I am talkin about mid 1600 w/e, and what prevents you from installing bigger guns? Say English navy is retiring a ship, selling it on some sort of auction (like it was irl), you buy it and pimp it out. Galleons can be used as super cheap trade ships too btw
Our current progression is super linear and pretty much brain dead "ohhh but trinc is 1-2 knots faster than consti which has 5x more punch and MBT armor" much choice, such wow. Choices like in my previous post could spice it up.
Last thing, aint any ship below Trinc completely helpess against the Trinc? It can catch any of them and do nasty things with them.. 24/7 no-lifer's will always have an advantage.