Top 10 Gunships for 40 Point Games
Although I’ve already made a Top 10 Gunships ranking, there have been some requests for a similar list based on the standard 40 point build total. I agree that it’s a good idea, so here is my opinion it! Thanks to Arshellan for his great Pirates CSG site used for the ship information!
For a criminally low 15 points, you get awesome firepower, good speed, and insane crew options. Probably most often used with either EA or SAT with Reroll for 6S speed (assuming a helmsman of course).
I did a quick little exercise to look at a basic comparison of this pair and both versions of the San Cristobal.
With each ship having a crew setup of Captain, Helmsman, Oarsman (+6 points total), and a 0LR Reroller:
HMS Titan: 23 points for L+S+L+S
Enterprise: 24 points for 6S, no L range cannons
San Cristobal LE: 21 points for 6S, all rank-3’s (25 points to get them to rank-2’s)
San Cristobal R: 28 points for S+S+L+Sx2, all rank-3’s (F&S linked de Alva, helmsman, oarsman, Vaccaro)
Based on pure gunship stats, it takes a bit more to get either San Cristobal to the level of the Titan and Enterprise. You can argue that the 25 point SC setup gives more value than either Titan/Enterprise setup (due to 6S speed AND having some L-range cannons), but these are all so close that it will come down to personal preferences for the other factors involved.
3. San Cristobal (LE version)
4. San Cristobal (R version)
5. Franklin
Getting more into the budget options, this ship allows for easy S+S+S speed with essentially 1S cannons on a 4 master.
The rest of this list feels like a crapshoot!
6. HMS London
Quite similar to the Franklin, just a bit cheaper for worse accuracy. (though the L-range cannons and access to English crew make up for that pretty well)
7. Le Bonaparte
Just trying to be as objective as possible here. In my opinion the most unsportsmanlike ship in the game. Absolute piece of crap.
8. HMS Oxford
For just one point more than the London you get better speed, similar firepower, and slightly more maneuverability with the Schooner keyword.
Absolutely devastating damage output and very accessible crew options (you can effectively double her speed and potential mast elimination numbers with only 3 points by adding Sir Christopher Myngs and the 0LR version of Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen makes this a beast even in standard games.
10. Soleil Royal
Tossup for the last spot goes to one of the best “cheap” 5 masters. Extremely good value for points here with lots of firepower, cargo and a great ability.
Honorable mentions (NOT a comprehensive or ordered list!): Zeus, OE Deliverance, HMS Gallows, Blackwatch, USS Kettering, Harbinger, Revenant, Black Pearl (025 and 026), Le Superbe, La Resolucion, Santa Ana (SCS), El Acorazado (SM), Darkhawk II, HMS Apollo (RotF #201), El Algeciras (OE), La Bonne Chance, Gibraltar flotilla, etc.
We have very different tastes for 40 point games. 😀 I’d rather have a faster ship as a main gunship, so I’d probably not choose the Titan, even though she’s just as good if not better than the Enterprise and San Cristobal. On that same thread I’d likely not choose the Endeavor, even though she’s one of the best damage dealers out there, she’s not as fast as I’d like or as cheap as I’d like for a 40 point game.
Fair points. The English do have LE Griffin as a bit of a “cheat code” to help the Titan and Endeavour match or even exceed some speeds of other 5 masters.
True, Griffin does exist, but I’d probably not use him in a 40 point game. For the same point cost I can get three or more more valuable crew on ships that would need them. I could also get another ship or two for the point cost as well.