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Pirate Piece of the Day

Commodore David Porter
American - Revolution

Broadsides Attack. This ship may move and shoot using the same move action.

Type - Crew
Collector's Number -  090

Piece Ratings: 3

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale 1 being the worst.
3 ... average. 5 is the highest rating.


Date Reviewed - 09.27.06
 

Commodore
Matthew Perry

American - South China Sea

Limit, Ransom. Place this crew face up during setup. You may build your fleet using 5 more points than the game’s build total. This crew cannot leave this ship unless captured or eliminated.

Type - Crew
Collector's Number - 096

Piece Ratings: 4.5

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale 1 being the worst.
3 ... average. 5 is the highest rating.


Date Reviewed - 09.27.06
 

 

 WildWill

Pirates of the Revolution  – Commodore David Porter #90

Name: Commodore David Porter

Set: REV

Card #: 090

Rarity: Rare

Type: Crew

Cost: 7 Points

Faction: American

Link: Freedom

Ability: Broadsides – Move and Shoot

 

Now here’s a useful crewmember, even if he is extremely expensive.  3 points for the captain ability is normal, and on other crew Broadsides itself costs 5 points, so you’re really saving a point with this guy.  PLUS you get a link to a decent ship, which becomes a monster against Pirates if you put the good Commodore on board.  Would you to use Freedom and Commodore Porter, you would be spending 20 points for a pretty decent vessel that has +1 against Pirates, move and shoot, broadsides and is a schooner with 4 cargo available and 4 level 3 guns.  Not too shabby.

 

WildWills’ Patented EBAY Auction Review 9-21-06

# Closed Auctions:1

Closed auction price: $1.99

Average eBay Store Amount: $2.56

 

This piece is a fantastic bargain if you can get him for under $2.00 (and you can).  Anything over that and you’re paying too much for what you get.  Nice pull from a pack though.

 

My Ratings:

 

Playability 4 of 5

Collectability 3 of 5

 

 

Pirates of the South China Seas – Commodore Matthew Perry #096

Name: Commodore Matthew Perry

Set: SCS

Card #: 096

Rarity: Rare

Type: Crew

Cost: 0 Points

Faction: American

Ability: Limit-Ransom.  +5 points to fleet build total.

 

Ah yes, finally we’re looking at another zero-limit character, the bane of many a fleet.  For no points you get to add five points.  First, before we take a look at his in-game abilities, let’s see who Commodore Matthew Perry really was, so sit down kids, it’s time for Unca Will’s History Lesson!

 

Matthew Perry was the 19th century naval officer who opened up trade with Japan, paving the way for today’s economic trade imbalance with the East, and also making it so that you young kids can play with your Nintendo DS and your Yugioh cards.  Without Perry, you would have none of that, and Japan would still be isolationist.  Perry saw action in the Mexican-American War during the 1840’s and was considered the “father of the steam navy” prior to his expeditions to Asia.  He is best known though for the two visits to Japan from 1852 to 1854, succeeding in wooing the Tokugawa Shogunate where previous attempts had failed.  If you like, read more about Perry on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Perry_%28naval_officer%29

 

Now then, why is a real-world character being given such a strange ability?  Only the game designers could tell you that.  Obviously he was perfect for the set, mixing well with the Asian theme, and the American faction needed a +5 point crew, but why Perry?  I would think that something along the lines of +1 against Jade Rebellion ships would be a smarter choice, sadly, Americans don’t have a crew with that ability. 

 

In any event this piece allows you to add 5 points of fleet build as soon as you place him on any ship.  He cannot leave that ship, and he’s worth gold to your opponents if they capture him.  Is he worth that risk?  Heck yeah, he and every other +5 point piece are definitely worth the risk.  If you’re not playing him in your American fleet, you need to start.

 

WildWills’ Patented EBAY Auction Review 9-21-06

# Closed Auctions:0

Average eBay Store Amount: $3.50

 

The good Commodore seems to be in short supply on eBay these days.  Most +5 pieces are.  Grab one if you’re an American fleet fan.

 

My Ratings:

 

Playability 4 of 5

Collectability 4 of 5

 

Next Time: We close out American week and this time it’s not a rare!

 
Cadet-Captain Mike Name: Commodore David Porter
Card: RV # 090 (Rare)
Points: 7
Faction: USA

Link: Freedom
Ability: Broadside attack. This ship can move and shoot using the same move action.

Porter was a real person, who methodically rooted out piracy from the parts of the Spanish Main that were near the newborn United States, and got precious little thanks for it. This card's abilities don't really do him justice. Move and shoot is always nice, but Broadside is overrated, and badly overpriced in this case. Don't even think of using him on a ship with 4-rank guns or worse; a ship with all 2-rank would be better.

If you can spare the points, put him on the Enterprise. You'd get a 33% chance of firing two broadsides in a single turn, and each broadside would have a 67% chance of hitting. That would be fun, unless you were on the receiving end. Or put him on the New Orleans; he could help that ship take out a three-masted enemy with one shot, then snatch it away to your home port.

He has a link to the Freedom, a four-masted schooner with two 3S and two 3L cannons. A broadside from these will dismast all but the toughest five-masted ship, which ain't bad. But you're betting everything on a 50/50 chance, and if you miss, that five-masted ship will make you pay for your boldness. You're spending 20 points on a ship and crew that are just barely above average, which may make it tough to make a decent fleet with the points you have left.

Porter might have been more "realistic" and useful if he had a +1 on cannon rolls against Pirate ships instead of Broadside, and a cost of 5 instead of 7. A crew like that would see a lot of use. But WizKids didn't ask my opinion. In low-point games, I can't see using him; he isn't worth it. In a bigger game where you're expecting the enemy ships to be big, he may be useful, but he's still overpriced.

Total rating: 2 / 5
Cadet-Captain Mike

===================================
Name: Commodore Matthew Perry
Card: SCS # 096 (Rare)
Points: 0
Faction: USA

Keyword: Limit, Ransom.
Ability: Place this crew face up during setup. You may build your fleet using 5 more points than the game’s build total. This crew cannot leave this ship unless captured or eliminated.

At last, the US Navy gets the extra-five-point crew. Now everybody has one except the Barbary Corsairs and the Cursed.

Just so you know, this crew doesn't turn a 30-point game into a 35-point game for you. You have to spend your points, then turn this crew up and spend 5 more points separately. He isn't a cure-all for the woes of a low point total. But 5 points can buy quite a bit. A Captain and a Helmsman is the most popular combination, or you can get a cheap ship like the Rattlesnake to increase your tactical options.

No American fleet should be without this crew. Just don't let him get captured; the 5-point Ransom could cost you the game.

Total rating: 5 / 5
Cadet-Captain Mike

 

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