Name: Black Mamba (Pirates)

Card: FS #047 (Uncommon)

Points: 10

Masts: 3

Cargo: 3

Moves: L

Guns : 3S,3L,3S

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

Ability: When this ship is given a shoot action, for every cannon roll of 6, the target’s controller eliminates an extra mast. For every 1, eliminate a mast from this ship.

A ship with an ability like this makes me nervous. One really bad set of attack rolls, and the Black Mamba can take herself out of the battle before the enemy fires a shot. On the other hand, a really good set of attack rolls could dismast the Divine Dragon in one salvo. The reality is somewhere in the middle, of course.

This is a pretty average ship in most ways. Her cannons are adequate for a secondary fighter, so a Captain and Helmsman would be an appropriate crew. An excellent choice for a third crew would be one of the Pirate crew who allow a reroll, which you'd use every time you rolled a 1 during an attack to save your masts from themselves. (A Cannoneer might or might not give that same effect; I'm not sure.) That runs her cost up to 18 points, which is a bit excessive, but she'd be a very potent secondary fighter.

At the end of the day, the Black Mamba's value depends on dice luck too much for my liking. She can fight well, but she might fight herself too well. There are plenty of 10-point Pirate ships that give better value (led by the Darkhawk II), and plenty of 3-masters that are more effective (the Greed's Hammer is one of my favorites). Feel free to give the Black Mamba a try; she might surprize you. But if you're looking for the ultimate medium-sized Pirate fighter, keep looking.

Goldship rating: 2.4 / 5

Gun Ship rating: 3.3 / 5

Boarding rating: 2.4 / 5

Value for points: 2.9 / 5