Making Money - Noob Style

[Taranis]

So, again, I am very new to the game.  Building a war chest has been an initial focus.  The profit spreads on trading seem too low or just too time consuming at this point.  Missions seem to be the only real way to advance in levels (and its quite the grind btw), but in terms of making money - the only real way of doing so for a new player seems to be by attacking and capturing a AI trading ships with Contraband.

 

I can now Capture a ship in about 10 minutes (down from over 20 in my first few attempts).  I know for many that the following will be basic - but I have already been asked a couple of times by other new players in game.

 

Process:

• 1) Spawn as close as you can to the target
• 2) Set shot to Chains and crew to Firing
• 3) Pull up along side of target - downwind (because: (1) you want to shoot at reasonably close range up into its sails and being downwind will angle your guns upward, and (2) you will want to collide with the target to force it into the wind to a stall)
• 4) Get the target's sails down to 65%-50% (seems trying to get it down further is difficult and not worth the effort).  This usually takes 5-6 broadsides.  At this point, your own speed is about 20% sail to keep up.
• 5) Set shot to Ball and rake the target to lower the sides armor.  3 salvos at close range of Medium 4lbs to Long 6lbs gets the side of a cutter or lynx down to 1/3rd - 1/4th (don't go too low - you don't want to sink it).
• 6) Set shot to Grape and Crew to Boarding. 2-3 salvos of grape will augment the numeric advantage over the trader (and lower the chance that it Disengages from the first Boarding).
• 7) Push the target into the wind to lower its speed towards a stall - otherwise you might find yourself parallel to the target at 4-5 knots going on and on without getting the grappling notice.  I have boarded from 3.5 knots lower in speed.  Remember to cut/lower the sails to a dead stop as soon as you start pulling - otherwise you might separate from the target.
• 8) Proceed through the board sequence (pressing the [G] when it appears).  You will have to Brace for the first couple of rounds if you crew is not prepared enough for Boarding.
• 9) Remember to press [X] to capture the ship before exiting the battle.
• 10) If the target has a lot of cargo, you may want to make yourself its captain and send your first ship to outpost (the reason why you want to stay reasonably close to home base when looking for targets), using the right mouse button.  Also remember to drag and drop the cargo into the hold.
• 11) Return to base, sell ship and cargo.
• 12) Repeat.

Trader Cutters, Trader Lynx, Trader Brig are good targets.  So far, Trader Snows seem too fast for my Basic Cutter.

 

My best haul thus far, as a level 1 captain: about 20,000 gold.

 

If other players have better ways of making fast money at low levels - I am all ears!

[Kokerpiraat]

Tbh Admiralty missions earn far more, I get about 15K Gold by one mission now, well perhaps minus repair costs.. So, 10k a mission?

 

Actually it's probably less for lower rank

Edited January 28, 2016 by Kokerpiraat

[Taranis]

Hmmm - i only seem to get about 2K - 6K per mission.  That said with a lvl 1 basic cutter i have no repair costs.

[ove bababoke]

You don`t really need to capture boarded ship - you get it anyway.

[Taranis]

You don`t really need to capture boarded ship - you get it anyway.

Good to know, thanks!

[lokii]

You don`t really need to capture boarded ship - you get it anyway.

I won my first boarding today and the privateer didn't appear in my ships below the loot? Anyone know why? I'm midshipman, in the basic cutter.

[Taranis]

Did it sink from damage?  I think I had that happen already once: win a boarding action, but then the ship sinks.

[Gauvner]

I won my first boarding today and the privateer didn't appear in my ships below the loot? Anyone know why? I'm midshipman, in the basic cutter.

i found that this can happen if you have another person in the battle with you. Even after you have boarded it, it can get awarded to any of the players in the battle.

 

Best thing to do is Capture it (pressing X) just to make certain that you will get it.

[Flaank]

Always sell the ships or break them up?

[Taranis]

So far I have only broken up one ship, and was a little underwhelmed by what i got out of it.  Perhaps more experienced players have a better view on this?

[DeRuyter]

So far I have only broken up one ship, and was a little underwhelmed by what i got out of it.  Perhaps more experienced players have a better view on this?

 

Yeah you don't get much from breaking a ship. People do it for the random chance of getting a ship blueprint - which is very random.

[VonVolks]

also to save time on boarding, cut out the ball! 

Chain > Grape > Board.

 

Just aim the grape carefully onto the decks of the enemy (not into its sides). Use the roll of the sea and aim above the rails

[wbcochran]

When I capture the ship and exit the battle, I'm still on the ship I engaged with, and I lose out on all the loot. I don't have the option of sending my battle ship back to an outpost. Is this a bug?

[stridecolossus]

Question: if you're following this approach and only using chain and grapeshot is it also a good idea to use carronades rather than cannons?  You're going to be getting up close anyway especially as lower-level (all?) traders are not armed.

[Taranis]

Upon winning the boarding battle: (1) you then need to "exit" the Boarding screen, (2) click X to capture (wait for the timer to run its circle) and then (3) exit.  In the exit screen, you should see at the bottom two rows: the next to last row displays loot (upgrades and resource/cargo) which you need to click and drag into your hold/upgrades.  The last row, will list the ship you have captured - which you need to right click in order to send to outpost or take command of.  You may need to send command of the captured ship and send your own to outpost if the cargo is significant (traders have much larger holds).