Carronade Frigate (NTW unit)
Carronade Frigate | |||
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Faction: | |||
Accuracy: | 60 | 70 | 60 |
Reloading skill: | 40 | 40 | 50 |
Hull strength: | 510 | 510 | 520 |
Speed: | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Maneuverability: | Med. | Med. | Med. |
Morale: | 9 | 9 | 11 |
Turns to build: | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Recruitment cost: | 630 | 650 | 600 |
Upkeep cost: | 150 | 160 | 150 |
Requires | |||
Technology | |||
Carronade |
Carronade frigates are single-deck vessels, with extremely impressive short-range firepower.
Normally frigates would be armed with long guns, probably no larger than 12-pounders. A few short-barrelled 64-pounder carronades might be aboard to give a close-in broadside more weight of shot. A carronade frigate goes one better, and carries nothing but carronades – short guns that are half the weight of the equivalent conventional cannon. While the weight of a broadside is truly awesome, the frigate has to get in close in order to blow an enemy to smithereens thanks to the carronades’ limited range. A clever enemy will stay out of range of the carronades’ horrendous power and take long range pot shots.
Historically, only the Royal Navy experimented with an all-carronade armament aboard HMS Glatton (in service from 1795). Glatton carried 28 64-pounder and 28 32-pounder carronades, giving a weight of fire that was more than 17% greater than HMS Victory could deliver at the Battle of Trafalgar! This massive firepower allowed her, on one occasion, to chase all eight vessels in a French squadron back into port. Oddly enough, the next two vessels to carry the name “Glatton” in RN service were also massively over-armed.
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