Port battle, Victory or Defeat

[Old Crusty]

   Within the last month or so I have been able to start participating in port battles. I had a preconceived notion that a port battle is nothing but a brawl between two fleets and the side that sinks the most ship wins. Some port battles are like that, not because of any idea that that is the way it should be, but because that was the plan created for that certain port battle. 

   I have learned that their are only two kinds of port battles. Those that the Enemy shows up and intends to win, and those that the Enemy either doesn’t show up at all or shows up in reduced strength. Unfortunately most of the port battles I have been in the Enemy didn’t show up in full strength. They were easy wins but did not teach me much about port battles.

   In the last week I have participated in one shallow and one deep water port battle that the Enemy showed up with full strength and with the intention of winning. We lost one battle and won the other.

   This is what I learned. A port battle is a game within a game. As In most games, victory is determined by POINTS. In the case of port battles, the team that reaches 1000 points first wins. I know you all know that so here is my point. My preconceived notion that a port battle is just a big brawl between two fleets is very short sighted. The winner of these port battles were the team that had the best plan and was able to execute it. In both victory and defeat I have learned the valuable lesson that there is so much more to this game than forming a line of battle and brawling. It is a game that you must reach 1000 points before your opponent. Wheather you like it or not that is the way to win. My mind set of the only way to defeat your enemy is with your broadside not only got me sunk, it could have cost us the battle. Fortunately it did not.

   I have seen players on both sides get very mad because the other side has out maneuvered them and they can’t pull up along side of another ship and just trade broadsides. 1000 points. That is a win. You may not like it but if you want to win, come up with the best plan. In a losing battle last week our plan was not that good and we lost. In a battle last night the plan was good and our leaders executed it well. Victory. 

   If you are attacking a port and the enemy is running from you and away from the circles, why are you chasing them? Don’t get mad because the enemy runs, take your fleet and capture the circles and get points!!!!! Don’t get mad, get points. It has taken me to long to finally get this through my thick scull but their are people that have been playing this game a lot longer than I have and they still complain that the Enemy ran and didn’t give battle. I know now that instead of giving battle they were taking points. I can’t stress that enough. It is about points. My thick scull has finally let that sink in.

Old Crusty

[vazco]

That's a pity that it's about points since sinking the enemy usually gives more satisfaction

[Old Crusty]

50 minutes ago, Banished Privateer said:

Sinking enemies gives points and removes points from enemy pot 

Proof that there is more than one way to win the battle. Best plan and execution wins.

[vazco]

2 hours ago, Banished Privateer said:

Sinking enemies gives points and removes points from enemy pot 

 

That's kind of stating the obvious I just miss old times when you could sink most of the enemy fleet in a giant brawl before battle ended. It would be nice to have some PB's under old rules of the circle of death. Those even wouldn't have to be port battles, but eg. fights over control of some trade routes which only bring gold.

[Guest]

I like PB's how they are now. Using a kiting strategy to contest the circles against a superior fighting team is a really tough strat to pull off for 1.5 hours.