Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.
3 is average.
5 is the highest rating.
Date Reviewed - 08.25.08
Cadet-Captain Mike
Name: Splinter (Pirates)
Card: FS #060 (Common)
Points: 7
Masts: 3
Cargo: 5
Moves: S
Guns : 2S,2S,2S
Hit %: 200 (S), 0 (L)
Ability: Galley. Eliminate one of
this ship’s masts when she rolls a 1 on any cannon
roll.
Fire & Steel Galleys Week starts
off with the Splinter, a run-down Pirate ship with
two strikes against her: her dismal speed and her
negative ability. How WK thinks this ship is worth
as much as the Coral, or the Bonny Kate, is a
mystery to me. But enough complaints; what is this
ship good for?
With a low price tag and a cargo
of 5, she might be useful as a gold ship. But that S
speed has got to go -- a Helmsman is mandatory,
which runs up her sail-away cost to 9 points. Those
9 points could buy you the Ranger, with slightly
better speed, one less cargo, and a much better
gold-ship ability. Or, with those 2-rank cannons,
she could be a fighter, with a Helmsman and a
Captain. That combo would cost you 12 points, which
isn't bad for a secondary fighter... until she
starts shooting her own masts off with bad dice
rolls. As a galley, she could also play the ramming
& boarding game, but she might be too slow, even
with a Helmsman, to catch most gold ships.
If the Splinter cost a little
less, she'd be a better value. If she were a bit
faster, she'd be a better ship all around. As she
is, she's a case study in mediocrity, below average
in every way.
Goldship rating: 2.3 / 5
Gun Ship rating: 2.5 / 5
Boarding rating: 2.3 / 5
Value for points: 2.5 / 5
Draco
Starcloud
Splinter
By all indications, Splinter is a great name for
this ship. It looks like it's falling apart and the
ability seems to indicate as much. This ship seems
to have a lot going for it and it almost looks like
it has a role, but for every plus it has, it has a
con going against it.
By the looks of the cannons, you might think the
Splinter was a good fighter. She has three 2S, great
for a short-range battle. Her ability discourages
fighting though, as for every 1 you roll for your
cannons means you lose a mast. Because the Splinter
has the possibility of hurting itself more than the
enemy, you might not want to risk a captain aboard
her. At least if you totally denude yourself with
bad rolls, the Galley keyword will let you crawl to
safety, though the Splinter's speed can already be
considered crawling.
You might also think the Splinter would be a great
gold ship. She does after all have an incredible
five spaces for cargo. Unfortunately, she has
abysmal speed! A single "S"! A helmsman could easily
remedy this, but needing one just to have decent
speed is not a good way to win me over.
The Splinter is like the Little Engine That Could,
except it needs too much help to be useful. Her cost
is a simple 7 points, but if you want her to be a
fighter, you'd need a helmsman, a captain, and a
cannoneer to at least give you a chance to recover
from rolling a one. 14 points is too much for a boat
that might still sink itself. Turning her into a
gold ship would just require the helmsman, but
before you put the crew on her, ask yourself if you
don't have a more reliable gunboat or a swifter,
cheaper gold runner.
