Regarding Transport Ships and Catapults

[erestor629]

From my understanding so far, with the current information I have seen in either videos, screenshots, and/or forums, I'm unsure if this has been answered:

​Question: Will a transport ship which carries the crew of a onager/catapult crew also have the catapult on the ship to fire while at sea?

I understand and know the ship will only disembark the crew (the question isn't will it disembark the catapult also).

We have seen similar ships in videos such as the Battle for the Nile and the Siege of Carthage which have ship's catapults firing.

Thanks for any answers. Honestly, I would assume the ship does not include a catapult on board to fire while at sea, however, I could be mistaken!

[✠Ikaroqx✠]

Going by Heir of Carthage's video they won't.

[Rittsy]

I think those that can fire while at sea are specialised artillery ships, rather than transport ships with onagers.

[nameless]

Probably to ensure that if players want fire support they have to bring actual artillery ships to the fight since they do not want transport ships to overlap with actual warships.

[qqsuen]

Besides, as seen from the naval battle trailer, except for artillery and large ramming ship, most war ships attack by boarding action. So will it still be necessary to build dedicated warship when you can load transport ship with elite melee troops and board the enemy vessels?

[nameless]

Transport ships aren't designed for ship-to-ship combat. The amount of material and men they have to carry meant that they were extremely vulnerable to attacks from actual warships manned by actual marines who are trained to fight on boats.

There's a reason why in the ancient world transports were escorted by actual warships to protect them and to ensure their cargo was delivered.

[qqsuen]

Transport ships aren't designed for ship-to-ship combat. The amount of material and men they have to carry meant that they were extremely vulnerable to attacks from actual warships manned by actual marines who are trained to fight on boats.

There's a reason why in the ancient world transports were escorted by actual warships to protect them and to ensure their cargo was delivered.

But I don't think marine will defeat a ship full of urban cohort. Unless they make the setting that only ship crews will be on board transport ship during battle instead of having the ship full of legionaries / archers that it is carrying.

[Tazgrent]

I believe the weakness of the transports will not be the crew, but the ship itself. Since land regiments are usually larger and more equipped, such a ship would need to be large enough to hold the horses, or ammunition, or the catapults, or what-not. Such a ship would be unable to hold its own against a ship built and sailed for war, even if it happened to be carrying an elite regiment of ground troops. Keep in mind that soldiers are trained to fight in formations on stable land, with no sea wash rushing over the deck, or the swaying of the sea throwing them off-balance, while marines are trained for just such a situation. It seems to me that a fast-rigged warship, with a load of marines, could easily overtake and capture a lumbering transport if it wasn't escorted. One could say likewise for land-based archers or artillery on ships; they lack the training or equipment to deal with a chaotic and fluid (pardon the pun) environment like the sea, while ship based archers have the specialist training needed. This should provide a natural detriment to making "fake" warships and marines out of transported troops, and I'd imagine the gameplay mechanics will be somewhat similar in nature.

[nomercysniper]

I can imagine transport trips being rather slow, and also having weak hulls, susceptible to ramming and possibly to susceptible to fire. If I do attack a navy with land troops on board, my main tactics would be ram and range

[osros]

It looks like its pretty safe to say if your going into battle directly off the ships DONT bring siege units they will be of no use in the battle. I understand your equipment and horses will be ready soon after they unload as long as its not during a battle, perhaps upon your next move on land in the campaign map. I would think if your going to invade and need your siege equipment land in an area that will not bring you into battle at the same time.

[kamikazee786]

i dont mind the onagers, but i would like the option to unload my men with their horses,

perhaps you could have bigger transport ships for cavalry?