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Naval Warfare
Warfare on the seas is prevalent. Different
states and races approach naval warfare differently.
Sailors are often peasants or slaves. For most humans,
service in a military fleet is for 26 years, after
which sailors receive citizenship. Occasionally, sailors
are drafted as recruits into an army. All bugbear
males participate in naval warfare as part of their
ritual into adulthood.
Waterways are patrolled to control piracy and
allow shipments of supplies and warriors to travel
unhindered. Bugbears travel by ship to raid human
coastal communities. For these and many other reasons,
naval warfare is common.
For naval military, 10 vessels comprise a
squadron. However, different races and states may
have different military units.
The mlitary commander of a war galley is
known as the vessel’s captain or a trierarch. The
commander of a naval squadron bears the title of
navarch. Each war galley also has a full detachment
of soldiers.
Commonly, warships are equipped with a
battering ram on the front of the vessel. Some rams
are heavy, such as those made of bronze and weighing
over 1,000 pounds. Historically, it has been noted
that the window of opportunity to make a successful
attack with a ram is 8 seconds, so this translates
well to 3 rounds.
If possible, then a large boarding plank called
a corvus is dropped onto an enemy vessel so that
warriors may attack the foe. The corvus is 35 feet
in length, 4 feet wide, and has a side rail that is 2 feet
high. A corvus is mounted on a swivel so that it can
be turned and dropped on an adjacent enemy vessel.
Also, a large spike at the end of the corvus digs
into the enemy vessel when dropped upon it, locking
the 2 vessels together. Warriors can cross this
plank 2 abreast behind shield and weapons.
Sometimes a siege tower is mounted on 2
vessels that have been latched together. A siege
tower bestows many advantages. For instance, archers
may attack sailors or soldiers of nearby vessels
better, due to their downward angle of attack,
which offers exposure.
Naval Tactics
A wide variety of naval tactics exist. Here,
tactics mean immediate ship-to-ship methods of
combat. Some captains prefer to maintain a distance
between their vessel and others. Maintaining
a distance may be safer for the crew and the vessel,
and it may enable casters or archers to attack the
other vessel outside of their capacity to retaliate.
Ramming is another common tactic. Ramming
occurs when a vessel that has a battering ram
slams into another vessel. Usually, the side of a vessel
is targeted because it is weaker than the bow or
the stern. More than bugberas, humans favor ramming.
Another tactic is to feign as if your vessel
will ram the enemy vessel, but then turn away at the
last minute and attempt to shear off their oars, rendering
the enemy vessel immobile.
Perhaps the most popular tactic is to simply
park a vessel parallel to the enemy vessel, force the
2 vessels together by using grappling hooks, drop a
plank or corvus, and board the enemy vessel. 2 vessels
may board 1 enemy vessel at the same time, 1
on each side. More than humans, bugbears favor
boarding and melee combat.
Often, all tactics above are combined in 1
assault. For example, a vessel may sight an enemy
vessel, maintain their distance and use missile weapons
or spells. Then, when the captain deems appropriate,
ram the enemy vessel. If this is ineffective
and the enemy vessel does not sink, then the
captain may attempt to break the oars of the enemy
vessel. Finally, the captain may attempt to board
the enemy vessel.
Chapter 18: Warfare
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