Even more excited for this game now! Thanks sir, and thank the wife as well.

Totally ordering this. I'm an OLD school Man'O'War player. I loved that game. Sold everything off a decade ago, but I've wanted to play a good naval game again. Minis look stylin'! Enjoyed the battle report!

Cracking video mate, and kudos to Mrs Blackjack for jumping in to help. It's great to see partners supporting each other like this. I was already sold on the game and my buddy Mark has bought everything for us as a community game so will be hoping to get plenty games in. Cheers Andy, keep doing what you're doing.

Great quality vid mate, camera angle was spot on for being able to see everything that was going on. Been waiting for this before deciding whether to pull the trigger on buying into it and it didn't disappoint, looks like Mantic have again managed to keep the rule set relatively simple and fun. Hopefully I can persuade my Mrs to play once it's released if we're still in lock down

This batrep format and this game work really well together. The full-board camera angle and the small number of large models in the game really read well on video, in contrast to something like 40K, where a camera angle like this makes the millions of tiny models in the game impossible to tell apart. Good job! That said, I'd really, really like to see an Armada batrep with the "advanced" wind rules in play. I love the models and the basic rules, including the simple, fast movement system. But I've got enough experience with real-life sailboats to be totally put off when, in Turn 4, the Basilean gunbrig sailed at full speed directly into the wind. Wind defines everything in age-of-sail naval combat; it really bothers me that in this game, it only determines initiative order. Sailing ships ought not be able to move *at all* within 45 degrees of the wind direction; they should need to tack across the wind, which would basically bring them close to a full halt while they turn their bows across the eye of the wind. Also, square-riggers ought to receive a speed bonus which increases the further off the wind they are headed, with a maximum bonus when heading dead down wind. Perhaps the steam-driven dwarven iron-clads could be immune to these effects, getting no penalty into the wind and no bonus when headed off the wind, to further differentiate them from the sailing ships of the other nations. When I saw the models, I really wanted to love this game, and I still do. But now I'm less likely to pre-order it, until I see evidence that there are wind-direction rules that reflect how big sailing ships really work. I'm not looking for tedious simulation, but I do want to see wind direction matter enough to movement that it has a marked effect on tactics. Of course, none of that reflects on YOU--again, I definitely want to see more batreps in this format.

Can't wait to finish work to watch this. Thanks for making all those videos!

Finally! A batrep from something non-40k! Great job!

Thanks a lot for doing this man. I am very excited for the game but was curious if gameplay gonna be as cool as the ships themselves - thanks to your report I'm all-in now. Great job, both of you.

Thank you Mrs Blackjack, I’ve been looking forward to game play stuff, glade lockdown didn’t stop you from making it.

been looking for a man o war type game for ages, this could be it, nice one for the video

Just starting to watch the video. Thanks to your wife for helping out! I’ve already pointed a few fellows in your direction because of this game and your enthusiasm for it.

Typical Mantic game really, simple but effective rules containing lots of fun. Looks like you both really enjoyed it. No exploding 8's though? Well done both

Thanks for the vid. Nice and easy rule set. All the parts look the biz. Minis look stunning Mantic are knocking it out of the park these days. Looking forward to the next rep.

Brilliant work! You managed to get me into Vanguard, now maybe into Armada...

The KZfaq algorithm shot this into my feed. Since it was the first game in months that wasn’t 40K, I thought I’d check it out (I’m an Infinity guy). A few things: - I like your format; thank you to your Mrs for giving it a go. I enjoyed watching this video. - Mantic does a good job, and this is no exception. Solid rules, great models! - How does a Brit from the north east become an LA Rams fan??

Cracking camera angle old son, a corner cutaway with a dice tray would be brilliant

thank you for the video :) :) both to you and to the wife :) I am very interested in the game and I appreciated the walkthrough!

Damn you're fast mate. Gonna enjoy this while i rearrange my hobby table

Great video, like the new setup a lot. Looks to me like Mantic have done it again with straightforward rules that enable a fun, tactical game. Total respect to Mrs. Blackjack a worthy opponent who was not out to make your life easy!

Love this video this was exactly what the guys I game with needed to get stuck into this game. Thankyou 👍 yarrrrr ☠️

Looks like a really fun game!!! Will need to get out my laser for this one

Great video, really looking forward to getting my hands on this myself

Thank you & your wife for this battle report. Very entertaining. I don't know is it Mantic design, but templates set from behind ship instead of front for manouvering is quite clever (and not so disrupting when you are using them in approximity of other models). Game is quite sleek design, not overwhelming, but give players lot of options. Smaller ships have a lot of manouverability, so you can really back to battle quite fast, so they are not just pieces to move without any value in game. I haven't even considered marine game but now I'm starting :-).

Super Jelly you have the new game already, but I love the game play thanks so much for adding to the Armada content. I am super excited for this game.

Stoked for this game

Hell yeah MIssus Black Jack, thanks for being a good sport!

Excellent video and it was great to see you Mrs too... she did so well!

Interesting game and one I'd like to play, not sure it's one I'll add to my collection however. Thanks for the Video and great job Mrs. B

Excellent battle report

Can we get a closeup of the painted ships? They look amazing! Maybe a painting vid (I know they're already painted) but maybe a video on the color choices and whatnot?

Standing ovation, mate!!

Pretty excited for this!

Great video!

Stop tempting me! Haha. Some seriously nice game mechanisms in this by the looks of it. I was a massive fan of Uncharted Seas by Spartan Games, but they arw sadly a thing of the distant past. Now I just need to pick a fleet, those pseudo Egyptian boats are grabbing my attention.

Looks like a fantastic game. I will admit that ship combat didn't overly interest me, but add in fantasy and I'm sold. I believe it is a modified version of black sails. The big thing for me with this is that it was released direct to retail. I prefer this over the Kickstarter route. No long waits. I am hopeful that Mantic continues this model of release where possible.

Your wife volunteering to help is much appreciated. Great game.

Great video and thanks to your wife assisting getting this out, question could be an advanced rule but dies sailing into the wind not affect you?

Glad you posted this video, really important to have some more info before buying the game, made me rethink if I want to get this game (not your fault though :))

Great batrep folks. Many thanks to your lovely wife for assisting in your destruction. My wife made me sign a prenup that I am not allowed to win in any games I play with her. What we do for love... You have inspired me and my gaming buddy to pre order and look forward to some sea battles. Thank you for the videos.

Lou what a great battle report. I have just ordered the game from so me goblin based on your taticts. Now get your man to buy you a nice dinner from Ronnie s commission cheque😋

SOLD!!! Great video

Hey there! Awesome vid mate! I was wondering the dimensions of the play area, so they can be 4x4 and 4x6 as well? Cause I have my old dystopian wars playmat and i'd love to use it!

Fun to watch.. never played ship battles before. I’m new to tabletop games. Great video. I think your wife would have beaten you if she didn’t start off running into her own ships.

Will Emperor Golloch be pleased ? I sure hope so :). Great battle report.

Very excited for this game, but not so excited for the first 4 factions. Here's to hoping it gives us more factions AND takes off in my area! Well, after this pandemic.

Thanks for the overview - next time rather than eliminating each other showing off the scenarios might be a good idea. Makes it less of a slugfest and more of a manoeuvring and/or crashing into stuff good time.

This reminds me of Spartan Games Uncharted Seas

It looks extremely similar to Black Seas? Nice looking game.

I believe the collision was unnecessary as oar/engine powered ships can make a free turn before one movement during it's activation

Hehe is that the dreadfleet terrain i see :)

Heh, dreadfleet terrain finally having a use

Please make some more battle videos!

Kudo’s to the wife! How did you paint the Dwarfs? They look sweet!

So good battle report but it's kinda leaning me towards black seas/oak and iron as there doesn't seem to be any major differences, i was hoping for magic and sea monsters etc for a proper fantasy theme but this just looks like a generic age of sail naval game with slightly more interesting models.

I think the dwarfs can reroll skill tests, wouldn't that also mean she could have rerolled her colliding ships? That collision looked painful lol

20 seconds in, "basically ships, .......hah ships" is this an omen for the rest of the video? :D

Where's that terrain from? Dreadfleet?

Holy crap, an hour and a half long? (No, I haven't finished it yet) I don't know how to feel about Dwarfs being faster than Humans.

Idk, the ruleset might be a bit too simplistic and the turning around the aft is off-putting (actually boats and ship are more turning around the fore, creating a bit of a drift). Anyway, I like the weather gauge based Initiative rules.

Is that Dreadfleet fleet terrain you are using here?

Where does magic come into the game. Or have I missed something?

We know who the navigator is. ;)

Maybe a missed opportunity with not making the cards double sided ? Instead of remembering what crippeld ship rolls they could adjusted the stats on the other side of the cards and with some other graphics. I do like the system :D i pre orderd the game.

Yar, matey.

Saldrá en español

I have a question - when you would have crashed into your wife's ship and avoided that crash, you said you needed to turn your ship teh minimum amountnecessary to avoid that crash and then turned right. Wouldn't you have had to turn it the other way, thus making it face the island and potentially crash into that with your next move, because it would have required way less turning to do so? I don't know the rules, just really curious. :)

Mate, I wanna get this so bad but it's the worst time to try get into a war game. The missus hates anything like this and my kid is 8. I may try convince the missus cos the models and gameplay looks great. Update - My starter box arrived today, and I've convince the missus to play Orcs.

Is that the premium armada mat????

This is basically just Black Seas..... is there nothing much different?

love... for the greatest of wives

subscribed and then saw you shortchange your wife on the rules and unsubscribed. You are "the guy"