Naval Warfare Expert Rates 9 Sea Battle Tactics in Movies and TV | How Real Is It? | Insider

Insider・2 minutes read

Professor Evan Wilson evaluates naval warfare scenes in movies for realism, highlighting historical tactics such as throwing guns to lighten a ship quickly and the importance of forming a line of battle for effective fleet battles. He also debunks common misconceptions about naval warfare, such as the inefficiency of rowing for ramming speed and the rarity of ships exploding due to magazine fires.

Insights

  • Evan Wilson, an expert in naval warfare, emphasizes the importance of realism in evaluating naval warfare scenes in movies, shedding light on historical tactics such as throwing guns overboard for quick lightening of a ship.
  • The development of naval tactics over time, such as club hauling in emergencies and the strategic use of chain shot, highlights the complexity and danger of naval warfare, with considerations ranging from speed of ship maneuvers to the effectiveness of firing into enemy rigging to disable ships.

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Recent questions

  • How did sailors lighten ships quickly?

    By throwing guns overboard.

  • What was the purpose of club hauling?

    To turn a ship quickly.

  • How effective was chain shot in naval warfare?

    Used for cutting rigging or as an antipersonnel weapon.

  • How fast could a naval gun crew load and fire a cannon?

    In a minute.

  • Why was boarding another ship considered risky?

    To avoid losing one's own ship.

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Summary

00:00

Naval Warfare Realism in Movies Evaluated

  • Evan Wilson, a professor at the US Naval War College and an expert in 18th-century naval warfare, evaluates naval warfare scenes in movies for realism.
  • To lighten a ship quickly, throwing guns overboard is more effective than cannonballs due to their weight.
  • Club hauling, dropping an anchor to turn a ship quickly, was used in emergencies, not typically in battle.
  • Chain shot, used for cutting rigging or as an antipersonnel weapon, was real, but a single shot wouldn't bring down a mast.
  • A well-trained naval gun crew could load and fire a cannon in a minute, but sustaining this speed was challenging.
  • Boarding another ship is risky and should only be done if confident in superiority to avoid losing one's own ship.
  • Firing into enemy rigging was a tactic to disable ships by cutting support ropes.
  • Splinters from cannonball impacts were a real danger on ships, often causing more harm than direct hits.
  • Ships exploding due to magazine fires were rare but did occur, usually from sparks igniting powder stores.
  • Rowing a ship for ramming speed was inefficient, with untrained crews achieving speeds equivalent to a jog.

12:24

Naval Warfare Tactics and Strategies Explained

  • Ships are difficult to sink due to wood floating, making boarding a more likely outcome after damage.
  • The vessels depicted in the clip are fair-weather ships like galleys and triremes, not suited for rough seas or combat.
  • Maneuverability of ships is crucial, with smaller ships potentially outrunning larger ones in specific conditions.
  • The range of cannon fire is significant, with smooth bore barrels affecting accuracy but enabling long-distance shots.
  • Forming a line of battle, a defensive tactic developed in the 17th century, was crucial for fleet battles to protect ships and utilize powerful guns effectively.
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