Posted April 24, 2017
These are my suggestions to get a new player going in a fairly unforgiving game. Most players will probably offer better advice better than me, but I offer a newb perspective they may have lost.
First off, remap the keys. Or you could remap your brain so it knows how to tell your fingers how to tell the keyboard / mouse how to make the idiot on screen not die in swordfights. Yeah no. There may be some brilliant way to remap, but I winged it. Fast attack on numpad 4, medium attack numpad 2 (never used), hard attack on numpad 6, draw weapon on middle mouse button, block on RMB, and parry modifier on LMB (never used).
Second, know your friends. If you're a pirate, you have only 4 friendly ports, and only Bermuda will buy ships / cannon. This is hard. If you're Dutch, you have 3 base ports, plus the 4 pirate ones, plus the ports of anyone allied to Holland. The French get 4 base ports, the English 5, and the Spanish seriously lots.
Third, know your enemies. Pirates are always fair game, but if you're a member of a faction, keep them sweet, and only attack their enemies, never (hardly ever) them or their allies.
Fourth, then board them (your enemies). Don't ever use round or explosive shot, use chain if they're faster than you, otherwise grape until you can take them by boarding.
Fifth, you can have a fleet of 5 ships, so board 4, then head to a shipwright, and sell them. Plunder and sink 6th or 7th rates, keep 5th rates or better. Remove cannon before sinking.
Sixth, don't carry too much ammo. I typically carry 20 times the number of cannons of grape (1000 for 52 guns, etc), plus 200 chain, and 1200 powder. Selling extra powder, round, explosive shot, and cannon pays way more than buying ale low and selling high.
Seven, your fleet. After boarding, I transfer a nominal crew, or no crew at all, give them chain shot, and make them attack from range. Don't let them board, because they will sink them.
Eight, If you attack a convoy, attack the biggest one first, before your crew numbers drop. If they flee in different directions, send one of your ships after the one, and follow the other. Board them, then when you get the return to world symbol, swap ships with the one following the other group. Remember to transfer crew, guns, and medicine, and dump extra weight onto your main ship.
Nine, Don't drop your Authority below 5. I made mine 4, which is OK, but limits your number of officers. This becomes unimportant later, but to start you need one each for Navigator, bosun, gunner, doctor, carpenter, and treasurer, plus 1-3 fighters, plus 4 companions to captain your plundered ships. 13 total. I max out at 9 or something.
Finally, recruit slaves to your crew, and recruit captive captains as officers. Also, I struggle to keep honourable officers loyal, so generally take the scummy ones, and sell or free the heroes.
First off, remap the keys. Or you could remap your brain so it knows how to tell your fingers how to tell the keyboard / mouse how to make the idiot on screen not die in swordfights. Yeah no. There may be some brilliant way to remap, but I winged it. Fast attack on numpad 4, medium attack numpad 2 (never used), hard attack on numpad 6, draw weapon on middle mouse button, block on RMB, and parry modifier on LMB (never used).
Second, know your friends. If you're a pirate, you have only 4 friendly ports, and only Bermuda will buy ships / cannon. This is hard. If you're Dutch, you have 3 base ports, plus the 4 pirate ones, plus the ports of anyone allied to Holland. The French get 4 base ports, the English 5, and the Spanish seriously lots.
Third, know your enemies. Pirates are always fair game, but if you're a member of a faction, keep them sweet, and only attack their enemies, never (hardly ever) them or their allies.
Fourth, then board them (your enemies). Don't ever use round or explosive shot, use chain if they're faster than you, otherwise grape until you can take them by boarding.
Fifth, you can have a fleet of 5 ships, so board 4, then head to a shipwright, and sell them. Plunder and sink 6th or 7th rates, keep 5th rates or better. Remove cannon before sinking.
Sixth, don't carry too much ammo. I typically carry 20 times the number of cannons of grape (1000 for 52 guns, etc), plus 200 chain, and 1200 powder. Selling extra powder, round, explosive shot, and cannon pays way more than buying ale low and selling high.
Seven, your fleet. After boarding, I transfer a nominal crew, or no crew at all, give them chain shot, and make them attack from range. Don't let them board, because they will sink them.
Eight, If you attack a convoy, attack the biggest one first, before your crew numbers drop. If they flee in different directions, send one of your ships after the one, and follow the other. Board them, then when you get the return to world symbol, swap ships with the one following the other group. Remember to transfer crew, guns, and medicine, and dump extra weight onto your main ship.
Nine, Don't drop your Authority below 5. I made mine 4, which is OK, but limits your number of officers. This becomes unimportant later, but to start you need one each for Navigator, bosun, gunner, doctor, carpenter, and treasurer, plus 1-3 fighters, plus 4 companions to captain your plundered ships. 13 total. I max out at 9 or something.
Finally, recruit slaves to your crew, and recruit captive captains as officers. Also, I struggle to keep honourable officers loyal, so generally take the scummy ones, and sell or free the heroes.