Naval Battles (ETW)
Empire Total War is the first Total War game yet to have fully 3D real time naval battles. In previous games they were just automatically resolved on the campaign map. This feature has been the focus of the marketing as it is the symbol of 18th century warfare.
Contents
General Information
The ETW game map consists of many different regions, ranging from the Americas to India. Therefore, the sea is more important than ever as especially the American continent can only be reached via ship. Furthermore, the land connection between the wealthy India and the European continent is occupied by the Ottoman Turks and Persians which makes sailing to the Indian continent the only option for most countries. Trade theaters are another new feature in Empire which make naval warfare even more important. Some important trade regions of the world such as South Africa and Indonesia are not part of the main 3D map and are instead represented as trade theaters. Since land troops cannot attack trade theaters, ships are the only means to conquer and defend them.
The Battles
The fleets in Empire: Total War consist of sailing ships. Therefore, the wind has a huge influence on battles at sea. During an encounter with foreign ships, the direction out of which the wind blows has to be taken into account. If the wind is not utilized, the ships will move very slowly or might even stop alltogether. Other factors such as storms play a role as well and can change the outcome of battles significantly.
During a battle, the ships will try to turn their sides towards the enemy in order to fire broadsides at the hostile units. Larger boats have much more firepower but they are not as mobile as their smaller counterparts. Therefore, fleets should consist of boats of different sizes to compensate for the disadvantages of the different types.
There are many different kinds of ships with varying numbers of decks and cannons. While the bigger ones are obviously much stronger than smaller vessels, the latter are generally considerably cheaper and also faster which makes maneuvering a lot easier. In order to gain access to stronger naval units, higher levels of military harbors have to be built. So far, a few naval units have been previewed (quoted paragraphs from the 'naval units' section of the official Total War website):
First Rate
First Rate
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.
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.
Razee
Razee
A razee is a robust frigate, created by cutting the top deck off a larger ship of the line.
Frigates are a vital part of any balanced sea-going fleet. They are cruisers that can operate independently and are swift enough to hunt down enemy merchantmen. the chance for prize money makes them popular postings among officers and men alike!
One way of creating a large, powerful frigate is to take a two-deck ship of the line and, in effect, saw off the top deck creating a single-deck frigate. The first result is that a 64-gun ship can now only carry 44 guns, but the ones that remain are the heavier than those normally found on a frigate, typically 32- or 24-pounders rather than the expected 18s! The second result is that the razee retains the strong timbers of the original 64, making it a robust ship in combat. Thirdly, having lost its upper works, the new ship generally handles rather well under sail. All this work takes time and valuable dock space, of course.
Historically, one of the most successful razees was HMS Indefatigable, commanded by Edward Pellew. In the company of another frigate, Pellew took on - and defeated - the Droits de l'Homme, a French 74, in 1797. During the next year or so, Pellew and the Indefatigable went on to take a further nine vessels.
Fifth Rate
Fifth Rate
Frigates are single-deck warships, used for a variety of tasks thanks to a combination of good handling, firepower and endurance at sea.
“Fifth rate” is a Royal Navy term for the largest of the single-deck frigates, square-rigged ships that carry some 44 guns, usually no heavier than 12-pounders. Originally a French design – but quickly adopted by the other European powers – the frigate is used for pursuit, convoy protection, commerce raiding and reconnaissance work. The design’s excellent sailing characteristics and good handling, especially in inshore waters, make it a useful addition to any blockading fleet. The frigate’s ability to operate far away from a home port also makes them it a useful cruiser, carrying the fight to the enemy in unexpected waters.
Frigates can have the advantage over larger, two-deck ships in rough waters. A frigate captain rarely has to worry about his gun deck taking on water, and can therefore fight in conditions that leave bigger ships at a disadvantage. However, fifth rates are not powerful enough to face battleships. They have the speed and handling to stay out of trouble; they do not have the strength of construction to survive a pounding! Against sloops, brigs and merchantmen, however, they are deadly. This makes them excellent postings for officers hungry for prize money and glory.
Frigates captains made splendid role models for fictional heroes: Thomas, Lord Cochrane earned a fortune in prize money, gained the nickname “le loup des mers” (sea-wolf) and was the inspiration for fictional heroes Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey.
Sloop
Sloop
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!
