Battleship The Battleship is the evolution of the feared War Galleon.Once navies began dividing their ship construction for trade and war purposes battleships soon became the ultimate prize for naval forces in all the European fleets. Battleships are dangerous sailing fortresses designed to bombard land targets and destroy enemy vessels in a hail of destructive cannon fire. With ample crew to man her many sails and cannons, and boards so thick that 12-pound cannonballs fail to penetrate or cause harm, the Battleship's only enemies are its great bulk and size. It is less manueverable than lighter ships and is too large to enter shallow ports or waters.