Turtle Ship (Civ5)/Civilopedia

These large, armored warships of the Choson dynasty played a crucial role in the defense of Korea during the Japanese invasions of the 16th century. Typically crewed by an equal compliment of soldiers and oarsmen, the Turtle Ship provided an aggressive close-assault ship for the Korean navy. Designed to strike fear in the enemy, each Turtle Ship featured a carved dragon figurehead on its bow, said to have emitted a cloud of sulfurous fumes to disguise the vessel's approach. Unlike the familiar designs used by sailing ships of the period, the Turtle Ship had no upper deck. The top level of the ship was covered in iron spikes to prevent boarding, with the oarsmen and soldiers segregated onto separate decks below. Armed with up to two dozen cannons and other small projectile weapons, the Turtle Ship was a dangerous foe for the unprepared navies of Korea's enemies.