[CraigM]

Question: given the established setting information and the default GURPS magic rules, what do you think the navies of Banestorm would look like?

(I'm aware of the Pyramid article on magical navies; some of it is applicable, some of it less so)

A few points:

* Only Araterre has TL4 shipbuilding, but the existence of magical provision, navigation and weather control renders ship technology much less important.

* While the idea of screws with permanent motion enchantments is tempting, the default Magic rules make these ruinously expensive. Weather wizards are much cheaper, so expect sails to continue.

* Weather magic should substantially influence ship design. Much of age-of-sail shipbuilding was concerned with the compromise between downwind speed and upwind reaching ability. If you can guarantee that the wind will always be aft, you can get away with a pure power square rig; no need for staysails and less need for drag-creating and draft-increasing deep keels.

* Weather magic also reduces the need for ships to be built to cope with bad weather. Lighter, faster, roomier ships; giant cockle-shells with massive square rigs.

* OTOH, zombie-powered galleys provide an option that can almost match weather-wizard sailing for speed and surpass it for endurance.

* The grossly overpowered Essential Wood spell makes it easy to produce either super-tough or super-light ships. However, if naval action is focussed on boarding, ship durability may not be very important.

* GURPS magic is sharply range limited. Casting spells directly upon a ship half a mile distant is simply not feasible. Therefore, expect magic to be focussed on weather, ship and crew buffing, and projectiles. Ballistae firing enchanted missiles are likely to feature.

* Flaming projectiles are an obvious tactic, but magical fire extinguishing is an easy counter.

Personally, I'm not sure what the logical development of Ytarrian navies would be. At a guess, though, I would expect ships to be mage and sail powered long but shallow-draft square riggers. The merchant ships made from wafer-thin Essential Wood, the warships made from thicker planks of the same material.

Combats may involve maneuvering contests (if one side wanted to avoid a fight) that are primarily contests of mage fatigue and powerstone supply. Actual combat is likely to focus on boarding (armoured essential wood warships are easier to capture than sink, while for those preying on merchant shipping capture is the whole point), with a preliminary ballistae bombardment aimed at reducing mobility and subduing the crew.

What did I miss? Would there be any substantial difference between the various national navies apart from the obvious Abydosian necromantic tendency and the slight tech edge to the Aralaise?