On Fri, 8 Nov 1996, J. Austin Wilde wrote:

Ranma Al'Thor wrote:

I am writing a story which contains multiple naval battles.  I need
people who actually know something about naval battles with Sailing and
Oared ships who can look at the battles and tell me if they actually make
any sense :)

I'm also looking for answers to the following questions:

1.  What kind of tactics did the Anglo-saxons use in naval combat?
2.  Do Fingernails burn?
3.  What is the name of Hel's ship made from the fingernail clippings of
the dead?  (Don't laugh, this is a real norse myth)
4.  Exactly WHEN did the Romans abandon the use of oared ships like Triremes?
5.  Anyone know any good books on 5-6th century naval combat?
6.  Which way does the wind blow in the English Channel during December?
7.  There is no question #7.

1. The Anglo-saxons used tactics very similar to the Vikings. They
didn't fight many battles at sea, mostly coastal type raiding actions.
Based on the construction of their ships, they used tactics roughly
similar to the Roman tactic of ramming with a reinforced prow. 

Okay.  I thought as much. 
 

2. Anything burns if it's hot enough. Even fingernails. 

Yeah, but some things burn easier than others :)
 I'm trying to figure out how well a ship made of fingernail clippings 
would burn from greek fire...whether the fire would set the ship on fire 
or just damage it.

4. The Romans maintained oared ships throughout the Empire. They had
sails, but oars were crucial in battle for additional speed and
manueverability. (Since the big Roman tactic was to ram or at least to
get close enough to strike with primitive artillery.) In fact the Romans
had the greatest navy in existance for it's time. Their only rivals were
the Carthginians, but they were crushed as Roman forces attacked and
burned their ports of call and supplies and the ability to repair their
fleet was lost.

When did pure sailing ships come into vogue?

5. Give me a few days and I'll look through my Naval Institute Press
catalogues.

Cool.
 

I can do additional research on the above topics and answer them in
detail if you give me a week or so. My area of knowledge is based in a
later era of history than it sounds like you are interested in, but I
can adapt. I would be glad to look at what you write if you like.

Cool.  I'm working on part of my Sailor Moon/Arthurian story and there's 
a pair of naval battles that I'm trying to write, and what I know of 
naval tactics fits in a thimble :)

It also involves a fleet of the dead and Hel's ship made from the 
fingernails of dead norsemen :)


John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu      bailesu@komodo.hacks.arizona.edu  
http://www.hacks.arizona.edu/~bailesu/falcon.html 

HOW DO PEOPLE IN LOVE TYPICALLY BEHAVE?

     "When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall down and they
     don't get up for at least an hour."
          Wendy, age 8