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Basic overview

The Nootka can train Nootka Clubman. Their technology is mostly put towards these units; one of these technologies allows you to train Nootka faster and more cheaply, another allows you to build a Nootka War Chief, and the last gives a significant boost to the HPs of your villagers. You can have 15 Nootka Clubman for each Nootka trading post that you hold, and they appear on two standard maps; Yukon and California.

The unit – Nootka Clubman

Nootka Clubman are melee heavy infantry units with lower multipliers against cavalry and light infantry compared to most heavy infantry units, so again I will up the Nootka Clubman’s stats to the elite status.

Analysis

The Nootka Clubman has a lot in common with the Mapuche Ironwood Clubman, but aside from being decent at siege it is really only useful for one thing; absorbing damage. Its HPs is a good deal higher than units around it, but it doesn’t deal a lot of damage in combat. Overall this unit isn’t very useful for protecting your ranged infantry from cavalry, but they can be put into cover mode to absorb a lot of ranged damage before closing in on a ranged enemy. This ability to survive longer than most units can be put to use in another way that will be detailed in the technology section; however, on their own they aren’t particularly useful.

Technology

Nootka Bark Clothing

Cost: 125 wood, 125 coin

Effect: Villagers gain +50% HP

Comments: 50% is quite a large amount. Ideally your villagers shouldn’t come under fire at all - but if they do, being able to survive longer is a good ability to have. This technology is particularly useful for the French, because Coureur De Bois are more capable of fighting and extra HPs for those units will come in handy.

Loyal Nootka War Chief

Cost: 200 wood, 200 coin

Effect: Hero can train a Nootka War Chief

Comments: This technology and unit are why the Nootka aren’t as useless as their stats may make out. This unit can be devastating if left unchecked. Here are his stats in age 2.

As you can clearly see, he is very cost effective, and he looks almost identical to all the other Nootka Clubman, so your opponent will have a tough time picking him out. They may not even know that such a devastating weapon is in that group of Clubman. In addition he also has a high amount of ranged resistance, which helps protect him from being singled out by ranged fire if he is somehow picked out. He does a huge amount of area damage as well, so he can bring chaos to tight formations. The technology cost is only a once-off, but after that you only need to pay his training cost like any other unit.

Nootka Potlatch

Cost: 300 food, 300 coin

Effect: Nootka Clubman train 50% faster and are 10% cheaper

Comments: A bit on the expensive side, but it is most useful when combined with the 30% cheaper natives card. It can pay for itself quite fast, and give you access to very cost-effective troops. Probably not worth it until the late game otherwise.

Summary

Although the Nootka War chief can be devastating in certain situations, overall the Nootka are pretty poor. They don’t do as well against cavalry, and there are generally better units for doing siege damage. They may be worth it in the mid game if you want to try something different to surprise your opponent with the Nootka War Chief - he is definitely worth the cost - but it is risky because it does take a lot of resources to get him along with a sizeable army of Clubmen.