We're talking about a seriously large ship, probably bigger than a first-rate. What would the masts and rigging look like for a double hull? Extended full rigs on both hulls would interfere with each other.
not sure.
Besides, wooden ships of the line were at the limit of practical length, without iron cross-bracing that came in the following years. Linking two marginal hulls might not improve matters at all. What are the alternatives to sail? Historically, steam power was just a few decades away. Could you build a dragon-fired steam engine? Or would experience with dragons bring better knowledge of fire and thermodynamics, and normal steam engines?
That doesn't seem consistent with the setting. It seems the nobility and merchant nobles at large don't like dragons or think they're a good use of resources in any way whatsoever. Apparently there was a near-miss effort to wipe them all out a century before the books start (as a threat to humanity).
Alternatively, get the dragons to work a treadmill. Muscle power paddle wheels were experimented with, to maneuver warships in a calm, when oared gunboats were a threat.
that could work to boost speed, and exercise them while stuck in deck.
Would the dragons need a clear space for takeoff and landing, or are they nimble enough to hover? Some dragons might need little more than a strong spar as a perch.
In that setting, hovering is unknown*.
One month endurance seems way too little. Big ships might get four or five knots, if the hulls were fouled and the wind was not perfect. If they had to tack against the wind, the effective speed would be even less. Winds could keep a ship unable to enter port for weeks, too. Can they be persuaded to eat salt beef? How energetic is their metabolism? How much food do they need per day?
I think they can, but morale will suffer. I'm not sure how much in all.
If the setting had dragons long enough, ADA might be developed, but how? No carriage mount could be trained fast enough. A big swivel gun, perhaps one- or three-pounder?
sounds good. They called the pepperpot cannons?
How about firefighting? If both sides had dragons, big sailing ships could be burning ruin within minutes.
right.
How intelligent (or tame) are dragons? Do you need a cage?
Varies, in GURPS terms designed for racial IQ 8-10 (varies by subspecies).
What is their effective range and firepower? Are dragon carriers the only relevant capital ships, or just specialists like, say, bomb vessels. Regards, Onno
Each breed has a specialty. Some carry bombs, while others carry more archers or actually spit acid bombs downward.
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