Frigate

The Frigate is one of the strongest and most durable combat warships in Age of Empires III.

Overview
The Frigate, with a base hitpoints of 2000, has 800 more hitpoints than the next warship, the shore-ravaging Monitor. As the Monitor can't really fight anything tougher than a Caravel, this is the high-end ship to ship warship of choice for use past the Fortress Age. Like all warships, the Frigate can transport 50 units, and blast close-to-shore buildings and units. However some buildings such as fully upgraded Outposts or Forts will decimate the ships. The Frigate can be upgraded to an Imperial Age Man-of-War (Ship of the Line). Frigates can also be upgraded at a Dock with the Armor Plating and Carronade bonuses.

Since the release of The WarChiefs and The Asian Dynasties expansions, they are no longer the most effective warship. Spanish Galleons are now the most durable ship sailing the seas, while the Chinese Fuchuan is the most destructive ship to ship vessel.