Technology in WOT

[erickm001]

I’ve had a few thoughts about technology in the WOT universe.

 

Gunpowder. In AMOL, Mat is finally going to have his cannon and this should have a huge impact on the battlefield. There seems too little time before TG to develop muskets or rifles, but maybe muzzle loading pistols? Something hammered together by a blacksmith? I could see Matt packing a brace of single-shot muzzle loading hand cannons. They would go very well with his hat.

 

As to gunpowder, would the Forsaken even know what gunpowder is? They are all from an uber-advanced civilization in the Age of Legends. The shock lance was the weapons of choice in their day. Sword fighting became part of the War of Power, but as I understand it, that was a gentleman’s sport carried into warfare. It seems to me that gunpowder weapons would be unknown to the forsaken. As I remember, even Mat had no memories of gunpowder is battle. Since all of the Forsaken seem utterly disdainful of anything Third Age, might a .44 caliber ball catch one of them by surprise?

 

Gliders. At Rand’s school in Cairhien, a young lady is working on a glider. If she is successful with a working model, could a Sea Folk Wind Finder (or any channeler who could control the winds) fly it like an airplane, or at least control the winds enough to keep it aloft over a battlefield ? If it could carry two channelers, could it be used for aerial attack? The Age of Legends had aircraft, all controlled by the power as near as I can figure out. Dropping combat aircraft into a Third Age battlefield would create quite a stir.  (The Seanchan have their flying animals, but they only seem to be used for troop transport and scouting, not combat).

 

Steam Engine. There is a working Steam Engine in KOD, and it hauled a train of cargo from Cairhian to Tear. This could help an army’s logistics, but would be even more helpful with a:

 

Side-wheel paddle. If I remember correctly , Idrien Tarsin, headmistress of Rand’s school in Cairhain,  discusses a Side-wheel paddle and how is was powered by men. Her complaint was that there was no room in the boat for cargo. Combine a Side-wheel paddle with a steam engine and we have a powered river boat. Add canons to the mix and we have a gun boat. This is a very effective weapon – see US Civil War and the Mississippi River campaigns.

 

I think pistols, channel powered gliders, and gunboats could be developed before TG. And would be useful after TG when all the nobles rebel against Rand now that the last battle is over. Assuming Rand lives, of course. (I think he will and will retire to Rhuidean with Avienda and their 4 children, after Elayne and Min die, but that’s a whole other thread….)

 

[Cockta]

I think I made a thread a while ago just about this, and I believe with the same name  ;D

 

Maybe you should use the 'search' button to find threads related to this topic. Wow, I sound like an mod now ;D

[Kaznen]

I think Mat will turn the morat'raken into lancers so they can fight drackar in the sky.

 

And using sky scouts woulds be extremely helpful even if they don't fight.

[ROB_88]

how about using them as bombers instead?!

maybe a big glider with one steering it and one or two carrying a bag of explosives.

 

but i think it would be more useful with a channeler instead

[mb]

About the bullet and the Forsaken, it taking them by surprise might be doubtful.  Rand stopped a dagger that was thrown at him with Air, and it took little of the One Power to do it.  I imagine the Forsaken (and perhaps any channeler) could do the same with any item thrown at them; unless thrown items could become invisible.

 

Gliders might be useful; yet lightning from channelers I think might be more effective.

 

Steam engine might also be useful.

 

 

There is another thing to consider:  Ashaman (and perhaps other channelers) can make shields for themselves; I take with flows of Air.  It would be difficult to use any weapon against them.

 

[Ndshacker]

I think what would be the coolest woould be a combination of all those ideas. TANKS! If you make a steam engine whic is surrounded by a iron hull, and mount a "Dragon" on top with a steering wheel on the inside, you could obliterate 1000's of trollocs with each one. Not to mention the machine gun that the second guy would have, shooting through holes to take out charging trollocs. How many slugs can a trolloc take?  ???

[Solarian]

About the bullet and the Forsaken, it taking them by surprise might be doubtful.  Rand stopped a dagger that was thrown at him with Air, and it took little of the One Power to do it.  I imagine the Forsaken (and perhaps any channeler) could do the same with any item thrown at them; unless thrown items could become invisible.

 

Well a dagger is a lot bigger and slower than a bullet, and is recognizable. I doubt the Forsaken would recognize a primitive gun.

[Kaznen]

Don't forget the mech Elyane will have for TG.

[DemandredFO]

Don't forget about the gattlings

[mb]

About the bullet and the Forsaken, it taking them by surprise might be doubtful.  Rand stopped a dagger that was thrown at him with Air, and it took little of the One Power to do it.  I imagine the Forsaken (and perhaps any channeler) could do the same with any item thrown at them; unless thrown items could become invisible.

 

Well a dagger is a lot bigger and slower than a bullet, and is recognizable. I doubt the Forsaken would recognize a primitive gun.

 

Recognizing the object I think would not be necessary; all that they would need to recognize would be that it would cause damage, even if they are not entirely certain of what the damage would be.

I imagine that even a thrown pebble could do some damage depending upon how far away it is thrown from, and it could be similar in size and shape as a bullet.  If recognition of the item is required, almost any channeler could recognize a pebble.

 

[Rydian]

Its easy for us to think of those ideas because we know how technology can be evolved. However how long would it take for them to think of these inventions? They are starting to advance, however how far will they get before the LB?

[erickm001]

Its easy for us to think of those ideas because we know how technology can be evolved. However how long would it take for them to think of these inventions? They are starting to advance, however how far will they get before the LB?

 

It seems to me the technology is already there -- the steam engine, the glider, the sidewheel paddle. A primitive black powder pistol shouldn't be beyond a blacksmith who makes clocks. The steam engine is actually very advanced and proven. It has it's own little plot thread in the story. And there's lots of experienced boatman in the Westlands. Adopding a sidewheel paddle and steam engine to a river barge isn't much of a stretch.

 

Gatling guns and rifled sniper rifles would be a leap, I think, but not the things I mentioned.

 

Now a Mech! That would utterly rock! I can just see some Dreadloads face as Elayne walks a Mech onto the battlefield.

[Rydian]

Im not argueing about it is possible, the pistol just gets me they dont know about primers or anything so they would use a wick, hard to keep a flame goin on a candle in battle.

[erickm001]

Im not argueing about it is possible, the pistol just gets me they dont know about primers or anything so they would use a wick, hard to keep a flame goin on a candle in battle.

 

I was thinking someting along the lines of a "wheel lock" mechanism utilizing the head of one of Aludra's "strikers", or "firesticks", or whatever she's calling them. A "match lock" would not work well stuffed in your jacket or in the rain.

 

I don't know if such a thing will show up in AMOL, but I'd like to see some Foresaken, so disdainful of the 3rd Age, get their comeuppance from some 3rd Age invention. A cannon ball could accomplish this, I guess.

 

I've been reading lots of Science Fiction lately that deals with technology evolution in primitve cultures -- David Weber's "Off Armageddon Reef" series and David Weber's and John Ringo's "Prince Roger" series. And I like the Sci-Fi and technology aspects of the Wheel of Time. It's Fantasy, I suppose, but it reads alot like Science Fiction to me.

[Mr Ares]

I think what would be the coolest woould be a combination of all those ideas. TANKS! If you make a steam engine whic is surrounded by a iron hull, and mount a "Dragon" on top with a steering wheel on the inside, you could obliterate 1000's of trollocs with each one. Not to mention the machine gun that the second guy would have, shooting through holes to take out charging trollocs. How many slugs can a trolloc take?  ???

How many bullets and cannonballs can your tank carry? How many will you have? How will you guard against mechanical breakdown? A nice idea, but not really acheivable with current Randland technology.

[Ndshacker]

It can carry alot lol.

Mechanical breakdown? The same as any other tank, if the engine goes down you keep shooting and hope the battle ends soon,

How many? Well... As many as needed :D

 

 

I know its not possible with current technology, bu it would be great to see, Not ot mention the fact that we see everything from 21st century eyes. So it takes them longer to think of it...

 

Mr Ares so kindly shot down my previous post.... So I will saw that if one thing should happen it should be planes... I think RJ gave us a hint in LoC. At the School a women was experimenting with miniature birds and how they fly... The basis for a promitive plane.

[Fjong]

YAY a plane with at steam engine  :P

[Ndshacker]

No more along the lines of a plane with a JET engine  ;D

[Shard]

Isn't that what Shocklances were? Rifles, so I think the Forsaken and Aoler's did have gunpowder.

[erickm001]

Isn't that what Shocklances were? Rifles, so I think the Forsaken and Aoler's did have gunpowder.

 

Shocklances were direct energy weapons, at least that's my impression.

[GrandpaG]

We had a little glimpse of what male and female channelers can do working together while saidin was being cleansed.  That's the "technology" that I would invest in for the LB.  All of the stuff mentioned above would be like toys.  The AS and the Ashamen are pairing off.  Watch out bad guys (or good guys, depending upon who you are wanting to win).  Just an opinion.  :)

 

 

P.S.

The Sea Folk need GPS so they can Travel from ship to ship without ending up swimming.

 

P.S.S.

Don't forget the communication terangreal that Avi and Elayne have to create.

[ROB_88]

Isn't that what Shocklances were? Rifles, so I think the Forsaken and Aoler's did have gunpowder.

 

Shocklances were direct energy weapons, at least that's my impression.

 

you mean like blaster rifles?

[Kaznen]

One of the BA shot Elyane with a pistol type shocklance in KoD.

 

And don't forget about the impact her mech will have.

[Mr Ares]

It can carry alot lol.

Enough to take down all those Trollocs?

Mechanical breakdown? The same as any other tank, if the engine goes down you keep shooting and hope the battle ends soon,

It was a big problem with early tanks.

How many? Well... As many as needed :D

Without means of mass producing? That'll take a long time.

 

Mr Ares so kindly shot down my previous post.

I do my best *bows*

[Gholam]

About guns, you can't see the bullet, even with old ones. 

 

I also don't think that all the ter'angreal are used with the One Power.

When Aviendha was figuring out that she had the ability to figure out what ter'angreal could do, she found a helmet.  It had "green and blue vines" I think.  She also mentioned that it controlled something else.

 

I believe the "vines" were wires and it actually controlled a drone of some sort, like the unmanned vehicles today.