Holk

The Holk

The Holk is the upgrade of the Kogge, available to Friesland only. Like its predecessor, it is a strong and fast ship which can be upgraded at the Blacksmith. It also has attack bonuses against lancers, buildings, rams, and ships (including other War Cogs).

Unit Statistics

Vital

Type: Warship

Available to: Friesland

Built at: Dock

Century: 15th

Cost (-20%): 150 (120) Wood , 120 (96) Florins , 3 population slots

Combat

HP: 160

Attack: 8

Armor/Pierce Armor: 0/7

Range: 4

Accuracy: 100%

Special: +15 vs. ships and lancers, +8 vs. buildings, +4 vs. rams

Commentary/Strategy

Due to the Frisian 20% bonus on ships, their Koggen and Holks are the most cost efficient War Cogs in the game. They cost the least amount of silver (96) and require only slightly more wood (120) than those of Brittany Denmark, Flanders and Saxony (112 wood).

Historical Background

Eventually, around the 14th century, the cog reached its structural limits, resulting in the desperate need for a quick replacement - the holk.

A holk (or "hulk") was a type of medieval sea craft somewhat similar to a cog and a technological predecessor of the carrack and caravel. The holk appears to have remained a relatively minor type of ship apparently peculiar to the low countries of Europe where it was probably used primarily as a river or canal boat, with limited potential for coastal cruising. The name holk may come from the Greek word holkas, meaning a towed boat, which would be consistent with the use of the holk as a river barge. The word holk also has a medieval meaning of "hollowed-out" or "husk-like" which is also apposite for the shape of the basic holk. In the fourteenth century the holk began to develop until it was able to rival the cog as a major load carrier in the medieval economy.