more low level targets (unarmed/lightly armed traders)

[Marlinspike]

I'm a casual player, so I'm not able to put many hours into gameplay. Also I chose to play US. This means that a lot of my game time is spent just travelling. Since I am in my lowly Lynx, I search for unarmed traders to sink. This means I am doing a lot of searching and running.

 

I would like to suggest an increase in the number and variety of low level NPC, so that I can spend a little less time just sailing. I don't mind the exploration component, but I would like to encounter more targets that I can engage in my Lynx with a reasonable chance of success.

 

Part the the problem is the low number of US players on at the hours that I play, and simply the low number of players, relative to the map size and location of the US capital. I could switch to UK, but I would rather play US.

 

I would like to suggest more traders, specifically around Havana, which I understand was a major port back in the day.

 

I also suggest smaller traders; currently the unarmed trader brig has a crew of 60, which outnumbers my Lynx crew of 40, making sinking my only option since grape from my 4 pounders is ineffective against the brig. I would like to see unarmed and/or lightly armed trader Lynx. It would be fun to engage an unarmed trader with an armed escort. 

 

An hourly (in game time) latitude/longitude fix in OW would helpful. Currently when I lose my bearings in open ocean, I am using the X/Z coordinates in F11 to get back on course. Kinda breaks immersion.

 

It's fun to be this early in the game development cycle! Keep up the good work!

[maturin]

Trader's Lynxes, Pickles, cutters, and Cerberus should all be plentiful in the Caribbean. The former three might carry a few carronades or popguns apiece.

[nelon]

I agree, I've been searching for hours and only found 2 or 3 lone traders. I get next to nothing when I battle bigger ships and lose. Maybe I'm just unlucky. I'm guessing in the future trading and other features will serve as reliable ways to earn money and experience, but in the meantime they should make the beginning grind in the Lynx more bearable.

[BungeeLemming]

.. and then there are the players (like I am one) who sail in their big ships in search of comparable enemies.. and only find those little ships..

 

that is a two way scenario