General description:
This fort is unusual in its relative weakness. With a mere three cannons, it can be destroyed much more easily than any other fort. Also, it has no special defensive or offensive abilities. It truly is a treasure oriented fort, and more of a port than a stronghold.
Uses:
This fort is best used either at the beginning or the end of a game, but never in the middle. Use it as a place to store treasure, but think of this one more as a ceramic piggy bank than a safe.
Strategies and game play:
I see two basic strategies for this fort. Playing it at the end is the most obvious one. It is cheap (3 gold) and therefore easily built. Also, it can allow you to spy on a treasure on each island, a great ability when you know there are four gold left and three coins available.
At the beginning of the game, it can be great for scouting gold on all the islands. Advanced knowledge of what is where can let you skip that island with all the negative UT's and go for the ones with the most gold. Also, as the Spanish, it would be great to know where Blood Money is hiding so that you can visit that one last. With this strategy, don't use it for defending a lot of gold, as it stands a good chance of destruction.
Another idea is to build it solely as a decoy. It costs three gold, but the price may be worth it if you can distract a large warship long enough to gather more than three gold you would not ordinarily have gathered.
Combos with other miniatures:
Many cheap Spanish ships docked at the fort at the beginning of the game can allow you to explore the entire map before you can visit the islands. El Picador, El Algeciras (OE), El Afortunado, and El Raton are good for this. Also, if you want to boost the defenses of this fort for any reason, permanently docking La Academia could add some much needed cannons and give the fort an "emergency exit" for the gold in case of destruction. La Santa Isabel give +2 to gold returned home, so even a one gold coin is enough to fund a fort.
Ways to counteract it:
To counteract this fort, simply destroy it. It isn't especially well defended, so it is fairly easy to destroy.
Strengths/Pros:
Scouting.
Cheap gold cost.
Friendly monks always have a fresh supply of vegetables.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Weak defenses.
Immobile.
Three gold liability.
Artwork and aesthetics:
This one has the nice look of a fort, but it is a bit awkward looking with only three flags. The empty "rampart" makes it look unusual. (You can remove it if you wish.)
Overall rating:
8/10, due to its potential if used carefully and cheap cost.
Miniature Trading
