Name:    Sea Monkey (Cursed)

Card:    DJC #014 (Uncommon)

Points:  13

Masts: 3

Cargo: 4

Moves: S+L

Guns : 3S,3L,3S

Hit %: 150 (S), 50 (L)

Ability: After this ship resolves a shoot action, she may move as a free action.

When I saw that this was a Cursed ship, I did a double-take. This can't be right! A Cursed ship, with good speed AND adequate cannons AND good cargo? I've never seen such a thing! But here she is.

For those of you who are too young to remember, "sea monkeys" were sold in comic books; you bought the eggs, added water, and watched them cavort happily in their aquarium. Too bad they turned out to be some kind of small shrimp, and looked nothing at all like monkeys (or like the pictures in the comic books). But this Sea Monkey is not a rip-off; she might be one of the best ships the Cursed can get. For starters, of the 99 Cursed ships and monsters, only seven can move this fast, and only five are faster. She's got good cargo and reasonably good guns, as I mentioned earlier. The only drawback is her price, and while it's a bit high for a three-master, it's right in line with other ships that share her ability.

I can think of all kinds of uses for this ship -- gold runner, back-up fighter, raider of enemy gold ships... But her best role is probably a combination role. Send her out to the islands where enemy gold ships are gathering. Use your shoot/move to steal some gold by boarding. Then fill your holds from some other island, run home, and do it again. She needs no crew for a role like this, which saves you points to spend on fighting crew for some other ship (like the Executioner, the other Cursed ship with S+L speed and four cargo).

I cannot recall the last time I was enthusiastic about a Cursed ship; they tend to be slow, way overpriced, and not good for much. This is an exception. If I could get my hands on her, I would definitely use her.

Goldship rating: 4.0 / 5

Gun Ship rating: 2.9 / 5

Boarding rating: 3.6 / 5

Value for points: 3.6 / 5