This section follows the technical specifications of specialized naval artillery and incendiary projectiles, such as the "Divine Oil Magpie." It transitions from ship-borne weaponry to the tactical deployment of sacrificial incendiary vessels—essentially mobile, floating bombs—intended to destroy the enemy's most significant naval assets. Use worn-out ships or wooden rafts, loaded with straw and kindling; launch them from an upwind position and follow the current, setting them on fire to incinerate the enemy's tower ships and warships. ### Naval Tactical Vocabulary * **Sacrificial Ships** original: "bichuan" (弊船). This refers to vessels that were old, damaged, or otherwise decommissioned from active service, repurposed as expendable fire ships. * **Wooden Rafts** original: "mufa" (木筏). Simple floating platforms that could be constructed quickly to augment a fire attack when ships were in short supply. * **Straw and Kindling** original: "chuxin" (芻薪). The primary combustible materials used to fill the hulls of fire ships; these were often supplemented with oils, resins, or gunpowder to ensure a fierce blaze. * **Tower Ships** original: "louchuan" (樓船). These were the "dreadnoughts" of ancient Chinese naval warfare—massive, multi-storied vessels used as command centers. Their height made them formidable in defense but highly vulnerable to fires spreading from the waterline. * **Warships** original: "zhanjian" (戰艦). A general term for any vessel equipped for active combat. * **Fire Attack** original: "huogong" (火攻). A foundational pillar of Chinese military strategy, involving the deliberate use of fire to break enemy formations and destroy logistics.

This passage details the tactical use of sacrificial vessels and rafts in naval combat, explaining how to utilize wind and water currents to direct incendiary craft against large-scale enemy warships.

fire ships, naval tactics, tower ships, incendiary warfare, sacrificial vessels