Fireship Tactics: offensive strategies, part one

For what purposes, and under which circumstances, might a captain choose to utilize the Fireship as an offensive weapon?

A brief exploration of some possible motives:

1. Fireship used as the ultimate terror weapon on the high seas. The temerity of a captain who chooses to torch a perfectly good sailing vessel is frightening in its own right. Some would deem such a captain insane. Not unlike the suicide bombers of today, the captain who chooses to utilize a Fireship must believe in the righteousness of the mission and in addition, must be willing to succeed in this mission despite the high personal and material costs. To instill the maximum terror upon the enemy, the Fireship captain must be willing to do the unthinkable. This ability to place completion of the mission above a variety personal motivations seems the hallmark of one willing to unleash Fireships against an enemy.

2. Fireship used as distraction or feint. This motive seems possible, but weak. A captain could choose to utilize the Fireship to distract an opponent, to occupy an opponent's forces in order to reposition or maneuver other craft into position. Destroying one's ship seems a costly choice, especially to perform a feint maneuver. A captain with relatively vast resources may choose this option, although the more frugal among us may call such a move "foolhardy". A well-disguised Fireship feint-attack, however, can increase confusion among the opponent's forces.

3. Fireship used as harbor clearing weapon. In order to drive an opponent from their moorings, the Fireship can be unleashed within a harbor. Utilizing the Fireship in this manner increases the terror-value of the attacking raid: the opponent will likely be unprepared for such attack while comfortably at anchorage. The close proximity of opposing forces within the harbor increases the effectiveness of the Fireship attack: many vessels can be damaged or destroyed simultaneously.

4. Fireship used as "weapon-of-last-resort". This motive seems most plausible (and dramatic). A captain would choose to sacrifice the Fireship in order to overcome the power of a superior opponent. Being the "weapon-of-last-resort", the Fireship would be prepared and deployed with great precision and care. As the last-chance weapon, the Fireship's value to achieving the mission goals would necessarily be inestimable.