Editing Black Seas (section)

==Collecting your Fleet==
So there's two primary ways to build a fleet. Bear in mind that all boxes come with an adequate amount of sails, ratline threading, cut-out flags and such for national ships, wakes, so on. For what it's worth, Black Seas (in my neck of the woods) is typically played at no more than 1,500 points. Make of that what you will in terms of collection size. 

===The Cheap Way/ Fleet Build for Nations Without National Fleet Boxes===
Those of us who play Spanish, American, Privateer, EITC, and whatever have you that aren't either French or British are lucky because we get to save a few bucks in pursuit of building our fleet. However, that doesn't mean you can't make these ships French or British if you don't care about skimping some details other boxes have (see next section). 

You need approximately TWO boxes to get more than enough points to rock a 1500 point game: the [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/master-commander-starter-set| Master and Commander Starter Set]] (how original), and the [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/3rd-rates-squadron-1770-1830| Third Rates Squadron box.]] This will get you literally everything you could ever need. 
* The M&C box has punchout terrain for islands and forts, as well as all the doo-dads and wots-its you might want, such as colored cotton in white, black, or red to use for signifying broadsides or ships on fire, as well as tokens detailing ship critical hits and so on. Most importantly, it also contains the rulebook. At $48, it's a fucking STEAL for what you're getting in it. Just the ships it comes with sell separately for [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/frigates-brigs-flotilla-1770-1830| thirty two dollars]], so you might as well just spend the extra cash and get the M&C set. The best part, however, is that it comes with a double-sided 4'x4' gaming mat (might be wrong on those dimensions, but it's big). 
* The Third Rate box gets you exactly 3 Third Rates. Self explanatory. You will need these to flesh out your fleet for larger 1500 point games. 
* Buy a First Rate if you really want one, doesn't matter which, the ''Victory'' or ''L'Orient''. Only [[That Guy]] is going to give a shit about you fielding a French First Rate in a Spanish fleet.

===Moneybags Fleetbuilding *Specifically* for French or British Fleets===
Master and Commander set is still your core purchase because it contains rules, extra ships, and all that shit I just wrote up there. However, you want a fleet box from either [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/royal-navy-fleet-1770-1830|The Royal Navy]] or [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/french-navy-fleet-1770-1830|The French Navy]] options. Each box comes with customized historical plates for the sterns of your boats, which is obviously good if you're a fucking nerd like me. It'll also give you an appropriate First Rate plus fifteen other boats and a little flotilla for bomb ketches, which is hilariously adorable that you think something like that would survive thirty seconds on the table. Once you've bought a starter set + a fleet box, you're squared away for games up to around 2,000 points-ish.

===Beyond your First Fleet: Expanding===
Before we continue, it is very rare to have a game of more than 1,000 points. Black seas is simply a very detail-oriented game in all the good and bad ways (more good than bad). It strikes a fine balance, as noted above, but it tends to run into a wall at higher point values due to the sheer number of things to keep track of. 2,000 point games are rare, 1,000 to 1,500 is the sweet spot for speed and functionality. 

I think it'd be wise to have some, even just one, Third Rate since they're basically the core of your battle line in bigger games, so I'd say grab the [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/3rd-rates-squadron-1770-1830| Third Rates Squadron box]] if you just want something to flesh out a fleet roster overall. This is your main "punch". You could definitely split this box with a pal or two. 

Afterwards, I'd say [[https://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/black-seas/products/frigates-brigs-flotilla-1770-1830|more frigates]] is never a bad idea since they're cheap, aren't limited, and fulfill a pretty utilitarian role in your fleet. The upshot of frigates is after you get at least six of them, you can run a pretty tidy American fleet no-problem. This game also really shines in the "frigate action" scale, which is where the true action from the Age of Sail happened. 

Generally speaking, your fleet will consist of MAYBE one First Rate, one or two Third Rates, a handful of Frigates and a score of Brigs, Schooners, Clippers, and so on, with some gunboats for a laugh. A dozen or so models should be where you cap out.