Sailing fleets already needed food and water, but their source of propulsion was not steadily emptied by movement. Steam added a consumable whose rate of use rose sharply with speed, linking tactical urgency to strategic range. A commander could preserve endurance by moving slowly or spend it to gain speed, and the choice affected where the fleet could operate afterward. This made fuel logistics both familiar and fundamentally new.
Notable Point · 30:11-32:13
Steam made energy consumption a strategic variable
Unlike food and water in the age of sail, steam fuel was consumed at a rate that changed with speed and directly governed a fleet's tactical and strategic freedom.