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Trader's Survival Guide


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Trader’s Survival Guide

This guide will help you survive ‘ganks’ or other unpleasant surprises on the Open Ocean in Naval Action. Here I will share my knowledge that I have collected over the years from other naval games and will try to help you become the master of the seas.

Ship

Selecting your trading ship will be your first step. I prefer Fir Wood +5% speed, speed and crew built. Pick any size you want starting from  the smallest to the largest based on what you are hauling. Smallest size ship will guarantee you safety almost in 99% encounters.

Ship setup: Remove guns, you won’t need them, if you are ‘ganked’ guns won’t help you, all what can save you are: speed and defensive/ offensive boarding mods. Install as many speed mods as you can and don’t forget extra sail HP mod! Hamocks can be another good upgrade to be able to defend in boarding.
So, your ship is set up and you are ready to sail.

Awareness

Sailing is simple you set sail and go from point A to point B. Wrong! Sailing requires route planning and awareness. You must know what is happening around you. Open map (M) and examine enemy ports and start thinking how you are going to make a trip. Most Traders don’t realize one simple mistake, sailing next to the land or coast is a death wish. Skilled sailors will sail away from land, but will slightly keep it in the view for orientation purposes. Such strategy gives Traders more flexibility when sails spotted on the horizon.

Gankers are lazy and usually stay next to ports or coast/islands and prey on easy targets. Very small % actually goes hunting into a deep ocean. Why? Chance of finding targets is almost 0 and that is why you have to be there to survive your journeys.

What to do if you spotted enemy sail and he is sailing at you? (Free Camera Feature Removed from the Game)

First thing first, turn around and double check it is enemy ship. This can be done by pressing Home button x2 times and using scroll mouse wheel +WASD keys to move and increase free camera movement. Fly to the target and check what ship is it. Once you know for sure keep sailing away and test his patience. In most cases they will give up or if you are lucky you will lose him during the night or fog/rain.

Never sail directly at unknown enemy ship and always try to sail around it keeping safe distance.


To help you spot ships more easily use this trick – zoom in camera all the way in on your ship deck. This will place you closer to the horizon and you will be able to spot ships before they even see you. Trust me it works.

How to enter ports with heavy enemy presence?

First of all, before entering new port make sure you get intel on who is active around this area. Simply, park your ship a good distance away from port and use free camera mentioned above to go check the area. See who is entering and exiting port, spend some time investigating. Darkness is your friend, use it to enter ports with heavy enemy presence undetected.

Try to sail next to npcs, in case you need to escape you can make desired tag and run away if you are lucky. Other than that it’s a 50/50 chance you take when entering unknown waters. Remember, always turn around and get your best angle before you get tagged! Always report enemy location to your nation chat! Your National Fleet will be dispatched to that area. PvP players need that information all the time.

Conclusion, Traders are very valuable to this game. Becoming a master of the seas will require time and knowledge. Practice evading maneuvers and navigation skills will help you become one of the greatest sailors of all time.

Good luck!

Please share your tips and tricks.

Revision 1.0

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Ship

 

...Pick any size you want from smallest to the largest based on what you are hauling. Smallest size ship will guarantee you safety almost in 99% encounters.

 

Ship setup: Remove guns, you won’t need them, if you are ‘ganked’ guns won’t help you, all what can save you are, speed and defensive/ offensive boarding mods. Install as many speed mods as you can and don’t forget extra sail HP mod!

So, your ship is set up and you are ready to sail.

 

 

If you're hauling wood, weight factor is 2.5, so you should be sailing a Snow or LGV with 3200 or 4800 in the hold.  Smaller ships won't cut it.

 

I don't agree with remove guns if you're in an LGV.  It's nicely equipped with 10 GPS if you run into trouble.  Plus if your hold isn't already filled you can easily attack other traders enroute to get your hold to full complement.

 

 

 

Awareness

 

Sailing is simple you set sail and go from point A to point B. Wrong! Sailing requires route planning and awareness.  You must know what is happening around you. Open map (M) and examine enemy ports and start thinking how you are going to make a trip. Most Traders don’t realize one simple mistake, sailing next to the land or coast is a death wish. Skilled sailors will sail away from land, but will slightly keep it in the view to use it for orientation purposes. Such strategy gives Traders more flexibility when sails spotted on the horizon.

 

Gankers are lazy and usually stay next to ports or coast/islands and prey on easy targets. Very small % actually goes hunting into a deep ocean. Why? Chance of finding targets is almost 0 and that is why you have to be there to survive your journeys.

 

 

Spot on !  In the current game configuration, you could be carrying 2.9 millions worth of cargo (compass wood).  That's a lotta mustard, don't take a chance with it.  PLAN your route wisely before leaving port, especially if you have to visit multiple ports to complete your trade route.  Stay away from main shipping lanes, take the longer route in most cases, and follow the advice above to stay "JUH-uuuusst...a bit outside" in bare sight of land and approach only when you have to.  Use the open sea to your advantage and know where you are.  The UI gives you glimpses of the land now and then, and you can dash in and out of open sea usually without getting noticed.  Until there are more players online that will work most of the time for you.  Most PVP players are usually not looking to wander the open sea aimlessly looking for loot, but you have to be alert because the hunters are definitely out there.

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On LGV guns can save you in SOME situations. If you manage to string out your gankers due to speed advantage, LGV is very capable of downing a Reno and escaping from the rest (provided that the rest don't include another Reno or Trinco).

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On LGV guns can save you in SOME situations. If you manage to string out your gankers due to speed advantage, LGV is very capable of downing a Reno and escaping from the rest (provided that the rest don't include another Reno or Trinco).

That is true, but with 

 

11.87 base sailing speed (with guns) and random wood type, no speed built, With guns speed will drop to about 10.5 ish? This is what almost every trader sailing today. 

11.87 + fir(+5%) + gold speed built quality(+X%) + no guns(+0%) + speed mods(+X%)------(I pick this one :D ) I bet it can hit 13+. 

 

Let's calculate 

11.87 + Fir(5%) + Speed Trim (2.5%) + Copper (2.5%) + Speed built quality gold (let's say 2.5%)=13.39+ pure speed (no guns) while Renom with guns will have hard time to catch up unless he is using 6lbs.  

 

You still want to trade 10.5+ for 13.39+? 

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...

How to enter ports with heavy enemy presence?

First of all, before entering new port make sure you get intel on who is active around this area. Simply, park your ship a good distance away from port and use free camera mentioned above to go check the area. See who is entering and exiting port, spend some time investigating...

 

 

This is also good by the way.

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You still want to trade 10.5+ for 13.39+? 

Why do you get to add speed upgrades in this scenario and I don't?  I just checked on one of my capped LGVs and adding med cannons reduces speed from 11.90 to 11.72 with no upgrades installed. Why am I losing nearly 3 knots to you in your calculations? 

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What to do if you spotted enemy sail and he is sailing at you?

First thing first, turn around and double check it is enemy ship. This can be done by pressing Home button x2 times and using scroll mouse wheel +WASD keys to move and increase free camera movement. Fly to the target and check what ship is it. Once you know for sure keep sailing away and test his patience. In most cases they will give up or if you are lucky you will lose him during the night or fog/rain.

 

Couldn't you just... click on the ship...?

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That is true, but with

 

11.87 base sailing speed (with guns) and random wood type, no speed built, With guns speed will drop to about 10.5 ish? This is what almost every trader sailing today. 

11.87 + fir(+5%) + gold speed built quality(+X%) + no guns(+0%) + speed mods(+X%)------(I pick this one :D ) I bet it can hit 13+. 

 

Let's calculate 

11.87 + Fir(5%) + Speed Trim (2.5%) + Copper (2.5%) + Speed built quality gold (let's say 2.5%)=13.39+ pure speed (no guns) while Renom with guns will have hard time to catch up unless he is using 6lbs.  

 

You still want to trade 10.5+ for 13.39+? 

but what i do see is that everybody forget the wind-angles forget the LGV has a very good wind 65 degrees against the wind so the wind comes from 180 to 0 the best wind is 225 or 115 then you still will 10 knots more or less depending on mods, with 9 pnd Long and sails you will out run a ren or a trinc. thanks to Hugo van Grojt who found out. i have been ganked 2 times and both i got away thanks to that wind angle.

Edited by pietjenoob
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There are 4 simple rules to surviving as a trader.

 

1. Ask in nation chat if there is pirate activity on your route.

2. Sail with player escorts.

3. Sail with player escorts.

4. Sail with player escorts.

 

Don't follow these 4 simple rules and nothing will save you if you encounter experienced pirates, especially now with the positional reinforcements.

 

As for wood type, it doesn't really matter. You could be sailing a fir, speed build with speed upgrades but then again, so are we, and again, with positional reinforcements, if you get tagged with more than one pirate in pursuit, you're screwed.  The only thing that might possibly escape us is a traders lynx but only if the wind is in your favor. Even then, we often have a privateer with us. AKA the infamous Pagan Pete  :ph34r:

 

As for the cannon debate. Fit them.  You'll get some XP :)

Edited by Long Beard
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There are 4 simple rules to surviving as a trader.

 

1. Ask in nation chat if there is pirate activity on your route.

2. Sail with player escorts.

3. Sail with player escorts.

4. Sail with player escorts.

 

Don't follow these 4 simple rules and nothing will save you if you encounter experienced pirates, especially now with the positional reinforcements.

 

As for wood type, it doesn't really matter. You could be sailing a fir, speed build with speed upgrades but then again, so are we, and again, with positional reinforcements, if you get tagged with more than one pirate in pursuit, you're screwed.  The only thing that might possibly escape us is a traders lynx but only if the wind is in your favor. Even then, we often have a privateer with us. AKA the infamous Pagan Pete  :ph34r:

 

As for the cannon debate. Fit them.  You'll get some XP :)

then you should say that to your own mates because i love to hunt you up north because most traders are without escort and btw it is all to the captain who is sailing it i have boarded multiple ships and they all lost :) i have been the target of two pirates 2 times (ren and trinc) and escaped both battle so what you saying is not completly true.

Edited by pietjenoob
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There are 4 simple rules to surviving as a trader.

 

1. Ask in nation chat if there is pirate activity on your route.

2. Sail with player escorts.

3. Sail with player escorts.

4. Sail with player escorts.

 

Don't follow these 4 simple rules and nothing will save you if you encounter experienced pirates, especially now with the positional reinforcements.

...

 

 

Your point is clear, and well taken.  However IMO in the current game environment it's probably not realistic to expect your points 2 thru 4 to happen, at least most of the time.  I think most traders are by nature PVE, so they are avoiding others.  (Refer to avoidance discussion above).  There's also the clan trader where one or two members might trade and earn some resources for the clan, but in that case the clan isn't divvying up its ship resources to escort the trader(s), they're using their warships for battles and leveling up.  Perhaps in the future if there are 10 times the number of players in the OW then this might happen.  But for now, I think you have some consistently opportunistic hunting, Long Beard.

 

 

 

....As for the cannon debate. Fit them.  You'll get some XP :)

 

I don't care what faction you are, now that's just funny! ;)

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Your point is clear, and well taken.  However IMO in the current game environment it's probably not realistic to expect your points 2 thru 4 to happen, at least most of the time.  I think most traders are by nature PVE, so they are avoiding others.  (Refer to avoidance discussion above).  There's also the clan trader where one or two members might trade and earn some resources for the clan, but in that case the clan isn't divvying up its ship resources to escort the trader(s), they're using their warships for battles and leveling up.  Perhaps in the future if there are 10 times the number of players in the OW then this might happen.  But for now, I think you have some consistently opportunistic hunting, Long Beard.

 

 

Must depend on the clan.  A lot of people don't consider that even us pirates have to do the non pirate things like trading, crafting and moving goods around.  I know, despite my advice, I often 'chance it' when doing something like a short coal run, but if any of us are shipping valuable cargo, we always escort, and there's usually at least two or 3 of us who will sign on to escort duties.

 

Of all the ships we've captured, I cant recall a single one of them being escorted.  Of course escorts won't usually deter us, but they certainly do give the merchant a better chance to escape.

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Why do you get to add speed upgrades in this scenario and I don't?  I just checked on one of my capped LGVs and adding med cannons reduces speed from 11.90 to 11.72 with no upgrades installed. Why am I losing nearly 3 knots to you in your calculations? 

I posted just a rough example, I will get into correct numbers after testing. In battle speed might be slightly different from what it shows in stats.  

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I posted just a rough example, I will get into correct numbers after testing. In battle speed might be slightly different from what it shows in stats.  

Awesome, some testing and hard data would be most welcome and help people figure out exact advantages and trade-offs of various set ups. o7  

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I posted just a rough example, I will get into correct numbers after testing. In battle speed might be slightly different from what it shows in stats.

Well wind what you say about the stats it is at 1 knots difference but that is you also have a little run with so line sailing with one type of ship that is the difference but i believe i did some testing but that was before tradeships changes and stuff. If you let it run long enough in the best no matter what ship the difference is i believe less then 0.3 knots.
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Nothing about defensive tagging...?

 

 

I don't even know what that means, or how it might relate to trading.  Can you share?  I'm not a NA pro like some of you, but there may be others who don't understand your comment either.

 

 

...

Please share your tips and tricks.

...

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Since the game is borked at the moment, all you need to know is this:

  • Get some cash from missions.
  • Make a Compass Wood factory near a port that consumes it.
  • Buy an Exceptional Speed Trader's Lynx/Trader's Cutter.
  • Buy up all the Compass Wood you make each day and make up to 300,000 gold profit a day by selling it at the consuming port.
  • If you get tagged, just sail upwind after doing a defensive tag*.

*Defensive tagging is to tag an enemy player you're keeping speed with just as he comes into range of your attack circle. The enemy player must then choose to either keep speed with you and engage which forces him into a very poor position on the battle map (and your prompt escape), or disengage from your circle entirely on the Overworld map. This is most effective when you're at your best point of sail (going your max MPH).

 

 

Sarcasm aside, this needs to be fixed after an assets wipe to make trading worthwhile again. Maybe some API changes too to prevent people from knowing a general estimate of what each port has stockpiled/priced simultaneously at a given time.

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...

  • If you get tagged, just sail upwind after doing a defensive tag*.

*Defensive tagging is to tag an enemy player you're keeping speed with just as he comes into range of your attack circle. The enemy player must then choose to either keep speed with you and engage which forces him into a very poor position on the battle map (and your prompt escape), or disengage from your circle entirely on the Overworld map. This is most effective when you're at your best point of sail (going your max MPH).

...

 

 

Thank you for that explanation, very well worded and thorough.

 

You can actually net 1.92 millions with a full load of CW in a LGV.  I've done that more than once.  Buildings produce enough of it, 500 each, sell at 1500 buy ports, net is 1000 per CW, and LGV carries 4800 / 2.5 = 1920.  Of course that's one good reason for sneaky traders, since you'll be carrying a load worth 2.88 millions.  Gives you a thrill during the journey.  :)

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Yeah, unfortunately Compass Wood just makes money farming easy mode at the moment.

 

Especially since I could log in to game, make a character who doesn't even leave Port Royal, farm Compass Wood (500 gold per unit) and sell it in Port Royal for around 1000 gold (e.g. it is 1025 presently). That's 525 profit per unit. Doing this with even just 100 units is a profit of around 52,500 then. That's just 100 units from 1 building level one building.

 

And don't get me started on the crafting notes! Haha, I often curse the fact that I'm spending my labour hours crafting - if I wasn't I'd just purchase or mine silver and coal and produce crafting notes. Those things sell at the most ridiculous prices. Sure it's 200 hours, but if you're not a crafter - that's where your labour hours should be going. Even just sitting in Port Royal.

 

Silver price is around 300-350. Coal price is around 50-120. So to make one crafting note you need 60 silver = 21,000. 60 coal = 7,200. So that's 28,200 (buying at high prices)... those things are on sale for 120,000 and there are buy orders at 72,000. So if you were to do this RIGHT NOW, you could make like five (?) crafting notes and sell them making a profit of 5 x 43,800 = 219,000. Not bad for a completely zero risk button clicking operation. :)

 

This will of course change as economy becomes more complex and playerbase (hopefully) grows. But still, making money is a bit too easy atm imo (or at least making money with zero risk).

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Yeah, the economy change will shake it all up to pot, so the CW discussion is probably all moot anyway in 4 weeks, LOL.

 

You could stay in port and harvest, but then you wouldn't get that thrill up your leg carrying 2.88M around in your hold.  If you really want a thrill, force yourself to do a complete sail around the map-world one day through all factions with a full hold of CW and try all the avoidance tactics discussed above.  :P   Then there'll probably be a few more suggestions in this thread as well as some anecdotal stories.

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