Although possesed of the guns of a dreadnought, it is risky for a battle cruiser to engage enemy dreadnoughts due to its lighter armor.
An all big gun warship with turbine engines, a dreadnought can sink other vessels before they move in range to return fire.
Inexpensive to build, these ships are highly efficient. Armored cruisers sink raiders by remaining out of their range.
Freighters are large vessels constructed mainly of iron. They have an enormous carrying capacity.
New long range guns allow advanced ironclads to achieve command of the sea.
Early ironclads resist the firepower of foes with armor, but carry fewer cannon than a Ship-of-the-Line.
These wooden vessels are fast scouts and commerce raiders. Their cannon are rifled breech loaders but they are too weak to fight in the line of battle.
Clippers are more likely than other ships to run a blockade or to escape from hostile fleets, due to their speed.
Although faster than earlier sailing vessels, these early steamers cannot compete with a clipper for speed.
Bristling with up to 130 smoothbore cannons arranged on two or three gun decks, the most powerful vessels in the world until ironclads are developed.
Constructed with one deck of cannons, frigates are used as scouts, raiders, and escorts.
These large ships are slow and incapable of defending themselves against a ship of the line or a frigate.
Traders are slow, defenseless, and have a small carrying capacity. Their one virtue is their extremely low price.
