In this blog post, we’ll explore the Corvette ship in Oak & Iron, examining its strengths, weaknesses, and how it can be used to gain an advantage on the high seas. Whether you’re a seasoned naval strategist or new to the world of wargaming, the Corvette ship is definitely worth considering for your next battle. So, let’s set sail and discover what this impressive vessel has to offer!
Historical Background
The term and classification of Corvette originated with the French Navy. The word comes from the Latin corbis meaning “a basket”. It was a vague classification applied simply to ships smaller than frigates. Most corvettes of the 17th century were 40-60 ft long, single deck vessels carrying only 4-8 light cannons. Their double-masted square sails were built for speed.
The ship became popular among naval militaries leading to its growing in length and increasing armaments. By the late 18th century, they were nearly 100 ft long, with a 3rd mast and 20 or more guns. The English Navy later adopted the term Corvette to describe their smaller 6th Rate ships.
Corvette Ship Analysis
| Attribute | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maneuverability | 67% | ||||
| Speed | 92% | ||||
| Durability | 14% | ||||
| Firepower | 46% | ||||
| Brawling | 50% |
Corvette Ship Overview & Tactics
With a base speed of 3, the inherent Fast ability, and an optional Swift upgrade, this ship is the fastest ship in the game. In any round it’s sailing large it can get to a speed 5 without having to spend Seamanship or Crew actions. Add in Sweeps and the ship is moving across the board in a hurry.
Being a super-fast, agile ship, this ship is excellent for swarm builds. While it only has a Crew value of 1 it needs a little help to take advantage of boarding. Taking Additional Crew and upgrades like Boarding Party, Buccaneers, Corsairs, Marines or Swashbucklers gives it a bonus to Close Combat. Taking Kapers is another good option to keep Fatigue low.
Pros
- Fully kitted out, this ship is THE fastest ship in the game.
- Inexpensive
- Great for swarming tactics
- Excellent for distractions or corraling your opponent’s movement
- Well paired with the Dispatch or Fire Ship ship upgrade.
- A good way to increase the strike points available to your fleet
Cons
- Fragile. Against Ships of the Line they can be destroyed in only 1-2 broadsides.
- Low firepower for Ranged attacks
- Low Close Combat ability
- Easy targets to inflict Strike Points against your Squadron
- If it loses the wind advantage of Sailing Large the ship is less maneuverable than a Sloop or Brigantine
Product Referral Links
Oak & Iron Core Box
The Core Box contains 1 of each of the following models: Sloop, Corvette, Brigantine, Fluyt, Petite Frégate, Light Galleon
Gentlemen of Fortune Expansion Set
This Expansion Box contains 1 of each of these ship miniatures: a Sloop, Corvette, and Petite Frégate