The Ironclad...

[Ymir9]

Is it me, or is it completely useless as anything other than as a poor man's destroyer?

I suppose if you had no iron OR oil it would be the best thing you could hope for, but otherwise it's nothing more than a non-upgradeable dead-end that's only slightly stronger than a Frigate and much less useful, and only one tech away from destroyers at that.

Here's how I would have it:

Frigate/Caravel ->[upgrades to:] Ironclad (+2 movement, can enter oceans, +~20% cost) -> Battleship

[Destroyer moved to Telegraph]

Come to think of it, this whole mid-Industrial period seems way too fast. It seems by the time I've built my first tile of railroad I'm already 5 turns away from tanks.

 

[12agnar0k]

The idea of the Iron Clad is that it can't sail oceans but is a damn sight better in combat than the ships from the age of sail. The Iron Clad is more of a coastal defence vessel if anything before you get the destroyer.

Having it able to sail Oceans isn't very realistic, but then again, thats not everything.

 

[Ymir9]

Ocean-going ironclads were common by the 1870's.
I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[Abremms]

its good for a stopgap defense if your faced with a fleet of frigates and don't have destroyers yet.

beyond that, coal is prolly better in factories.

 

[Dearmad]

It's a white elephant unit- it happens to be one of Sid's favorite units- this is why it's included in EVERY civ release.