Boarding is what? Features of the sea battles of the past and present

Boarding is a strategic maneuver that allows you to capture or flood an enemy vessel. It has been used since the first sea battles known to mankind. In this case, there are various variations in the performance of this maneuver, which vary depending on the type of ship and its crew.

What is boarding?

Boarding is a special tactic of fighting on the water. The essence of this maneuver is the close proximity of the ships to each other, which allows their teams to go into hand-to-hand combat. Often, this tactic is used when one of the parties wants to get a ship or goods another.

According to military history, for the first time boarding of the ship was carried out by the Roman admiral Gai Duliy during the First Punic War. This technique not only sowed turmoil among the enemies, but also allowed the commander to capture many Carthaginians.

Variety of tricks and tricks

Many people mistakenly believe that boarding is a maneuver, during which the ships must always stand opposite each other. In fact, there are many ways to capture a ship, and some of them are very different from the usual for us model.

For example, in Greek ships a boarding gang was located on the bow of the ship. This is due to the fact that the Greeks are accustomed to using the offensive in naval battles . The front of their ship had a ram, capable of penetrating even the most solid wood. Therefore, they bravely dispersed their ship and with all their strength crashed into the enemy, after which they lowered the boarding bridge to the enemy's deck.

But the Vikings used a different tactic. Their fighters were very mobile, which allowed them to quickly swim to the enemy closely. In those days there were no cannons yet, and so they easily repulsed all defensive attacks of the enemy with the help of shields. On the deck, the Vikings came through ropes with hooks, which they effortlessly threw in there.

Is boarding a relic of the past?

It is a mistake to believe that the era of boarding ended on the day when armored battleships and cruisers descended on the water. Today this tactical maneuver is used as often as before. For example, when the water police have to storm the vessel that did not fulfill its order.

Somali pirates are a sadder example. These sea robbers have long been a thunderstorm of local waters and even today, without a doubt, they attack peaceful ships. In this case, most often they use a boarding attack, in order not only to seize the ship, but also to capture his team.