Not to be confused with Canister Shot, a shot type for foot artillery.
Grape Shot is a shot type available to ships in Empire: Total War.
Empire: Total War[]
Similarly to canister shot, grape shot is a close-range option for ships, firing massed lead balls from cannons instead of cannon balls. Grape shot is effective at killing the crew of a ship, but does no damage to hull strength. As it inflicts no hull damage whatsoever, grape shot is a good way to maximize profits from capturing and selling ships: ship value is measured by the remaining hull strength of a captured ship, not the remaining crew (or lack thereof). The debilitating effect Grape Shot can have on morale and men make it a useful tool when used in coordination with a boarding attack.
Grape shot is most effective against damaged ships. Undamaged ships have intact hulls which reduce the impact of grape shot. Ships with open decks, such as brigs and xebecs, are more susceptible to grape shot than ships with well-covered decks.
Nearly all ships have a limit to how many men grape shot can kill. It is practically impossible to kill over 80% of a crew using grape shot, even with continuous volleys. Most ships surrender well before this line is crossed, however.
Unlike Canister Shot, Grape Shot does not have to be researched and is available by default. However, it can be improved via researching the Improved Grape Shot technology.
Napoleon: Total War[]
Grape shot returns and functions in a similar way to its Empire: Total War incarnation. It is much more effective than before: whereas a volley from a third rate might kill a couple dozen men in Empire: Total War, casualties may exceed fifty in Napoleon. The limit to how many men grape shot can kill on a ship is much lower, and it's indeed possible to nearly completely depopulate a ship given enough time.