Anyone got a guide on avoiding PvP when trading?

[Oddible]

I'm curious if there are any strategy and tactics guides to avoiding PvP when you're trying to move things between ports.  I fear this game in its incomplete state is going to send me straight back to Eve, so much to learn there in terms of a rich pvp strategy. 

 

I get a grace period where if I hit full sails and max point of wind I can get pretty far out but I imagine that this is where people are waiting.  Then there are reinforcements and local port protection but can pirates overwhelm them? How to avoid port camps? How to run the blockade? Both in and out.  How to avoid getting chased down? What to do if snared to get out of it.  How to disengage from capture.  etc.

[Jeheil]

Excellent advice from Otto...this is just a sprinkle of additional advice.

 

Add in eyeballs on nation chat for local warnings, try and travel the 'dangerous' bits in best wind, consider not sailing the obvious straight line between A and B, if you have mega valuable cargo, ask a friend.

 

Try and have fleet ships that share your best wind.

 

Travel at 20 to shutdown you can always last 20 minutes

[Sir Texas Sir]

Yes its very simple.

 

Trading:

 

Ship: Le Gros Ventre - Fir/Rigginq quality/ Speed

Perm Upgrades: Speed Trim, Copper Platning

Officer Perks: Pirate(if you are pirate, frigate master if you are not), Rigging expert, Coward.

 

Defensive tag and best angle to wind, escape, repeat. If too many hostile ships outside wait in BS so they get bored.

 

 

Moving Ships:

 

Take a cutter to fleet, attack any AI trader ship, order your cutter to escape, then you escape. Switch ships - teleport to outpost.

If you get the 3 slots use that for barricades just encase you get boarded.  I actually fit mine for defense boarding too and if I can't run I take the fight to them.  This is more on the LVG and up level.  The other traders are all fitted for speed and running.  The big key as been said is try to get the best wind and them not so good.  I gotten out of so many tags in my trader simply cause I know both ships winds and I'll turn to get the best wind at the start of the fight.

[jodgi]

Snip

^literally all it takes.

I run traders without guns as an extra speed mod.

To effectively tag and catch a trader with a clue you need a fir surp with all possible speed mods. Rattles too, but if you run with guns those are no problem.

[admin]

I'm curious if there are any strategy and tactics guides to avoiding PvP when you're trying to move things between ports.  I fear this game in its incomplete state is going to send me straight back to Eve, so much to learn there in terms of a rich pvp strategy. 

 

I get a grace period where if I hit full sails and max point of wind I can get pretty far out but I imagine that this is where people are waiting.  Then there are reinforcements and local port protection but can pirates overwhelm them? How to avoid port camps? How to run the blockade? Both in and out.  How to avoid getting chased down? What to do if snared to get out of it.  How to disengage from capture.  etc.

 

 

To move things between ports you can use free towns - they provide a delivery service. Some times its safer to move things without the use of free towns. 

Reinforcements are not available now (they were abused for damage farming). 

[BallsOfSteel]

To move things between ports you can use free towns - they provide a delivery service. Some times its safer to move things without the use of free towns. 

Reinforcements are not available now (they were abused for damage farming). 

 

The problem is the cost given we cannot sent between our very own outposts.

 

Try sending something like knees. you have to sail them period.

[Hethwill]

Despite all the cool beans builds there are 3 golden rules:

 

1. Keep an open eye. A raider schooner ( or a couple ) can be ambushed "hidden in waves" and masked against the shore.

 

2. Weigh the travel distance, time and value of cargo. No ship is a safe ticket. All ships can fall prey to raiders.

 

3. Ask help from a buddy. Especially true when hauling huge amounts of cargo.

[Eishen]

....  I gotten out of so many tags in my trader simply cause I know both ships winds and I'll turn to get the best wind at the start of the fight.

 

for all those (as myself) who does not have so much mind computing power...

 

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/270595997003255499/2D7D31B3CC7EC465A7119FD45299BDFF52CF2276/

[Ned Loe]

Little outdated, but still has good amount of info. Rule N1 - Navigate through Open Ocean and stay away from land. Map coordinates will help you become stealthy. 

 

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/13636-traders-survival-guide/

[Strake]

In addition to the excellent advice posted above, I would recommend the trader develop his or her patience. Its tempting to just sail out of port and start trading but if you want to minimize becoming a target, learn to wait a little.

 

• set up outposts in freeports in less traveled areas so you can buy resources at good prices and not have to worry too much about interdiction
• Use the delivery service to deliver your materials to the closest freeport 
• wait for good winds to leave port, plan your winds all the way to your destination
• For your freeports frequented by raiders, visit them when the server pop is low
• Your spyglass is your friend
• Sail offshore, out of sight of land - raiders tend to be lazy and impatient and count on you to be lazy as well

[Vernon Merrill]

One important word here:  It SHOULD be risky to move cargo between ports.  Not only does it provide content for players, but it also is a step towards a completely player-based economy.

 

Imagine how many real-life fortunes were made back in the day by merchants who were less risk-averse with REAL ships/cargo/sailors than people with pixel ships nowadays.  

[jnovotny6]

Join PVE.... 

[Sir Texas Sir]

for all those (as myself) who does not have so much mind computing power...

 

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/270595997003255499/2D7D31B3CC7EC465A7119FD45299BDFF52CF2276/

I have three screens and I keep the wiki up on one of them.  If I get tagged I'll click on both ships and pull there wind maps and compare them.   Though not every one has multi screens to work with. I'll have to save that to pass on to some of the new guys.

[Werewolf]

As a pirate raider of traders, I will tell you that I have the hardest time against the LGV with its speed. Also, I will stress the point above of sailing offshore, out of sight of land. 95% of my victims are caught on the shoreline. Most of my victims also tend to carry guns but don't use them. If you carry guns, use them. Otherwise, don't carry guns and get that little bit of speed boost. If you do carry guns, use carronades for the extra poundage of shot. You should only be firing chain, if you have to fire. Use Coward perk as well, so your can escape in 1 minute. If you can get your hands on an optimized rudder, use that too. Turn through irons constantly.... you will slowly but surely get away in everything but the Indiaman.

Edited September 16, 2016 by Vonjager

[Hethwill]

Turn through irons constantly.... you will slowly but surely get away in everything but the Indiaman.

 

Good and bad advice all in one. Love NA

[Elric]

know your map.

 

If you are running in a trader snow or smaller, you can often use shallow water to escape larger ships.  Both on OW, and in battle.

 

I managed to escape a few months ago by luring a connie into shallow waters and getting him beached.

 

If you think you are going to be tagged, look at the wind direction and try to enter battle as far upwind as possible - and with the ship pointing in the direction you need to run.  The first minute of a battle is often the best time to get far enough away they can't catch you in 2 minutes. 

 

As much as you can, manually turning your sails so the chain doesn't do much damage will help

Edited September 16, 2016 by ElricTheTwo

[HardyKnox]

Yes its very simple.

 

Trading:

 

Ship: Le Gros Ventre - Fir/Rigginq quality/ Speed

Perm Upgrades: Speed Trim, Copper Platning

Officer Perks: Pirate(if you are pirate, frigate master if you are not), Rigging expert, Coward.

 

Defensive tag and best angle to wind, escape, repeat. If too many hostile ships outside wait in BS so they get bored.

 

 

Moving Ships:

 

Take a cutter to fleet, attack any AI trader ship, order your cutter to escape, then you escape. Switch ships - teleport to outpost.

Tried that for moving ships ... had Traders Lynx, with Traders Cutter in Fleet ... attacked an AI Traders Lynx in Contraband ... told Traders Cutter to Escape ... it did ... I escaped and Exited Battle ... did not show me the choice to take over my fleet and send primary to OP ... am I doing something wrong?  Must I do some damage first?  Or must I go into an AO battle?

Edited September 16, 2016 by HardyKnox

[Werewolf]

Good and bad advice all in one. Love NA

It's risky for sure, but depending on the type of enemy vessel, it is very, very effective. The trick is to use that 20 seconds or so after turning through to gain some sped and distance to turn back the other way. By doing this, I've been caught twice on easily 200 plus trade runs. Tried in my indiaman and got faceraped, lol

[Jean LaPointe]

Check the time of day and see how many players are on line. There is always a time frame where there is a low ebb in the number of players online. The "lowtide" allows your odds to increase for running a trader without being intercepted. You may have to wait a long while for the optimum time frame to run your trader.

[Siegfried]

Why rigging quality is good for scape in traders?

[jodgi]

Why rigging quality is good for scape in traders?

It's not. If useful at all it's useful for a fighting ship that's turning (yard traverse) and reacting to incoming chain. It's not in the way but it's certainly no biggie.

[Siegfried]

I heard something about rigging quality ships are faster in OW speed... ok, I don't believe that, but... it's possible?

[Mrdoomed]

As long as you are not makings a long run between ports it should be easy. Just keep your head on a swivel and turn to a friendly Port as soon as you see an enemy.

[Hethwill]

I heard something about rigging quality ships are faster in OW speed... ok, I don't believe that, but... it's possible?

 

Not faster. Sails unfurl quicker. Stack with Lightweight ropes and blocks and you'll be underway sooner than not which is an edge on a tight spot.

[Bramborough]

Tons of great advice this thread, some of which hadn't even occurred to me; I've learned too.   I do think there's another fundamental factor which hasn't been explicitly mentioned (although Strake and others came close, and implied such):

 

Don't go where the bad guys are in the first place.

 

The map is huge.  The player density (even on the highest-pop server) is low.  Vast areas of the map are therefore virtually empty.  The hunters aren't going to go where prey is scarce (i.e., most of the map).  Instead, they're going to concentrate where their intended targets tend to concentrate.  Which means national capitals and perhaps a few "hot" Free Towns.

 

Take Kingston/Port Royal as an example.  The continuous "gankfest" conditions off the south Jamaica coast may seem normal to those whose gameplay remains restricted to that area.  But in fact it's extremely unusual - perhaps unique.   I've encountered nowhere else on the map which is remotely as dangerous for a trader.  To me, the conclusion for a Brit trader captain is obvious; just don't sail there.  Or at very least sail in that area as little as possible.

 

So a big part of minimizing the threat lies in your outpost selection, routes, and location of shipyard/buildings.  If you place your port infrastructure in quiet areas, then your trader ships will - by definition - also be sailing in quiet areas.

Edited September 17, 2016 by Bramborough