3rd Rate Ship: Ultimate Guide for the Oak & Iron Ship

Historical Background

The 3rd rate is another classification developed by the English Navy. They were 1400-1750 ton ships with 64-80 cannons. Early versions had two full decks and a partial third deck. Later into the 18th century they became longer and built almost exclusively as two-deckers. They also featured several smaller weapons and swivel guns on the quarterdeck, forecastle, and poop deck (if they had one). They were manned by 500-650 men.

These were the true workhorses of nearly every nation’s navy. For warships, they were at the crossroads of economical to build and maintain, good sailing speed, and solid firepower. They were powerful enough to operate independently or as the flagships of small squadrons. Their durability led to their deployment in Europe, Africa, India, the Caribbean

3rd Rate Ship of the Line – Oak & Iron Stat Card

3rd Rate Ship Analysis

3rd Rate Ship Overview & Tactics

The 3rd largest ship in the game, it is the smallest of the monster ships. It is the first ship that adds the Weight of Fire. That ability reduces the opponent ship’s Fortitude by one when within Musket Range. Against ships with a base Fortitude of 2, it can chew them to splinters in short order. I can’t emphasize just how powerful this ability can be.

This is also the first ship to field Very High Freeboard. That ability is the best there is in the game at keeping your Fatigue high as your opponent has to score 3 hits to inflict a single point of Fatigue. Fatigue will make or break your success, so being able to avoid taking it is vital.

In a 100 and 200-point game, this ship is an EXCELLENT choice for your flagship as it has excellent durability, while still being fast and maneuverable.

Product Referral Links

This ship is available in the Ships of the Line expansion pack for Oak & Iron