Sea Transport (RQ and BRP)

[rust]

I seem to have a problem to determine the number of passengers and / or livestock a sailing

ship can transport.

Arms & Equipment for RQ II mentions the cargo capacity in tons for various types of ships, but

I was unable to find any rule for the conversion of cargo tons into space required by passengers

or animals, and over on the Mongoose forum the question remains unanswered.

BRP gives a galleon of 35 meters length the ability to carry 8+ passengers and 80 SIZ of cargo,

which is simply ridiculous when a potted plant is classified as 2 - 5 SIZ . Just imagine the num-

bers of big galleons that would be required to carry the tiny Mayflower's ca. 100 passengers +

equipment, or a ship of the Spanish treasure fleet overloaded with 45 potted plants.

In the absence of any rule or better idea I think I will use the Harnmaster rule that a passenger

requires at least 1 ton and a horse or similar animal requires 3 tons, but any suggestions would

be most welcome.

Thank you.

[GianniVacca]

You may want to check section 2.1 and 2.2 of this: http://www.basicrps.com/atrilia/en/pbem/rules/naval.htm

[rust]

You may want to check section 2.1 and 2.2 of this: http://www.basicrps.com/atrilia/en/pbem/rules/naval.htm

Thank you very much indeed, problem solved.

[seneschal]

Game mechanics aside, I am always amazed at how much stuff and how many people they packed into those tiny old sailing vessels, whether we're talking about Lief Erickson, the Mayflower, or Horatio Hornblower. The answer, of course, is that the ships didn't have passenger accommodations or much concern at all for human health or comfort. The crew stowed the cargo and provisions, then slept on top of the luggage. Since the "food" consisted of the equivalent of Melba toast and pork jerky, it didn't take up much room. No bathrooms, you gotta hang your tushie over the side if you gotta go. There wasn't even necessarily a galley; the men might cook their dinner in a sandbox set up on the wooden deck, assuming they got cooked food at all.

Can you imagine how many pirates and how much plunder those guys could cram in a modern luxury liner?

[rust]

Game mechanics aside, I am always amazed at how much stuff and how many people they packed into those tiny old sailing vessels, whether we're talking about Lief Erickson, the Mayflower, or Horatio Hornblower.

Indeed. We once visited a replica of Drake's "Golden Hind", and afterwards Mylady came to the

conclusion that a coffin would make for a far more comfortable accomodation than an average

officer's cabin, not to mention the non-existent living space of the sailors. The only way to get

a minimum of privacy on such a ship probably was either to be put in irons down in the bilge or

to be sent up the mast to look for whatever might appear on the horizon.