HMS Tartarus

The HMS Tartarus is the second most powerful ship in the Royal Navy of England. It has one-hundred and six guns, all twenty-four pound cannons.

History
The original blueprints for the HMS Tartarus were made in Spain around the early 1600s. It was a private construction, done by a wealthy shipwright who owned a private port in the far south. However, at the time, he did not have the proper technology or building supplies, so he left it dormant for three years in drydock.

In 1612, a small fleet of pirates from the Barbary Coast began attacking Spanish and Sicilian villages that faced the Mediterranean. One of those places ransacked was the shipwright's drydock. They stripped the ship of all usable supplies, and raided the shipwright's house. The plans were stolen, and sold to a welathy family in Oran. There, the plans gathered dust in the storage cellar until 1733, when the British came.

A military squadron from Gibraltar was sent to do covert operations in Oran. One soldier, a Mr. Charles Hangrim, let himself get hired by the wealthy family as a servant. At night, he would prowl their compound. After two years, he discovered the blueprints. Just as he was leaving the cellar, however, he was caught by a guard. He grabbed the closest weapon, a unique antique pistol, and killed the guard. That alerted the rest. However, they were too slow for Hangrim's quick and nimble feet. After dropping a few grenades and lighting off some stolen gunpowder, he jumped from the burning complex. He ran for two days until he reached Gibraltar. When he turned in the designs to the highest officer present, Hangrim was given the Victorian Cross, and the blueprints were sent to the Royal Museum.

Several years later, Matthew Blastshot was sent by His Majesty to retrieve the blueprints and begin building. Shocked at the complexity of the designs, it was sent to Daggerpaine Industries to begin production. Production began in February of 1742, and on June 25th of 1744, it was completed.

When Lord Blastshot asked King George what to do with it, the king simply replied, "Our strongest colony at the moment is Boston, yes? Send it to New England." And so, the HMS Tartarus arrived at Boston harbour in mid-July.

Today, it can sometimes be seen in the Caribbean, when a certain colony or ship needs an escort of the highest importance.

Stats
Name: HMS Tartarus

Type: Second Rate ship of the line

Broadsides: 106 24 pound cannons

Topside Guns: 20

Speed: 32 knots