Admiral's Flagship, 3rd Rate

Admiral's Flagship, 3rd Rate
Belongs to	All Factions
Crew	199
Guns	74 (35 on each side, 2 bow chasers, 2 stern chasers)
Firepower	1316
Range	400
Accuracy	40
Reloading skill	15
Hull strength	5280
Speed	16
Maneuverability	Low
Produced from	Drydock
Special abilities	Top Gallants
Cost	2540 SP/2010 MP
Upkeep	630

Admiral's Flagship, 3rd Rate is a ship type in Empire: Total War.

Description

The third rate is a compromise between firepower and handling. A stable gun platform, it also makes a good flagship.

Overall, the “74” (from the number of guns carried) or “third rate” is a very practical vessel. With a crew of around 700 men, it has enough firepower and resilience to survive most battles. It can deliver a horrendously effective broadside from its 32-pounders (on the lower deck), 18-pounders on the upper deck and 9-pounders in the upper works. It also has enough space to house an admiral and his busy staff in some comfort, even if the ship’s officers have to sacrifice their living space.

Historically, many admirals and commodores chose 74s to be their flag vessels. In the 18th Century “commodore” was not a formalised naval rank, but an appointment as a “temporary fleet commander”. Appointing a commodore allowed the navy to choose any talented or well-connected captain, no matter how junior, for command. Admiral was usually a rank that any captain, no matter how useless, could reach if he lived for long enough!

General Information

The Admiral's Flagship, 3rd Rate is near-identical to regular third rates save the fact that it has better hull strength. Like third rates, this ship type has an excellent mix of characteristics, allowing it to go toe-to-toe with larger ships while being maneuverable enough to make it difficult for lighter frigates to take advantage of it.

Some factions' ship statistics are different from others; differences are listed below (traits that to not differ are not listed).

Type	Accuracy	Reload Skill	Hull Strength	Speed	Morale	Cost	Upkeep
Standard	40	15	5280	14	9	2514	620
France	50	15	5422	15	11	2530	630
Great Britain	40	30	5544	14	12	2540	630
Russia	40	15	5280	14	11	2510	620
Spain	40	15	5280	14	11	2500	620
United States	40	25	5544	14	11	2510	620