first rate
first rate
the first rate is the largest type of “ship of the line of battle”, intended to be the cenre of any fleet. these are very expensive and powerful vessels. while these warships are among the most powerful vessels afloat, they are poor sailors, being both slow and unresponsive. this is not a serious shortcoming because, armed with around 100 cannons firing 32-, 24- and 18-pounder balls on their three decks, they can fire a terrible and destructive broadside. they carry a crew of over 800 sailors, gunners and marines and hve more artillery than most land armies. their cost, however, is a drawback and few nvies can afford to build or maintain more than a handful of them. historically, first rates were never common, and hardly ever sent to overseas stations. they existed purely to fight in set-piece battles, and were not used for mundane duties such as protecting merchantmen, policing the seas and hunting down privateers.
将强悍的实力与高昂的造价集于一身，一级舰是战列舰中的巨无霸，舰队中的旗舰与核心。
虽然一级舰的战斗力无可匹敌，但作为一种航行工具， 她的表现相当不尽如人意：航速缓慢，转向迟钝，机动性差。这种糟糕表现主要应“归功”于加厚的巨大船体和100门舰炮的总重量令一级舰吃水过深。不过，一个硬币总是有两面——加厚橡木船壳令一级舰极难沉没，在炮战中支撑更长时间；而三层炮甲板搭载的100门以上（比多数陆军部队携带的火炮还要多）的18 磅，24磅乃至32磅舰载加农炮能够发动狂飙般毁灭性的舷侧齐射，消灭任何来犯之敌。
实际上，机动性并非一级舰的真正命门。一级舰的致命缺陷，在于她那高得令人乍舌的价格。建造保养这么一艘庞然大物再加上铸造100多门炮的费用已经是天文数字；如果她出海远航，还要为船上800多名海员，炮手和水兵发放给养和军饷：简直就是在烧钱！仅有少数几个最富有的国家才能养得起这些老爷船——也只能养得起寥寥几艘。因此，一级舰的数量稀少，并且从来都不去海外执行诸如保护商船，清缴海盗，维持治安之类的琐事。一级舰天生就是用来打大仗的。
