Civilization Wiki
Register
Advertisement

BackArrowGreen Back to the list of units

Game Info[]

Melee naval unit of the Industrial Era. Upgrades from the Caravel. Requires Coal Coal.

  • Special abilities:
    • Bonus vs Cities (33)
    • Double Movement in Coast

Strategy[]

Ironclads are the first steam-powered warships available and the heralds of the new era of engine-based naval warfare. The Ironclad is purely a combat vessel: relying on very thick armor and powerful short-range cannons, they are harder to kill than any sailing vessel and their combat strength is much higher than that of sailing ships. These qualities prove especially useful when assaulting coastal cities of the era, whose defenses simply cannot deal with the Ironclad's thick armor.

Their main drawback is their slower speed in ocean tiles when compared to the Renaissance Era ships. Use them primarily for in-shore defense and to assault cities.

Civilopedia entry[]

Although visionaries had been dreaming of machine-powered armored vessels as far back as Leonardo da Vinci, ironclads first saw widespread use in the American Civil War in the mid 19th century. The first true ironclad battle was in the American Civil War in 1862, between the Union's Monitor and the Confederacy's Virginia (also known as the Merrimac). The battle raged on for four hours, with both vessels' cannon hammering away at each other to little effect, and the fight pretty much ended in a draw. However, the effect of the battle on the world was profound. In a single morning of inconclusive fighting these ponderous and clumsy vessels - able to move against the wind and mostly impervious to the cannon of the day - made every world's navy obsolete.

Trivia[]

Unofficial custom card[]

Unit-NavalMelee-Ironclad(content©Firaxis)

Custom homemade card featuring the Ironclad.

See also[]

Civilization V Units [edit]
Civilian Archaeologist BNW-onlyCaravan BNW-onlyCargo Ship BNW-onlySettlerWork BoatWorker
Land military Anti-Aircraft GunAnti-Tank GunArcher (Atlatlist GodsKings5 clearBowman1Slinger1) • ArtilleryBazooka BNW-onlyCannonCatapult (BallistaSiege Tower BNW-only) • Cavalry (Berber Cavalry BNW-onlyComanche Riders BNW-onlyCossackHussar GodsKings5 clear) • Chariot Archer (Hand-Axe BNW-onlyHorse Archer GodsKings5 clearWar ChariotWar Elephant) • Composite Bowman GodsKings5 clearCrossbowman (Chu-Ko-NuLongbowman) • Gatling Gun GodsKings5 clearGiant Death RobotGreat War Infantry GodsKings5 clear (Foreign Legion) • Helicopter GunshipHorseman (African Forest Elephant GodsKings5 clearCataphract GodsKings5 clearCompanion Cavalry) • Infantry (Pracinha) • Knight (Camel ArcherConquistador1Keshik1Mandekalu CavalryNaresuan's Elephant) • Lancer (Hakkapeliitta GodsKings5 clearSipahiWinged Hussar BNW-only) • Landship GodsKings5 clearLongswordsman (Berserker1Samurai) • Machine Gun GodsKings5 clearMarine GodsKings5 clearMechanized InfantryModern ArmorMobile SAMMusketman (JanissaryMinutemanMusketeerTercio1) • ParatrooperPikeman (Impi BNW-onlyLandsknecht) • Rifleman (Carolean GodsKings5 clearMehal Sefari GodsKings5 clearNorwegian Ski Infantry1) • Rocket ArtilleryScout (Pathfinder BNW-only) • Spearman (Battering Ram GodsKings5 clearHopliteImmortalPictish Warrior GodsKings5 clear) • Swordsman (Kris Swordsman BNW-onlyLegionMohawk Warrior) • Tank (Panzer) • Trebuchet (Hwach'a1) • Warrior (BruteJaguarMaori Warrior1) • XCOM Squad BNW-only
Naval military BattleshipCaravel (Nau BNW-onlyTurtle Ship1) • CarrierDestroyerFrigate (Ship of the Line) • Galleass (Great Galleass BNW-only) • GalleyIroncladMissile CruiserNuclear SubmarinePrivateer GodsKings5 clear (Sea Beggar GodsKings5 clear) • SubmarineTrireme (Quinquereme GodsKings5 clearDromon GodsKings5 clear)
Aircraft Atomic BombBomber (B17) • Fighter (Zero) • Great War Bomber GodsKings5 clearGuided MissileJet FighterNuclear MissileStealth BomberTriplane GodsKings5 clear
Religious Inquisitor GodsKings5 clearMissionary GodsKings5 clear
See also Great PeopleSpaceship Parts
1 Requires a DLC

GodsKings5 clear Added in the Gods & Kings expansion pack.
BNW-only Added in the Brave New World expansion pack.

Advertisement