Records: Rise of the English Galleons

## **The First Galleon is launched**

The Royal Company (RC) had been founded in August of 1376, and the RC's *Shipworks* – their maritime branch – had been founded and tied in the new Royal Office of Works in October. The RC reclamation and rehabilitation of Thames swampland had been a magically-driven industrial operation, largely free of witnesses simply because there weren't many folk around and it wasn't easy to get there (much less snap pics with their phone).

Within four months, the channels were dredged, the world's first dry dock built, logistics and administrative structures erected and staff were recruited and [magically] trained.

Ten (10) keels lain in March, by September, the first merchantman galleon was ready – and was christened “Endeavour." These were monstrously huge ships for the time, dwarfing even the *Dieulagarde* Royal carrack.

The Royal Company hired a crew of professional sailors – and trained them into *expert* sailors. This was balmy September, so a nice bonus as these ships dropped jaws up and down the Thames.

Not only were these sea beasts engineered and built to a standard that wouldn't be common for another three-four hundred years, both the construction and the ship itself had points that were actual Merlin's Magic.

Instead of taking it conservatively, the crew was bursting with pride to work on what had to be the largest ship in the world. Shakedown and sea trials began immediately.

There were another 9 hulls on the way – this first crew knew exactly what was going on: *they were going to be the crew leaders spread among the 10-boat Royal Company fleet*.

Over the next 6 weeks, they discovered the *Endeavour* was not only the largest thing on the sea, it was the fastest, as well. By October, they'd mastered major loads and offloads of the vessel – and refining that practice by shipping between London, Calais and ports in Flanders – *making a tidy profit as they worked*.

As the rest of the ships were christened, new crew was brought mixed into the Endeavour and portions of the old crew went to the new ships and took on new trainees there.

### *RC Keel Group One*

* ***Endeavour*** (1 – RC)
* ***Enterprise*** (2 – RC)
* ***Discovery*** (3 – RN, logs/special)
* ***Explorer*** (4 – RN, logs/special)
* ***Venture*** (5 – RC)

### *RC Keel Group Two*

* ***Britannia*** (6 – RN, logs)
* ***Albion*** (7 – RN, logs)
* ***Hibernia*** (8 – RN, logs)
* ***Poseidon*** (9 – RN) [Man-o-war]
* ***Neptune*** (10 – RN) [Man-o-war]

By mid-January, Keel Group One was complete and the Royal Company was in the shipping business. Keel Group Two was complete by March of 1378. That would give the Royal Arms the ability to safely transport an entire regiment (1,756+ soldiers, 519 horses, 127 massive War Wagons, 40 cannon, etc.) in one ship, in one trip.

This seemed absolutely absurd – until realized that with the Order of Merlin associated, there was obviously something they weren't talking about...

## The *RCA* was aboard…

The *Royal Company at Arms* had been formed, now providing safety and security at *all* RC facilities, including Rainham and other spots around England and Aquitaine.

As the RC galleons were built, the RCA tapped in to the Royal Arms training, including the new Royal Marines, and now the RCA provided maritime security for RC nautical assets. As professional soldiers go, this was a *prestige group*.

Unlike the Royal Marines, the RCA handled the gunner positions for RC ships. These were specialized, dedicated positions, just as the Royal Navy handled gunnery for navy ships, but in this case, combat on these private vessels would be the purview of professional soldiers.

### **The Guns of the Galleons**

The Battle of Arundel had demonstrated the devastating power of the new stainless steel cannons. The Regiment of St. George had 40 cannons (not counting the other mounted weapons on the War Wagons), but the Endeavour had more. *On a ship*.

It was estimated the *Endeavour* alone could sink the entirety of the French fleet – but they wouldn't. That wasn't what these ships were designed for.