battle-units

Updated: May 19, 2025

So far the system of rating was sound enough, but when we come to the third rate we find it includes 80-gun ships, which were also of three decks, while the bulk of the rest were 70-gun two-deckers. The fourth rate was also composed of two-decked ships weak battle-units of 60 and 50 guns and this was far the largest class. All these four rates were classed as ships-of-the-line.

Sir Julian Stafford Corbett - Some Principles of Maritime Strategy