Name:    El Cervantes (Spain)

Card:    DJC #069 (Common)

Points:  11

Masts: 3

Cargo: 5

Moves: L

Guns : 4S,4L,4S

Hit %: 100 (S), 33 (L)

Link : Marques Miguel Antonio

Ability: Schooner. Once per turn, if this ship is within S of an island, you may mark the island as explored without docking at it. The island becomes unexplored in regards to all other players.

Amidst all the fluff text about declining Spanish glory, Spanish ships never lost sight of the fact that "he who gets the most gold wins." El Cervantes, named after the author of "Don Quixote," is a gold ship that can do nice things for your bottom line.

5 cargo for 11 points is good; the exclusive-explore ability can speed you along. What this ship really needs, though, is speed. Add a Helmsman, and you've got S+L speed and 4 cargo free for 13 points. La Santa Isabel has S+L speed and 6 cargo free for 13 points, plus an extra mast, better cannons, and a more profitable ability. But there's only one Santa Isabel, and this ship is still pretty good.

The link to Marques Miguel Antonio makes no sense. He gives the home-island robbery and look-at-face-down-treasure abilities, which are both potentially good for a gold ship. But he costs 10 points, which means you can't put both him and a Helmsman on an 11-point ship. Sure, he saves a cargo space, but speed is usually more important. Leave him home and stick with the Helmsman, and maybe the RF Dominic Freda (Explorer and extra cargo space) if you can afford him.

If you'd like to make liars out of all the people who say Spain's glory is fading, El Cervantes isn't a bad place to start. As with most ships that came out after Barbary Coast, she needs to move faster. But she has the cost and the cargo to make Spain rich again.

Goldship rating: 3.1 / 5

Gun Ship rating: 2.6 / 5

Boarding rating: 2.8 / 5

Value for points: 3.1 / 5