Schooners are two-masted vessels with both masts having sails loosely mounted on gaffs and two or more headsails (staysails mounted forward of the foremast). Not designed for combat, they were built primarily for cargo, passenger, and fishing purposes.
During the Napoleonic era, schooners were used to deliver dispatches rather than diverting more important warships for the purpose. In fact, their size and speed made them ideal for this purpose. Such ships were sometimes criticized by the Admiralty for their longevity and inherent weakness, without understanding their exact purpose.
This is not to say that schooners did not actively participate in combat. Their speed made them ideal for intercepting slave ships, for example.
Schooners are considered small ships in the Black Sea, operating only a single light broadside gun. Nevertheless, schooners form the ideal basis of a Privateer fleet.
Contains 6 metal vessels
- Warlord Games: Black Seas
