Other Jimness > Cinder Spires Spoilers
Shrouds and mass
knnn:
We've been told that a Shroud is able to disperse the energy blasts fired by ethereal canons, but I wonder how well they would put up against traditional (i.e. metal cannonball) weapons. After all, we know that ether-silk passes through the shroud without problem, and the fact the you can feel wind when diving means that air can pass through as well.
P.S. In our world, bronze cannons were still in use into the 19th century (it was more "springy" than cast iron), so iron rot isn't really an argument.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: knnn on December 09, 2015, 08:54:58 PM ---We've been told that a Shroud is able to disperse the energy blasts fired by ethereal canons, but I wonder how well they would put up against traditional (i.e. metal cannonball) weapons. After all, we know that ether-silk passes through the shroud without problem, and the fact the you can feel wind when diving means that air can pass through as well.
P.S. In our world, bronze cannons were still in use into the 19th century (it was more "springy" than cast iron), so iron rot isn't really an argument.
--- End quote ---
Wood cannons werent unheard of either, they just broke down more often (and in a catastrophic way). I imagine that the Shroud would be unable to stop a physical cannon any more than the silk vests can stop traditional bullets. But I think the feasibility of cannons drops off sharply when the vessels are no longer locked onto the same plane of elevation, so between the three dimensional nature of airship combat, combined with their superior maneuverability would make them useless in all but very specific ambush circumstances. Perhaps hiding in the noon-day sun and attempting to fire/drop physical masses onto a ship below?
Second Aristh:
The shroud doesn't seem to hamper the aeronauts moving on the ship, so I would guess that it doesn't do much if anything to physical projectiles. I don't think a shroud is just a shell of energy, more like a powerful field of etheric energy being emitted from the core crystal.
knnn:
--- Quote from: Quantus on December 09, 2015, 09:36:53 PM ---Wood cannons werent unheard of either, they just broke down more often (and in a catastrophic way). I imagine that the Shroud would be unable to stop a physical cannon any more than the silk vests can stop traditional bullets. But I think the feasibility of cannons drops off sharply when the vessels are no longer locked onto the same plane of elevation, so between the three dimensional nature of airship combat, combined with their superior maneuverability would make them useless in all but very specific ambush circumstances. Perhaps hiding in the noon-day sun and attempting to fire/drop physical masses onto a ship below?
--- End quote ---
1) Didn't the first encounter between the Predator and the merchant ship/Itasca occur at equal elevations? IIRC they actually pulled out of their dive (i.e. slowed down) in order to shoot their cannons. In any case, you'd think such things would at least be the spire itself (e.g. on the roof and at Habble Landing).
2) This also doesn't preclude things like rifles/bows raking the enemy decks.
3) Heck, what about ramming tactics? It seems to me that the protection offered by a shroud could allow a ship to get very close. A Predator "dropping like a rock" with a bronze ram could really do damage. Heck, you needn't ram the ship itself. Merely hitting the top/bottom masts could do wonders toward wounding a ship.
Brightbane:
Is there any evidence that they have gunpowder? I can't bring any to mind. They would have to have access to volcanic hotsprings to get the sulfur or certain caves for the saltpeter. The charcoal is easily to obtain, if horrifically expensive.
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