Vinea wrote:
Torpedo boat carriers were a thing for a short period beyond just having tenders.
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_dd_vulcan.htm
Coordination without radio is doable within visual range for swarm tactics using blinker or semaphore. Raiding without radio limits range as finding the mothership without a radio is problematic if it has to move differently than planned.
Corvettes/frigates are better suited for that.
Ah, interesting!
Every day you learn something new, ta for the info
Oh the short range of small boats is an issue, plus Safeholdian tech proscriptions.
Brtish had problems in WW2 by putting extra fuel tanks on the decks, or iirc some designs the main tanks were too high up so in a fire fight they burned up
Having some kind of system of draining extra tanks down into main tanks quickly, rather than slow chore of simple "hose and pump", and that n disposing of the empties (major flash fire risks!) Might be an idea?
Ie boats sneak up on an enemy harbour using main tanks, congregate for last minute instructions and refuel from deck canisters which are then lowered overboard and let sink.
Sure corvettes would be good but I think better in defence?
Point of small fast boats was quiet surprise, they got so close torpedoes and guns were way more effective.
Or, for a commerce.raider, as noted, you could have a LOT of craft wrecking a lightly guarded convoy, if you catch the escorts out by surprise or whatever, you could do lots of damage far cheaper.
With a well deck, surprise is easier and like a Q-ship, your raider swarm ship could have a battery of nasty guns or even torpedo tubes below waterline.
An escort comes over to check on the raider's identity, or to lend aid from false request for help, gets hammered, boats hiding behind it swarm out, finish escort and play hobb on the cargo ships.
(Ruse requesting non-emergency aid seems moral, I think?
Abusing emergency aid is another matter.
Then again, some of the likely enemies wouldn't have such moral qualms.....)