View source for Admiral's Flagship, 1st Rate (ETW Unit)

{{TW Unit|image=[[Image:1st_Rate.png]]
 |Class=1st Rate
 |Unit Size=264 men
 |Weaponry=102 guns
 |Region=Global
 |Recruitment Cost=3630
 |Upkeep Cost=900
 |Building Requirements=Steam Drydock
 |Tech Requirements=None
 |Attributes=Broadside
}}

[[Image:1st_rate_thumbnail.png]]The first rate is the largest type of “ship of the line of battle”, intended to be the command ships at the centre of any fleet.
==Overview==
While these warships are among the most powerful vessels afloat, they are poor sailors, being both slow and unresponsive. This is not a serious shortcoming because, armed with around 100 cannons firing 32, 24 and 18-pounder balls on their three decks, they can fire a terrible and destructive broadside. They carry a crew of over 800 sailors, gunners and marines and have more artillery than most land armies. Their cost, however, is a drawback and few navies can afford to build or maintain more than a handful of them. Their great size, however, means that an admiral and his staff can be carried with little disruption to the normal working of the ship.

One first rate flagship never even reached the sea! The British Royal Navy’s HMS St Lawrence was built, launched and served only on Lake Ontario. Shallow rapids meant that few vessels could reach the lake from the sea, and Niagara Falls prevented any ship from leaving the lake in the other direction.

==Details==

Though very expensive, these ships are the equal or superior in terms of firepower and morale to almost every other warship in the game (with the exception of the [[Heavy First Rate (ETW Unit)|Heavy First Rate]]. The dedicated flagships are no exception to this, boasting higher morale and hull strength. Certainly, if the opposing fleet is made up of vessels smaller than this one, it is unlikely that the battle will take very long. As with any ship of the line however these ships are best used in groups, or at the very least with the support of other vessels of their class. A 1st Rate caught on its own and surrounded, even if it is only surrounded by smaller vessels, will find it very difficult indeed to break out and win the day.

==Factions==
{{List Column|3|
*[[Image:Britain_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Great Britain (ETW Faction)|Great Britain]]
*[[Image:Dutch_flag.jpg|25px]] [[United Provinces (ETW Faction)|United Provinces]]
*[[Image:Afghanistan.jpg|25px]] [[Afghanistan (ETW Faction)|Afghanistan]]
*[[Image:Austria_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Austria (ETW Faction)|Austria]]
*[[Image:Barbary_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Barbary States (ETW Faction)|Barbary States]]
*[[Image:Bavaria_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Bavaria (ETW Faction)|Bavaria]]
*[[Image:Dagestan_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Dagestan (ETW Faction)|Dagestan]]
*[[Image:Gran_Colombia_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Gran Colombia (ETW Faction)|Gran Colombia]]
*[[Image:Courland_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Courland (ETW Faction)|Courland]]
*[[Image:Denmark.png|25px]] [[Denmark (ETW Faction)|Denmark]]
*[[Image:France_flag.jpg|25px]] [[France (ETW Faction)|France]]
*[[Image:Genoa_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Genoa (ETW Faction)|Genoa]]
*[[Image:Georgia_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Georgia (ETW Faction)|Georgia]]
*[[Image:Greece_flag.png|25px]] [[Greece (ETW Faction)|Greece]]
*[[Image:Hannover_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Hannover (ETW Faction)|Hannover]]
*[[Image:Hessen_flag.png|25px]] [[Hessen (ETW Faction)|Hessen]]
*[[Image:Hungary_flag_etw.png|25px]] [[Hungary (ETW Faction)|Hungary]]
*[[Image:Flag_Ireland.jpg|25px]] [[Ireland (ETW Faction)|Ireland]]
*[[Image:St_John_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Knights of St. John (ETW Faction)|Knights of St. John]]
*[[Image:Louisiana_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Louisiana (ETW Faction)|Louisiana]]
*[[Image:Mamelukes.jpg|25px]] [[Mamelukes (ETW Faction)|Mamelukes]]
*[[Image:Maratha_Monarchy.jpg|25px]] [[Maratha Confederacy (ETW Faction)|Maratha Confederacy]]
*[[Image:Mexico_flag_etw.png|25px]] [[Mexico (ETW Faction)|Mexico]]
*[[Image:Morocco_flag_ETW.png|25px]] [[Morocco (ETW Faction)|Morocco]]
*[[Image:Mughal_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Mughal Empire (ETW Faction)|Mughal Empire]]
*[[Image:Mysore_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Mysore (ETW Faction)|Mysore]]
*[[Image:Naples_and_Sicily_ETW.png|25px]] [[Naples & Sicily (ETW Faction)|Naples & Sicily]]
*[[Image:New_spain_flag.jpg|25px]] [[New Spain (ETW Faction)|New Spain]]
*[[Image:Norway_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Norway (ETW Faction)|Norway]]
*[[Image:Ottoman_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Ottoman Empire (ETW Faction)|Ottoman Empire]]
*[[Image:Italian_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Italian States (ETW Faction)|Italian States]]
*[[Image:Savoy_ETW.png|25px]] [[Savoy (ETW Faction)|Savoy]]
*[[Image:Poland_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Poland-Lithuania (ETW Faction)|Poland-Lithuania]]
*[[Image:Portugal_flagetw.png|25px]] [[Portugal (ETW Faction)|Portugal]]
*[[Image:Prussia_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Prussia (ETW Faction)|Prussia]]
*[[Image:Punjab_(ETW).png|25px]] [[Punjab (ETW Faction)|Punjab]]
*[[Image:Quebec.jpg|25px]] [[Quebec (ETW Faction)|Quebec]]
*[[Image:Russia_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Russia (ETW Faction)|Russia]]
*[[Image:Persia_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Persia (ETW Faction)|Persia]]
*[[Image:Saxony_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Saxony (ETW Faction)|Saxony]]
*[[Image:Scotland_ETW.png|25px]] [[Scotland (ETW Faction)|Scotland]]
*[[Image:Spain_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Spain (ETW Faction)|Spain]]
*[[Image:Sweden_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Sweden (ETW Faction)|Sweden]]
*[[Image:13_colonies_flag.jpg|25px]] [[Thirteen Colonies (ETW Faction)|Thirteen Colonies]]
*[[Image:United_States_flag.jpg|25px]] [[United States (ETW Faction)|United States]]
*[[Image:Venice_ETW.png|25px]] [[Venice (ETW Faction)|Venice]]
*[[Image:Westphalia_ETW.png|25px]] [[Westphalia (ETW Faction)|Westphalia]]
*[[Image:Flag_Wurttemberg.jpg|25px]] [[Württemberg (ETW Faction)|Württemberg]]
}}

[[Category:Empire Total War Units]]
[[Category:ETW Ships]]