The side tackle helps swivel the gun left and right.The breech tackle, which I have yet to add, is for the recoil. What I need help w/ is the best way to run the side tackle in terms of materials and tips, tricks, for connecting everything, not how many runs to make. But thank you for your input. BTW.. I have decided to go w/ the single and double block rigging.
I am guessing, but I surmise that when the guns were fired, that the breech tackle prevented the gun from coming far enough back to do a straight muzzle load, so they used the side tackle to swing it to one side for loading and swing it back to fire as well as for aiming. [anyone feel free to jump in and educate me on this.]