Q&A ยท 3:46:18-3:47:36

Arming a Roman quinquereme for the late Age of Sail

Carronades and other deck-sweeping guns are the proposed armament for a quinquereme placed in a Napoleonic-era scenario.

Question

How would you refit a Roman quinquereme to fight in the late Age of Sail?

Short answer

Equip it with numerous deck-sweeping guns, especially carronades. Gatling guns are too late for the assumed Napoleonic setting.

Notes

The proposed refit is a battery of deck-sweeping guns, with carronades as the main suggestion. Gatling guns fall outside the assumed Napoleonic setting: the wars ended in 1815, while their invention is placed in 1861. Other multi-barrel weapons come up briefly, without a firm identification. The final preference is for numerous guns capable of clearing an opposing deck at short range.