Licinio Chiavari

A. It's a limit of this game we cant board together the same ship. So boarding swap is one of the least bad mechanics ingame on this matter. B. Requin is, pound wise, a bigger ship than Niagara. I'd consider NORMAL that two players with some clues, can easily sink even the best of best alone on an inferior ship. C. I have still to understand why stercamping 1st rates with Snow is UBER skill. And doing the same with Requin is pure crap P2W.

Mast snapping at full speed vs full speed at 100+ mt?

All sterncamping, done by any nimbler ship vs a bigger, is son of irrealism: ships too nimble.

Forgot this part. May be you forget that A. Privateer is faster than Requin. So no need to chain down to slow. B. Privateer has not chasers... so she has "control". C. Therefore Privateer has no need to tag. D. So she can stay clear of enemy chasers... or obliging enemy to slow down to aim stern chasers.

Ask plenty Requin I sunk. A requin CANT be boarded if she doesnt want to. Requins are killed and hunted on requin with guns. PS: let me know how I can kill 4-3-2 rates without sterncamping...

@Farrago, and completing first reply, 32 carros are strong on a requin as on a Niagara with, IMO, a big difference. A Niagara can be catched by a lot of bigger ships. Therefore it's great having some punch coupled with good speed and better turning. From a Requin perspective it's different. She's not espected to engage by guns bigger stuff AND only ships who can realistically hunt her are other Requins and someway Princes and Privateers. Therefore, gun wise, only requin enemy is another requin. In a Requin duel carro v longs 99% (granted being able to use long on low ship at distance) the long will win: keeping a decent distance and angling carros will not penetrate while long 9pds will (slowly) dismantle your enemy. Moreover, Requin is espected to be mainly a strong boarder. Guns, against a prey, are needed for chaining and sterncamping as needed: longs are better with better precision. Granted the above and having tested both ways, I always use longs. @Hachiroku. Yes and Nay. Aiming longs at mid range from a very low ship (like requin or privateer) is very difficult. True. And it's true you have to watch the incoming waves and wait the right time to shoot sometimes. Still it's viable. Requires quite a lot practice giving back a different feeling than on frigates; again you have limited time to aim properly and fire before you have to angle or your enemy will do.

Looks like I got summoned again. @HachiRoku Never called "skill". On the contrary I usually repeat that 50+% of being boarded is defender fault. Attacker "skill" is simply tactical-sailing awareness being ready to use at best first chance enemy gives. Correct: light ship fight is more reflex based than SOL combat being more predictive (and IMO interesting). @Sovereign ATM best boarding mods are Muskets mods. After first couple nerfs, goods are Redoutable and Sea muskets 1777. Nock Guns and Sea Pistols are close but requires to use "Shooting" book to to be really effective. Missing Muskets mods, using 6/7 rates, Grenades book, giving +50% against a low 10% on 5+ rates (+Eventually Ceramic Grenades), if effective too - still totally not comparable to Muskets ATM. I'd remember Muskets and Boarding in general is going to be revamped/rebalanced soon. Otherwise, stack Attack books (Marines15 first and foremost then others). Couple +Attack fitting with Nassau Master Boarders or Barbary Coast Boarders with "boarding parties" book. It'll hurt your reload - but usually secondary on a full boarder - but granted an high melee attack, you'll oblige your defender to swap defend command and then cut him using usual Muskets/Grenades/FDG. Boarding Parties+Nassau Masters to allow you to get a nice +9 preparation / rounds: allowing you to swap more often and keep hign preparation throught all battle. @AeRoTR Aside already stating Muskets are too OP ATM: You can guess enemy having muskets mods or not checking Muskets numbers on enemy ship. You should know standard Muskets percentages on all ship rates. In this case: avoid anything else aside BRACE and disengage ASAP. Please note in case you told, YOU boarded me. A Musket boarder ATM can kill almost anything. It's not Requin issue. Still a Requin can lose badly to a bunch of smaller ships or to a single nicely geared and handled Privateer. Especially so stupid requin sailing with Carronades. @Released Privateer: you didnt get Yordi Niagara. Period. We got yours Niagaras (Also a nice gold one then Yordi lately used). Carronades on Requin side hit hard and kill crew more than any other ship. Graping over deck on Requin is duable (as any open deck ship) still, you should know, not viable tactic. Privateer cant engage big stuff... and surely cant go boarding them. She can still dismantle them slowly gunning them down. 2 Privateers can handle 5th rates. Alone, depends. On the other hand: you should know pretty well Requin strenghts and weaknesses... and exploit them. I think there's a reason I have zero fear of a requin on any ship I'm sailing. @Wyy. Partially wrong. Privateer like all Schooners has so many stays AND SPANKERS (requin has ZERO jibs: she has SPANKERS) that Pirate rig benefit the ship in all ways. My "luxury" Privateer is running speed capped with Elite Pirate even at 135° on wind. And mantaining speed cap at 80% sails close haul. PS: I'll write AGAIN. Muskets mods ARE TOTALLY OP. Still why should a boader (especially a boarder being such by 2 years +) not use them? Like any expert player try to use the best gear available. Or "current meta". As @admin stated buffing and adding Muskets mods came out by previous impossibility (against people with a clue in boarding) even for a full boarder to break throught a ZERO boarding book. Still ATM a simply HandCombat+Barricades CANT be beaten by a full boarder with 5-7+ upgrades+books devoted to boarding. All with TWO books. Is it fine? Possibly... I'm unsure: all boarding stuff is a MALUS (not even neutral) until a boarding starts. As someone stated, complaining to lose a zero boarding nor prepped ship vs a full boarder full prepped is like complaining to lose a fir fir ship to a t/wo one in a gunnery duel. I hope Boarding revamp will make it a bit more skill based, and more balanced... NOT OBLIGING to a single viable set up but allowing different solutions (I already wrote in the past).

Interesting stuff. Aside rebalancing moves and counter-moves and mods, will it be possible to have a precise idea of boarding formulas? It consider it useful both to make it more meaningful, and moreover simpler to suggest rebalancing problems (I could say "move Gren bonus vs Brace from 10 to 20% and not simply a generic "we need grenades buffed/nerfed/whatever). Personally I'd get rid totally, especially with secret moves, of last second swaps. Short the timer by half, reduce a bit all damage along the board and make thus more fast rounds: without last second swaps, no need to get a 15 sec rounds. About new Combat interface: will we in the end able to see our ships mast status?? It's still pretty weird I know to the last man enemy crew... but I have no idea of my masts conditions; not to speak that I know how many mast hits placed into the enemy... and again he has no real information.

True. And after last patches nothing (contrary to espected) has been done. I can still stack clock (or sexant) copper and NHR getting an huge +9.5% speed... I can not simply stack NHR and crooked or copper and lead sheathing or cartagena and light planking: who'd ever do in any case? So keeping the gear gap huge between casual/newer/poorer captains and rich vets.

As always you cant read what I wrote. A. there's plenty of OP mods in all part of the game. B. Boarding is a far more real mechanic than mast sniping (etc...): Would you consider "realistic" an Age of sail naval game with boarding not viable?? C. I killed far more at KPR without muskets. D. It's insta-win of you miss barricade+handcombat. Otherwise an Hercules full crew can safely disengage a full boarder Requin with muskets.

I do think muskets in this shape need to go. Still the real point are not the muskets, but the mix of being totally OP + extreme rarity giving an huge edge to those having them + no real counter. IMO we need a 1) reworked scissor-paper-rock first 2) and then the different mods to "sub-specialize" a boarder 3) coupled with adequate mods available to any player devoting sometime. 1. example: Attack/counterattack strong vs brace/fire grenades; medium vs. fire deck guns/Muskets; weak vs. defend Fire Grenades strong vs defense/FireDeckGuns; medium vs. brace; weak vs. muskets/attack Muskets strong vs defense/firegrenades; medium vs. attack; weak vs. brace/attack FireDeckGuns strong vs. muskets/defense; medium vs. attack; weak vs. FireGrenades/brace. Defend strong vs attack; weak vs. FireDeckGuns/FireGrenades/Muskets; Ineffective on Brace This way we would have always a reply to any action: even buffed Muskets could be hit hard by, example Fire Deck Guns. 2. The final effect of the best FireDeckGun mod against the wrong move have to be the same of (or similar) to the best musket mod available. If best muskets kills 100 vs defend. So best FireDeckGun mod should kill 100 on Muskets. Likewise best Grenade should kill 100 on FireDeckGuns (granted my above example of rework). Still, likewise, attack mods need to be reworked making possible and "easy" to destroy enemy unprepped/ungeared crew also with attack. Therefore a boarder would or specialize more (using like now muskets) choosing grenades and/or FDG mods... or he will have to devote even more slots to be superior. 3. Best mods in every category (like Redoutable for musket) could stay random rare drop. Like Improved extant for speed. Second tier (like 1777 muskets) should be craftable and/or buyable with doubs (like Copper/NHR for speed). Third and lower tiers craftable/buyable/easy drops (like lower speed mods). Bottom line should remain that a full boarder full prepped would rightfully smash (aside silly errors) any similar crewed ship without boarding/defensive mod/book and unprepped still giving more options both to boarding set ups, accessibility to these options and some counters (like people fitting with barricades + best Fire deck gun mods to counter a musket boarder).

My personal opinion LGV Refit can work as it is now. Even the 3 book limit allow to get a "decent" boardin' ship. Obviously, being boarding so "book intensive", some choises have to be done. IF we can get LGV refit still able to enter enemy ports (like any other trader) good: she'll be more able to fight off other frigates. IF we can get the 4-5th books losing the ability to be a smuggler... let's keep the ship with 3 books: "do ut des" = less books but trade-ish too.

IMO a solution this way devs will not be reducing the mod stacking: I will keep stacking NHR+Copper+NavalClock. Still the first question was: Why cant I stack a mast mod (Kiritimati / Pino Ocote) with a Rig Refit one not influencing mast sturdiness (Bovenwind, Pirate, Spanish)? And this repeating: the icon for masts and rig mods IS DIFFERENT. So again the question to @admin: is this intended? IF they cant stack, icon has to be the SAME (otherwise it'll be misleading). IF they can stack, it's not working as intended so it's a bug ATM.

Good evening. we already noticed mods now with different icons underlining no more stackable mods. A nice step in reducing mod overstacking and unbalances. Still, @admin, I have to point out: 1. Mast mods (like Kiritimati or Pino Ocote) looks not allowed to stack with Rig Refits (Bovenwind, Pirate, Spanish, French): is this intended? If not: why 2 different icons? This could be misleading. IMO they should be (as shown by icons) different type and so stacking allowed (especially not seeing any real risk of overpowering set ups). 2. Isnt wrong allowing to stack Copper and NHR but not NHR and Crooked? IMO or are all 3 hull speed mods, and so only one to be used (Copper the best, NHR close second a bit cheaper/unlimited supply and crooked worst, with malus but far cheaper). Or, if only 2 supposed to be used, I'd put Copper and NHR in same category (so only 1 to be used) and Crooked in another: the eventual couple NHR+Crooked is far less powerful and less unbalancing than Copper+NHR leading to a real choise: if I want to be max out speed, I have to get some maluses (Crooked). At the moment Copper+NHR set up is pretty obvious for max speed, without any malus. Thank you for reading.

I did. But... You can level only 1st rate and 4th rate in epics. And would you go without books in an Epic. Taking into account respectong your mate's too?

Quite a long time. But I boarded a bunch of ships almost daily for months. And against unprepped and ungeared 6th rate, I know how long it takes to kill: more than 2 rounds if defender doesnt kill himself doing something stupid. And I suppose there's also the rest of YOUR team. We agree that's an experience (term I prefer over skill: NA is more experience based than skill based IMO) issue mainly. I understand that with HALF of enemy crew you CANT win. Your victory is safely disengaging. And boarding in a battle IS dangerous. Also for the big attacker. Still: No. You cant be killed in 2 rounds IF anti-boarding fitted. Five Rings is highly overrated. Especially for defense. It is a crappy +4% defense vs. +40% of Barricades. So it's not a "small" difference. And Axes (and being already prepped) is very important to half boarding battle duration. Boarders (usually) dont use Barricades due to the huge (40% again) malus to attack. Still it's totally OP defense book. Superior to almost anything. By far. I will test, still I'd bet that a H.Rattle with Marine15+Barricades (+ 1 deck more) against a full boarding Requin would be able to soak safely even Attack v. Brace and having an higher melee using defend command (but dangerous due to last sec Muskets/Grenades/FDG). Aside that Requin can be countered with a couple of Princes (properly handled... the problem is so few people having a clue on small ships) it's an old NA problem: how do you counter 1v1 a super fast Bellona or Ingermanland? Previous to BR rework... which ship (1st rate and in general in case of high BR limit) joined ALL PBs? L'Ocean. Period. So nothing new nor nothing limited to Requin. That said, I totally agree: Requin should be banned from shallow port battles and ALL 5th and smaller ship banned from deep port ones (get back big PBs as big fleet battles... no small kitting deniers anymore!).

Correct. Basic. It's far more dangerous to "gank" in enemy safezones than in OW. If hunters come to capitols it's only to have a fairly decent chance to FIND SOMEONE. Not all (who??) would like to spend their 2-3 hours evening gaming... sailing in an empty ocean. We hunted almost never US coast. And again: hunting in safezones IS dangerous. And so unbalanced in favour to "defender" that simply cant be, realistically, done with any ship, but only with purposely fitted ships. If they keep farming in front of the most camped ports... it's pretty normal to be... attacked. GET OUT AND AWAY FROM SAFEZONES. Not so difficult. "How to hunt": mainly a luck matter afar from hubs and capitols. Again: hunters come to capitols... because they CAN find (probably) adequate targets. Just to give an idea of "traffic" around: I did a 2hrs trip from LT to Victoria and back to Tumbado. Guess how many players met. About "how to fight": aside @huliotkd knows how to, for people interested to get involved in PvP could be pretty difficult. Cases a) getting around in OW alone on a well fitted "real" ship: - mid risk being counter-ganked. - high chance finding NO target. - low chance getting a 1v1 duel with a veteran, being then smashed. So losing a nicely fit ship with limited gain: economically not viable. b) getting around capitols on a well fitted "real" ship: - high risk being counter ganked. - mid risk not finding a proper target. Again not a big deal economically. c) getting around capitols on fast raider: - mid risk of being counter ganked. - mid chance getting some kills. Potentially economically viable. d) going around in group: - high chance to gank someone but usually learning NOTHING of PvP. Sideeffect In both cases c) and d) being called a seal-clubber/ganker. Granted safezones RoE... it's PLAIN STUPID attacking other raiders. 1. even granted a "fair" fight (let me know when it is - exactly) there's an high chance "locals" will join one side or the other ruining the duel itself. 2. in case 1. fighting other raiders means fighting other (likely) fast ships: reducing chances to disengage if "locals" join against. 3. even fighting along with "locals" killing another random "raider" will not ban "local coast guard" to tag the "ex-friendly raider" after the battle (seen not only a few times): so why should I help them if they could attack me 1 sec later? 4. even in case of a full fair duel, the raider will fight an enemy usually stronger than the medium potential target in the area... for the same (or even less) reward. So economically stupid. Is this fair? No. It's reasonable? I'd say yes. A MMO player will always try (as in RL issues) to maximize his experience/profit "within the rules". If this is happening too much (granted "ganking" etc... are natural part of a PvP MMO) to detriment of game and player base, it's not something players could change: it's Devs' duty. PS: dont try to point me as one happy of the situation: I repeatly stated that a) even losing a battle should give something to the loser (so favouring looking also for "fair" - lol - duels); b) PvP reward in killing should keep into account victim's rank, possibly a "PvP ranking, and real value/gear of his ship. So a greenish Connie lead by a 100 hrs Cpt. without any previous PVP kill has to worth a fraction of a perfect 4/5 t/wo Trinco with 8+ mil mods on board led by a top rank with 3000+ hrs and who farmed already 5000+ PvP marks in his career. SO I'll be able to find an interesting way to get rewared killing the latter: higher risk, far longer and more difficult fight, but far higher reward. Otherwise I have NO REASON to prefer the latter to the first, especially with the first "paying" an higher reward. Aside, time to time, to test my ability: not something would do daily. Sidenote: I tag anything I met I think I have a chance to beat.

Aside well off topic. Premise: I'd like to not see Requin in shallow PBs and nothing smaller than a 4th rate in deep ports ones. The battle result is a skill / coordination issue; not requin "per se" OPness: USA had 2 ship advantage (1 player more and 1 Mortar on other side). Pirates had a 2 requin advantage (7v5). And one USA Requin got boarded: having a clue it's impossible to be boarded on a requin by anything of similar size, aside making big tactical errors; against bigger stuff... only wrongly ramming; again: making big mistakes. A properly fitter H.Rattle (so with Barricades+Axes as a minimum and being 2 decked v 1 decker) can hold and disengage against any requin. Especially now with crew mods limits. IMO going in shallow PB with a H.Rattle (or Niagara) without boarding defense, is a plain suicide. BR rebalance coupled with crew mods (heavy) nerf solved already shallow balance: 2 H.Rattles (not to speak about Niagaras) will be almost always deadly (or at least winning) over a single requin (1:2 is BR ratio): H.Rattles are sturdier and with comparable armament. 2v1 would kill the requin. If Requin boarding one, he will be repelled while the second gunning the stopped ship.

Thank you. As I stated. I would like only a DLC "ship exp pack" allowing you to redeem one time like 100.000 ship exp you can spend unlocking books on different ships. Nothing OP: simply allowing people who want to sail a full geared ship having not to pass throught an ordalia of dozen hours (especially thinking about big SoLs) mindless AI killing that usually, for some old player with not so much time, means or not using a ship or directly changing game. Majority of NA players are quite older than in other MMOs: often we log to play and relax. Having to grind (again and AGAIN) is often not so relaxing. And nothing ban nobody to not spend cash for exp... and level as usual.

It's pretty obvious that in the end 5th rates and smaller can be easily farmed both in PvE or risking them in PvP. Speaking about 1st/2nd rates... first: a true lot grind needed. Secondly, not a ship to be thrown away in PvP and less chances to. Thirdly. Honestly, in respect of the group, I'd avoid PB without perfectly skilled and geared ship. To @Latron : almost ALL MMOs allow to skip part of the grinding with real money. Because plenty players have a busy RL making them impossible to keep the pace. EVE Online is an example. Recently WoW too... and partly in the past with already demi-capped characters. And all this attention to P2W issues... and not to the real NA P2W = multiple account. THESE give an enormous cash and logistic edge over players... and the same efficiency can ONLY BE OBTAINED WITH MULTI ACCOUNT... so only by cash = so REAL P2W. Really: hypocrisis.

Not a big unbalances... simply having to farm PvE less...

a) right today: 1 Pavel + 4 Bellona/3rd rate and 1 Connie killed on my Buce (OW fleet). Gain? 3500ishXP. First Buce book unlocks with 3000ish XP, the second around 12K. Let's imagine the last 2. Then make the calculation how many time I have to sink on that. b) I farmed in a lot of games, WoW just to say. Here I'm at 2500+ hrs. Sincerely killing AIs is the most mind dumb activity to me now. If I'd like to try the Santi... i'd have to devote a good week of my gme time only to get her books (if sufficient... aside FINDING the OW fleets). Again: are we playing the same game?

It looks more P2P[-lay]: mindlessly killing AIs for hours is NOT playing. And usually not a lot enjoyable.

Kidder no.2. Why? I asked only to speed up ship skilling up. Nothing more.

Are you kidding? How it is P2W: I only unlock ship knowledges without an ordalia of hours and hours mindlessly killing AIs.