Biggest damage output for lowest cost?

[Ben]

My latest game got me thinking about what the biggest potential damage output in the game is, but for the lowest cost possible.  (Master Spreadsheet for reference)  This is not about speed or ease of use, but rather a fun exercise to think about.

It seems that it is very difficult to beat the Loki’s Revenge in this kind of contest.  That beast can put out 12 shots at 2L for just 21 points with a helmsman.  Captain, helmsman, and 1 oarsman for saccing.  Up to 6 shots per action with move and shoot, then sac the oarsman to double it.  12 shots at 2L!  For comparison, Zeus is 23 points before even adding crew, so she comes to 26 points for 10 shots at 3S (far inferior) without a helmsman for the speed boost.  Even the mighty Kettering cannot compare, as her cheapest double action setup could easily come to 25 points with a captain, AA crew Edward Preble, and reroller Wayne Nolan.  That would net you up to 12 shots at 3L for 25 points (still inferior), much less of the time because the AA is a lot harder to get even with reroll compared to the guarantee of Sac.  Not to mention the Loki’s Revenge could simply add another oarsman and total only 22 points for up to 24 2L shots in 2 turns!

Looking at my Top 10 Gunships list (comment your own list there!), HMS Endeavour does provide some competition.  With a simple captain she can eliminate up to 10 masts in a turn for 24 points, although you’re getting 5 shots at 2L rather than 10.

HMS Grand Temple is perhaps the most similar to Loki’s Revenge, as she can do 12 shots total for only 21 points by adding a sac captain such as Havana Black along with an oarsman.  However, 4 of those shots would be at 3S rather than 2L, but the Junk keyword facilitates much easier shooting than the difficult broadside of a longship.

HMS Titan and the Enterprise both have relatively cheap ways to get 10 rank-2 shots if they get lucky; both can add a captain and a “free” reroller for their EA for 20 and 21 points respectively.  HMS London is solid with Mercer (for sac), a captain, and oarsman for 8 rank-2 shots for 18 points.

Feel free to come up with your own “maximized cheap firepower” combos!  Though I think the Loki’s Revenge takes the cake in this little niche “contest”.  12 shots at 2L for 21 points guaranteed via saccing is tough to beat!  🙂

This is not about which ship is better; this is purely a mathematical damage output equation, not how to select the best gunship.

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