View source for First Rate Ship of the Line (ETW Unit)

{{TW Unit|image=[[Image:1st_Rate.png]]
 |Class=1st Rate
 |Unit Size=264 men
 |Weaponry=102 guns
 |Region=Global
 |Recruitment Cost=3310
 |Upkeep Cost=820
 |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 centre of any fleet. These are very expensive and powerful vessels.

==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.

Historically, first rates were never common, and hardly ever sent to overseas stations. They existed purely to fight in set-piece battles, and were not used for mundane duties such as protecting merchantmen, policing the seas and hunting down privateers.

==Details==

With their one hundred or so cannons and their large complement of crew, first rates can easily overpower nearly any other ship in a direct engagement. First rates are also extraordinarily difficult to sink in most circumstances; they also have high morale and inspire lesser ships around them. These qualities all make them very suitable as admiral's ships. However, they are slow and unwieldy, and faster, lesser ships may be able to outwit and defeat them. First rates are some of the most expensive units to build and maintain, so it is ill-advised to construct too many of them. The building requirements are steep, too: steam drydocks are required to build them, which in turn is only acquired late in the technology tree with numerous prerequisites.

==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: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: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: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:ETW Ships]]
[[Category:ETW Units]]