Pirate Cove
The pirate cove off every island is nobody’s city, yet every player has a cove of their own: if you have a city on the island you raid it with your galleys, and if you win you bring goods home from its store.
What is the cove?
Out at sea off every island, a little way from its shore, a pirate cove stands on an islet of its own. It is not a city: no city can be founded there and nobody can conquer it. In it live a pirate gang and the cargo of the ships they have robbed across the Aegean.
You can only attack the cove from your own cities on the same island. Because the cove stands on an islet, your army crosses to it in transport galleys: no galleys, no raid.
Who are the pirates?
The pirates are our own soldiers under other names and other faces. Each of them fights with the values of one unit:
Which pirate is which unit
| Pirate | Fights with the values of |
|---|---|
| Oarsman | Spearman |
| Rock Hurler | Slinger |
| Shore Archer | Archer |
| Boarder | Hoplite |
| Javelin Thrower | Peltast |
| Raider | Swordsman |
| Mercenary Archer | Cretan Archer |
| Pirate Guard | Phalangite |
| Pirate Battering Ram | Battering Ram |
Levels
| Level | Garrison | Soldiers | Wall level | In store, of each resource the island produces | In store, of each resource it does not produce |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  1 Oarsman,  3 Rock Hurler,  1 Shore Archer | 5 | — | 200 | 300 |
| 2 | 3 Oarsman, 4 Rock Hurler, 2 Shore Archer | 9 | — | 250 | 375 |
| 3 | 6 Oarsman, 5 Rock Hurler, 2 Shore Archer,  2 Boarder | 15 | — | 300 | 450 |
| 4 | 7 Oarsman, 9 Rock Hurler, 4 Shore Archer, 4 Boarder,  2 Javelin Thrower | 26 | — | 400 | 600 |
| 5 | 11 Oarsman, 11 Rock Hurler, 7 Shore Archer, 8 Boarder, 3 Javelin Thrower | 40 | — | 500 | 750 |
| 6 | 18 Oarsman, 12 Rock Hurler, 12 Shore Archer, 14 Boarder, 8 Javelin Thrower | 64 | — | 650 | 975 |
| 7 | 20 Oarsman, 14 Rock Hurler, 14 Shore Archer, 18 Boarder, 12 Javelin Thrower,  6 Mercenary Archer | 84 | 2 | 800 | 1,200 |
| 8 | 22 Oarsman, 14 Rock Hurler, 16 Shore Archer, 22 Boarder, 14 Javelin Thrower, 10 Mercenary Archer,  6 Pirate Guard | 104 | 3 | 1,000 | 1,500 |
| 9 | 24 Oarsman, 16 Rock Hurler, 18 Shore Archer, 26 Boarder, 11 Javelin Thrower,  4 Raider, 14 Mercenary Archer, 12 Pirate Guard | 125 | 4 | 1,200 | 1,800 |
| 10 | 26 Oarsman, 18 Rock Hurler, 20 Shore Archer, 30 Boarder, 13 Javelin Thrower, 4 Raider, 18 Mercenary Archer, 18 Pirate Guard | 147 | 5 | 1,500 | 2,250 |
| 11 | 28 Oarsman, 20 Rock Hurler, 22 Shore Archer, 33 Boarder, 14 Javelin Thrower, 5 Raider, 20 Mercenary Archer, 20 Pirate Guard | 162 | 6 | 1,600 | 2,400 |
| 12 | 32 Oarsman, 22 Rock Hurler, 24 Shore Archer, 36 Boarder, 16 Javelin Thrower, 5 Raider, 22 Mercenary Archer, 22 Pirate Guard | 179 | 6 | 1,800 | 2,700 |
| 13 | 35 Oarsman, 24 Rock Hurler, 27 Shore Archer, 40 Boarder, 14 Javelin Thrower, 8 Raider, 24 Mercenary Archer, 24 Pirate Guard | 196 | 7 | 1,900 | 2,850 |
| 14 | 38 Oarsman, 27 Rock Hurler, 29 Shore Archer, 44 Boarder, 16 Javelin Thrower, 9 Raider, 27 Mercenary Archer, 27 Pirate Guard | 217 | 7 | 2,100 | 3,150 |
| 15 | 43 Oarsman, 29 Rock Hurler, 33 Shore Archer, 49 Boarder, 18 Javelin Thrower, 9 Raider, 29 Mercenary Archer, 29 Pirate Guard | 239 | 8 | 2,300 | 3,450 |
| 16 | 47 Oarsman, 33 Rock Hurler, 36 Shore Archer, 54 Boarder, 20 Javelin Thrower, 10 Raider, 32 Mercenary Archer, 32 Pirate Guard | 264 | 8 | 2,500 | 3,750 |
| 17 | 51 Oarsman, 36 Rock Hurler, 39 Shore Archer, 59 Boarder, 21 Javelin Thrower, 12 Raider, 36 Mercenary Archer, 36 Pirate Guard | 290 | 9 | 2,800 | 4,200 |
| 18 | 57 Oarsman, 39 Rock Hurler, 44 Shore Archer, 66 Boarder, 19 Javelin Thrower, 16 Raider, 39 Mercenary Archer, 39 Pirate Guard | 319 | 9 | 3,000 | 4,500 |
| 19 | 63 Oarsman, 44 Rock Hurler, 48 Shore Archer, 72 Boarder, 22 Javelin Thrower, 17 Raider, 43 Mercenary Archer, 43 Pirate Guard | 352 | 10 | 3,300 | 4,950 |
| 20 | 69 Oarsman, 48 Rock Hurler, 53 Shore Archer, 79 Boarder, 24 Javelin Thrower, 19 Raider, 48 Mercenary Archer, 48 Pirate Guard | 388 | 10 | 3,600 | 5,400 |
| 21 | 76 Oarsman, 53 Rock Hurler, 58 Shore Archer, 88 Boarder, 27 Javelin Thrower, 21 Raider, 53 Mercenary Archer, 52 Pirate Guard | 428 | 11 | 3,900 | 5,850 |
| 22 | 84 Oarsman, 58 Rock Hurler, 65 Shore Archer, 97 Boarder, 29 Javelin Thrower, 23 Raider, 58 Mercenary Archer, 58 Pirate Guard | 472 | 11 | 4,200 | 6,300 |
| 23 | 92 Oarsman, 64 Rock Hurler, 71 Shore Archer, 107 Boarder, 32 Javelin Thrower, 26 Raider, 64 Mercenary Archer, 64 Pirate Guard | 520 | 12 | 4,600 | 6,900 |
| 24 | 102 Oarsman, 71 Rock Hurler, 78 Shore Archer, 118 Boarder, 36 Javelin Thrower, 28 Raider, 70 Mercenary Archer, 70 Pirate Guard | 573 | 12 | 5,000 | 7,500 |
| 25 | 112 Oarsman, 78 Rock Hurler, 86 Shore Archer, 130 Boarder, 39 Javelin Thrower, 31 Raider, 78 Mercenary Archer, 78 Pirate Guard | 632 | 13 | 5,500 | 8,250 |
| A beaten cove looks burnt for | 3 hours | ||||
| Wait between raids (resets at midnight UTC) | 1 hour → 3 hours → 6 hours → 12 hours | ||||
| An empty store fills in | 12 hours | ||||
| What each returning soldier carries | 12 | ||||
| Level | Development score | When they come to you: a raid on a city | When they come to you: a blockade of a deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 2 Oarsman, 5 Rock Hurler, 2 Shore Archer,  2 Pirate Battering Ram,  2 Pirate Galley | 1 Oarsman, 2 Rock Hurler, 1 Shore Archer |
| 2 | 150,000 | 5 Oarsman, 7 Rock Hurler, 4 Shore Archer, 3 Pirate Battering Ram, 3 Pirate Galley | 2 Oarsman, 3 Rock Hurler, 2 Shore Archer |
| 3 | 230,000 | 10 Oarsman, 8 Rock Hurler, 4 Shore Archer, 4 Boarder, 3 Pirate Battering Ram, 3 Pirate Galley | 4 Oarsman, 3 Rock Hurler, 2 Shore Archer, 2 Boarder |
| 4 | 350,000 | 12 Oarsman, 15 Rock Hurler, 7 Shore Archer, 7 Boarder, 4 Javelin Thrower, 4 Pirate Battering Ram, 4 Pirate Galley | 5 Oarsman, 6 Rock Hurler, 3 Shore Archer, 3 Boarder, 2 Javelin Thrower |
| 5 | 550,000 | 18 Oarsman, 18 Rock Hurler, 12 Shore Archer, 13 Boarder, 5 Javelin Thrower, 5 Pirate Battering Ram, 6 Pirate Galley | 7 Oarsman, 7 Rock Hurler, 5 Shore Archer, 5 Boarder, 2 Javelin Thrower |
| 6 | 840,000 | 29 Oarsman, 20 Rock Hurler, 20 Shore Archer, 23 Boarder, 13 Javelin Thrower, 6 Pirate Battering Ram, 8 Pirate Galley | 11 Oarsman, 8 Rock Hurler, 8 Shore Archer, 9 Boarder, 5 Javelin Thrower |
| 7 | 1,300,000 | 32 Oarsman, 23 Rock Hurler, 23 Shore Archer, 29 Boarder, 20 Javelin Thrower, 10 Mercenary Archer, 7 Pirate Battering Ram, 10 Pirate Galley | 12 Oarsman, 9 Rock Hurler, 9 Shore Archer, 11 Boarder, 8 Javelin Thrower, 4 Mercenary Archer |
| 8 | 2,000,000 | 36 Oarsman, 23 Rock Hurler, 26 Shore Archer, 36 Boarder, 23 Javelin Thrower, 16 Mercenary Archer, 10 Pirate Guard, 9 Pirate Battering Ram, 13 Pirate Galley | 14 Oarsman, 9 Rock Hurler, 10 Shore Archer, 14 Boarder, 9 Javelin Thrower, 6 Mercenary Archer, 4 Pirate Guard |
| 9 | 3,100,000 | 39 Oarsman, 26 Rock Hurler, 29 Shore Archer, 42 Boarder, 18 Javelin Thrower, 7 Raider, 23 Mercenary Archer, 20 Pirate Guard, 10 Pirate Battering Ram, 15 Pirate Galley | 15 Oarsman, 10 Rock Hurler, 11 Shore Archer, 16 Boarder, 7 Javelin Thrower, 3 Raider, 9 Mercenary Archer, 8 Pirate Guard |
| 10 | 4,700,000 | 42 Oarsman, 29 Rock Hurler, 32 Shore Archer, 48 Boarder, 21 Javelin Thrower, 7 Raider, 29 Mercenary Archer, 29 Pirate Guard, 12 Pirate Battering Ram, 17 Pirate Galley | 16 Oarsman, 11 Rock Hurler, 12 Shore Archer, 18 Boarder, 8 Javelin Thrower, 3 Raider, 11 Mercenary Archer, 11 Pirate Guard |
| 11 | 7,200,000 | 45 Oarsman, 32 Rock Hurler, 36 Shore Archer, 53 Boarder, 23 Javelin Thrower, 8 Raider, 32 Mercenary Archer, 32 Pirate Guard, 15 Pirate Battering Ram, 20 Pirate Galley | 17 Oarsman, 12 Rock Hurler, 14 Shore Archer, 20 Boarder, 9 Javelin Thrower, 3 Raider, 12 Mercenary Archer, 12 Pirate Guard |
| 12 | 11,000,000 | 52 Oarsman, 36 Rock Hurler, 39 Shore Archer, 58 Boarder, 26 Javelin Thrower, 8 Raider, 36 Mercenary Archer, 36 Pirate Guard, 18 Pirate Battering Ram, 23 Pirate Galley | 20 Oarsman, 14 Rock Hurler, 15 Shore Archer, 22 Boarder, 10 Javelin Thrower, 3 Raider, 14 Mercenary Archer, 14 Pirate Guard |
| 13 | 17,000,000 | 56 Oarsman, 39 Rock Hurler, 44 Shore Archer, 64 Boarder, 23 Javelin Thrower, 13 Raider, 39 Mercenary Archer, 39 Pirate Guard, 22 Pirate Battering Ram, 26 Pirate Galley | 21 Oarsman, 15 Rock Hurler, 17 Shore Archer, 24 Boarder, 9 Javelin Thrower, 5 Raider, 15 Mercenary Archer, 15 Pirate Guard |
| 14 | 26,000,000 | 61 Oarsman, 44 Rock Hurler, 47 Shore Archer, 71 Boarder, 26 Javelin Thrower, 15 Raider, 44 Mercenary Archer, 44 Pirate Guard, 27 Pirate Battering Ram, 30 Pirate Galley | 23 Oarsman, 17 Rock Hurler, 18 Shore Archer, 27 Boarder, 10 Javelin Thrower, 6 Raider, 17 Mercenary Archer, 17 Pirate Guard |
| 15 | 40,000,000 | 69 Oarsman, 47 Rock Hurler, 53 Shore Archer, 79 Boarder, 29 Javelin Thrower, 15 Raider, 47 Mercenary Archer, 47 Pirate Guard, 33 Pirate Battering Ram, 35 Pirate Galley | 26 Oarsman, 18 Rock Hurler, 20 Shore Archer, 30 Boarder, 11 Javelin Thrower, 6 Raider, 18 Mercenary Archer, 18 Pirate Guard |
| 16 | 62,000,000 | 76 Oarsman, 53 Rock Hurler, 58 Shore Archer, 87 Boarder, 32 Javelin Thrower, 16 Raider, 52 Mercenary Archer, 52 Pirate Guard, 40 Pirate Battering Ram, 40 Pirate Galley | 29 Oarsman, 20 Rock Hurler, 22 Shore Archer, 33 Boarder, 12 Javelin Thrower, 6 Raider, 20 Mercenary Archer, 20 Pirate Guard |
| 17 | 96,000,000 | 82 Oarsman, 58 Rock Hurler, 63 Shore Archer, 95 Boarder, 34 Javelin Thrower, 20 Raider, 58 Mercenary Archer, 58 Pirate Guard, 49 Pirate Battering Ram, 46 Pirate Galley | 31 Oarsman, 22 Rock Hurler, 24 Shore Archer, 36 Boarder, 13 Javelin Thrower, 8 Raider, 22 Mercenary Archer, 22 Pirate Guard |
| 18 | 150,000,000 | 92 Oarsman, 63 Rock Hurler, 71 Shore Archer, 106 Boarder, 31 Javelin Thrower, 26 Raider, 63 Mercenary Archer, 63 Pirate Guard, 59 Pirate Battering Ram, 53 Pirate Galley | 35 Oarsman, 24 Rock Hurler, 27 Shore Archer, 40 Boarder, 12 Javelin Thrower, 10 Raider, 24 Mercenary Archer, 24 Pirate Guard |
| 19 | 230,000,000 | 101 Oarsman, 71 Rock Hurler, 77 Shore Archer, 116 Boarder, 36 Javelin Thrower, 28 Raider, 69 Mercenary Archer, 69 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 56 Pirate Galley | 38 Oarsman, 27 Rock Hurler, 29 Shore Archer, 44 Boarder, 14 Javelin Thrower, 11 Raider, 26 Mercenary Archer, 26 Pirate Guard |
| 20 | 350,000,000 | 111 Oarsman, 77 Rock Hurler, 85 Shore Archer, 127 Boarder, 39 Javelin Thrower, 31 Raider, 77 Mercenary Archer, 77 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 59 Pirate Galley | 42 Oarsman, 29 Rock Hurler, 32 Shore Archer, 48 Boarder, 15 Javelin Thrower, 12 Raider, 29 Mercenary Archer, 29 Pirate Guard |
| 21 | 540,000,000 | 122 Oarsman, 85 Rock Hurler, 93 Shore Archer, 141 Boarder, 44 Javelin Thrower, 34 Raider, 85 Mercenary Archer, 84 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 62 Pirate Galley | 46 Oarsman, 32 Rock Hurler, 35 Shore Archer, 53 Boarder, 17 Javelin Thrower, 13 Raider, 32 Mercenary Archer, 32 Pirate Guard |
| 22 | 820,000,000 | 135 Oarsman, 93 Rock Hurler, 104 Shore Archer, 156 Boarder, 47 Javelin Thrower, 37 Raider, 93 Mercenary Archer, 93 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 65 Pirate Galley | 51 Oarsman, 35 Rock Hurler, 39 Shore Archer, 59 Boarder, 18 Javelin Thrower, 14 Raider, 35 Mercenary Archer, 35 Pirate Guard |
| 23 | 1,300,000,000 | 148 Oarsman, 103 Rock Hurler, 114 Shore Archer, 172 Boarder, 52 Javelin Thrower, 42 Raider, 103 Mercenary Archer, 103 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 69 Pirate Galley | 56 Oarsman, 39 Rock Hurler, 43 Shore Archer, 65 Boarder, 20 Javelin Thrower, 16 Raider, 39 Mercenary Archer, 39 Pirate Guard |
| 24 | 2,000,000,000 | 164 Oarsman, 114 Rock Hurler, 125 Shore Archer, 189 Boarder, 58 Javelin Thrower, 45 Raider, 112 Mercenary Archer, 112 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 72 Pirate Galley | 62 Oarsman, 43 Rock Hurler, 47 Shore Archer, 71 Boarder, 22 Javelin Thrower, 17 Raider, 42 Mercenary Archer, 42 Pirate Guard |
| 25 | 3,000,000,000 | 180 Oarsman, 125 Rock Hurler, 138 Shore Archer, 208 Boarder, 63 Javelin Thrower, 50 Raider, 125 Mercenary Archer, 125 Pirate Guard, 60 Pirate Battering Ram, 77 Pirate Galley | 68 Oarsman, 47 Rock Hurler, 52 Shore Archer, 78 Boarder, 24 Javelin Thrower, 19 Raider, 47 Mercenary Archer, 47 Pirate Guard |
As the cove’s level rises its garrison grows, its wall rises and its store widens. The store columns show how much the store holds of each resource the island produces and of each one it does not. How long the burnt look lasts and the waits between raids are under the table.
Step by step
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Click the pirate cove in the island view |
| 2 | See its garrison, its store and when you can attack it |
| 3 | Press Attack and choose one of your cities on the island |
| 4 | Choose the soldiers; the game counts the galleys they need, and you can add extra galleys for plunder |
| 5 | The army boards at the War Harbour, or at the Port in a city without one; you can follow the boarding in the Quay section of that building's window |
| 6 | When the galleys reach the islet the battle begins and runs to its end |
| 7 | If you win, the plunder is loaded into the galleys and the army turns for home |
| 8 | The plunder joins your stores when the army is home |
The battle
A battle at the cove is fought by the same rules as a battle at a city: the same field, the same rounds, the same damage, the same morale. The only difference is time: all the rounds are fought the moment your army reaches the islet. You can watch the battle round by round afterwards on the Battlefield; the pirates appear there under their own names and faces.
Nobody comes to the cove’s help, and nobody can come to yours. At the higher levels the cove has a stone wall. While it stands your foot soldiers cannot reach the pirates, nor theirs you; only engines such as the Battering Ram open it (Walls).
The plunder store
The cove’s store holds plenty of every resource, most of all the ones the island does not produce: a way to reach the other resources without founding a colony. An emptied store fills up again over time; how much it holds grows with the cove’s level.
If you win, you take from whatever is in the store, in proportion to how much of each there is. How much you take is decided by what you can carry: what every returning soldier carries in his hands, and the room left in the galleys once the soldiers are aboard. If you lose, you take nothing. As with a raid, the plunder joins your stores when your army is home; whatever does not fit is lost. If the galleys have too little room for the store, the order window warns you and adds your idle ships with one tap (Raiding).
The cove grows
A beaten cove grows a level: its garrison grows and its store widens. For a while after a defeat it looks burnt, but the pirates regroup at once; your next raid meets the new level.
The cove never shrinks by itself: once it has reached a level it stays there until you beat it, however long you wait. That is why beating it takes real effort over time; every new level is more crowded and richer than the last. An attack that is beaten off does not make it grow; the level changes only when you win. The cove’s picture changes with its level too: the bigger it gets, the sturdier a stronghold it looks.
The cove is yours. Everybody on the island sees the cove in the same spot on the map, but every player’s cove is separate: its level, its store, and its burnt look belong to that player alone. Your neighbours’ raids neither grow your cove nor empty its store; every newcomer to the island finds their own cove at level 1, its store full. If you have no city on the island, you have no cove there either.
Pirate treasure
While you are at peace with the pirates, now and then, on no fixed day, they bring a treasure to one of your coves. You hear of it in the bell and on your phone; on the island map the cove is marked Treasure, and the cove window shows what the treasure holds and until when it waits. The treasure comes in your own scale: goods and Gold worth a few hours of the production and tax of all your cities.
Beat the cove while the treasure waits and it is yours: the Gold goes to your treasury, the goods to the warehouse of the city the raid set out from; goods with no room there stay in your stash at the cove, for your ships to carry home on later raids. But like every cove raid, this one turns the pirates against you (Pirate Raids). While the pirates are raiding you they bring no treasure; when the peace returns, so do the treasures.
The wait
You cannot attack a cove again and again. The wait grows after every raid: short after the first, longer after each one, up to a cap. It counts from the moment the raid sets sail and resets every day at midnight UTC. The cove’s window tells you when you can send the next raid. A raid you recall while it is still boarding counts as never having set out: it starts no wait and does not count towards the day's raids.
The figures come from the game's own content. Balance updates can move some numbers; the rules themselves are as written here.