Firelock Games Kicks off Oak and Iron

By Mitch Reed, photos by Firelock Games

You have heard us talk about it on podcasts, seen us post on our Facebook page and now Oak and Iron is here!

The team that brought you Blood and Plunder has expanded its gaming line to include the battles on the high seas with , a 1/600 scale naval game that they have been showing off at events over the last few months.

We were lucky to get Mike Tunez the lead developer at Firelock Games so answer some questions about this great new game.

Check out our or go to Firelockgames.com to get in on this Kickstarter campaign right away.

Now we did ask if the NDNG crew could generate 100 supporters they would consider a special character for the new game. So head to Kickstarter and tell them NDNG sent you!
Now for our Q&A with Mike Tunez:

NDNG: In a nutshell, what is Oak and Iron?

MT: Oak & Iron is a 1/600 scale naval combat game set in during the early years of the age of fighting sail (1650-1750). Unlike most naval sailing games that focus on the intricacies of sailing ship movement, while Oak & Iron retains the important aspects of sailing ships, it makes players think like an admiral. By using initiative cards that represent planning & signalling, players who plan ahead and successfully anticipate their opponent’s moves will be rewarded handsomely for doing so.

NDNG: After the success of Blood and Blunder why did you want to come out with Oak and Iron?

Similar to when I started designing Blood and Plunder, this was a type of game I’ve been wanting to see for a while. Unlike Blood and Plunder, there are currently tons of games and rulesets out there for playing naval battles in the age of sail. To me though, those games were all either too bogged down with clunky rulesets or didn’t give the right feeling for playing with fleets and larger squadrons. Many of the ones I did enjoy were restricted to a hex grid, which takes away from the aesthetic of the game for me. I also wanted to produce an easy to get into boxed miniatures games. I’m a big fan of that style of game as they really make miniature war-gaming accessible.

NDNG: Will Oak and Iron be linked in some way to Blood and Blunder? Same factions? Same historical characters?

Yes, they will have side-by-side playability as well as linked game ability. They will definitely feature some shared characters too as well as some new ones.

NDNG: With a history of age of sail games on the market, what makes Oak and Iron different?

I think the most significant thing is a mix of accessibility and a focus on national flavor. I think one thing I find lacking in many naval games is having two fleets feel distinct from one another. In most of those games that I’ve seen, there are some simple things like better morale rating or a higher probability of scoring hits on attacks, but that’s where it ends. Oak and Iron will feature some of those traits, but much of the faction flavor comes from the initiative cards. Each player will be able to create a custom hand of cards that include a number of faction-specific cards that reflect the tactical doctrine, sailing ability or other unique traits that set that nation apart from their rivals.

NDNG: If I like Blood and Plunder, but I am not a fan of ship games, why will I like Oak and Iron?

If you like Blood and Plunder, chances are you have discovered the tactical depth and challenge the game delivers. Or, you just really like history or pirates. Either way, Oak & Iron delivers on both of these things!

NDNG: After a few very successful Kickstarter campaigns under your belt, how do you think Oak and Iron will do? Do you think all of your future releases for both games will be on Kickstarter?

I have high hopes. I think the fact that Oak & Iron is a more inexpensive and accessible game will give it a broader appeal and allow it to maybe even exceed the success of Blood and Plunder on Kickstarter! Going forward, our plan is to launch anything that contains plastic miniatures on Kickstarter. All new metal, resin, print, etc,. products will likely be launched directly going forward.

NDNG: You have been doing demos of Oak and Iron for a few months now, how has it been received? What are some of the comments you have gotten from players?

It has been really well received, which is a great relief to me of course! A common comment is that this is the game system people have been waiting for to finally get their feet wet with a naval wargame. Others have commented on how simple it is to pick up, yet tactically challenging.

NDNG: What has been the biggest challenge to produce Oak and Iron?

I would say scaling actually. Trying to find a good scale where ships would look impressive without being too big was quite difficult. I think we found a good sweet spot at 1/600 though. At this scale, a small game with 3-4 ships per side can be played on a 3’x3’ table and a large scale fleet engagement with 20+ ships per side could be played on an 8’x4’ table. I think it strikes a good balance.