![man o war pirate ship man o war pirate ship](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DZPlPtfV4AA-9pV.jpg)
Battle lines have fallen out of use and attacks can come from any angle.
![man o war pirate ship man o war pirate ship](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/assassinscreed/images/b/b6/AC4_El_Arca_Del_Maestro.png)
On modern ships and in more modern combat, combat is a lot more fluid. In a sense, the aftcastle was itself armor, and made a rather unappealing target in a tactical sense.
MAN O WAR PIRATE SHIP WINDOWS
In addition, all that fancy stuff and windows would act similarly to spaced armor against the blunt cannonballs and relatively low velocity shot of the time, robbing energy and reducing destructive power. Oh sure, you can inflict structural damage, and a lucky shot might cripple the enemy's steering gear, but aside from that there are more appetizing targets on the ship itself. In old-time ship of the line combat you rarely ever had your aft exposed to the enemy, and even in the brief times that it might be there's not much of importance to aim for back there above the waterline. It's part of the weighing of symbolism and prestige versus practicality that eventually swung in practicality's favor. Being 400 feet and several decks away from the bridge, or anything else important on this ship, while having your bunk on top of the steering gear and various propulsion equipment wouldn't make any sense. In more modern ships, putting the captain back aft would just be downright inconvenient. There's lots of examples of this historically, from the lavish captains quarters in the age of sail, to British dreadnoughts having their masts aft of their funnels (made handling the ships boats easier, made useful spotting for gunnery impossible). Something else to consider, actual combat is rare, and ships were more status symbols that actual weapons. The captain or admiral also frequently had a yacht on board back then. If you look at Dreadnoughts and Pre-dreadnoughts, there's frequently a covered walkway on the stern for the captain's use. While there is separation between the ranks today, it has nothing on the age of sail. Was it because portholes in the hull were good enough for Officer Quarters and Officers Mess? Cruise ships still have windows in the back, but I see no one bother to put in a luxury dining hall in the back of the USS Iowa.
![man o war pirate ship man o war pirate ship](https://bonpic.com/wallpapers/large/1619.jpg)
And I note that Battleship era warships never bothered with luxury windows. So, those with more rank get more privilege on their quarters.īut what's the point of "luxury" windows on a warships of all things? Even with the bulkheads, the rear of the ship was still extremely vulnerable to cannon fire. On ships, even today, there is a considerable stratification of quarters and berthing by rank as ships are very cramped things. There were covers that could be installed over the inside of the windows in combat to protect the stern, as well as the design had several internal bulkheads separating the Captain's cabin and officer's quarters from the gun deck.Īll of that was a luxury afforded the ship's officers (the wardroom and Captain's table for meals), along with the privileges of rank. Because those were the quarters of the Captain and Admiral (if one was aboard) and were a symbol of the prestige and privilege of that rank and position on the ship.