Advice needed. Steamships or 50+ gun ships of the line. Which do you prefer?

In my Prussia campaign, I am really getting pounded by the French and English navy, yes, it is late game and most of the nations are allied against me and my several tiny protectorates. So since I can never hope to even approach the numerical superioity of the French, English, and Spanish fleets, which are better for an outnumbered Navy, steamship frigates and ironclads, or superheavy 50+ gun ships of the line?

I'd take u-boats, and luftwaffe since they're about as historically appropriate as steamships and ironclads.

Originally Posted by tater

I'd take u-boats, and luftwaffe since they're about as historically appropriate as steamships and ironclads.

LOL!

Originally Posted by tater

I'd take u-boats, and luftwaffe since they're about as historically appropriate as steamships and ironclads.

lol, only if I can build Stukas as Prussia...

Originally Posted by tater

I'd take u-boats, and luftwaffe since they're about as historically appropriate as steamships and ironclads.

that was a good one Rep+ even though i like the Ironclad ships in the game. But is it me or do the ironclad ships look like any other ship of the line? didn't they suppose to have some kind of metal plating for extra protection? How come the extra armor is not visible? just curious.


To answer the question give me a fleet of Ironclad ships and i will steamroll any fleet.

The steamships have more manouverability but less firepower, the guns of the line have more firepower but less manouverability.

I myself prefer manouverability over firepower, it's really a matter of how you play naval battles.

well the ships with more 50+ are better because if your enemy outnumbers you then you can demast ships to capture instead of wait for a navy to be built

when i had empire installed, i always took two steamships with a fleet of other class ships, usually with one admirals 1st rate or the hms victory as the command flag ship.
the steamships were purely support ships, they would go out far flanks while the line ships form a line and come in behind the enemy fleet and do crosss seam tactics with constant shooting.
while they werent enough to say, destroy a first rate in a timely fashion, they did reduce morale for the enemy quite well and they were also very very good at demasting ships from the rear.
i wouldnt dare use a fleet of them however, i feel they wouldnt get the win without heavy casualties against an equal enemy

Ironclads are the only hope you have of matching up with 100+ gun ships.

In my prussia campaign I've created the most modern navy in the world, 2 fleets (Northern and Mediterranean) of 6 ironclads and 12 paddle frigates each. It's expensive as hell, but very powerful.

Originally Posted by the_mango55

Ironclads are the only hope you have of matching up with 100+ gun ships.

In my prussia campaign I've created the most modern navy in the world, 2 fleets (Northern and Mediterranean) of 6 ironclads and 12 paddle frigates each. It's expensive as hell, but very powerful.

That's pretty much the route I'm trying to go, my only fleet, composed mostly of 'wooden' superheavies, was smashed to pieces in the mediteranean. With no fleet and my trade routes either being raided to hell or destroyed outright, its really ruining my land campaign.

Wasn't everyone supposed to be allied against France though?

Give me a full stack of 122 gun ships of the line any day. You can have your steamships and we'll see who wins

Originally Posted by Chyeaaaa111

Give me a full stack of 122 gun ships of the line any day. You can have your steamships and we'll see who wins

yeah, i think the only difference is health...I'm guessing NTW doesn't have any type of an armor system in place.

Originally Posted by Chyeaaaa111

Give me a full stack of 122 gun ships of the line any day. You can have your steamships and we'll see who wins

Prussia can't build normal ships larger than 74 guns.

And an ironclad matches up very well with a 122 gun, it's got bigger guns on average so the firepower disparity isn't that great, it's more maneuverable, and has a stonger hull.

I think though some units are unrealistic they are added so you can go beyond the historical limitations into the next evolution of the weapons. I like it that way. I always thought it was a weakness in the games, particularly Rome, that a nation couldn't go outside the box with the technology.

As for what ships to go for I'd say steam, so you've got the ability to duck and dive more. If you can't outrun your enemy you will have to fight him, and if you can't win that fight you're boned, so at least with steam ships you can do a runner or dictate the engagement.

There were steam vessels (sailing ships with the addition of steam, like the USS Hartford), and then "ironclads" like Monitor and Merrimac. While some steamed along the coast, they were not "blue water" craft, at best littoral, and the bulk of them were actually river boats. They proved to be almost impossible to sink with contemporary naval units, and a principal counter became an armored ram ship (sort of a steam powered trireme).