アキーラ号

"Who is she? Why the Aquila, boy! The Ghost of the North Seas! ... She's a ship, boy, and make no mistake about it!"

―Robert Faulkner to Connor regarding the Aquila, 1770.^[src]

AC3 Aquila Homestead Bay — ダベンポートホームステドの入江に係留されているアキーラ号

アキーラ号はフランス軍艦として18世紀に建造進水した。その後アサシン教団の艦隊旗艦として活躍する。

アメリカ独立戦争中は植民地教団のラドンハゲードンを船長とし、一等航海士としてロバート・フォークナーが務めていた。

Under their command, the Aquila helped to capture Continental Army captain and Templar Nicholas Biddle, who had been raiding locations along the coast. The pair also patrolled several trade routes along the Eastern Seaboard and the Caribbean Sea, engaging in multiple privateer contracts.^[1]

歴史[]

"She's still the fastest in the Atlantic – sure she needs some attention... minor things mostly but with a little affection she'll fly again."

―Robert Faulkner discussing the repairs needed on the Aquila.^[src]

アキーラ号は1749年にフランスのブレストで建造されたブリッグ船である。比較的小型な船ではあるが、フォークナーによるとその大きさゆえ風向きがいいと12ノットの船速を出す事ができ大西洋で最速を誇る船だった。強力な大砲と小回りの利く旋回砲が装備されている。 1754年までの間にアサシン海軍の旗艦となっていた、嵐の中でアキーラ号はテンプル騎士団総長ヘイザム・ケンウェイを乗せていたプロヴィデンス号によって破壊されたと周知された。そかし、アキーラ号は僅かな損害しか受けておらず改修をうける。

それから10年間で主要な港を避けていた事と船長代理を務めていたロバート・フォークナーの卓越した操船技術により「北海の亡霊」と呼ばれテンプル騎士団海軍を悩ませていた。

1768年テンプル騎士団にアキーラ号がまだ健在であるという事が知られ英国海軍フリゲート艦3隻の待ち伏せにあい破壊され、アキーラ号とフォークナーは生き延びダベンポート・ホームステドまで逃亡する。そして、コナーが修理することを決めるまで湾に放置されていた。

偶然にもホームステッドに移住を求めたテリーとゴッドフリーの二人の木こりから修復に必要な資材を手に入れ修理ｇは開始された。

6ヶ月後、修理を完了したアキーラ号に乗りコナーとフォークナーは武装と乗組員を探すためマザーズ・ヴィニヤードへ向け出帆した

Faulkner recruited some of his old shipmates, David and Richard Clutterbuck, as gunnery officers, and tutored Connor in sailing the Aquila as captain. After practicing to fire the cannons at an old shipwreck, the Aquila saw her first fight in years against a patrol of British gunboats and a frigate.

ACIII-Frenchinvolvement 9 — Connor and Faulkner on deck

Following this battle, Connor used the Aquila to defend trade routes along the Colonial seaboard and the Caribbean. The Aquila was called upon to defend a number of trading vessels, such as the Henderson and Independence, securing trade routes for the colonists and reducing the risk for merchants.

Privateers and English frigates were terrorizing the coast, and the Aquila's patrols put her in a premier position to eliminate the threats. Gunboats and frigates were among the privateers' favored ships, though they occasionally had a few larger ships to rival the Aquila, such as the Dartmoor, Saint James, and Prospector.

While these battles were relatively brief, their effects were far-reaching. Civilian traders were affected by the patrols of the Aquila and her crew, as they were less likely to lose goods to the raiders. This meant that prices to trade goods were lowered across the colonies, making the Aquila not only a military force but an indirect economic one as well.

ACIII-Bitterend 7 — Connor and Haytham hunting the *Welcome*

The ship also served as transport for her captain when Connor sought out the hidden treasure of Captain William Kidd and traveled in pursuit of Templars. Often, this meant the Aquila waited offshore while Connor and Faulkner went ashore in a rowboat to explore the maps Peg Leg had given Connor in exchange for trinkets.

These locales varied greatly, from a jungle beach to the frigid north. However, on some occasions, the Aquila was directly used in hunting a Templar. Haytham Kenway and Connor, during their brief armistice, used the Aquila in the hunt for Benjamin Church and the Welcome in the Caribbean Sea, eventually boarding the ship, retrieving her stolen cargo for the Patriots at Valley Forge, and killing her passenger. In the process, the Aquila had decimated the Welcome and her crew, proving to be a resounding victory for her captain.

ACIII-Biddlehideout 3 — The *Aquila* firing at a Man-of-War under Biddle's command

The Welcome was not her only prey – Nicholas Biddle had been raiding Martha's Vineyard in the USS Randolph. Issues first arose when privateer frigates threatened merchant vessels near the Vineyard, and the Aquila successfully found and defeated their fort headquarters.

When another merchant vessel was threatened, the Randolph was spotted leading the privateers, though she escaped in the cover of a storm. For several years thereafter between 1776 and 1778, Connor and the Aquila hunted Biddle and the Randolph, thought to be the party responsible for inciting the privateers to raid the Vineyard and the ships visiting it.

The ship's hunt was delayed by needing to help La Belladonna, a vessel vital to the war effort, and other constraints on her captain's time. Eventually, however, in 1778, Connor and the Aquila managed to corner the Randolph.

The Aquila proved the hardier ship compared to the larger Randolph; Connor's superior seamanship and the Aquila's firepower allowed her to disable the Randolph, kill her captain, and scuttle her, securing the Vineyard and stopping the Templars from encouraging further attacks. With Biddle out of the way, the seaboard was safe once more for neutral traders to conduct business with the colonies.

ACIII-BattleofChesapeake 16 — The *Aquila* sailing in the battle at the Chesapeake

When the Battle of Chesapeake Bay began, General Marquis de Lafayette requested the Aquila give support in the battle. The French Admiral de Grasse believed that he would receive a large fleet and experienced captains, but instead he received only the Aquila and her captain Connor.

While irritated at the concept, de Grasse gave Connor two frigates for assistance, the Marsellois and the Saint Espirit, and asked them to engage the encroaching fleet. During the battle, the trio of ships sank several gunboats and at least four English frigates, before the Marsellois was destroyed by an English vessel midway through the battle.

Once all the English frigates had been destroyed, a Man-of-War sailed into the battle and sank the Saint Espirit, before she managed to disable the Aquila's guns. Due to lacking any other means of attack, Connor decided to destroy the Man-of-War by ramming her, getting on board in hand-to-hand combat, and killing her captain. Ultimately proving successful, the battle ended with the French as the victors.

Connor also loaned the Aquila to his apprentices for various contracted missions. The ship was present at the Battle of Gloucester in 1775 and the Frederica naval action of 1778, and she also aided Caesar Rodney in holding control of the Delaware River.

Alternate timeline[]

Escape to New York 10 — The *Aquila* approaching New York

In an alternate timeline created by an Apple of Eden, the Aquila and Faulkner were located in Boston. When George Washington crowned himself the King of the United States, Benjamin Franklin had the ship confiscated.

However, Franklin was eventually freed from Washington's influence by Ratonhnhaké:ton, and suggested acquiring the Aquila to reach Washington's palace in New York. Franklin and the Assassin struck a bargain with Faulkner, having him gather a crew while Ratonhnhaké:ton untied the ship's moorings and assassinated the snipers guarding her. Faulkner's crew stormed the docks and swam to the Aquila, which had gone adrift. Ratonhnhaké:ton held off the soldiers firing on the sailors, and eventually climbed on board with Kanen'tó:kon to sail for New York.^[2]

Dark Waters 8 — The *Aquila* ramming an American Man O' War

During the approach, the Aquila was attacked by Washington's fleet. Ratonhnhaké:ton took the wheel and destroyed the attackers before taking their flags to sail into the lower bay unimpeded. The Aquila then navigated through the naval mines and launched a surprise attack on the remaining ships.

However, the ship's ammunition was depleted shortly after, with more of the King's ship on their way. Ratonhnhaké:ton ordered everyone to jump overboard as he rammed the Man-of-War in the lower bay, providing distraction for the others, but also destroying the Aquila in the process.^[3]

Crew[]

Ratonhnhaké:ton - Captain (1770 – ?)
Robert Faulkner - First mate (1753 – 1754, 1770 – ?), Acting captain (1754 – 1768)
David Clutterbuck - Gunnery officer (1773 – ?)
Richard Clutterbuck - Gunnery officer (1773 – ?)
Numerous unnamed sailors

Armaments[]

"We've fitted her with a modest amount of guns to start but rest assured there's ample room to add more should you feel the need."

―Robert Faulkner on the Aquila's first fitting under Connor.^[src]

ACIII-Chase 6 — The *Aquila* firing heated shot upon a fort

Although relatively well built, even when initially repaired by Connor, the Aquila underwent several major improvements during his captaincy.

In addition to the warship's standard round shot and swivel guns, the Aquila was eventually upgraded to include several more projectile types: chain-shot to destroy a ship's sails, disabling them; grapeshot to target the crew; and heated shot to start fires among the hull.

The Aquila also received improvements in her hull strength via reinforcements, an improved rudder for sharper turns, and the addition of a naval ram. Fully upgraded, the Aquila was armed with 60 main cannons, 30 on each side.

This would have made her equivalent in firepower to a third-rate ship of the line, which meant that she would have been a smaller ship of the line but larger than a frigate. Most contemporary 60-gun ships carried those guns on only two decks; however, the Aquila carried them on two dedicated gun decks with a few cannons and the swivel guns also present on the weather deck.

Trivia[]

Aquila is Latin and Italian for "eagle", and it was a reference to the eagle motif of the Assassins.
- Continuing the eagle theme, the Aquila had an eagle-shaped figurehead.
- "Aquila" is also the name of a constellation, with its brightest star known as "Altair," namesake of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.
In an interview, Mission Director Philippe Bergeron stated that Connor could freeroam the seas with the ship between missions. However, this was not possible in the final version of Assassin's Creed III.
The Aquila had lifts attached to her central mast, with the pulley handles shaped like Assassin insignias.
By the number of guns the Aquila would be considered a third-rate ship-of-the-line. While not as massive as a first-rate or second-rate, the third-rate ships were considered to be the ideal balance in sailing warships in terms of speed and firepower. This would also mean that she had a crew complement between three and five hundred men.
The Aquila typically flies the British flag, even during the Battle of the Chesapeake when she fights alongside French ships.
The Aquila's wheel and figurehead could be obtained by Connor's grandfather, Edward Kenway, during his time of piracy in the early 18th century.