The Russian Navy

Created by Tsar Haenar III of Russia, the Russian Navy was reorginized in 1748 for the pleasure of the Tzar and for the Security of the people of Russia.

106 Gun Ships-of-the-Line:
A 106-gun ship-of-the-line has an impressive array of guns and is intended to be the centrepiece of a fleet. While these warships are among the most powerful vessels afloat, they are lubberly sailors, being both slow and unresponsive. This is not a serious shortcoming because, armed with 106 cannons firing 32-, 24-, and 18-pounder balls on their three decks, they deliver a terrible and destructive broadside. They actually 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.

80 Gun Ships-of-the-Line:
This is a heavily-armed vessel, with a destructive close range broadside and a very strong hull to withstand return fire. These large two-decker ships-of-the-line can hold more and heavier guns than most two-deck vessels. They carry 32- and 24-pounders. These powerful cannon do not have the fast reloading times of lighter pieces, but make up for that with weight of shot. It is most advantageous for a captain to hold his fire until close to the enemy, in order to do the maximum possible damage.

74 Gun Ships-of-the-Line:
The 74-gun ship is an excellent blend of firepower and handling. It is a stable gun platform and has more guns than many armies! The 74 is a supremely practical naval weapon and regarded as the best balance between defensive strength and manoeuvrability. A two-deck design, it is strong enough to mount very heavy 32-pounder cannons on its lower gun deck. These, when combined with the upper deck’s 18-pounders, give it a devastating broadside, although this is best delivered at close quarters.

64 Gun Ships-of-the-Line:
The 64-gun ship-of-the-line can hold its own in battle, but is cheaper to build and run than heavier ships. The 64-gun ship may lack some of the firepower of the other ships-of-the-line, but it still has a respectable broadside, and can be constructed at a lower cost. It can be regarded as a stepping stone between 50- and 74-gun ships, with more broadside weight than the first yet with a faster reloading time than the second thanks to its lighter cannons. Opinions differ as to whether this is a happy compromise.

50 Gun Ships-of-the-Line:
This is the smallest vessel styled a “ship-of-the-line” of battle, carrying some 50 long guns. Ships-of-the-line are the mainstay of fighting fleets; they are strong and stable gun platforms for battering enemy fleets to pieces. A 50-gun ship-of-the-line is a square-rigged, two-deck vessel, carrying two calibres of cannon: 24- and 18-pounders, with the heavier guns mounted on the lower deck. Though cheap compared to other two-deck warships, their broadside is still effective at close range, and best employed against frigates and smaller craft. A 50-gun ship should not be expected to last long in combat against larger battleships.

38 Gun Frigate:
This single-deck vessel carries 18-pounder cannons, giving it a substantial broadside for such a manoeuvrable ship. This frigate is the largest design of the type, and the relatively heavy 18-pounders it carries balance both firepower and reasonable accuracy. Against another frigate, the 38 is a dangerous opponent, but in close combat against a ship-of-the-line it is outmatched: like all frigates, it has been built for speed, not hull strength. In battle against a powerful enemy the best strategy is to keep out of range, and choose when and where to engage, taking advantage of the fact that the crew can reload the 18-pounders relatively quickly.

32 Gun Frigate:
A 32-gun frigate is a single deck warship, mostly used for convoy raiding and protection. This square-rigged ship is armed with 12-pounders on the only gun deck. The cannons it carries do not have the same punch as the guns found on larger ships, but they are more than capable of damaging smaller ships. The speed and handling characteristics of a 32-gun frigate allow it to choose when and where to engage a slower enemy. Whereas most ships must blast away at close range, this frigate can pepper an enemy at a distance.

24 Gun Frigate:
A frigate is a fast and manoeuvrable single-deck vessel, used for reconnaissance and missions in distant waters. This 24-gun ship is not a ship-of-the-line, and would not last long in combat against such an opponent. Rather than heavy firepower, it is built for speed and easy handling; the guns on board are much lighter than those used by even the smallest battle ship. A frigate is not suited to close combat, its hull and masts would not survive a heavy enemy broadside. Instead, their advantage lies in the long range qualities of their relatively accurate 9-pounder guns, and their manoeuvrability against lumbering ships. They can, quite simply, outmanoeuvre larger opponents, and choose to run if the odds are against them.

Carronade Frigate:
Carronade frigates are single-deck vessels, with extremely impressive short-range firepower. Normally frigates would be armed with long guns, probably no larger than 12-pounders. A few short-barrelled 64-pounder carronades might be aboard to give a close-in broadside more weight of shot. A carronade frigate goes one better, and carries nothing but carronades – short guns that are half the weight of the equivalent conventional cannon. While the weight of a broadside is truly awesome, the frigate has to get in close in order to blow an enemy to smithereens thanks to the carronades’ limited range.

Brig:
A brig is a lightly-armed, two-masted sailing ship, with exceptional handling and sailing qualities. In the hands of a good master, a brig is a handy little ship, and can almost turn in its own length. The square-rigged sails allow precise control. A good helmsman can swiftly bob in and out of range of larger, deadlier ships whose cannons could demolish the brig’s weak hull. This manoeuvrability makes up for the light armament, which consists of only 6-pounder cannons, which have little real firepower in naval terms.

Sloop:
A sloop-of-war is a very manoeuvrable sailing vessel, with enough firepower to sting larger opponents at the very least. Speed is the sloop’s weapon: a ketch-rigged sloop is capable of sailing very close to the wind, far closer indeed than many larger ships. This ability allows it to stay out of trouble, most of the time, if under a competent master. This is fortunate, as a sloop does not have the weight of shot, being armed with relatively light six-pounder cannon; or structural strength to last very long against a real battleship.