The Naval Act of 1794 established a permanent standing navy on 27 March 1794, in the US. Prior to this, a US Naval military presence had been left wanting for 10 years. By October 1797, the first three of six frigates launched; the USS United States, USS Constellation, and USS Constitution. Between 1798 and 99, several engagements took place between the US and France - though this was not a declared war. The First Barbary War of 1801-1805 saw actions against the Barbary pirates. The fleet would then see substantial action in the War of 1812 - achieving victory in 11 single ship engagements against the Royal Navy. British forces were forced off Lake Erie and Lake Champlain, effectively preventing the invasion of New York State. The fleet was, however, unable to prevent British blockades of US ports, the British Navy being significantly larger. Why sail the US Navy? The largest ships of the US Navy may pail in size in comparison to other nations, especially when using the National Special Rules (being unable to field any large or extra-large vessels). However, their frigates were exceptionally reinforced with many guns. To represent this, US fleets gain discounts to both the Over Gunned and Sturdy upgrades. They are both able to better weather punishment whilst dealing out a substantial portion themselves. Additionally, in a similar vein to British crews, US crews were routinely drilled and always receive the +1 bonus to hit rolls. This makes US frigates, the core of your fleet exceptionally dependable, though remember if you do purchase both upgrades on all your ships (even at a discount), you may find yourself outnumbered. —description from the publisher