Hmmm,
When I consider FT type space combat the analogy that I use is "Age of Sail"
Whaile admittedly lower tech then other periods concidered, the tactical and
stategic ethos is much closer, in my opinion.
Actually, pre-dreadnaught iron clad steam ships might even be a better
analogy, except I don't know of any fleet actions using them, unless the the
battle in the Straights of Tsushina where Admiral Togo and the Japanese
fleet destroyed the Russian fleet in the Russo-Japanese war on 1905 was
faught with predreadnaughts mixed caliber mixed sized fleets or with
dreadnaught oriented fleets.
That one was predreadnoughts of mixed caliber. Battleships of that era were
almost all armed with two twin 12" turrets fore and aft, 4 twin 9.2" on the
corners and an assortment of 5-8 inch in broadside sponsons. quickfiring
4-6" and 6-12 lb guns were fairly common, the larger for wrecking
superstructures on BBs and ACs, and the smaller for torpedo boats. Armored
cruisers were small battleships. Protected cruisers had quickfiring guns and
little armor but did carry torpedos. Destroyers were very small with light
guns and 1-2 torpedos. Torpedo boats might have a small gun or two, and
2-3
tubes.
Fleet speed was about 20 knots. Expetced engagement ranges were 3000 yards,
but the Japanese surprised everyone (except their gunnery instructors but
specifically including the Russians) by getting main battery hits out around
8000 yards. At 3-4000 yards the engagement was a hailstorm of light
explosives, and big shells fired over open sights.
The dreadnougtht actions with salvos came into play at around 1910. Note that
the "all big gun" armament on dreadnoughts was intended to facillitate salvo
fire. Armored cruisers were still in use at Jutland, they followed the twin
turret fore and aft layout of the predreadnought era.
------Original Message------
From: John-Martin Lotz <jmlotzn1@pacbell.net>
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Sent: March 12, 2001 7:02:12 PM GMT
Subject: Another possible way of looking at it was [ Re: Tin Cans versus
Dreadnoughts]
Hmmm,
When I consider FT type space combat the analogy that I use is "Age of Sail"
Whaile admittedly lower tech then other periods concidered, the tactical and
stategic ethos is much closer, in my opinion.
Actually, pre-dreadnaught iron clad steam ships might even be a better
analogy, except I don't know of any fleet actions using them, unless the the
battle in the Straights of Tsushina where Admiral Togo and the Japanese
fleet destroyed the Russian fleet in the Russo-Japanese war on 1905 was
faught with predreadnaughts mixed caliber mixed sized fleets or with
dreadnaught oriented fleets.