Quote from: Opaopajr;971363Long story short, no gyroscopes needed, just wider axles on the catamaran?

If you make the axle track wider, you can tolerate stronger sideway forces, and that means you can a) go faster, and b) sail closer to the wind. With a narrow axle track, you can only sail before the wind.

For similar reasons - the longer lever arm -  a modern "high rig" / "bermuda rig" (as shown in my first sketches here) isn't as suitable for sailing wagons as the more old fashioned, and lower, latin rig. So the more appropriate for the timeframe and more stylish design actually makes more sense from an engineering standpoint, too.

Edit: Spoilers might also help, but I'll have to crunch the numbers to see if the effect is worth the effort.

And I know, all of this doesn't matter in actual play. But it satisfies me if I know that it isn't all bullshit and "magic", but has a basis in reality.

Ok, spoilers ("wings") can add a few km/h at high speeds that are unsafe anyways, so aren't worth it.

OK, what sort of average speed can I expect from this thing, given the utility of cargo transport? I'm sure any peak 100 mph speeds drop considerably once we get a few bushels of lettuce on there. Basically, at what sort of speed range should I assume for my Mad Max boarding battles for salads and chilled confectionary?

40+ for grocer ships?
80+ for gelato ships?

Quote from: Opaopajr;971635OK, what sort of average speed can I expect from this thing, given the utility of cargo transport? I'm sure any peak 100 mph speeds drop considerably once we get a few bushels of lettuce on there. Basically, at what sort of speed range should I assume for my Mad Max boarding battles for salads and chilled confectionary?

40+ for grocer ships?
80+ for gelato ships?

I will compile a list soon, since this strongly depends on wind force and direction. But for optimal conditions, those speeds are possible.
In my current writeup, I require additional skill rolls for speeds over 35 mph and rolls on "structural integrity" of the wagon for speeds over 45 mph.

I have have similar rules for some of the smaller airships and sailing boats in my Earthdawn rules. My Speed Step table maxes out just above 55 mph, tho. I know modern ships can top that, but most historical ones of the types we are emulating (drakkar, karver, Mediterranean galley, etc) could not. Interestingly (this is the part where FASA mashed Elric up with Atlantis), the Theran Empire's flying castles have the highest normal running speed. Of course, they do use slave power (like, mana ripped from the slaves all Dark Crystal style)...

Anyway. Most smaller ships in my system have to make a Hazard check at wind speeds above a certain mark, and the smallest simply cannot be operated in certain higher wind speeds. Wind speed also adds modifiers to the local Hazard level. So, a Badlands like pictured would have a High Hazard Level (9), with a +1 for winds under 25mph, +2 for above 25mph, and +3 for severe storms or winds above 30 mph. Navigation tests at the start of each turn can apply some temporary Hazard Level bonuses reducing the current rating. Then, roll the rating as a Step vs 13.

I really like how this thread has gone. I'll have to think about where these land ships fit in my home game.

How common are these landships? The more common they are the more the setting will suggest that there must be fairly regular wind currents from point A to point B and then back again. Possibly in a large circular route such that from orbit it light look like the area has a cloud spot or ring perpetually circling that region.

Or something like the tide that regularly sweeps in and then out.

Quote from: Bren;971377The mesa looks good. Obviously the foreground should be much more level so the wagons can sail along...though perhaps there are 'shoals' around some of the 'islands.'

Apologies if you already mentioned that rock outcroppings and if it seemed like I was nabbing your idea. Some sort of isolated towns extend the sea of sand metaphor as these are the island analogs for this place. And obviously some sort of settled lifestyle is probably necessary to support the existence of the sail wagons.

There are a few cases of sail wagons being used on the Great Plains,including at least one that traveled over 600 miles from Kansas City to Denver (over 600 miles) in 30 days. Which is quite remarkable considering that by going from east to west, they were going against the prevailing winds. It's also remarkable because it's true that most of Kansas and a good chunk of Colorado are prairie, there are hills, woods and other speed-bumps: It's NOT like Death Valley and other completely flat lands.

Not to mention 4 river crossings and climbing over 4200 feet of elevation.

Quote from: Elfdart;972062There are a few cases of sail wagons being used on the Great Plains

From the same article:

QuoteThe few wind wagons that were built undoubtedly traveled further in the press than they did on the prairie

Taking the reports of Midwestern newspapers at face value in the mid-nineteenth century is like asking Nicodemus Legend to defend your town from bandits.

As I said before, "possible" and "feasible" are not the same thing.

Also buried in that article:

QuoteA crank and band wheels allow it to be propelled by hand when wind and tide are against them.

Quote from: daniel_ream;972166Also buried in that article:

QuoteA crank and band wheels allow it to be propelled by hand when wind and tide are against them.

I read that. My thought was that a crank for motive power must have worked real well. :rolleyes:

Quote from: daniel_ream;972166From the same article:



Taking the reports of Midwestern newspapers at face value in the mid-nineteenth century is like asking Nicodemus Legend to defend your town from bandits.

As I said before, "possible" and "feasible" are not the same thing.

Also buried in that article:

If it's good enough for the papers 150 years ago, it's good enough for a FANTASY GAME.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;971350It's from an empire founded by snakemen, I think we left behind Feasible and raced over into Cool a while back.

Shhhhh! Someone might post several times that snakemen aren't "feasible" either.

OK, so let's say I have four snakemen, averaging 140 lbs, on a catamaran 80 miles away, going SE perpendicular to the seasonal NorEaster, trying to intercept a noon Gelato shipment riding the headwinds with a skeleton crew to Nuevo Laredo 200 miles away, how early should these snakemen sun themselves to warm up if the gelato has pralines, which ups its resale tremendously?
:confused:
Thanks in advance! :cool:

They need to be rolling before they wyverns take to the skies.  They won't like that cuase its a bit early for the cold bloods.  But by noon, if they send up the falcons they should spot their quarry.

Patience, patience! I'm working on a document that will help you to answer all these questions, but I'm doing this in my free time. :cool:

Quote from: Opaopajr;972414OK, so let's say I have four snakemen, averaging 140 lbs, on a catamaran 80 miles away, going SE perpendicular to the seasonal NorEaster, trying to intercept a noon Gelato shipment riding the headwinds with a skeleton crew to Nuevo Laredo 200 miles away, how early should these snakemen sun themselves to warm up if the gelato has pralines, which ups its resale tremendously?
:confused:
Thanks in advance! :cool:

I think it all depends on if you grip the coconut by the husk.