HFQ Offical Snippet #18

I can see Mr.Runsforcelery hasn't posted in any forum for the last 3 weeks. I hope his wife is getting healthier. Best wishes to him and his family.

Don't totally write off the Navy of God just yet - the Rottweilers represent what is likely the last period of vulnerability for the EoC at sea (baring the 'golden BB' shot), with their reliance on sail power for mobility. A very determined NoG attack against a Rottweiler caught out on its' own that was focused on the rigging to reduce, then eliminate the Rottweiler's ability to maneuver could leave the ship vulnerable to 'crossing the T' attacks fore and aft.

While the NoG might well suffer severe losses getting the 'mobility kill' on the Rottweiler, a series of fore and aft attacks that could not be effectively countered could result in the loss or capture of the vessel. A slightly overconfident commander, a bad break on a planned rendezvous and a determined NoG commander with little regard for losses could result in the CoGA getting current or near-current EoC equipment to evaluate.

Now this could in itself generate some interesting story lines - testing of the armour from the Rottweiler would indicate hardness at the face that the CoGA's metallurgist could not match, but a toughness that was beyond them as well. Knowing that a thing _can_ be done is one of the strongest driving forces for an inferior side to make a development. Then, the guns might reveal some new design and fabrication techniques, as well as presenting another 'we can not make metal this strong...' issue.

Owlish wrote:Knowing that a thing _can_ be done is one of the strongest driving forces for an inferior side to make a development.

Keep in mind that we're already in the territory where COGA would need tools to make tools to make tools... it's not just 1 step removed. And they'd need the whole setup that Howsmyn has, to build it in quantity; there's no point in being able to produce a little bit of howsmynized steel, not if you cannot produce it in industrial quantities, at a price that can somehow be paid.

Even if they were to start on that now, it would take them a few years to build it all, and they won't have that time. By then, they won't have any place where to build ships... and I assume that Dohlar is the next on EoC list of places to neutralize in one way or another.

Owlish wrote:Don't totally write off the Navy of God just yet - the Rottweilers represent what is likely the last period of vulnerability for the EoC at sea (baring the 'golden BB' shot), with their reliance on sail power for mobility. A very determined NoG attack against a Rottweiler caught out on its' own that was focused on the rigging to reduce, then eliminate the Rottweiler's ability to maneuver could leave the ship vulnerable to 'crossing the T' attacks fore and aft.

While the NoG might well suffer severe losses getting the 'mobility kill' on the Rottweiler, a series of fore and aft attacks that could not be effectively countered could result in the loss or capture of the vessel. A slightly overconfident commander, a bad break on a planned rendezvous and a determined NoG commander with little regard for losses could result in the CoGA getting current or near-current EoC equipment to evaluate.

Now this could in itself generate some interesting story lines - testing of the armour from the Rottweiler would indicate hardness at the face that the CoGA's metallurgist could not match, but a toughness that was beyond them as well. Knowing that a thing _can_ be done is one of the strongest driving forces for an inferior side to make a development. Then, the guns might reveal some new design and fabrication techniques, as well as presenting another 'we can not make metal this strong...' issue.

I think you have posed a very unlikely scenario here. First of all, you seem to be assuming that the Rotweiller is trapped with unfavorable wind conditions against a shoreline or perhaps becalmed at sea. Or else that the captain is a idiot who has allowed himself no room to maneuver and is trapped.

Now I will grant you that all of these things are possible, but none of them are very likely. I do believe that the ICN is not picking captains for its advanced craft out of a hat, which means that dumb behavior is a rather remote possibility.

In terms of likely scenarios, the only one I can really come up with is something like what happened to Manthyr when he got caught by Thirsk after heavy storm damage. Even that one is pretty remote, however.

However, as you say, it could happen...but my response is ...don't hold your breath waiting.

Don