Line of Battle (Civ6)/Civilopedia

Those thrilling images of towering ships-of-the-line in line of battle discharging broadsides at each other as they sail majestically along being battered to pieces are actually fairly accurate ... unlike some other film representations of history. The tactic in which a fleet of warships form a line stern to bow was devised at some point before 1555 AD, when the Portuguese writer Fernão de Oliveira recommended it as the ideal combat formation. Compared to other formations, each ship could fire its broadsides without fear of hitting a friendly ship, all of which were running either parallel or in opposite direction of the enemy ships. During World War I, line of battle was still being used by the battleships and cruisers of the Great Powers.