

That compatibility brings us to our second point the timeline.īlack Seas is set between the years 1770-1830, the height of the popular Napoleonic wars. For those already playing Blood & Plunder, the full Oak & Iron rulebook includes tie-in rules to connect both games. Douglas, it’s going to come down to loyalty. I’ve already seen the debates over the merits of each game, and like Mr. English and Spanish squadrons exchange thundering broadsides in the clear waters of the Caribbeanįirst, let’s address the Man’O’War in the room: Warlord Games is on track to release Black Seas in October of 2019. So, let’s have a look at what makes ‘Oak & Iron’ stand out in a veritable sea of naval wargaming titles. Last weekend, the crew at Firelock Games released a free, advanced, PDF of the game’s rulebook, ahead of a scheduled December release. These are the kinds of daring battles you can recreate with Oak & Iron. It is still considered the Royal Navy’s worst defeat in its home waters. The date was June 7th, 1667 – the Dutch raid on the Medway. The brave sailor manning his post was Scotsman Archibald Douglas.

The ships that I described, burned in Chatham dockyard.

You may have guessed that I was describing the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, but you’d be wrong. Sunk along with them, is the pride of a nation. In the end, sixteen warships are left burning, capsized, or at the bottom of the harbor. In the midst of the chaos, a heroic sailor mans a gun alone, while the ship burns around him. The reports are waved off who would be audacious enough to attack a fleet in a sheltered harbor, especially when ambassadors are in peace negotiations? Even so, the attack materializes on the 7th day of the month, and confusion reigns. Stop me if this sounds familiar: reports state that an enemy fleet is forming for an impending attack.
