russian)

http://33samurai.livejournal.com/55110.html
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Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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