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[evilcherry]

Steam engine seems too strong for the time being, especially when its all low pressure steam.

Can we develop a steam-driven cable railway using our current technology? That's basically SF's cable car.

[flazeo25]

much easier with building engine seperatly since we use revision for stuff like that.

[evilcherry]

Very general ideas for the design stage:

- How to harness steam power especially we have monopoly on it.
- A Naval cutter with carronades? We are not going to win using big guns and big ships.
- Break-action rifle? This is one of the most primitive type of breechloader, but not sure if percussion caps are invented or not.
- Small/short arms? Dragoons are on the rise and we are losing parity there.

I do feel resources is of priority since we are lagging in that part of the race.

In addition, we need to steal the monarchy's cannon tech. Standardized guns are just too juicy to forgo.

[Snake1229]

We could try to do some form of flintlock pistol with slight rifling

[Graknorke]

Can we develop a steam-driven cable railway using our current technology? That's basically SF's cable car.

I mentioned this last page, and I'm pretty sure we could. It couldn't be used over long distances, but would be a massive bonus to harbours etc.

[evilcherry]

Can we develop a steam-driven cable railway using our current technology? That's basically SF's cable car.

I mentioned this last page, and I'm pretty sure we could. It couldn't be used over long distances, but would be a massive bonus to harbours etc.

Given we have enough of these things - and perhaps some hydro power - we can theoretically build a railway capable of pulling loads over distances.

[Graknorke]

It's more a scale issue than anything. You either have a huge chain that could break at any point and be difficult to troubleshoot and repair, or you have lots of small engines which are difficult to get to if something goes wrong.

[evilcherry]

It's more a scale issue than anything. You either have a huge chain that could break at any point and be difficult to troubleshoot and repair, or you have lots of small engines which are difficult to get to if something goes wrong.

I'm seeing a chain of short sections of a few miles each, depending on local terrain. Cars are equipped with a grip, which basically allows the cable to pull the car when engaged, and brakes so they can reliably stop. Speeds need not to be fast, but should be better than horse carts (except express stagecoaches). In sections between cables, cars can either coast to the next station, or stop for loading/unloading. Animal power is used to drag the cars into position and switching duties.

Basically long long chains of cable car/funiculars, with grips so cars can be moved from one system to another easily.

[Graknorke]

I would have just gone for a hybrid system, with powered sections inside cities/industrial areas and they can then be hitched up to horses for long distance.
I just don't trust the reliability of a system built around coasting.

[Beneviento]

Something that would probably be worth looking into would be using our steam engine to pump out the depths of mines, we could possibly get more ore if we do that. However, I have a suggestion for a weapon design.

Spoiler: Heir-Model Breechloading Cannon (click to show/hide)

A cast-iron cannon with a 3 inch wide smooth bore 60 inches long. It fires a 3-pound solid ball, or similar-sized canister or other varieties of shot. Uniquely, it is loaded by opening the rear of the gun, inserting round and powder charge, and replacing the iron plate and cylindrical block that makes up the back of the barrel, which is secured by wedges at four points that are driven through the barrel in back of the breechblock. After firing the wedges are pulled or hammered out. The gun is designed to be used both on ships and by horse artillery batteries, where the gunners also ride, so the battery can be rapidly redeployed and accompany cavalry units.

My reasoning for this design is that we could use it both on ships and to further our advantage on land. We could neuter enemy Dragoons even more and put it on a revised Mulard to try to regain naval parity.  I think the best way to come back navally is to revise the Mulard to be sail-powered and have a more conventional gun layout, at which point we have just about the same thing as the Confederate brig-sloop.

Infrastructure-wise I think we can afford to be behind the Loyalists as long as we don't fall behind the Confederacy. Therefore, I think  we should try again to steal the Loyalist wagon trains and then revise them with one of our systems next turn.

[Graknorke]

Pardon me if I sound a bit dense, but what advantage would a breech loading cannon have over muzzle loaders? It seems like it would be pretty slow to place and remove the rear plate.

[evilcherry]

Call me meta but the Loyalists are basically Arstotzka guys. They certainly understand the advantage in raw resources, and we are already risking a swarmship assault from the Loyalists.

This is from an Ex-Mosburger perspective.

[flazeo25]

Call me meta but the Loyalists are basically Arstotzka guys. They certainly understand the advantage in raw resources, and we are already risking a swarmship assault from the Loyalists.

This is from an Ex-Mosburger perspective.

Well that is why I put up steam engine design for us to be able build locotomotive and resource ships since loyalist will get tech superority fast.

[tntey]

Can someone explain how propaganda works?

[Graknorke]

flazeo I think you need to tame your steam fetish. We already have steam engines so can apply them to stuff we design.

And my preferred design is still on the cable carts, or else something to improve resources.