The Expansion Deck Volume 1 for Oak & Iron by Firelock Games adds several new options for players to use in building their Squadrons for the game. Get a full list of the contents of the set and get a sneak peek into what you are getting to decide if it’s the upgrade you want to add to your game.
Expansion Deck Vol. 1 – Contents
Box Contents:
- 3 Initiative cards
- 21 New Admiral Cards
- 26 Ship Upgrade Cards
Product Details
| Dimensions | 3.5 × 2.59 × 0.78 |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| UPC/EAN/ISBN | 852946007243 |
| Manufacturer | Firelock Games |
What Initiative Cards are in the Expansion Deck?
This boxed set contains 3 Initiative cards. Two of the cards are reprints that contain errata from the Core Box set. This gives you copies of the corrections released in the v 1.01 Errata so you can have the right cards for your games.
- Elan – During the Movement Phase, ships in this Squadron may spend a Crew Action to make a Partial Fire or Close Combat Attack. Roll 1 more dice during these Attacks.
- Swift Vessels – Each ship in this Squadron that is not In The Wind’s Eye, Entangled, or Aground may immediately make a Free Speed 1 move. This move may not include a turn.
New Initiative Card
Double Rations – All ships in this Squadron remove 1 point of Fatigue. This card may only be included with a ship that includes the “Double Rations” Special Rule. Discard this Initiative Card instead of returning it to your hand during the end phase.
This is an excellent card for any fleet build type as Fatigue is a critical element in the game. Being able to remove one Fatigue from all ships in your squadron can be a game changer. This card becomes more valuable the larger your fleet as it applies to all ships, not just one or the flagship like many other cards.
What Ship Upgrade Cards are in the Expansion Deck?
This is the meat of this expansion pack and the entire reason it’s worth getting. The deck is listed as having 26 new Ship Upgrade Cards, but to be more accurate it’s 13 new Ship Upgrades with 2 copies of each (26 total cards). But the 13 new Ship Upgrades are an excellent addition to the game. These options allow additional customization for your fleets and some nuances that let you specialize for different roles.
List of New Ship Upgrades
Here is a list of the new cards in the set. You can download a PDF of the Complete List of Oak & Iron Ship Upgrade Cards.
| Upgrade Card | Cost | Faction | Source | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggressive Crew | 2 | Any | Exp | This ship may perform a “Boarding” Crew Action if the target ship has more Fatigue than this ship. |
| Buccaneers | 2 | English / French / Pirates | Exp | MARKSMAN When making an Attack at Musket Shot or closer (including Close Combat), roll an additional dice for each (Musket) result. If any additional (Musket) results are rolled, the Attacked ship takes 1 Point of Fatigue. May not be taken on Ships of the Line |
| Dismantling Shot | 1 | Any | Exp | When targeting a ship’s rigging within Pistol Shot, add an additional dice to the attack. |
| Expert Gunners | 3 | Any | Exp | If this ship rolls two or more skull results when making a Broadside or Partial Fire attack, the target ship takes a point of damage. |
| Expert Topmen | 1 | Any | Exp | This ship may take a free “Change Sail Setting” Crew Action at any time. Discard this card after its effect has been used. |
| Marines | 2 | Any | Exp | This ship adds an additional dice to Partial Fire and Close Combat attacks. |
| Merchants | -1 | Any | Exp | Undermanned: This ship rolls 1 less dice for all Skill Tests and Attacks. Closed Quarters: Close Combat attacks made with and against this ship only hit (skull) results. May not be taken on Ships of the Line. |
| Poorly Armed | -2 | Any | Exp | This ship never treats (cannon) results as hits and cannot cause Critical Hits at Cannon Range. |
| Supply Ship | -1 | Any | Exp | Double Rations: After creating an Initiative hand, add the “Double Rations” Initiative card to your hand. Valuable: If this ship is Captured or Out of Action, the controlling Force gains an additional Strike Point each turn. May not be taken on a Ship of the Line, Frigate or Flagship. 1 ship only, no other upgrades. |
| Troop Transport | 2 | Any | Exp | Anytime this ship within Pistol Shot of an Island or Landmass and at Minimal Sail or less, It may reduce its sail setting to Anchored and take a free Landing Party Crew Action. Discord this card after its effect has been used. May not be taken on Ships of the Line. |
| Untested Crew | -1 | Any | Exp | The first time this ship would take a point of Fatigue, roll a dice. If a (Sail) or (Skull) is rolled, it will not take any Fatigue for the rest of the turn. If any other result is rolled, it takes an additional point of Fatigue. |
| Veteran Crew | 3 | Any | Exp | If this ship is not Shaken or Crippled, it treats its Fatigue level as one less when making Attacks or Skill tests. |
| Vice Flag | 2 | Any | Exp | This ship is considered a Flagship for the purpose of determining Formation. May only be taken by a single ship in a Squadron. |
What Admiral Cards are in the Expansion Deck?
The Expansion Deck adds 21 new Admirals to the game. Unfortunately, none of them are named admirals based on historical figures. Instead, they are a collection of “generic” admirals. If you boil them down to their fundamental core, they are really just 7 new Admirals, with 3 different experience levels. Each contains a copy of an “Untested”, “Experienced”, and, “Seasoned” of each Admiral.
The following is a table showing the 7 types of admirals contained in the set:
| Admiral | Description |
|---|---|
| (Blank) | This Admiral has no special abilities and simply offer an Admiral Level for use in selecting additional Initiative Cards. |
| Bold | After making an Attack or Skill Test, you may re-roll up to 3 dice. If any of the re-rolled dice fail to score a hit during the Attack or if the Skill test is failed, this ship takes 1 Point of Fatigue |
| Brilliant | Increase this ship’s skill rating by 1 (to a maximum of 3) |
| Inspiring | Remove 2 points of Fatigue when taking a Rally action |
| Lucky | You may spend a Fortune Point to force your opponent to re-roll an Attack made against this ship. |
| Persistent | This ship may remove 1 point of Fatigue each time its Squadron earns 1 or more Strike Points |
| Strict | This ship may take 2 points of Fatigue instead of spending a Fortune Point. May be used even when the player has no Fortune Points remaining |
Pros of the new Admirals in the Expansion Deck
- These options are not limited by Faction so they benefit all play styles and fleets.
- By offering options to take a generic (“Blank”) Admiral you can now get the benefits from the extra initiative cards without having to pay the full cost of an Admiral with several special abilities.
- Since they come in varying degrees of skill, it allows you to pick and choose and get better nuance in your forces
- These abilities are those on existing named admirals so they are familiar to players and well vetted in testing so they won’t unbalance the game.
Summary
For me, the Oak & Iron Expansion Deck Volume 1 by Firelock Games is a must-have accessory for fans of the popular naval war game. This deck of cards provides players with new ship upgrades, Initiative Cards, and Admirals to add to their existing force-building options. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the Oak & Iron game or a newcomer looking to expand your options, this expansion deck is the perfect addition to your collection. It can be a bit pricey to order it solo because of the cost of shipping, but if you’re placing an order anyway it is definitely worth adding it to your cart.
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Firelock Games: Expansion Deck Vol. 1 for Oak & Iron