> > Historically, the caravel came earlier than the schooner, > > but is it also easier to build? > > > At TL2, you're not going to build a caravel. You're going to be building > clinker built ships, which don't have the rigidity to sail well up wind.
Three different answers, one semantic, one on game mechanics, and the real explanation which influenced which optional game mechanics I wanted to use: * Of course a 'real caravel' is TL3-4, and a 'real schooner' is TL4-5. I was thinking of the basic sail plan when wrote that, a ship with two lateen sails or a ship with two lugsails, but lacking jibs and topsails. An 'anachonistic schooner' or an 'anachronistic caravel', coming close in look-and-feel but of course less capable. * The VXi rules give break points for the Minimum Upwind Angle modifiers at TL5 and TL7. However, TL3+ has new rigs with a significantly lower MUA than TL2. * I thought that dhows (built hull-first, frame-later) could tack if they had to, but avoided it when possible because of the awkwardness of moving the lateen to the other side of the mast. So I simply took a medium hull, much stronger than a classic TL2 galley, and assumed that I had enough strength. My hull is significantly heavier than the caravel in Low-Tech, and thus slower. I think I'll write "She can even tack upwind, though not as well as a historical schooner." > > Can there be cramped rowing stations? > I don't think you're going to be able to do this at TL2. Late TL3 or TL4 > is > going to be needed to build strong enough ships. Then I'll make them roomy. With superior access (VXi23), that takes my remaining space, but if they can sit on sea chests or the like the space can be used to extend the living areas when the oars are shipped. _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
