SeaLion anyone?

ubertechie · Post by **ubertechie** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 2:44 am

Hi - a link to a page with a picture and a overview of the construction of martello towers can be found here

I think you will agree that they would have been a formidable defence especially with the limited amount of firepower the germans would have been able to deploy on the beaches initially

Bryan

x6ftundx_slith · Post by **x6ftundx_slith** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 4:12 am

I don't know if there are any hardcore wargamers (the board type not computer) that remember but I dug out the GMT game Britian stands Alone. Its really kewl.. it deals with sealion in all its glory... I don't know if it would help but I would be willing to share some of the scenarios...

Commando Solo

sinner · Post by **sinner** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 6:51 am

Hi ubertechie!

I visited the link. Pretty impressive... for a 19th Century building.

What kind of weapons did they use on 1940? I do not believe that the breech-loading 24 lbs was in use anymore... even after Dunkirk!

Anyway, probably some Stuka or Bf-110 would have taken them out just prior of the landing. Or even by Kriegsmarine support fire: pretty easy to see, good'ol Zeiss vission equipment, nice 11" or 5" guns.

It is not a concealed bunker, so you know it's there. Then, you can direct navy support fire there until the Pioneers can blew it up.

Salut,

ubertechie · Post by **ubertechie** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 11:48 am

The usual use was to mount AA-guns on top.
On the subject of destroying them - i think you have to stand in one of these things to quite comprehend the construction - more accuratley immense suppresion would cause the troops inside to surrender - although you can never imagine a situation in which you would leave one of these under fire as it has to be the safest place.
The nice thing from a defenders point of view is that these are strung in a line along the coast all within firing range of modern weapons with each other - so you cant just suppress one you have to suppress several - while trying to suppress everytinhg else could prove quite a headache - not forgetting RAF and RN intervention.
I was play testing one of my battles last night and there are going to be a few challenging scenarios to say the least ....
Thanks
time to do some proper work
Ubertechie

SAMWolf · Post by **SAMWolf** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 5:46 pm

Originally posted by ubertechie:
The usual use was to mount AA-guns on top.
On the subject of destroying them - i think you have to stand in one of these things to quite comprehend the construction - more accuratley immense suppresion would cause the troops inside to surrender - although you can never imagine a situation in which you would leave one of these under fire as it has to be the safest place.
The nice thing from a defenders point of view is that these are strung in a line along the coast all within firing range of modern weapons with each other - so you cant just suppress one you have to suppress several - while trying to suppress everytinhg else could prove quite a headache - not forgetting RAF and RN intervention.
I was play testing one of my battles last night and there are going to be a few challenging scenarios to say the least ....
Thanks
time to do some proper work
Ubertechie

Some more info on the Martello Towers:

The early 19th century saw a considerabale amount of activity along the coast of Fingall. Strong round towers were built by the military under the 'national defence Act of 1804'. Martello Towers are a curiosity to most people and their history is not widely known. The story begins on the island of Corsica on the 9th of Setptember 1794. A British force attacked a French headland on cape Martello. The British military were so impressed by the defence that they built their own towers for the defence of England and Ireland. The forts to be positioned about a quarter of a mile apart along the coast of Dublin. Each tower had it's own water reservoir and the walls were about eight feet thick.

The interior was divided into three storeys. The ground floor was used for holding ammunition, stores and provisions. The first floor acted as living quarters for the garrisons. A 24 pounder cannon was mounted on the top floor; on a traversing carriage. This ensured that the cannon could be pointed in any direction. There was a parapet about 4 feet high from which the defenders could fire muskets; with loopholes for the discharge of carronades. The carronade was a deadly weapon at close range; When loaded with musket balls; grapeshot, lengths of chain and scrap. An iteresting feature about the Martello tower, is that the floors, instead of having metal nails, have wooden nails because in times of war, a spark could be caused by metal nails and start a fire!