Sloop

Sloop
Belongs to	All factions
Crew	65
Guns	18 (9 on each side)
Firepower	172
Range	500
Accuracy	70
Reloading skill	60
Hull strength	1322
Speed	25
Tech requirement	None
Produced from	Any port
Special abilities	None
Cost	550 SP/390 MP
Upkeep	130

A Sloop is a ship type in Empire: Total War.

Description

A sloop of war is usually ketch-rigged with two masts. These small vessels handle well in restricted waters.

The ability to navigate in exceptionally shallow or dangerous waters makes sloops very useful in such seas as the reef-strewn waters of the Caribbean. They can also operate without the need for extensive onshore naval facilities nearby. They are also extremely useful as fleet auxiliaries, carrying out communications tasks and vital inshore scouting work, and can hunt down smaller prey such as privateers and small enemy cargo vessels. A sloop-of-war (sometimes a corvette in French service) is a different vessel from a civilian, merchant sloop, having a flush deck, two square-rigged masts, guns, and a larger crew.

Historically, a post captain would rarely command a ship this small. The commanding officer was the “master and commander” (this is the origin of the modern naval rank of commander), and held the formal rank of lieutenant. Captain Cook RN commanded HMS Resolution, a sloop converted from a collier (coal ship), on his epic Pacific voyages and was highly satisfied with its performance. Sloop captains could be aggressive: before his promotion to post captain, Thomas Cochrane commanded the 14-gun HMS Speedy and managed to capture “El Gamo”, a Spanish xebec of 32 guns with a crew six times larger than his own!

General Information

Sloops are small, agile, lightly-armed warships. Fitted with a two-masted ketch rig, they are able to haul extremely close to the wind. Although tub-hulled and ungainly in appearance, sloops are deceptively handy vessels, and, in good hands, they can defeat far larger foes.

Sloops are less heavily armed and manned than the other ship type available in the early game, Brigs. However, sloops have much better covered decks, stronger hulls and sturdier sails, making them less vulnerable to Round Shot, Chain Shot and Grape Shot. Against larger ships, however, sloops are ineffectual due to their small number of guns and low firepower.

Despite their rapid military obsolescence, sloops remain useful even late in the game, serving as agent and troop transports, scouting sea routes, raiding trade routes, and escorting low-value convoys and trade ships. However, they are less suited to this task than the cheaper and better-manned and armed brigs.

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	70	60	1322	23	8	550	130
France	80	60	1348	24	8	600	150
Great Britain	70	75	1396	23	9	560	140
Spain	70	60	1322	23	8	540	130
United States	70	70	1396	23	9	530	130

Gallery

Sloops and brigs in a duel.