Hethwill, the Red Duke

I like how most of the perks are not inflated in their effects and range most, especially the combat ones, under the 5% mark. Nice collection

You are correct also, especially with a team versus a subpar opposition. Was referring to a 1v1 PvP scenario. Sometimes I forget to measure the average scenario. I do think the crew loss ratio is okay and also the price. Just calling the attention to the Boarding and a small tweak to it.

One should be more intelligent ( privateering is not being an attack spam arse but about being cunning ), the other should not bring it up to tribunal. But still a decent exchange between gallant captains, carry on.

Flipping ports to gather loot was used for a long time to get access to Exceptional modules as well and there wasn't any voices against it. Now that we have a valid Exploration little thing that gives rewards the first thing that shows is voices against the Exceptional loot and that it draws players away from Conquest / PvP. I for one am very happy to see players going out of their areas and explore and opening outposts in far away areas. Because, let's be honest, PvEing in homewaters or going out to a shipwreck is essentially no PvP.

Given the strain that might be put in the underpopulated nations, yes I can see this being a compromise.

This is correct. 1-3, 4-5, 6-nonrated.

I took more than I could chew yesterday and was leaking. I did not for one second considered the surrender option to deny my opponent the kill. It is good gaming and the best salute you can give to another player. Simply mechanic - water rising cannot surrender. Water level lowering, can surrender.

Absolutely dislike the AI Fleets attached to players. No need to expand this further, there's specific thread for it already. I like the Officers idea but hope it gets changed in a way that renders many modules obsolete. Marines should be linked to a Officer for example. Same as with a crack rigging crew being worked out through a Sail Master officer type. We can keep the modules values but spread them across perks of the officers. So this is a Mixed. Fishing seems like a necessity for the supplies production chain and makes sense for a maritime background game. I do not really engage into fishing myself but can see many players finding it useful. Mixed as it doesn't really bother me nor makes me want to do it. The best part about it was to sail different parts of the map and check which species I could find and where. The Graphics are excellent. I love the illustrations and the new vibrance of the colours in terrain. The sounds are spectacular. Don't know if it is tied to me having a 7.1 but by all the carronade sized chest mermaids everything became more alive with command shouts, the water sounds, the wildlife. Love is the word in here. Love the crew mechanics. As I RP my game I always tended to look to crew before and now even more. I see the crew as a valuable asset and not as a money sink. It can be developed further without reducing the costs, for example by use of a Surgeon Officer. As the boarding action is the crew meat grinder the Boarding should be reviewed regarding Focus numbers and not entirety of crew. Also check Morale. Sometimes it gets stuck in minimal values forever and requires all the crew to get disabled.... New crafting lines are always welcome. It adds more credibility to the entire region, especially with the sugar and tobacco now. Further development of economy is needed but loving it. Also it will force a further breakdown of crafters areas of focus forcing people to play together and join forces to develop production to cover needs. European Trader mechanic is still too strong, should be tuned down slightly and balance it all to a more strong player based economy. All in all a great patch overall.

Surprise is one of the most safe options for LGV and Indiaman raiding, but I do not want to be forced to play ships I do not really want to play. Every ship in the game from the Lynx up ( and even a well crafted cutter ) must be an option. All sloops and brigs that are competently used are now nullified by the fleets. I refuse to participate in a arms race just to keep trade raid addiction. Makes no sense.

Actually another good thing about crew loss and maintenance is that the leaks by ramming can actually come back full effect.

A hundred pieces ? You cheap cheap representatives of the most catholic and all that stuff Majesty.

Yes. And they will give it some fancy name and sell it like it is the new hipster thing and everyone will want it. Such classic legal pyracy

There is a lot of PvP, a bit more with AI present now but still I'd say the same measure as before. Battles are a struggle for supremacy. Win some lose the other. There is a fine line that defines an escape window, a surrender option or a catastrophic loss of being captured in boarding action or sink. I like how that decision is deferred to the captain, us all, rather than having a code ruling them out. This being said Crew as whole should have a morale counter.

AHAHAHAHAHAH coincidence or not was reading several articles of the Portuguese White Fleet during WW2 being attacked by "friendly" Nazi Germany navy...

Yes. Agree. Been pushing the boundaries of hard difficulty for the black as opposite to giving nations candy ways to be safe from them. It is a BIG difference.

That's a well known port of armateurs de corsaires

Wow rubber duck is back but then you suffer no leaks in the cut planks from such a ram...

Totally this. Remember guys that the timeline, taking on ships in the game, is from 1640 to 1820. Longitude was a pain.

Yeah, there is a lot of human mentality transposed especially the aversion to loss as you well place in your post. It is quite rampant in most games and not only in NA. I'm not really fond of the perks mind you and still look to the NA simulation part where the handling of the ship, flying her nice and achieving results in the end by learning with every sortie is way way way more fun. Also the testing different things, and losing assets in the process, and learning a lot of things while testing. Many of the opponent banter and bash but when I am testing and doing the most goofy stuff they do not know it. To each its own and I can relate to the part where the fine line between the player and the ship "power ups" take each other place and suddenly something of the age of sail simulation dies a bit.

Actually the game that comes to mind regarding crew management is the The Mighty Eighth. Still had to fly the bird and could manage the crew also leaving the controls to the co pilot for a bit.

#nofleets. See most of the good pirate streamings and video channels and tell where is the gank... I dare you to use only sloops and brigs for one entire week and then come back and we all can have a black beer

Pirate Jesus said once when sitting on the outside parlour at the Wailing Waitress tavern in La Tortue: - "Listen carefully brethren for I shall say this only once and many of those that will want to crucify you shall deny it. A Trader has no rank !"

So many of them... crew command shouts, battle sounds near markers, wildlife, sea sounds,... and the splash screens, illustrator(s) are really talented. If you look carefully at the illustrations some of them hint a lot for future things ( I hope too much heh )

Add Sounds/Graphics as well please