They have higher range so technically better when not fighting on coastal. Also resource requirements are different so I don't mind having both.

Diegoyya wrote:

They have higher range so technically better when not fighting on coastal. Also resource requirements are different so I don't mind having both.

They have a lower range. Ironclad has a range of 5 tiles, while frigate has a range of 4. Good point about resources though.

otis123 wrote:
The frigate is currently the weakest ship in the game, but it's also one of the most versatile. It can go from a basic scout to a heavy-hitting assault ship in a matter of minutes. It can take on almost any role well, and it's one of the most popular ships in the game

Its popularity probably comes from the fact that it's what most pre-existing ships can be upgraded into: If you've been building a navy since the Ancient era, your Pentekonters will eventually upgrade into steam frigates.  The ironclad is strictly superior in every way except for requiring one additional iron and coal, and by the time the Industrial Era rolls around, access to a third iron should be easy and access to a third coal shouldn't be a serious challenge.

It's odd that ironclads have a stronger base combat strength than steam frigates do, as well as having Inner Sea Mastodonte.  This means their CS is 54 or 65(!!!) compared to the Steam Frigate's 51.

Maybe the Steam Frigate could obtain a totally new role and become the industrial era transport ship ? (no transport ship right now in industrial, we are still with caravela)

Oh yes, an industrial transport ship would be welcome, if only for the facelift alone.  I still think there's a role for oceangoing combat "cavalry" (in contrast to coastal "defenders"), and that could be the Steam Frigate or it could be another ship, but you're absolutely right that the road from the Caravel to the Landing Craft is a long one.