Frigate

“Full canvas! We shall run them down before nightfall.”

The Frigate is a fast, versatile sailing warship that combines decent firepower with excellent speed and the ability to traverse deep ocean. Carrying a broadside of cannons and room for transported units, the Frigate is the workhorse of Renaissance-era naval warfare.

Stats

Special: Cargo capacity: 2 units. Can traverse deep ocean.

Abilities

• Ranged Attack – Can fire at adjacent enemy units without taking melee retaliation.
• Transport – Can carry up to 2 land units across water.
• Ocean Capable – Can traverse deep ocean tiles, enabling transoceanic voyages.

Available Promotions

• Combat I – +10% attack (5 XP)
• Combat II – +10% attack (15 XP, requires Combat I)

Upgrade Path

Full chain: Galley –> Frigate –> Destroyer

Strategy

The Frigate opens the world. With the ability to cross deep ocean, it enables you to reach distant continents, establish overseas colonies, and project military power across the globe. Its cargo capacity of 2 units means a pair of Frigates can deliver a small invasion force – a Settler and an escort, or two combat units – to foreign shores.

In naval combat, the Frigate is a solid all-rounder. Its ranged attack allows it to engage without suffering melee retaliation, and its 4 Movement makes it fast enough to choose its engagements. Build a fleet of three to four Frigates to secure naval dominance in your theatre. They are particularly effective at blockading enemy coastal cities, cutting off sea trade routes, and supporting amphibious landings with naval gunfire. Upgrade to Destroyers when Sonar technology becomes available.

Historical Background

The frigate emerged in the 17th century as a distinct warship type – faster and more manoeuvrable than the lumbering ships of the line, but carrying enough guns to overpower anything it could not outrun. Frigates served as the “eyes of the fleet,” scouting ahead of battle formations, raiding enemy commerce, and carrying dispatches across vast oceanic distances.

The golden age of the frigate coincided with the great era of sail. During the Napoleonic Wars, British frigates maintained a near-total blockade of continental Europe, strangling French trade while the Royal Navy’s ships of the line secured command of the sea. American “super-frigates” like USS Constitution – built heavier and larger than their European counterparts – shocked the Royal Navy by defeating several British frigates during the War of 1812, earning Constitution the nickname “Old Ironsides” for its ability to shrug off enemy cannonballs.