Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:42:52-2:43:12

Later French warship designs in the fleet of 1750

Later French designs offer better ships, while the counterfactual assessment treats subsequent officer losses as the greater weakness.

Concorde Class FrigatesCounterfactual HistoryFrench NavyOcéan Class Ships of the LineRoyal NavyTemeraire Class Ships of the Line
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What if France in 1750 used Océan first rates, Téméraire third rates and Concorde frigates?

Short answer

Improved designs would not solve the officer problem in this assessment, and the Royal Navy might gain better prizes.

Notes

The imagined fleet receives later French designs across its ratings. In this assessment, subsequent officer losses would remain a more serious weakness than ship design. Better hulls alone would not resolve that institutional disruption. The prospect of the Royal Navy capturing the improved ships supplies the joke.