Oak & Iron is a 1/600th scale miniatures game that focuses on naval combat during the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1750 AD). The game pits 2 or more players against each other in small fleet and squadron battles of sailing ships. It’s fast-paced and simple without a bunch of stuffy charts. The rules are simple and intuitive for novices and long-time gamers. Despite the simplicity of the rules the game has significant tactical depth and is a challenge for all skill levels. Oak & Iron is light enough for all players, but it stays true to its historical theme and incorporates a number of historical characters, ships & tactics of the period. The game has 5 factions, each with its own flavor and play style.
The starting point for the game is the Oak & Iron: Core Box. We have included everything that you will need to play right out of this box, including six starting factions and a large amount of customization options for your squadrons and individual ships.
The game can be played with up to six players when playing at fleet scale. Two teams of three players each, each player controlling one of more squadrons.
What’s in the Game Box?
The Oak & Iron Core Box set is a complete game in a box and includes:
6 plastic ship models with clear plastic bases:
Light Galleon
Fluyt
Petit Fregate
Corvette
Brigantine
Sloop
6 ship stat cards
5 Nation / Faction cards:
Spain
England
France
The Netherlands
Pirates
19 Admiral cards to lead your squadrons
46 upgrade & captain cards to customize each ship
39 Initiative cards to shape your battle plans and coordinate with your squadron
15 Event cards for exciting and realistic twists throughout the game.
21 scenario cards designed to emulate the lead-up to the engagement and create a unique gaming experience every time.
6 Oak & Iron Dice
1 set of 5 movement tools designed to keep ship sailing smoothly
1 range ruler
All necessary tokens and counters
17 Double-sided terrain tiles
3′ x 3′ Sea mat
To sum it all up, Oak & Iron is an EXCELLENT board game. If you have even a minor interest in pirates or naval combat in the “Golden Age of Pirates”, you don’t need to pass it up. Board games can often get stale over time and miniatures games are often complex or require a significant expense to buy in. Oak & Iron is the best of both worlds. The boxed set has a variety of gameplay without overly complex rules. If you don’t buy any of the expansions, it’s a solid game. But if you want to take it up a notch and turn it into a full-blown wargame, the expansion packs exist and buy-in overall is low compared to other miniatures games.
Pros:
The rules are face paced and streamlined. Dice modifiers and mechanics are intuitive and consistent.
It blurs the line between board games and miniatures games so it’s a fun option for both types of players.
The game does an excellent job of maintaining historical accuracy without complex or tedious rules.
While not prepainted, the two-tone nature of the minis still makes them look good on the table.
The initiative system is brilliant! It isn’t an arbitrary dice roll. It allows players to make a risk/reward decision of whether to go first or second in exchange for special ability bonuses. The need to predict the best initiative the round before it’s played also adds a layer of strategic and tactical depth to the game.
For the depth of content, the game is well-priced and affordable.