Galleon

The galleon was the capital warship and treasure carrier of the Age of Exploration — the instrument by which Spain transferred the silver of Potosí and the gold of Mexico to European banks. A heavy, high-sided ship of three or four masts, it mounted rows of bronze cannon along two or three gun decks, capable of delivering devastating broadside fire. The Spanish Armada of 1588 was built around galleons; so were the fleets that escorted the Treasure Fleet across the Atlantic every year for more than a century. English privateers like Drake and Hawkins built their fortunes raiding them. The galleon sacrificed speed for firepower and cargo capacity, making it dominant in planned fleet engagements but vulnerable to fast, maneuverable attackers. In the game it is the premier heavy warship of the Renaissance, devastating in broadside combat against other large vessels and coastal fortifications, but slow and poorly suited to pursuit or evasion.