Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.
3 is average.
5 is the highest rating.
Date Reviewed - 04.11.08
Cadet-Captain Mike
Name: Bianco's Haulers (Spain)
Card: SM #SC-009 (Common)
Points: 3
Ability: This ship may unload cargo at your home
island if she's within S of it.
This is a crew for a gold ship, make no mistake.
They might help a combat ship that won a boarding
action and now wants to unload the odd treasure
without going all the way home, but I wouldn't spend
3 points for that off-chance. If you're like me,
your gold ships often get almost home, but not quite
there. Bianco's Haulers let you turn around and run
back for more treasure in that instance. The faster
the ship, the more benefit you'll get from this
ability (and, conversely, the less likely you'll
need it).
The Haulers' point cost is fair, and the ability may
be useful. But any crew that takes up a cargo space
on a gold ship had better be really good, and this
one doesn't quite make that grade. This is probably
one of those crew that you try once to see what
happens, but never use again.
Name: Fernando Sanchez (Spain)
Card: SM #SC-005 (Common)
Points: 5
Ability: This ship may dock at an enemy home island
and load one treasure. If able, she must leave on
your next turn.
Fernando Sanchez turns any ship into a home-island
robber. That's handy, since the enemy won't know
what your ship is going to do until you turn the
crew face-up and sail into his harbor. You can
choose a ship with enough speed to pull off a
robbery, and enough masts to survive the
counter-attacks and get home. You can even put him
on a gunship, so it looks like you're on a blockade
mission until you spring your Sanchez Surprise.
The problem is that 5 points is too much to pay for
this ability, which will normally work only once per
game. 3-4 points would be more like it, and you can
get similar crew for that price in other factions.
Good ability, bad price. Sorry, Sanchez.
For crew this week, we have a pair that fits the
Spanish love for gold.
Bianco's Haulers allow you to unload cargo to your
home island if the ship they're on is witin S of it.
This shortens the ship's runs a little at the cost
of a space that could have held gold. It's up to you
to decide if making trips a little quicker is worth
carrying less; maybe you can find a link for them to
exploit.
I give Bianco's Haulers a 3/5.
Fernando Sanchez allows you to dock at an enemy home
island and steal a treasure. One whole treasure.
Meaning that if you want to make off with enough of
your foe's gold to warrant his five point cost,
you're going to have to make lots of little trips
that will surely draw your foe's attention. If you
must use him, use him on either a fast ship or a
strong ship; the former will be able to run away if
danger comes and the latter will be able to beat
whatever comes into submission.
Either way I give Fernando Sanchez a 1/5.
Vladsimpaler
We
round off PotSM Spain week with a Crew Fer Two Fer
of Fernando Sanchez and Bianco's Haulers!
Fernando Sanchez, 5 points, Spanish (Link: Nemesio
Diaz)
Abilities: This ship may dock at an enemy home
island and load one treasure. If able, she must
leave on your next turn.
Flavor Text: Sanchez uses information smuggled to
him by Nemesio Diaz to raid enemy ports when they
are most laden with gold. Sanchez has put a price on
Hawkins' head for tricking his galleon onto a reef,
and he's doubled that price for Hawkins' monkey,
Skyme. His expensive hatred of the monkey remains
unexplained.
(Historical Lesson Mode!)
Did you know that Fernando Sanchez was actually a
real person? And that his ability makes sense given
the context of the actual person?
Fernando was a Spanish admiral, and frequently made
attacks on the coast of England. So him being a
HI-raider makes a lot of sense.
Onto the crew, though
Fernando costs a hefty 5 points, but he could be
well worth it, in the end, if you have the right
crew, and the right ship to put him on.
There's a pretty good list of ships that Fernando
could be put on.
Yes, the obvious: San Cristobal. With a captain, a
helmsman, an SAT character, and Fernando, you will
still have a spot left to steal treasure, and with a
possibly S+S+S+L+S+S+S+L, you will be able to steal
treasure from your opponent very often, and mess
with their shipping lines! All in all, a great usage
of the character. I don't recommend you using him
with his linked character, as combined they cost 10
points. Which is a lot to spend on 2 crew.
But still, with the right set up, Fernando can be
devastating, especially if you manage to steal a
high cost treasure, he may even make his point cost
back in gold!
However, his high point cost only warrants him an
average 3/5.
--- Bianco's Haulers, 3 points, Spanish (Link: Master Bianco)
Abilities: This ship may unload cargo at your home
island if she's within S of it.
Flavor Text: Master Bianco has a small fleet that
shuttles his secret stores from the ships in the
middle of the night. The strong backs and iron arms
of his Haulers help to move the cargo quickly by
rowboat and to defend it from curious eyes and
meddling hands.
Ah yes, Bianco's Haulers. You used to be the only
unique crew in the game, that is...until FN. Stupid
HMS Yardbird...
However, you are still very effective.
Okay, onto the crew. That was a little weird, sorry.
Bianco's Haulers is extremely good. It's extremely
good. You essentially cut an S off from your trips.
And if you have a ship like Pescados de Plata, which
allows you to move S after unloading treasure, then
you cut of a whole S+S from your total trips!
Let me put this into perspective for you: Islands
are L+L+L away, right? The Pescados de Plata can
move S+S+S. In the right conditions, you can get to
a wild island in one move action! Not bad, not bad
at all.
Bianco's Haulers also works extremely well with La
Monarca, which allows you to move S after loading.
So you cut an S off from the island, and an S off
from docking. Again, this is really good. Only the
Pirates could do something like this, and Mistress
Ching costs 4 points-too much for this ability. 3
points is the 'sweet spot', if you will.
Combined with their linked crew, Master Bianco, Your
ship will get +1 cargo, and the ability to drop off
gold within S, for 6 points. In the PotSM era,
imagine La Joya de Sol with its 9 cargo, or the
Pescados de Plata with its 4 cargo, either of them
moving S+S+S, with a helmsman!
Very good.
Because of its cheap point cost, and because of its
ability to be extremely effective, Bianco's Haulers
receives a 4.3/5 from me.
