Explosive balls on ships?

[PROMETHEUS ts]

Someone can explain me from wich obscure ancient Font or evidences where the proximity explosive lanterns of the ships in the naval video were taken from?

[babydoc]

You know that its not a history simulator.
You dont have to be a rocket scientist to combine greek fire with pottery.

[Yayattasa]

You know that its not a history simulator.
You dont have to be a rocket scientist to combine greek fire with pottery.

Greek fire? Seriously?

[DeadlyPhoenix]

GoT.


D'uh.

[shadowflare1995]

We know, the game isn't 172.4% historically accurate. The game is coming out in a couple of weeks. This is pointless.

[Augustus Scipius]

I wondered this as well. I came to the conclusion that since Greeks used olive oil in lanterns, it is possible they would have also figured out how to use it as a sort of molotov cocktail. An invention like that is entirely possible, not to mention credible as well. And there are records of men slinging incendiary pots to start fires on enemy ships.

[Rittsy]

This is a video game.

[JaM]

This is a video game.

this is a game about Ancient Rome... not some Warcraft fantasy... if it was otherwise, nobody would be complaining about it... We wanna game about Ancient warfare, and not some Fantasy Warcraft weirdness... its not what we payed for. Anyway, i think a lot of complains are harsh, vanilla game was never anyhow historically accurate or authentic. Just remember how bad is vanilla Empire... Rome 1 was a complete joke for any historian, so i think its not a huge problem seeing few really strange things in Rome 2.. in the end, we (modders) will get the tools (most likely made by community) and start working on Realism mods for anybody who wants game more historically authentic..

[Rittsy]

this is a game about Ancient Rome... not some Warcraft fantasy... if it was otherwise, nobody would be complaining about it... We wanna game about Ancient warfare, and not some Fantasy Warcraft weirdness... its not what we payed for. Anyway, i think a lot of complains are harsh, vanilla game was never anyhow historically accurate or authentic. Just remember how bad is vanilla Empire... Rome 1 was a complete joke for any historian, so i think its not a huge problem seeing few really strange things in Rome 2.. in the end, we (modders) will get the tools (most likely made by community) and start working on Realism mods for anybody who wants game more historically authentic..

It's a pretty big leap to go from burning pots on ships to a late-game orcish invasion and cataphract dragons.

[Lockpick]

Someone can explain me from wich obscure ancient Font or evidences where the proximity explosive lanterns of the ships in the naval video were taken from?

Nope.
It's fantasy.
And I know what argument is coming next...
They could add ufos as well!

[JaM]

its not proximity, its supposed to break when crashing into enemy ship. Originally they were filed with flammables, while looked like a large lantern. After hitting the hull, flammable liquid got out and got ignited... Anyway this is something you really don't want to use while attempting boarding action... whats is worse than trying to board burning enemy ship???

[osros]

its not proximity, its supposed to break when crashing into enemy ship. Originally they were filed with flammables, while looked like a large lantern. After hitting the hull, flammable liquid got out and got ignited... Anyway this is something you really don't want to use while attempting boarding action... whats is worse than trying to board burning enemy ship???

YES! If it just would cause some flames instead of a explosion that don't even look like its doing any damage anyway, it would be better

[O X I R]

its not proximity, its supposed to break when crashing into enemy ship. Originally they were filed with flammables, while looked like a large lantern. After hitting the hull, flammable liquid got out and got ignited... Anyway this is something you really don't want to use while attempting boarding action... whats is worse than trying to board burning enemy ship???

IF it were to be used back in the day I'm sure it would've been used to dissable (or scare away) larger 'capital' ships of the enemy while only sacrificing a smaller boat, thus not boarding them. Think about them as 'cheap' fire ships, we call them 'branders' over here. They were used a lot during the 16th century and after (think about the English navy that destroyed the Spanish armada using fireships). Before the 16th century they were used, but more as a last resort. In this case it's done differently (a lot actually..), because in the end it's a game. But then you could ask yourself.. why didn't they add the option to turn your ships into fireships? That's a good question! But the hanging firepots or balls do spice the game up I think.

[General Grievous]

I do not know when greek fire were invented, but i know The Byzantine Empire had it in the first century AD. Ad use them as flamethrower in others ships.
This was a mix of petrol, oil and saltpeter

[JaM]

I do not know when greek fire were invented, but i know The Byzantine Empire had it in the first century AD. Ad use them as flamethrower in others ships.
This was a mix of petrol, oil and saltpeter

Byzantine Empire = Roman Empire... Name Byzantine was introduced by modern historians to distinguish them from previous form of empire. But they called themselves Romans.. Anyway 1st century AD, It was still Roman Empire, not Byzantine..

[dom385]

According to ca all their units have at some point appeared in historical texts, so it probably was a thing. Mabye just a one off from a particularly inventive commander but still adds variety. Although it seems like a terrible idea either way, why would you set fire to a large wooden boat and then drive into it with your large wooden boat?

[Smiling Hetairoi]

CA sure has an obsession with flaming balls.

[JaM]

CA sure has an obsession with flaming balls.

True.. sad part is, because of smaller scale of battles, those flaming bales of hay will play huge role.. in reality, they were used by small skirmish parties, and not in huge battles.. "Those ancient nations had to be really stupid... they were unable to break the Macedonian Phalanx frontally when all they needed is few bales of hay rolling at them..." and thats the impression base RTW2 player that has no idea about real history will take from this...

[jsully16]

[deleted]

[jone4s]

I was wondering too where they get the sources from for this very special device when i saw the naval battle video first. BUT.. i like it very much.. even if it wouldn't be 100% historical accurate. But as someone mentioned here before, ca supposedly has based every unit on historical mention.
And it adds variety and looks very very believable, fitting, interesting and atmospheric to me... i was afraid, that the ancient naval scenario doesn't provide enough variety. Such litte, neat and yet plausible ideas are very nice.. thumbs i up!
i like it!!!