Critical steering shot

[Lordicious]

After watching these stern camp videos and I can agree that it's just too easy to kill your opponent if you have a more maneuverable ship and wind advantage. Take out rudder, work crew and maybe even some sails. Only difference here is time, some will take longer and some will be shorter. 

So, I want to suggest Developer to add critical hit zone (steering wheel area). If player can manage to use his stern guns and hit that area, he will be able to 'stun' the opponent for 10 seconds (by killing helmsman). Let's say he is turning to unload his broadside and player hits his steering wheel area with critical, then enemy will loose control and sail for 10 seconds in straight line (based on his last angle before he got hit). Stun critical chance is enabled only when 2 players are very close to each other - slightly over effective grape range. Once enemy is within that range, player will get a green marker saying stun is now enabled if he manages to hit the wheel. This is simple yet very realistic and effective to counter stern camping just by adding a simple stun effect that only the best gunners will be able to get. Once every 15 minutes should be enough. 

This will give helpless traders or other slow moving ships a chance to turn and even fire on 'stern camper' while his killed 'helmsman' is being replaced.

You have to realize that stern camping is the only way to easy kill someone and something has to be done about it to make it more challenging. Unless you like an easy and boring stern camping then you can object this idea. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Lordicious

[Lordicious]

9 minutes ago, rediii said:

sterncamping is only easy if the camped guy doesn't know how to handle it.

no need for magical stuns

magical? why Helmsman can't be killed? This is not magic? This is what we have now. Helmsman is an Iron man who never dies and Naval Action Devs approve it. Read some History and then call it magic. 

Watch Black Sails and see what happens to ship if steering guy dies. It loses control until replacement is assigned. I understand you are N3 stern camper, but this mechanics need work. It sad that Devs can't see a problem here. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Lordicious

[Lordicious]

8 minutes ago, rediii said:

Magic

You mean that black sails scene where someone shot the helmsman with modern sniper rifle accuracy?

People would "exploit" the hell out of that mechanic. Shoot him while enemy ship is tacking etc.

care for what you ask for  

Only active at close range

Must be a good gunner to hit specific 'hit box' different on every ship

Once Every 15 minutes

Yeah, I am sure everyone will. 

1. If you chasing someone it will benefit the Victim

2. If you are side to side it makes no change because you sail in straight line anyway. 

I understand you gankers will do everything to keep it as is and call it magic. It's history, captains and other crew members died and all this could change battle outcome. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Lordicious

[elite92]

why not simply make marines useful also out of the boarding?

a ship of the line with marines on deck will fire on the enemy frigates or cutter and will kill his crew during the stern camping.

SO in a smaller ship near a bigger one u lose X crew per seconds if under 100-50 m of distance. the more deck and more Marines the Bigger ship got and the more crew the enemy will lose while close.

EX: a cutter with open deck will be an easy target for marines from a heavy frigates and if 50 marines fire on the deck of 40 man ship many will die, lets say 1 each 2 second

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

9 minutes ago, rediii said:

Magic

You mean that black sails scene where someone shot the helmsman with modern sniper rifle accuracy?

People would "exploit" the hell out of that mechanic. Shoot him while enemy ship is tacking etc.

care for what you ask for  

Actually there are enough historical usage of fusil boucanier. In one of them 7 men ( or was it 10 ) were shot while trying to take the helm.

Let alone cables and irons being thrown from the yardarms to arrest the opponent rigging and push it out of trim.

It is not bogus but we cannot simulate that in game.

7 men well drilled with the long barrels would be equivalent to 1 cannon, by french accounts. Gun ports would be closed or they would be shot.

( not everything revolves around napoleonic frigate duels )

but we digress, mechanic is not in game.