Warships by Decade - From the Age of Sail to the Steel Beasts of Today
Naval battles have littered much of modern history with the victor usually going on to achieve greater control.
Naval warfare has evolved since the days of the old wood-and-sail creations that dotted the oceans. Once iron became a viable protection scheme, the ironclad was born and this forever changed the warplanner's approach to naval combat - particularly as seen in the American Civil War. From this evolution sparked a new one shortly thereafter as the steel capital ship was born and, from this, the all-big-gun, steam-powered vessels came into being. The battleship reigned over the high seas for a good part of modern naval history until supplanted by the aircraft carrier in World War 2 (1939-1945). Alongside this development was the submarine which graduated from the limited diesel-electric types to nuclear-powered models capable of indefinite range and long-range attacks.
