Sloop (ETW Unit)

Sloop (ETW Unit)
Class	Sloop
Unit Size	62 Men
Weaponry	18 Guns
Morale
Melee Attack
Ranged Attack
Defence
Charge Bonus
Accuracy
Range
Ammunition
Region	Global
Recruitment Cost	560
Upkeep Cost	140
Turns to Build
Unit Limit
Building Requirements	Fishing Fleet
Technology Requirements	None
Attributes	Broadside;

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

Overview

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!

Details

Sloops are very lightly armed, speedy, and cheap vessels available at the beginning of a campaign to any faction with a port. Although sloops are sufficient for very early naval engagements, their lack of firepower ensures that they are easily outclassed by other ships in later periods. Sloops are less heavily armed than brigs, but are speedier.

Sloops do not boast the firepower or manpower of brigs; however, they are slightly more resilient to the effects of grapeshot and chainshot, although being light ships they cannot hope to withstand a concentrate barrage for long.