If Rule the Waves 4 happens, what new content do you think will be added?
Sept 10, 2024 5:34:22 GMT -6
Post by tbr on Sept 10, 2024 5:34:22 GMT -6
To quote myself:
I had an epiphany today. We are witnessing the end of the Mahanian Age of Naval Warfare. UMS (Unmanned Systems) effectively create operational, strategic and procurement circumstances that are closer to the Age of Oars than they are to the Mahanian Ages of Naval Warfare (Sail, Steam, Iron, Dreadnought, Carrier, Missile), at least if procurers and industry do not f*** it up (and then the enemy takes that as an oppurtunity). Now, that is good news for RTW-X game design. We have an effective endpoint for the game: the AESA radar sub-age (ca. 2000-2020) which ends in the "rise of the UMS". Since the future is non-Mahanian (unless we go into SciFi interplanetary/interstellar warfare) it makes no sense to extend the RTW concept beyond it. The effective earliest startpoint is 1660 if we follow Mahan himself (begin of effectively professional Navy organization signified by Samuel Pepys starting his diary). Alternatively one could go with 1590 (second decade after Lepanto, the biggest and last major "oar battle" and first decade after the Armada where the purpose built "gunfighter" sailing man-o-war proved itself).
Podcast on the non-Mahanian nature of galley warfare:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ancient-naval-warfare-galleys-strategy-tactics-more/id1532555765?i=1000629891482
UMS get us there again. While their endurance and geographical control loop range will eventually also enable operational "near-Mahanian" Blue Water operations the change in procurement is more profound. A galley cost as much to build as it cost to operate it a month, making the galley itself very expendable. A mission ready modern warship (new ship class) costs as much as its operation for 10-15 years to build and bring into service, which in itself takes 4-6 years (deduct 2 years for follow-on builds of an established class without modification and build pause / build yard change or a bit less if there is some of either/both).
Warships are major investment items with "national value". UMS however are being built and expended (or recoup the opportunity cost of their procurement if reusable) within a quarter (3 months) to 3 years (depends on size and mission), unless the idiots business-as usual guys mandate treating it effectively like a standard manned plane/boat/ship with a 20-40 year lifecycle.