Caravela Redonda

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Whoever would go beyond the Cape
Must go beyond sorrow.

In game[edit | edit source]

Caravela Redonda
Caravela Redonda — Vital statistics
Caravela Redonda

Light ship, slightly weaker than normal war galleys but with a cheap pricetag, added attack and speed.

Prereq: Build time HP LOS Attack Attack speed Movement
speed
Upgrade of Upgrades to
  • Late Mediaeval Era [3];
  • Level 1: Caravan Train Commerce
10s
(150t)
140 12 11 1.6s
(25t)
50

Barque

Cost Created from Armour Weapon range Specialty
Base Ramp Pop
Timber: 30;
Food.jpg: 30
Food.jpg: 1;
1 Estaleiro.png 1 0–5
Portugal.jpg

Overall strategy[edit | edit source]

The Caravela Redonda is by far the most influential ship in Naval history. This ship alone resulted in the creation of a long line of new ships that goes as far as the supercarriers of today, and although small, it was yet durable and so capable of sailing across oceans, making the Age of Discovery possible as well.

The caravela is one of two warships which are known for being the fastest and the least complicated to build (the other being the baghlah hrbiya). On its own, the caravel is cheaper than the brigantine, making it a powerful vessel off its own accord. To note, the caravela also has another bonus: it does not require Legalism as does the brigantine, thus making it easier for both Portugal and Spain to experience the Age of Discovery by removing one layer of research required to build it. As with other light ships, however, it is always vulnerable to heavier warships: well-aimed shots by the far-reaching lanternas or the formidable carrack will easy sink a caravela if it strays too close into range.

History[edit | edit source]

In the early 15th century a caravel was termed as a Portuguese two-masted, lateen rigged and carvel-built vessel with forecastle and deckhouse, designed for trade in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast. The caravel was the “work-horse” of the Spanish and Portuguese during the Early Modern Period. This ship allowed for the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus and the small yet durable ship was capable of sailing across oceans, making the European Age of Discovery possible as well. The hulls of caravels were a mixture of Iberian and Arab design and were carvel-built, with the strakes, or planks, of the hull being butt-jointed along their edges; not overlapping (clinker built). This meant less drag, easier cleaning and enabled the use of shorter boards and the construction of a double hull if required. These methods were not new, but the size and rigging arrangements of caravels were vastly varied. The caravela latina was the first design change, with a slimmer hull and three masts, though still all lateen rigged. This was followed by the caravela redonda, a three masted vessel, square-rigged on the fore- and mainmast, however the mizzen retained the lateen sail as an aid to maneuverability. Topsails were eventually employed on board caravels., By the 16th century four-masted versions had appeared. A watercolour by 16th century CE Spaniard artist Monleon depicts two four-masted caravels square-rigged on only the foremast.

The success of the caravel owed much to its ability to adapt according to the varying needs and challenges of the era, thus causing an explosion in its use, and large carvel built vessels were being built in Holland and the Baltic by the second half of the fifteenth century. When Henry the Navigator began his search for a sea route to India in the 1420s one of his priorities was the development of a suitable vessel. Bartholomew Diaz sailed with two small caravels designed for poking about amongst the shoals and reefs of an unknown coast. Vasco da Gama, on the advice of Diaz, was supplied with much larger and heavily armed caravels. Columbus’ Niña and Pinta were small caravels. Magellan’s fleet included large four-masted caravels.

References[edit | edit source]

  • Dictionary of Ship Types; Conway Maritime Press
  • Parry JR; The Age of Exploration; University of California Press
  • Paine L, The Sea and Civilization; Atlantic Books, London