Frigate
The frigate was a class of warship operated by, among others, the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese navies. In the case of the Spanish and British navies, they also served as money ships in naval convoys, often carrying up to 5,000 Spanish reales.
During the Golden Age of Piracy, the frigate was among the most well-armed class of warships in operation throughout the Caribbean, shy of the greater Man O' War. Each ship bore three masts, and was capable of fielding up to forty-six guns over two decks; on top of this, they were fitted with heavy shot.
During the Seven Years' War, frigates were a common ship of both the Royal Navy and the French Navy as well as the Assassin Fleet. At the Siege of Louisbourg, Battle of Quiberon Bay, and the Battle of Labrador, frigates are the lead ships of the first wave of the French Navy during these battles.
Frigates use their mix of speed and firepower to move alongside ships, deliver broadsides and then move out of the way of returning fire.
Trivia
- In the memory Men O'War in Assassin's Creed: Rogue, frigates from the Royal Navy launched mortars against the French Navy but frigates are never fought with mortars equipped in the game and in Assassin's Creed IV:Black Flag.
- The Heavy Shot used by Frigates vary to its 'ship level' where level 23 frigates cannot use its heavy shot since it lacked cannons at the upper deck. While level 29 and 38 frigates could unleash Heavy Shots.
- The abandoned ships in Rogue were always British frigates.
- Four frigates could be seen in the background in the Battle of Quiberon Bay and the Siege of Louisbourg, though they function as cosmetics of the background rather than real ships.
Notable frigates
- Greyhound
- Henderson
- Hercules
- HMS Defiance
- HMS Intrigue
- Independence
- La Belladonna
- Orpheus
- Princess
- Queen Anne's Revenge
- Royal African Pearl
- Saint James
- San Lorenzo
- Whydah
- USS Randolph
Reference