A misunderstanding?

[hedgehobbit]

I would like to see where any of the rules writers for these games get the prima facie evidence for their conclusions.

Did a bit of research but couldn't find any hard data. Here's what I did find:

In the Encyclopedia Britannica (1763 Vol 2) they say this about Chain-shot, "They are used at sea to shoot down yards or masts, and to cut the shrouds or rigging of the ship." So, at least the idea of chain-shots taking down masts isn't a modern (or Victorian) invention. There is an interesting section in this book about Gunnery and while it does give some range information, it's only for ball shot (or "bullets" which is a term they consistently use for cannon shot).

In another document called the Madrass Artillery Records from the mid-1800s, the author states that chain shot tends to go off course after 150 yards or so. "I suspect, in consequence of
being subject to the objection which may be opposed to every description of chain shot hitherto suggested, amounting to this, that no reliance can be reposed in the shot's adhering to
the proper track, owing to the air, when the range is in excess of a few 50 yards, retarding the progress of the shot in its expanded state and influencing it to deviate from it's course."

In A Treatise on Naval Gunnery (fourth edition, 1855), they give advice for the effective range of double shot (as a response to multiple battle reports where double or triple shot failed to penetrate at longer ranges). These ranges are between 150 and 250 yards depending on the size of the gun. Interestingly, they also suggest keeping a small number of round shot near the muzzle in a tied up canvas bag to increase the speed of reloading double shot. Similar to a ready rack in tanks.


All this taken together seems to indicate that the rules from Sails of Glory, limiting the range of chain-shot and allowing them to destroy masts, are at least not completely ahistorical although I might be inclined to either stretch out chain-shot to half stick or the reduce the effective range of double-shot down to the purple.