Mortar Joe

Mortar Joe is a recruitable worker in Windrose associated with the Millstones and Gunpowder production. He is hired at the Brethren of the Coast main base rather than in Tortuga, which makes him one of the later worker pickups in a normal progression route.

Recruitment

Confirmed Role

Current post-launch worker guides agree on Mortar Joe's role even when they differ on the exact output scaling: he is the Millstones worker and improves Gunpowder production after assignment. Because those guides do not fully agree on the exact numeric increase, this page avoids stating a hard percentage until the value is confirmed in a stronger structured source.

How To Use Mortar Joe

1. Travel to the Brethren of the Coast main base and hire Mortar Joe for 500 Piastres.

2. Return to camp.

3. Open the Millstones and assign Mortar Joe through the worker tab.

4. Craft Gunpowder at the Millstones to receive the station bonus.

When He Becomes Valuable

Mortar Joe is not usually the first worker worth chasing. His value rises when gunpowder stops being an occasional recipe and becomes part of the normal ship-combat or ammo loop. At that point, even a modest production bonus saves repeated trips for sulfur, ash, charcoal, or later refill materials.

Location Notes

Unlike the Tortuga hires, Mortar Joe is tied to a separate faction hub. Current worker guides consistently place him at the Brethren of the Coast main base and describe him as a later pickup because players often reach that base after their first Tortuga worker shopping pass.

See Also

• Millstones

• Gunpowder

• Workers

• Brethren of the Coast

Why Gunpowder Demand Spikes

Mortar Joe becomes relevant once the player stops crafting Gunpowder as an occasional recipe and starts relying on it for a repeated combat loop. That usually happens later than the first Tortuga hires, which is why his base effect can feel weaker at the moment he is first discovered even though it becomes much more important later.

• Late pickup timing is normal because the Brethren of the Coast base often comes after earlier Tortuga worker shopping.

• His perk is tied to a station that many players do not fully lean on until later.

• Once the camp is consuming gunpowder regularly, the Millstones bonus turns from optional to practical.

Recruit Timing and Opportunity Cost

Mortar Joe is usually the named worker with the highest opportunity cost at the moment of discovery. Spending 500 Piastres on him too early can feel slow if the player still needs ships, upgrades, or the earlier Tortuga workers. Once the camp already has those basics covered, however, adding a dedicated Millstones specialist becomes much easier to justify.