For the Empire: Total War version of this unit, see Sloop (Empire: Total War).
The Sloop is a type of light ship in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
A sloop-of-war is a very manoeuvrable sailing vessel, with enough firepower to sting larger opponents at the very least.
Speed is the sloop’s weapon: a ketch-rigged sloop is capable of sailing very close to the wind, far closer indeed than many larger ships. This ability allows it to stay out of trouble, most of the time, if under a competent master. This is fortunate, as a sloop does not have the weight of shot, being armed with relatively light six-pounder cannon; or structural strength to last very long against a real battleship.
A sloop was hardly ever the command of a post-captain, a man who was on the permanent list of naval officers. The commanding officer of a sloop was called “captain”, at least to his face, but his official title was usually “master and commander”; his rank, and pay, was that of lowly lieutenant. Commander as a naval rank, as opposed to job title, was a later development. This is why, somewhat confusingly to civilians, a naval commander is outranked by a naval captain, and it is still something that baffles Hollywood scriptwriters from time to time. Command of a sloop, however, was a chance for a young officer to get away from stuffy superiors and to shine in his own right as an aggressive and successful leader.
General Information[]
Sloops are very lightly armed, sporting barely more cannon than Merchantmen. However, they are among the most speedy and maneuverable ships in the game. They are excellent for chasing down routing ships; however, they are good for little else as their cannons prove ineffectual against practically any foe.
By default, sloops are the fastest early-game ships. They are also initally tied with brigs for having the greatest movement range on the campaign map, making them ideal for transporting troops and for scouting. However, they do not benefit from top gallants, and after this technology is researched, brigs are slightly faster, as well as being able to move farther on the campaign map.
Some factions' ship statistics are different from others; differences are listed below (traits that to not differ are not listed).
| Faction | Accuracy | Reloading | Hull Strength | Speed | Morale | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 80 | 60 | 170 | 27 | 8 | 270 SP/310 MP |
| Great Britain | 70 | 70 | 180 | 26 | 10 | 250 SP/280 MP |
| General | 70 | 60 | 170 | 26 | 8 | 240 SP/290 MP |
| Napoleon: Total War Ships | |
|---|---|
| Light Ships | Brig • Galley • Sloop |
| Frigates | 24-gun Frigate • 32-gun Frigate • 38-gun Frigate • Carronade Frigate • Razee |
| Ships of the Line | 106-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 122-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 50-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 64-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 74-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 80-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 86-gun Ship-of-the-Line • 98-gun Second Rate • HMS Elephant • Santissima Trinidad |
| Steam Ships | 38-gun Steam Ship • 80-gun Steam Ship • Ironclad • Steam Paddle Frigate |
| Trade Ships | Dhow (Trade Ship) • Indiaman (Trade Ship) • Merchantmen (Trade Ship) |
| Support Ships | Bomb Ketch • Rocket Ship |