"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

WARNING: There might be a very small SPOILER in this post.
If you have not seen the movie and can't stand knowing anything
about it until you see it, please stop reading this post.

I watched Master & Commander last night. It's about a British
sailing war-ship fighting it out with a French one. At one point
the French ship is chasing behind the English one. Out heros in
the movie (the English) use some interesting methods to get
around so that they are the ones behind the French.

I understnad that on these ships the stern is their week point
both in construction and because if you can shoot out the
other's rudder they are in a very bad poistion. But I thought
that these ships could only fire to their sides. If that's the case
I don't see how being either the lead ship or the following
one is much of any advantage.

Anyone understand this?

Its like fighter plane dog-fights. You want to get their second, because
this puts you in the best position to fire. With the old sailing war-ships
you want to remain upwind of your adversary which will allow you to sail 90
degrees to his position and which will allow you to bring all of your guns,
on one side of your ship, to fire on the softest and most vulnerable part of
your foe.