Fire has, since the beginning of time, been utilized as an effective nautical weapon: simply put, wood ships burn. The Greeks and Phonecians may have originated the technology of the Fireship: a specially modified craft jam-packed with incendiaries, explosives and flammables which is ignited and then sent careening into a target vessel. The effect of this weapon was terrifying. A demonic-ship-of-fire that sacrifices herself in order to destroy another. During the days of tall-masted wood and canvas ships, no other weapon struck as much terror into the hearts of seamen as did the Fireship. In a sense, the Fireship was an early terrorist weapon, and to the sailor, definitely a weapon of mass destruction. What worse fate than to be incinerated while afloat?
Typically, Fireships were outfitted with their infernal cargoes well hidden. The idea was to fully disguise a Fireship in order to avoid drawing undue attention. The ship was outfitted in a secret port, and then maneuvered into the battle area by a skeleton crew. Typically, this skeleton crew would raise sail and banners and pretend to be just another "ship-of-the-line". In a highly synchronized maneuver, the crew would light smoldering punks below decks and ready the lifeboats abaft. At the last possible moment, the sails would be tacked and the wheel would be blocked. As the Fireship quickly changed course, she was headed straight towards her target. Meanwhile, the skeleton crew would quickly abandon ship. The Fireship then completed her malevolent mission unguided.
Rigging lines and woodbeam crossarms would intertwine in a fiery dance of death. The flames ignite, the terror comlete. "Thems that die be the lucky ones!"
1 comment:
So, the Trade Towers terrorists were not doing anything new - primitive ideology, primitive but effective warfare.
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