Ship of the Line

A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th century through the mid-19th century.

It was the culmination of a naval tactic known as the line-of-battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear. Since these engagements were almost invariably won by the heaviest ships carrying the most powerful guns, the natural state of progression was to build the largest, most powerful sailing vessels at the time, which in turn would lead to the title line-of-battle-ship being bestowed upon them, in effect making these vessels the ancestors of the battleship.

Notable ships of the line

 * HMS Dauntless