COMMENTS:
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The Bretonnian fleets are led by proud Galleons, huge Men O War rivalling Imperial Greatships in size. Galleons are built in the King's shipyard from carefully selected oak timbers. The laying of each keel is a notable occasion marked by a great religious service as the keel is blessed. When the ships are launched there is much feasting and a holiday is declared. The Bretonnians love their Galleons and are intensely proud of them.
Despite their size, Galleons are swift, the skill of their crew enabling them to manoeuvre as well as many smaller vessels.
By tradition each Bretonnian Galleon is crewed by volunteers, carefully selected from the ranks of the Bretonnian Navy: they are an elite crew, proud of their ship and their skill in handling her. Their captains are dashing, flamboyant individuals much given to attempting showy manoeuvres to prove their skill and courage.
Given the enormous firepower of these vessels and their tremendous resilience they can often survive seemingly suicidal tactics such as sailing into the middle of an opposing fleet.
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Corsairs and the greatest Bretonnian Ship of the Line. They are swift, heavily armed craft ideal for long sea voyages and deadly combat. In battle their thunderous broadsides strike terror into the hearts of Bretonnia's enemies.
Each ship's crew is taught to respect their captain and believe their ship is the finest craft that has ever sailed. This means there is tremendous rivalry among the crews to prove their valour and skill, and each ship in a squadron will vie to sink the most enemy ships. Almost in contradiction to this rivalry is each squadron's fond belief that it is the finest unit of the Bretonnian Navy and, in spite of any rivalry between crews, they will always aid their fellows in combat.
In battle Corsairs sail in long lines astern, hoping to find a gap in the enemy line and sail into it, firing broadsides on both sides simultaneously.
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Buccaneers patrol the coast of Bretonnia. They are small craft crewed by private individuals who are chartered by the Bretonnian King to keep the sea lanes clear. In times of war these small, catapult-armed ships are used to swell the numbers of the Bretonnian fleet. The crews of Buccaneers tend to be villainous individuals, lacking the discipline and elan of Corsair crews. Many are condemned criminals, spared the gallows if they will sign on the crew of a Buccaneer. The officers on these ships are the hardest men afloat, maintaining discipline among their men with fear and the leash.
On Buccaneers, weapons are only broken out before battle. Bretonnian Admirals don't think twice before sending Buccaneers to their doom in combat, often using them to block other ships reaching the Galleons.
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