Ship suggestions for new rank 3?

[Justme]

Really looking to get out of the basic cutter, but have no idea what I should go to. Don't really have a clue on manual sailing so a bit apprehensive. Any suggestions?

[Ned Loe]

Get Brig,Snow or Mercury. I prefer Mercury with 6lb long guns and reload mods.

[BobW-Bristol-RI-US]

Depends on how much cash and crew you have.

 

[CAVEAT - These are only my opinions - Save the scorchings please.]

 

Option 1 - Yacht or Privateer type ship. A lot of folks jump from cutter to privateer or yacht - both are nimble capable vessels, capable of wreaking havoc on larger target vessels from astern principally.  This will also enable you to hone your stern camping (shoot and scoot) skills. However, these smaller vessels are still very vulnerable to damage from getting caught out and tagged by a broadside from a larger vessel (player or AI vessel). But the skills you learn shooting with these two will not fail you later.

 

Option 2 - Pickle etc. (Insert larger fat ship here). A number of folks opt to go for a vessel that 'looks' larger, even to the point of sailing a Pickle or Brig significantly undercrewed.  I've done it myself.  The problem here is that these ships - while stout and maybe capable of taking more damage and carrying an extra gun or two  - are very vulnerable to being 'hoisted by their own petard'... meaning that they aren't all that nimble, (and with you being new to them and manual sails) - this leaves you vulnerable to being sterncamped yourself.  If you're undercrewed, they are slower than snail turds at EVERYTHING (speed up, slow down, turn, shoot, reload).   But they look cooler.

 

My advice... depending on your cash - grab a privateer and drive it, along with a couple of fleet cutters or lynxes - shoot it, make a few $$$ and XP with it doing missions or capping traders... for even just a day or two - Then use that cash to also buy up to a brig, Navy brig, or Snow (whatever you can afford - but only if you can run it at 75% crew or better.) To drive it at less crew than that is really a waste of your money and your time.

 

Some don't agree with my undercrewed advice, but I've personally found that once you get within 75-80% of crew with hammocks, power monkeys, etc. upgrades... the next size up of ship is fightable and usually has WAY more firepower than the one you were sailing at the last level. Helps you mush up the Mission XP grind path easier, as the battles are quicker when you punch harder.

 

Lastly... the manual sailing thing is a simple keyboard exercise.  The only things you need to know are:

 

 - Left (Port) Turn - Use (together) keyboard keys Q-A-C

 - Right (Starboard) Turn 0 Use (together keyboard keys E-D-Z

 - Only do manual sails turns when the wind is at or aft of your beam.  If it's forward of your beam, use rudder only.

 - When done with the manual sail turn, remember to hit the F key to return to auto, as your little boat is faster with your sails in auto when sailing in a straight line.

 

Hope this was of use - see you at sea. Regards, Bob W (Muttley) Bristol RI, US

[DeRuyter]

Privateer is a good one to try first - cap one in a mission with your cutter. Equip with 18lb carros and try some missions. I'd recommend going with a Snow after that or try both! There is a reason you see lots of people sailing around in Snows. You get full crew and the Snow turns fast and has chasers for capping traders. Good ship to learn manual sailing in. Like the cutter the Snow is not exactly a stable platform (try optimized ballast mod) but takes a lot of punishment.

 

For me I'd rather full crew a Snow vs. under crew a Merc or Niagara. It is ok against the AI but not good in PVP. But if you have the right mods penalties are reduced.

[Justme]

Thanks for the advice. Only have a budget of 55k so might go with privateer.

[Capt. Rice]

The Snow if fast.  The Navy Brig is tough.  The Mercury is kinda in between but can use bigger carronades.

[Jack Feathersword]

The brigs do not handle as well as the snow. If you have not learnt to manual sail I would take the snow and go from there.

The priv is better across the wind and is better at killing cutter and other privs. The pickle is better down wind and is better at traders and other brigs.

[NiMiTz]

Brig, or try one of the Snow/Mercury/Niagara. The missing 20-30 crew aint that bad. 

Only have a budget of 55k so might go with privateer. 

 

The Privateer is not a good combat ship. It cant get beaten by Cutters Easily because of its absolutely horrible hull strength. Only real benefit is speed and crew size, even then I would take the Pickle which is around 40k.