The Battleship is a Modern Era ranged naval unit in Civilization VI. It upgrades from the Frigate and requires Coal.
- Has range of 3
- Can counter air units
Strategy
The Battleship is the backbone of the Modern Era fleet. Bristling with guns, clad in armor, it has longer range than any previous unit in the game, which allows it to not only attack targets far inland, but also to bombard Coastal cities from a safe distance! Note, however, that its type of damage is still Ranged, not Bombard, so it will be less effective against City Defenses.
The Battleship can also defend against aerial attacks, and it is the first ship of the modern fleet that can do so. This makes it very important to acquire as early as possible, especially if potential enemies are developing air power. The problem is that the Battleship requires a strategic resource - Coal, just as the Ironclad. If you haven't managed to acquire it somehow, your entire fleet will remain stuck in the Renaissance Era!
Historical Context
The evolution of the dreadnought that dominated the waves of the early 20th Century was the battleship … bigger, faster, with bigger guns and thicker armor, able to sink anything else (including each other) afloat with a single salvo. The first “true” battleships to see action appeared at Jutland in 1916 AD, where – mixed with a motley collection of dreadnoughts and battle-cruisers – the German and British ones fought to a draw. In the inter-war years, the battleship evolved into the behemoth of popular thought, despite the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and other bits of international paper that tried to limit their size and armament. Not only was WW2 the golden age of the battleship – and all the best known sailed those troubled times: Bismarck, Hood, Arizona, Yamato, and Missouri among many others – it also witnessed its demise. By the end warplanes, submarines, radar-guided missiles and other technological marvels had relegated battleships to floating shore batteries and rusting tourist attractions.