SteamNES
- Thread starter Lord_Iggy
- Start date
Crezth
i knew you were a real man of the left
Hrum.
Story tomorrow. Possiblie.
Story tomorrow. Possiblie.
e350tb
Stupendously Illogical Englishman
Williams entered the Grand Hall, bowed, and exchanged formalities. He then removed a large map of the world from his case and showed it to the king.
"Your majesty," he explained, "Trade from the east is sure to make this country very rich, and I hope to find a route between here and Nihojon without any customs or dangerous seas. If, however, there is a land between, it will be claimed exclusivly for Pjolaka."
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
"Risky but bold, my kind of attitude.... I approve of this voyage. So I assume you will need funding and ships? We can provide the ships but our cash reserves are low due to the enormous reforms I have ordered for Pjolaka." King Germaniski stops to think before continuing, "Will 5 of our best cargo ships be enough for you? Each ship belongs to my personal shipping company and I can vouch for my captains who are brave men. The ships themselves are each armed with 20 of the latest cannons. I hope this will be enough as we do not have much cash, but we shall stock the ships with as much food as the ships can hold for you but that is as far as we will go. Also you will be given several Pjolakian flags so in case you run into the so called, "new lands" you can claim them for Pjolaka. We hope this is enough and wish you good sailing."
An aide nodded and spoke, "The ships will be docked at port number 4, just take the road numbered 12 and that will take you to the port. Here is the King's official papers for your ships, present this to the dock master and he will show you which ships are yours and you are to load them to your liking, you can eliminate the cannons if you wish to use the room." The aide handed Mr. Williams the papers and showed him to the door.
(I assume most ships are armed with cannons if we have muskets. Since my late fathers shipping business equipped their ships with the most updated weapons, cannons would be included. If cannons are not used widely then ignore that part.)
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
This must change, I must be a strong king not ruled by nobility.
Besides, I thought I got rid of most of the nobility when I took the capital? Since those who fought against my forces were those nobles who supported the previous king and are now either dead or fled to other nations to raise an army.
Granted I do still have some who defected to my side, but I have yet to give them offices. Much less government authority. (unless you did this for me, in that case I shall accept your widsom and allow the offices and positions to stand.
)But I do agree with the weak king part, as I am still trying to get the country back on its feet following the uprising.
das
Regeneration In Process
Um, how? If this Pjolaka is at all similar to OTL Poland, the nobility is both too numerous to realistically exterminate and too powerful to reign without. It's not like there is a genuine middle class for one to draw upon instead. Besides, who the hell kills all of one's aristocrats just because they fought on the wrong side? Even the Jacobins and the Bolsheviks found it useful to keep a fair amount of those around for a while, and you are a king.
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
I never said I killed them, they may have killed themselves for losing the war or fled the country. I never said I killed them. Also note I did say that some were still there so I know the nobility still holds some power in the government but I never did get around to filling the seats vacated by dead or otherwise, nobles. So not all seats are filled and I would place it at around even power between nobility and king.
But I leave it to Lord Iggy to determine the right course. I just posted it in case it was a typo or a mistake. If he chooses to keep it like that I will not protest any further.
But I leave it to Lord Iggy to determine the right course. I just posted it in case it was a typo or a mistake. If he chooses to keep it like that I will not protest any further.
das
Regeneration In Process
ROFL. How do you imagine that happening? A mass suicide of the szlachta? Sorry, I can't really come up with any more dignified response to that. It's quite ridiculous to assume that any major changes to the actual status of the aristocracy might come from a mere coup d'etat, in any way at all.
flyingchicken
Deity
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 3,783
The Grenade Cannon
And so it rained fire and gunpowder smoke on the poor saps
"Test commencing in five," shouted Dr. Akira Light through the Steam Walker's megaphone, pulled down from its usual location just for the occasion. He was sitting somewhere in front and below the pilot seat, in the operating chamber of the modified helm gun.
The test was being conducted on captured ground, a little less than a mile away from the battle front where a system of low trenches and palisade fortresses held off the Singuonese advance. It was a rolling plain, its beauty marred by cut-down trees, small craters and the long, deep pits known to the military men as trenches. The doctor continued, deliberately saying "Four..."
From a far away, a team of technicians and specialists used their spyglasses to watch three things: straw men lined up in a fortified trench, straw men lined up just outside the trench, and the cannon at the helm of the Steam Walker. "Three..." came the loud voice of Dr. Akira Light, somewhat muffled by the distant sounds of cannon firing. It was a regular occurrence in the test field, being so near the frontlines.
Near the men from the Imperial Academy were men from the Nihojonese Standard Army. These were high-ranking officers, watching just as closely as the scientists. Among these men were Seichiro Yamamoto and Akihito Saito, men who the readers should already be acquainted with. "Two..." said Dr. Light as clearly as before.
Inside the Steam Walker was Dr. Akira Light; a ticking pocket-watch on his lap telling him that it was four in the afternoon. He pulled the rear end of the modified helm gun, revealing a hole which was supposed to hold one unit of ammunition. He took out a fairly recent invention, something some people called a "grenade" from "pomegranate," because when cut in half it looked like a pomegranate fruit with several seeds inside. In the case of the grenade, these seeds were musket pellets. "One..." said Dr. Light absently, concentrating on the task at hand.
The doctor lit a slow-burning fuse at the end of the grenade, which was supposed to trigger the explosion of gunpowder within the grenade. This would cause a violent volley of deadly musket pellets once it was burnt out. The length of the fuse allowed the operator to control how long it took before the small bomb exploded. For this reason, all grenades in the nearby ammo box had fuses that were long enough for fifteen seconds of burning time. The fuses were colored with an alternating pattern, each change in color marking a one second interval. This allowed the operator to easily set the time until explosion without having him manually measure the length of fuse.
"Zero!" yelled the doctor, placing the grenade into the cannon compartment. This replaced the steam pressurization tube-and-compartment back into position (this being next to wheels that precisely controlled the horizontal and vertical angles at which the gun was pointed), which would propel the grenade forward. There was a pressure-meter on the rear of the cannon, side-by-side with a distance meter corresponding to the distance a projectile roughly the size, weight and shape of a small cannon ball (or, in this case, a grenade) would travel in accordance with the pressure. The doctor yelled in to the megaphone, saying, "Seven seconds with three-second allowance!"
Immediately, before his three-second time limit was up, he pulled a lever which served as a trigger for the modified helm cannon. The distinctive sound of de-pressurization filled the air, accompanied by small clouds of steam. The projectile was on its way to the straw men. The doctor, after taking a quick glance at the pocket-watch ticking on his lap, watched through the narrow peeping hole of the operating chamber while the distant observers were unblinking as they squinted through their spyglasses.
Within roughly six or seven seconds, there was a small explosion in the middle of the congregation of straw men. The dummies were shaken--literally. None of them fell down, but patches of straw strewn on the ground indicated that they sustained damage. The military officers looked let down, expecting some fiery spectacle, but the technicians looked ecstatic. A few of the engineers ran forth to examine the targets: they had placed sheets of paper inside to be able to assess the damage more fully.
A few more replicates of the test were conducted, and the men called it a day. The military men were unsure of what to think, but Dr. Akira Light knew the implications of the newly-applied battlefield weapon. Around two out of three dummies in the setup sustained damage. Around a third of the damaged dummies were dead, while most of the rest were injured with varying severity.
He pictured having the Steam Armor-clad SS-Troopers bring around five grenades into battle instead of the usual small cannon-ball as ammunition for their steam cannon. They could shoot straight up and above enemy formations, raining musket pellets at the poor masses of infantrymen before charging with full force. The Steam Walker could have a larger version with smaller pellets: the scalding hot steam which it used as it primary weapon was potentially far more effective when used against already-injured opponents. The War Armor can have the largest kind of these grenade-ammunition in field battles (for it would need the cannon balls for sieges), for it did, in fact, have the largest steam cannon of the three designs.
They tried using the grenades on normal cannon, but since the gunpowder cannon tended to destroy the grenades immediately; its range was severely limited despite the scatter effect that was hoped for. Perhaps innovations can be done later, but for now Dr. Light focused on arming the entire SS-Company--which used steam-pressure cannon--with grenades.
It was a good day for Dr. Light. He sat in his office by lamplight, he began writing out three things: one is a design for a field fuse-lighter (a small, protected lamp which the SS-Troopers in Steam Armor could use), another was for orders to his connections in the SS-Company detailing his plans and the need for artillery training at the soonest possible time, and finally a letter to the Seichiro Yamamoto, Prime Minister of Nihojon and Governor of Kyoto in a bid to have everything formalized.
By the following half-month, everything would be in order. The SS-Company will be fitted with weapons of mass-damage, further evening out difference in numbers with sheer "Power and Technology."
_______________
OOC: Grenades existed way before rifles, and rifles exist. This is the invention of a steampunk grenade launcher (refitted steam cannon). Also, trenches were already in use in the time of Vegetius (a statement thrown out just in case anyone shares my previous and rather strange notion that trenches were not in widespread military use until WWI, a notion dispelled by reading Vegetius and Dumas).
This was written hours ago but the posting was postponed by a lack of dial tone.
And so it rained fire and gunpowder smoke on the poor saps
"Test commencing in five," shouted Dr. Akira Light through the Steam Walker's megaphone, pulled down from its usual location just for the occasion. He was sitting somewhere in front and below the pilot seat, in the operating chamber of the modified helm gun.
The test was being conducted on captured ground, a little less than a mile away from the battle front where a system of low trenches and palisade fortresses held off the Singuonese advance. It was a rolling plain, its beauty marred by cut-down trees, small craters and the long, deep pits known to the military men as trenches. The doctor continued, deliberately saying "Four..."
From a far away, a team of technicians and specialists used their spyglasses to watch three things: straw men lined up in a fortified trench, straw men lined up just outside the trench, and the cannon at the helm of the Steam Walker. "Three..." came the loud voice of Dr. Akira Light, somewhat muffled by the distant sounds of cannon firing. It was a regular occurrence in the test field, being so near the frontlines.
Near the men from the Imperial Academy were men from the Nihojonese Standard Army. These were high-ranking officers, watching just as closely as the scientists. Among these men were Seichiro Yamamoto and Akihito Saito, men who the readers should already be acquainted with. "Two..." said Dr. Light as clearly as before.
Inside the Steam Walker was Dr. Akira Light; a ticking pocket-watch on his lap telling him that it was four in the afternoon. He pulled the rear end of the modified helm gun, revealing a hole which was supposed to hold one unit of ammunition. He took out a fairly recent invention, something some people called a "grenade" from "pomegranate," because when cut in half it looked like a pomegranate fruit with several seeds inside. In the case of the grenade, these seeds were musket pellets. "One..." said Dr. Light absently, concentrating on the task at hand.
The doctor lit a slow-burning fuse at the end of the grenade, which was supposed to trigger the explosion of gunpowder within the grenade. This would cause a violent volley of deadly musket pellets once it was burnt out. The length of the fuse allowed the operator to control how long it took before the small bomb exploded. For this reason, all grenades in the nearby ammo box had fuses that were long enough for fifteen seconds of burning time. The fuses were colored with an alternating pattern, each change in color marking a one second interval. This allowed the operator to easily set the time until explosion without having him manually measure the length of fuse.
"Zero!" yelled the doctor, placing the grenade into the cannon compartment. This replaced the steam pressurization tube-and-compartment back into position (this being next to wheels that precisely controlled the horizontal and vertical angles at which the gun was pointed), which would propel the grenade forward. There was a pressure-meter on the rear of the cannon, side-by-side with a distance meter corresponding to the distance a projectile roughly the size, weight and shape of a small cannon ball (or, in this case, a grenade) would travel in accordance with the pressure. The doctor yelled in to the megaphone, saying, "Seven seconds with three-second allowance!"
Immediately, before his three-second time limit was up, he pulled a lever which served as a trigger for the modified helm cannon. The distinctive sound of de-pressurization filled the air, accompanied by small clouds of steam. The projectile was on its way to the straw men. The doctor, after taking a quick glance at the pocket-watch ticking on his lap, watched through the narrow peeping hole of the operating chamber while the distant observers were unblinking as they squinted through their spyglasses.
Within roughly six or seven seconds, there was a small explosion in the middle of the congregation of straw men. The dummies were shaken--literally. None of them fell down, but patches of straw strewn on the ground indicated that they sustained damage. The military officers looked let down, expecting some fiery spectacle, but the technicians looked ecstatic. A few of the engineers ran forth to examine the targets: they had placed sheets of paper inside to be able to assess the damage more fully.
A few more replicates of the test were conducted, and the men called it a day. The military men were unsure of what to think, but Dr. Akira Light knew the implications of the newly-applied battlefield weapon. Around two out of three dummies in the setup sustained damage. Around a third of the damaged dummies were dead, while most of the rest were injured with varying severity.
He pictured having the Steam Armor-clad SS-Troopers bring around five grenades into battle instead of the usual small cannon-ball as ammunition for their steam cannon. They could shoot straight up and above enemy formations, raining musket pellets at the poor masses of infantrymen before charging with full force. The Steam Walker could have a larger version with smaller pellets: the scalding hot steam which it used as it primary weapon was potentially far more effective when used against already-injured opponents. The War Armor can have the largest kind of these grenade-ammunition in field battles (for it would need the cannon balls for sieges), for it did, in fact, have the largest steam cannon of the three designs.
They tried using the grenades on normal cannon, but since the gunpowder cannon tended to destroy the grenades immediately; its range was severely limited despite the scatter effect that was hoped for. Perhaps innovations can be done later, but for now Dr. Light focused on arming the entire SS-Company--which used steam-pressure cannon--with grenades.
It was a good day for Dr. Light. He sat in his office by lamplight, he began writing out three things: one is a design for a field fuse-lighter (a small, protected lamp which the SS-Troopers in Steam Armor could use), another was for orders to his connections in the SS-Company detailing his plans and the need for artillery training at the soonest possible time, and finally a letter to the Seichiro Yamamoto, Prime Minister of Nihojon and Governor of Kyoto in a bid to have everything formalized.
By the following half-month, everything would be in order. The SS-Company will be fitted with weapons of mass-damage, further evening out difference in numbers with sheer "Power and Technology."
_______________
OOC: Grenades existed way before rifles, and rifles exist. This is the invention of a steampunk grenade launcher (refitted steam cannon). Also, trenches were already in use in the time of Vegetius (a statement thrown out just in case anyone shares my previous and rather strange notion that trenches were not in widespread military use until WWI, a notion dispelled by reading Vegetius and Dumas).
This was written hours ago but the posting was postponed by a lack of dial tone.
TerrisH
Mischief?
To Pjolaka
we have learned of your financing of a expedition to the east, and we are much interested in it. we already have several claims in the area, and we will gladly detach two of our Stargazers and a Highwind to assist this expedition.
we also report that Medland and Hibiki airships already has a Priority Claim on some Islands, and the minor souther Landmass. we have already begun establishing a minor colony on one of the Islands to serve as a mid-passage refueling depot, and have plans to colonize the landmass, with assistance from the natives there.
All our airships will posses Up to date maps of the area, which have markers on our claims, and another location that we recommend you avoid. we almost lost a stargazer to the area after it came under fire from an unknown weapon. we are unsure if an approach by sea will trigger the same event.
we have learned of your financing of a expedition to the east, and we are much interested in it. we already have several claims in the area, and we will gladly detach two of our Stargazers and a Highwind to assist this expedition.
we also report that Medland and Hibiki airships already has a Priority Claim on some Islands, and the minor souther Landmass. we have already begun establishing a minor colony on one of the Islands to serve as a mid-passage refueling depot, and have plans to colonize the landmass, with assistance from the natives there.
All our airships will posses Up to date maps of the area, which have markers on our claims, and another location that we recommend you avoid. we almost lost a stargazer to the area after it came under fire from an unknown weapon. we are unsure if an approach by sea will trigger the same event.
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
We could use your up to do date maps so we know which islands are yours and which are not. If you would like to send us you maps we would gladly accept them. And your ships/aircraft are more than welcome to join the expedition if Mr. Williams accepts them.
Also thank you for your warning on the island. I shall order my captains to ignore any orders from Williams concerning said island.
Also thank you for your warning on the island. I shall order my captains to ignore any orders from Williams concerning said island.
Fuschia
A Little Odd
Jeremy had been working now for quite some time. He had already finished several such steam engines for the Rossovians, but they were always in need of more. This one was better than the last few, just as they last few had been better than his first one, which had failed to move at even walking speed.
He mused again about how improbable of all of this was. He had been brought here after his attack on the Rossovian encampment, and stayed in the room for quite some time. The room was maddening. They had designed it to be so, with its white, bare walls and no windows. He had, according to the white haired man, spend nearly a month in that room with few ill effects. Although that would generally be considered fairly impossible, the majority of it had been spent unconscious or sleeping, while the last few days he had the excruciating pain of his new leg to deal with.
The leg itself had been a boon. It was designed well and worked well, and even pleased the eye, all of at which Jeremy had failed in producing his own leg. The leg itself had little need for maintenance, tightening of bolts, or any other procedures. For whatever reason, the leg was practically self-sufficient and, after thorough testing, just strong enough to dent the metal he was sent to produce these engines.
The man who had designed it himself was a mystery. He claimed to be Rodia's father, never calling himself by another name. He would often come and eat with Jeremy while the guards watched, asking him how he was and, even more importantly, how his work was progressing. The food was always good, sometimes cheese, sometimes a roasted bull. However, he needed to work more if he wanted more food. That was the deal or, at least, part of it.
The deal went something like this: as long as Jeremy agreed to work, he would not be tried and executed for murder. There were other stipulations, such as the lack of food without results and the guards, both of which Jeremy found to be unnecessary. He was not allowed to fly, nor leave the compound in which he worked.
Jeremy, for his part, had been producing steam engines to be used on Rossovy's new rail system, an idea they had stolen from Anglia. He had worked furiously to finish his first one before starving, and then whipped when it had failed to work. Miraculously, he always seemed to finish the work when he needed food, and was never denied the food even if the finished product was not up to par. He was very hungry at the moment, but that was the least of his concerns.
Jeremy had a plan, one that he was sure would secure him much, much better conditions to perform his work. Rodia's father and his associates had made several serious mistakes, one of which would be their downfall. Their first, and greatest, mistake was that of allowing Jeremy to choose the operators of the steam engines. He had chosen greedy men, men who would owe their new, very high-paying, jobs to Jeremy. Their loyalty was far from assured, but he was sure that they would follow whoever would give them the most benefit, and he knew it was him.
The plan was simple enough. He had the railroad operators snag a portion of whatever was being transported and deposit it in a large warehouse purchased by them collectively. When their were enough supplies there, he would find a way to escape and perform justice upon those who wished to see him suffer like this. They would all die! All of them! And, of course, he would come to rule at least a small portion of Rossovy himself, but that was only a minor consideration...
He mused again about how improbable of all of this was. He had been brought here after his attack on the Rossovian encampment, and stayed in the room for quite some time. The room was maddening. They had designed it to be so, with its white, bare walls and no windows. He had, according to the white haired man, spend nearly a month in that room with few ill effects. Although that would generally be considered fairly impossible, the majority of it had been spent unconscious or sleeping, while the last few days he had the excruciating pain of his new leg to deal with.
The leg itself had been a boon. It was designed well and worked well, and even pleased the eye, all of at which Jeremy had failed in producing his own leg. The leg itself had little need for maintenance, tightening of bolts, or any other procedures. For whatever reason, the leg was practically self-sufficient and, after thorough testing, just strong enough to dent the metal he was sent to produce these engines.
The man who had designed it himself was a mystery. He claimed to be Rodia's father, never calling himself by another name. He would often come and eat with Jeremy while the guards watched, asking him how he was and, even more importantly, how his work was progressing. The food was always good, sometimes cheese, sometimes a roasted bull. However, he needed to work more if he wanted more food. That was the deal or, at least, part of it.
The deal went something like this: as long as Jeremy agreed to work, he would not be tried and executed for murder. There were other stipulations, such as the lack of food without results and the guards, both of which Jeremy found to be unnecessary. He was not allowed to fly, nor leave the compound in which he worked.
Jeremy, for his part, had been producing steam engines to be used on Rossovy's new rail system, an idea they had stolen from Anglia. He had worked furiously to finish his first one before starving, and then whipped when it had failed to work. Miraculously, he always seemed to finish the work when he needed food, and was never denied the food even if the finished product was not up to par. He was very hungry at the moment, but that was the least of his concerns.
Jeremy had a plan, one that he was sure would secure him much, much better conditions to perform his work. Rodia's father and his associates had made several serious mistakes, one of which would be their downfall. Their first, and greatest, mistake was that of allowing Jeremy to choose the operators of the steam engines. He had chosen greedy men, men who would owe their new, very high-paying, jobs to Jeremy. Their loyalty was far from assured, but he was sure that they would follow whoever would give them the most benefit, and he knew it was him.
The plan was simple enough. He had the railroad operators snag a portion of whatever was being transported and deposit it in a large warehouse purchased by them collectively. When their were enough supplies there, he would find a way to escape and perform justice upon those who wished to see him suffer like this. They would all die! All of them! And, of course, he would come to rule at least a small portion of Rossovy himself, but that was only a minor consideration...
e350tb
Stupendously Illogical Englishman
The ships were docked in the harbour, but Frederick couldn't help but feel worried. What if they were stopped in Gallia by that country's warships? Even if they got past that, they'd be sailing through terra incognito for most of the voyage. Still, Frederick would go through with it, or die. There was a high likelihood of both.
He watched as the men of the voyage boarded the ships. The brave Pjolakian seamen who showed almost no fear. The ever loyal men of his regiment (although they had given thier arms to the border guards, so as not to cause a diplomatic incident). The captains, who were quite intellengent. The crates of food, which would prove vital.
At last, the tide was right. Williams looked back at the port for a few minutes, and then ordered the catain of his flagship, a Captain Poliski, the sail west, to go east.
(Now, I suppose it's up to the great god Iggy to decide the fate of Williams' voyage)
He watched as the men of the voyage boarded the ships. The brave Pjolakian seamen who showed almost no fear. The ever loyal men of his regiment (although they had given thier arms to the border guards, so as not to cause a diplomatic incident). The captains, who were quite intellengent. The crates of food, which would prove vital.
At last, the tide was right. Williams looked back at the port for a few minutes, and then ordered the catain of his flagship, a Captain Poliski, the sail west, to go east.
(Now, I suppose it's up to the great god Iggy to decide the fate of Williams' voyage)
flyingchicken
Deity
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 3,783
Hey, Lord_Iggy, is my grenade launcher okay/approved without modifications to the details?
Because, y'know, it would be embarassing if I write another story using that idea without it being canon.
EDIT (March 8, 11:17am GMT+8): I cannot help but notice that the map changed drastically.
Because, y'know, it would be embarassing if I write another story using that idea without it being canon.
EDIT (March 8, 11:17am GMT+8): I cannot help but notice that the map changed drastically.
Confirmed and canon.
Crap, it must have been the uploads hack. This happened last time the server got messed up too. I'm sure things will go back to normal soon enough.
das
Regeneration In Process
I find that rather unlikely... Can't you attach that map again, or upload it somewhere else? I think it's going to be useful.
I think I might be able to get a story in during the next few days. What's more, I think I'll have to - lots of things happening in here right now.
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