We at Timber & Sail are nerds. We like crunching numbers and figuring out the pros and cons of every miniature and unit in every game we play. So of course we had to take our nerdiness and apply it to Oak & Iron. Based on the variety of the stats on the standard ship cards we aggregated those attributes into five core categories explained below.
Each ship in our Ultimate Guide to Oak & Iron Ships had a series of bar graphs that breakdown the vessel’s core attributes in relation to the other ships in the Oak & Iron Game. For purposes of ship analysis and developing our bar graph charts, we compiled the basic attributes and special abilities of all ships into a central database. Each category has a different set of factors that affect the ranking as outlined below. The aggregate totals in each category are then shown as a percentage of the maximum possible score in that category based on the highest-ranking ship in each category.
Ship Maneuverability
This reflects the ship’s overall ability to turn and make special moves despite wind and sea conditions.
How to calculate Maneuverability:
Base Windward value + 2 if Yare + 1 Fore & Aft + 1 Weatherly + 1 Shallow Draft + 1 Shallow-Draught + No Draft + Paddles -.5 Ghost Ship= Total Maneuverability
- A ship’s Windward value affects how well the ship can turn when it doesn’t have the wind directly at its back.
- Yare is arguably one of THE BEST ship abilities in the game. The ability to get an extra turn is huge. And being able to turn BEFORE or AFTER your normal movement changes a ship’s final position more than any other ability of the game. As such, this ability has a stronger weight in calculating a ship’s maneuverability.
- Fore & Aft may not come into play often, but when it does, it is crucial to keep your ship underway and not stalling out in the Wind’s Eye. Being able to use this ability and the ship’s base turn is often enough to allow a ship to change directions without ill effect.
- Weatherly is an upgrade that allows ships to increase their movement capabilities when not sailing large.
- Shallow Draft, Shallow-Draught & No Draft do not directly affect a ship’s ability to turn. However, they definitely have an effect on where a ship is capable of moving on the gameboard. Therefore it is a factor being considered in a ship’s maneuverability rating.
- Paddles is an ability currently exclusive to Boats like the Canoa & Piragua. It allows ships to ignore the effects of the wind, thereby making them more maneuverable.
- Ghost Ship is a new ability added in “The Sailor’s Devil” – Davy Jones Halloween Event and currently only on The Flying Dutchman.
Ship Speed
This is a ship’s raw ability to move at a maximum speed no matter what the conditions it faces. For purposes of the calculation, this rating ignores the maximum sailing speed of 5 as dictated by the rules.
How to calculate Speed:
Sailing Large Base Value + 1 Fast + 1 Swift + 0.5 Sweeps + 0.75 Improved Sweeps = Total Speed
- The ship’s Sailing Large value is the ship’s base speed when it has the wind at its back. This is the ship’s raw maximum speed without abilities, ship upgrades, or initiative cards.
- Fast is a straightforward optional speed increase when sailing large.
- Swift is an upgrade to the ship’s base Sailing Large value and therefore its core speed.
- Sweeps do not affect the ship’s max speed, but it does offer a free Move 1 with a Crew Action. This allows a ship a theoretical speed of 6 in a single round, exceeding the normal maximum of 5.
Ship Durability
A ship’s Durability is a representation of a ship’s ability to withstand damage. But it also reflects how well the crew is able to remain unshaken.
How to calculate Durability:
Base Fortitude Value+ 1 Stout + 1 High Freeboard + 2 Very High Freeboard -1 Boat class + 0.5 Low Profle – 1 The Heart + 0.15 Tough = Durability
- The ship’s Fortitude value is an indicator of how well a ship can take damage.
- High Freeboard allows the crew to avoid Fatigue and therefore the overall ship can stay in the fight longer.
- Very High Freeboard … uh… it’s like High FreeBoard, but higher. The crew takes even less fatigue and therefore is more durable in a fight.
- Boats are a new class of ships that are half the size of a standard ship with fewer Fatigue/Damage tracks. Boat rules can be found under the Natives Faction.
- The Heart is a new ability added in “The Sailor’s Devil” – Davy Jones Halloween Event and currently only on The Flying Dutchman. Because it is exposes your ship to the risk of Capture and being used against you it has a negative rating to Durability.
- Tough “When this ship becomes Crippled, roll a Skill Test. If the test is passed, the ship remains at 6 points of damage and takes an additional point of Fatigue instead.” This is an ability that can be used multiple times in a game, but it’s at the end of the game so it can help you limp along and stay in the fight.
Firepower
A ship’s raw ability to deal damage via cannons is its Firepower. This rating does not consider partial fire.
How to calculate Firepower:
Base Broadside Value+ 1 Additional Guns+ 1 Weight of Fire + 1 Letters From The Dead = Firepower
- The ship’s Broadside value is a straight-up measure of potential damage output.
- Ship that can take Additional Guns, can deal more damage and therefore has a higher Firepower rating.
- Weight of Fire causes your opponent to lose more fatigue and thus reduces its ability to fight.
- Boats are unable to inflict damage to Ships according to Boat rules. This makes them less effective, as they can only inflict Fatigue.
- Letters From The Dead is a new ability added in “The Sailor’s Devil” – Davy Jones Halloween Event and currently only on The Flying Dutchman. Because it is effective at Range and during Close Combat it affects both the Firepower and Brawling attribute rating.
Brawling
Brawling represents a ship’s strength at close range and boarding. It’s a rank of Partial Fire and Boarding/Close Combat.
How to calculate Firepower:
Base Crew Value + 1 Additional Crew+ 1 Letters From The Dead = Brawling
- Crew Value is meant to represent the size and fighting ability of a ship’s crew. The +3 dice for Close Combat is ignored as it is available to all ships.
- If a ship can take Additional Crew, it gets a +1 die to its Close Combat ability.
- The Boat class has -0.66 because they do not gain the +3 Dice for Close Combat.
- Letters From The Dead is a new ability added in “The Sailor’s Devil” – Davy Jones Halloween Event and currently only on The Flying Dutchman. Because it is effective at Range and during Close Combat it affects both the Firepower and Brawling attribute rating.
Ship Analysis Conclusion
We’d love to hear your feedback on our ship analysis methods. If you have any suggestions for improvements or see something we’ve overlooked, let us know.
Return to the Oak & Iron Ships: The Ultimate Guide hub page.