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Trade and Equipment: Seige Weapons & Naval Vessels

Siege Weapons

Siege weapons are not portable weapons in any sense of the word, but they are at least mobile, used by armies to bring down castles and fortresses. The most common siege weapons are catapults, ballistas, and battering rams. Siege weapons are huge, and are usually designed to defend a castle or fortress. Attacking armies generally do not push around two or three ton siege engines, rather, they build one once in close range to the enemy lines. It can take three or four days to build a good siege engine, and these assault engines generally do not last long, due to their mediocre construction. Anyone who has a skill in Siege Weapon (type) can both use and help build such a weapon. Obviously, a PC character will not be lugging any of these around, but they may be used in armies, of course.

Light Ballista

A ballista is basically a giant crossbow. It fires three meter bolts at an incredible velocity, and can do devastating damage to anyone unlucky enough to be directly hit. It takes twenty man-hours to build a light ballista (so three men can do it in 6 or 7 hours), and it weighs about 800 kilograms once finished. A ballista can fire its bolt up to 300 meters and can be mounted on wheels for limited mobility. Such ballistas are often found on naval vessels.

Heavy Ballista

Heavy ballistas were originally developed to knock down castle walls, gates, and doors. Armies soon discovered that if aimed skyward, a heavy ballista becomes the best offensive weapon for fending off dragons. These fire huge seven meter holds at an incredible velocity, and can do devastating damage. It takes sixty man-hours to build a heavy ballista (so ten men can do it in 6 or 7 hours), and it weighs about 4 tons once finished. A heavy ballista can fire its bolt up to 1,200 meters and they can be mounted on wheels for limited mobility. Heavy ballistas can be mounted on large naval vessels.

Battering Ram

Mainly used for knocking down castle gates and doors, battering rams come in all shapes and forms. Improvised logs are commonly used by peasants when storming a castle, but a real army will build a heavy ram, complete with wheels and a ?oiling oil shield over top to protect the rammers.

It takes thirty man-hours to build a heavy battering ram (so five men can do it in 6 hours), and it weighs about a ton when finished. It does have a protective shield on top, used to protect those pushing it from catapult rocks and boiling (or burning) oil, which may be dumped over the castle wall as they batter the doors down. It usually takes 6-18 men to effectively push a battering ram.

Catapult

Catapults are large siege weapons that hurl one or more giant rocks over castle walls or at oncoming armies. Catapults have either a spoon-shaped bin or a sling-like net for holding the rocks. Spoon bins give a much higher trajectory, best for blindly throwing a dozen rocks over a castle wall. Slings, however, cast rocks in a straighter, more direct path, and should be used when firing at targets that are in a direct line of fire. Both sling and spoon catapults can be used when shooting at dragons, just as long as you can get the rocks high enough in the air. It takes fifty man-hours to build a catapult (so ten men can do it in 5 hours), and it weighs about three tons once finished.

Catapults can be used in many ways. They can be used with a spoon or sling, and with one big rock, or many smaller ones.

A spoon will throw it's projectile(s) in a high arc, sacrificing range for altitude, and is good for getting over a wall. Firing this way, the catapult can only fire indirectly, so many rocks should be used to maximize the probability of a hit. Maximum range is 200 meters, maximum altitude is 150 meters. Setting the tension will set the range and altitude proportionately.

Slings are somewhat better, able to be set for maximum range or altitude independently. The projectiles may be fired straight at an oncoming army (or dragon), and a single large rock can often help bring down a castle wall. Maximum range is 400 meters, maximum altitude is 100 meters. Each of these can be adjusted independently.

Mangonel

Mangonels are miniature catapults used for short range combat. Catapults are superior weapons for throwing large rocks, but mangonels are specifically designed for throwing burning balls of tar. It takes 40 man-hours to build a mangonel (so eight men can do it in five hours), and it weighs about a ton when finished.

Mangonels fire a single 5 to 10 kg projectile, usually a burning ball of tar. This fireball is often hurled over a castle wall to start fires in the castle yards. Rarely are they used directly against infantry (the probability of hitting is rather slim). The effect of this weapon is that if the burning tar ball should land on something flammable (thatch roof, haystack, the enemy's supply of oil or tar), it will explode in to flames, and hopefully spread through the castle or fortress.

Mangonels are often mounted on ships for naval warfare. In a pitch naval battle, they sky is literally filled with the blazing fireballs as each side attempts to incinerate the other.

Naval Ships

Naval ships play a large role in both war and commerce. Lodoss is a small island continent and thousands of kilometers from any other continent. There are no known complete maps of the world, but there have been rumors of such left over from Kastuul.

Many cities lie on the coasts of Lodoss and have great seaports. Merchants often transport their goods by way of the ocean, catching the westward winds at the north of Lodoss or the eastward winds the south end of Lodoss. A complex series of trade routes has many merchant vessels jumping from Alan, through the Marmo-Kanon Strait, up the Holy River to Valis, then down to Dragon Scale or Dragon Breath, and finally to Raiden. Mariners are wary of the northwestern corners of Lodoss; pirates plague the region. The caves of the Great Straight Cliff and Blue Dragon Island are a haven to marauders and pirates.

The old wars between the nations of Lodoss often saw many naval battles. However with the unification and treaties recently made between, such great sea battles are now a thing of the past. The navy of Marmo escaped south to unknown lands and poses no further threat. Even so, the nations must keep up a strong navy to defend from pirates that still terrorize the crystal blue seas surrounding Lodoss.

Skiff

A small boat, often carried on larger vessels for making trips to the shore, or as lifeboats (large vessels may have ten or more skiffs). A skiff can hold up to eight people and usually have two or four oars. Some larger skiffs also have a single sail rig. A skiff is little more than a short-range boat and should only be used for short, ship-to-ship ventures or a trip across a river or lake. A skiff costs about 5 RP and has a dry weight of 200 (6 man) to 400 (8 man) kilograms.

Sloop

A small sailing vessel, usually between 10 and 15 meters in length, equipped with one jib sail and a triangular main sail. Sloops can be successfully navigated and sailed by a single skilled sailor, but at least two people can make the job much easier. A sloop can safely hold up to eight people, and many have a single cabin housing bunks and equipment. Slops also have four oars for use when wind is poor. A sloop costs around 20 RP.

Schooner

Two masted sailing vessel, about 20 to 30 meters in length, equipped with one large triangle sail and a smaller one on the bow. Schooners require at least three people to control, and the recommended crew is five. Schooners can have up to twenty passengers, and have a large deck area and deck level underneath with small crew cabins, bunks, and storage. Merchant schooners can carry up to five tons of cargo. Most have at least six oars, and are usually unarmed. A schooner costs around 200 RP.

Carrack

A three-masted merchant vessel, with two square sails and a small triangular sail (a lateen sail) on the aft mast. The ship is also equipped with thirty rowing oars for use in port or when the wind is slow. A typical merchant carrack can transport up to 400 tons of cargo and two hundred passengers and crew. Carracks have little armament, and generally rely on archers and on-deck fighting. The required crew compliment is at least sixty seamen. It costs 1,000 Raidens and takes a month to construct. A carrack can be bought second-hand for around 800 RP.

Galley

Galleys are the largest merchant ships built, but also double as warships. A galley is a prized ship for a pirate to capture, but most pirates only have carracks. Galleys are about 50 meters in length. They have three tail sail masts, and forty oars for use in port, or when the wind is slow. The largest galleys can transport up to 300 tons of cargo and 500 passengers and crew. Galleys are typically mounted with a siege weapon or two, but mainly rely on archers and on-deck fighting. The required crew compliment is at least 200 seamen. It costs 4,000 Raidens and takes three or four months to build.

Caravel

Smaller and faster than galleys, caravels can fill any naval role. Merchants, navies, and pirates alike use caravels. Some are converted to be purely passenger ships, others are stuffed to overflowing with cargo. Caravels have a broad bow and a high, narrow poop deck. It is rigged with three or four masts, of which the foremast is a great square sail, while the others are triangular. A typical caravel can transport up to 100 tons of cargo, but cargo caravels can carry up to 300 tons. They can handle up to four hundred passengers and crew. Caravel can be mounted with a few siege weapons; ballistas or mangonels. The required crew compliment is 150 seamen. It costs 2,000 Raidens and takes two or three months to build.

Galleon

Galleons are the largest ships built. These are huge ships with tall forecastles and a high poop deck. Galleons have three or four masts, each mounting four square sails. The have no oars, as such propulsion is incapable for moving such a ship and they rely totally on the power of the wind. Galleons are warships, and are armed to the teeth with ballistas, mangonels, and well-able archers. Many galleons are used in fighting pirates or combating sea monsters. A galleon can carry up to a thousand men, but the required crew compliment is at least 400 seamen. It costs 8,000 Raidens and takes eight months to a year to construct.

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