Centaur Paddle wheel boat
The centaurs have developed boats that use their equine body strength to propel the craft. They are able to move against river currents and winds under their own muscle power moving treadle systems that engage gears and turn wheels equipped with paddles at the sides of the boats. The Taurien Republics are land-locked in the far East and have only lakes and rivers for water navigation.
The Esereti frontier sees some trade with the Taurien and the presence of these watercraft. Some have been obtained and are in use with draft animals in the Esereti kingdoms and amongst the Moon People. Centaur crews don't hire out to foreigners.
The human (imperial) attempts to copy the boats have had some success and research is being done at building ocean going ships with draft teams. They promise a high level of speed and maneuverability comparable to galleys. The Centaur driven craft can achieve greater speed and would be formidable on the oceans. The Empire bans such ships and crews in private hands, under penalty of death. The Taurien have refused mercenary offers to bring their ships and crews to serve the Empire. Some suggest employing Necromancers and crews of zombies from criminal, slave and lowest class sources. The Church objects to this idea.
The Paddlewheel is variable sized, from just one centaur and load, to large freight or pleasure ships driven by parallel teams of centaurs working in shifts and running on "treadmills". Small craft reach speed of upto 4 knots while the larger vessels have topped out in bursts of nearly 16 knots in open water but typically cruise at about half that.
The main drive is a chain drive to gears and trollers. The tread is boards linked to the chain and a bed of leather sheets sewn together in a a loop and settled over the rollers. As the centaur walks or runs, pushing off the boards on the loop, the chain is moved and turns gears that lead to the drive of the paddle wheels. The centaur call this a walking mill drive - a treadmill. The gears may be stopped, or halted and driven in reverse by walking backward or turning the drive team around.
The Esereti frontier sees some trade with the Taurien and the presence of these watercraft. Some have been obtained and are in use with draft animals in the Esereti kingdoms and amongst the Moon People. Centaur crews don't hire out to foreigners.
The human (imperial) attempts to copy the boats have had some success and research is being done at building ocean going ships with draft teams. They promise a high level of speed and maneuverability comparable to galleys. The Centaur driven craft can achieve greater speed and would be formidable on the oceans. The Empire bans such ships and crews in private hands, under penalty of death. The Taurien have refused mercenary offers to bring their ships and crews to serve the Empire. Some suggest employing Necromancers and crews of zombies from criminal, slave and lowest class sources. The Church objects to this idea.
The Paddlewheel is variable sized, from just one centaur and load, to large freight or pleasure ships driven by parallel teams of centaurs working in shifts and running on "treadmills". Small craft reach speed of upto 4 knots while the larger vessels have topped out in bursts of nearly 16 knots in open water but typically cruise at about half that.
The main drive is a chain drive to gears and trollers. The tread is boards linked to the chain and a bed of leather sheets sewn together in a a loop and settled over the rollers. As the centaur walks or runs, pushing off the boards on the loop, the chain is moved and turns gears that lead to the drive of the paddle wheels. The centaur call this a walking mill drive - a treadmill. The gears may be stopped, or halted and driven in reverse by walking backward or turning the drive team around.
A human built boat using horses to power the paddle wheels.
The centaur paddle wheel boat
The centaur paddle wheel boat
by Mutterwolf
Hell yeah! Fantasy/medieval vehicles rock! My own centaurs were so far always imagined as less advanced in technology so they wouldnt be able to make these. It is a fascinating different approach to these classic creatures!
Its Worldember!I am building out a spooky world, which you can read about here! (psst, its a link)
To learn about my main world click on this link! (if you want to ;) )
Thanks. Most of my centaurs follow the Honor Path rather than Glory - so more stoic intellectual than wild partiers. I've tended to think of them as leaders in discovery though less technical than Dwarves.