Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RAM]

I imagine that it would call for some significant internal conveyance and structural support, but they probably ought to be using internal bags anyway, so it would just be a problem of adding extra weight to provide enough structure to hold up whatever gun+turret+ammunition+operators+life_support+supports_for_the_supports+armour+whatever on the top/sides of the ship to stop the guns from falling off or crushing the ship without overloading it. And, of course, overloading it could somewhat be solved by making it bigger, which in turn would increase the amount of surface each gun needs to defend... But yes, they should be able to run a metal scaffolding through the middle of an airship and stick a gun on top of it without breaking the fundamental laws of airships.

[Zanzetkuken The Great]

One thing I do want to say on the game itself.  The low player count combined with doing a 'all at once, five designs and three revisions' method (because I wanted specialized categories for each for advances in multiple fields to make things a bit more realistic) results in most categories only having one or two designs, so if you want high odds of getting something you made through, it's there.

Oh, and in other designs, there's one for an airship that calls for machine guns mounted on the bottom, sides, and top.  Is possible to have that configuration at all?

I don't see why it wouldn't be, as long as the thing is properly ballasted (IE, heavy stuff on bottom), but I'm only a Dabbling Airshipologist so don't take my words as law...

The question is, how do you get up to it?  Only late-Interwar to WWII-tech, so you can't have it electronically controlled.

I imagine that it would call for some significant internal conveyance and structural support, but they probably ought to be using internal bags anyway, so it would just be a problem of adding extra weight to provide enough structure to hold up whatever gun+turret+ammunition+operators+life_support+supports_for_the_supports+armour+whatever on the top/sides of the ship to stop the guns from falling off or crushing the ship without overloading it. And, of course, overloading it could somewhat be solved by making it bigger, which in turn would increase the amount of surface each gun needs to defend... But yes, they should be able to run a metal scaffolding through the middle of an airship and stick a gun on top of it without breaking the fundamental laws of airships.

Good to know.  It's a bit of a pain to find information on airships, especially armed ones.

[RAM]

Don't mistake me for actually knowing anything, but I am pretty sure that airships did have people crawling around on the internal scaffolding that let them keep their shape from time to time, while in flight even.

[Aseaheru]

 Depends. Most blimps dident, but semi-rigid and rigid airships did. But then, most blimps had a gasbag or two and then stuff hanging off below, while semi-rigids and rigids stored things within the envelope. Depending on the design, about 20% of internal space of a rigid design may be things other than lifting gasses.

 If they do want remote weapons beyond just having the gun attached to a periscope, you may want to look into the hydraulically controlled systems used late in WW2.
 

 As for joining the game, the setting really just doesn't grip me or my imagination at all.

[NAV]

It's too difficult to argue about 5 designs at the same time.

[Madman198237]

Zanzet, zeppelins ALWAYS have rigid interior structure and lots of accessways. Yes, they're filled with hydrogen (Or helium, depending on if we have access to helium) but there is a lot of metal structure in there holding them in place.

Basically, yes, it's VERY possible to have machineguns and/or external accessways at any point on a zeppelin's surface.

How you reach them? Take a staircase, or sometimes a ladder.

[RAM]

Of course, the real question is, how many Forenians can one find who are willing to work around so much helium? Folk'll start to look at you funny if you show up for a riot immediately after work...

[Madman198237]

Helium is perfectly fine.

Well, as long as the gasbags are intact it is. It could thin out the oxygen pressure relative to total pressure enough that you'd have people passing out and dying, but other than that the primary effect is going to the voice thing due to gas seepage from inside the bags. That, by the way, stops as soon as you leave the area filled with helium---as soon as the gas is out of your lungs, your voice goes back to normal.

[RAM]

And what makes you think they are going to empty their lungs that quickly, and not contact their co-rioters while at work? They are probably going to take a relaxe abseil right out of the airship and into the riot.

[Madman198237]

Do you REALLY need me to explain the mechanics of breathing?

They'd have to land the airship in the middle of the riot and then slowly vent the helium into the area so that the crewmen can keep breathing it as they riot, so they have high-pitched voices.

Seriously, one deep breath and strong exhale will clear even pure helium out of your lungs. About 15 seconds of normal breathing at MAX will take care of the noticeable voice-pitch elevation.

[RAM]

They'd have to land the airship in the middle of the riot

Oh yes! Good suggestion! ^{_{"Stronk Forenian Soldier fears squeeky voice" was never a serious objection to the proposal. It just seemed like a humorous scenario...}}

[Draignean]

So, updates for the Cinder Spires Arms race vitals.

Kasgyre had 7 people on the last vote.
Wreth had 7 people on the last vote.

We are currently on turn 14.
The most recent update was the year 364.

[andrea]

364 is 52*7

[Draignean]

364 is 52*7
49 is 7*14
26 is 364/14
3 is the integer division of 7 and 26
52 is 3+49

Cinder Spires is Illuminati Race confirmed.

[Aseaheru]

 Gases other than hydrogen and helium where(and are) used in airships. Ammonium was used at times by the USN, coal gas and Blau gas where used by some German designs(in addition to designs for a Hindenburg using helium, there where also designs for both hydrogen and helium, with some also including Blau gas).