You will start off as a captain inside the port of your nations capital.

There is a chat screen on your low left corner. It has many cool options. Note the tags Global, your nation and Help. Mouse click there and type if you need an advice or just want to say hi to the world :) You can also have a private chat with your friends, but first you need to find and add them to your friend-list. Then right-click on your friend's name in the list to see the options.


Also if you right click on any player's name you'll see a menu which gives you a bunch of options. For example, use Copy if someone posted a web link you need.

On the "town" menu, you can also buy or sell ships, equipment and other stuff, check your progress (xp), buy repair kits, upgrade your ship with various modules, install new cannons, move stuff from Hold to Warehouse etc.

"Outpost" button lets you buy a slot and then open an outpost, which gives you a warehouse and 5 "docks" (slots) for ships. At the very beginning you only have an outpost at your capital. You can buy additional "docks" (slots for more then 5 ships) there or open new outposts at other towns. Keep in mind that every outpost will be more expensive then the previous one you've bought. Right now you can also teleport to any one of your outposts (choose it first), but it has 3 hours cooldown.

Note that cannons have Class and Caliber, those numbers on your equipment screen stand for Class. For example, [7-9] means you can install either long or medium cannons of class 9, 8 or 7, the caliber doesn't matter. Numbers after / are for carronades' class.


Remember, you can buy any ship if you have enough money, but if your rank is too low - you will not be able to hire full crew. Less people you have - more time you need to reload cannons, turn yards etc.

Before you leave the port you may realise you have 0 gold, so no new cannons or fancy toys for you just yet.

What is the best way starting off to get xp and gold?

There are two good methods for XP and Gold as you are just starting out and another good one just for gold.

1. Fleet Battles

What are they and where can I find them?

These are the general blue vs red standard team slayer you might find in other games, this is located in any port under the missions tab. there are two types of battles;

Large Battles - various nations go against one another in strong pvp action with nationals sticking together

Small Battles - all are chucked into a magic sorting hat and come out on either red or blue team along with those pirates or brits you weren't that keen on.

These battles are normally PVP and get you both xp and gold at a good rate, remember XP is gained by damage done not kills, so keep firing till its got more holes in it than swiss chesse.

2. Admiralty Missions

These missions can be found under the missions tab, the higher your rank the more difficult ones can be offered to you. You are able to take up to 3 of these at any one time so grab them all before you head out.

Once you have picked up a mission from the admiralty head out to sea.

Now its time to check your map and find out which port you just left there should be some crosses made out of swords marked on the map.

Sail to these locations and look for crossed swords that look like the regular battle markers but are slightly higher. sail in to these fights and kill the ships for garunteed 50 xp and 2000 gold plus all the goodies from actually sinking the ship! (I HOPE IT'S RUM)

3. Hijack on the High Seas

this way is mostly done for monies.

Go out into the open world and start looking around for trader ships. They dont have to just be foreign nations ones either, spot one of your nation with contraband on board? go ahead and attack it.

The best way to start attacks with trade ships is to start up wind of them, that way they have to come past you to escape properly or they will just sail into the wind. Make sure you load Chain shot for damaging the mast.

Once they are imobile go in for the kill, well not litteraly we want the ship just not the crew. The best way to decrew it is to go to the stern (back side) and peel off all the armour using Ball shot. Once that is done fire grape shot into the sternand watch the crew jump over board. either do this till the whole crew is dead or board when their numbers get low.

Now just take all the goodies back and flogg them for your daily grog and rum rations!

These are the ranks for the British Navy, although other nations will have the same rank system they will have different names for them
Midshipman - Max crew of 40

Ensign - Max crew of 60

Junior Lieutenant - Max crew of 120

First Lieutenant - Max crew of 150

Lieutenant Commander - 200

Master & Commander - Max crew of 250

Post Captain - Max crew of 350

Flag Captain - Max crew of 650

Commodore - Max crew of 800

Rear Admiral - Max crew of 1100

Vice Admiral - Unknown Crew Size

Admiral of the Fleet - Unknown Crew Size

Each cannon you can buy from the shop under cannons falls under a class, to make sure you get the right ones for your ship and dont waste money first go to equipment screen and look at the Weapons section. It will list under lower deck some numbers similar to this.

[8-9]/[5-8]

What this means is that you can mount classes 8-9 cannons on it OR you can mount classes 5-8 carronades. so in this instance max size cannons is 6lbers OR 24Lb Carronades

Weapons in general have three different types

Long Cannons - Good for long range shots with longer range better penetrating values at longer ranges and good accuracy

Medium Cannons - Quick firing with more damage at short to medium ranges and average accuracy

Carronades - Usually many callibers higher in shot meaning a lot more damage, pitiful range and accuracy.

With that roughly explained here is the list of all cannons and carronades available at the moment.

Cannon Information

Medium Cannon 4pd - Class 9, Caliber 4, Weight 1

Long Cannon 4pd - Class 9, Caliber 4, Weight 1

Medium Cannon 6pd - Class 8, Caliber 6, Weight 2

Long Cannon 6pd - Class 8, Caliber 6, Weight 2

Medium Cannon 9pd - Class 6, Caliber 9, Weight 2.4

Long Cannon 9pd - Class 6, Caliber 9, Weight 2.4

Medium Cannon 12pd - Class 5, Caliber 12, Weight 2.7

Long Cannon 12pd - Class 5, Caliber 12, Weight 2.7

Medium Cannon 18pd - Class 4, Caliber 18, Weight 3.2

Long Cannon 18pd - Class 4, Caliber 18, Weight 3.2

Medium Cannon 24pd - Class 3, Caliber 24, Weight 3.8

Long Cannon 24pd - Class 3, Caliber 24, Weight 3.8

Medium Cannon 32pd - Class 2, Caliber 32, Weight 4.3

Long Cannon 32pd - Class 2, Caliber 32, Weight 4.3

Medium Cannon 42pd - Class 1, Caliber 42, Weight 5

Long Cannon 42pd - Class 1, Caliber 42, Weight 5

Carronade Information:

Carronade 12pd - Class 8, Caliber 12, Weight 0.7

Carronade 18pd - Class 7, Caliber 18, Weight 1

Carronade 24pd - Class 5, Caliber 24, Weight 1.3

Carronade 32pd - Class 4, Caliber 32, Weight 1.6

Carronade 42pd - Class 3, Caliber 42, Weight 2

Carronade 68pd - Class 2, Caliber 68, Weight 3.3

Key:
LD - lower Deck
MD - Middle Deck
UD - Upper Deck
TD - Top Deck
Cannon Classes / Carronade Classes

Lynx - Full crew size of 40 (Battle rating 20) - 8 Gun Sloop
LD 8-9/8-8

Cutter - Full crew size of 40 (Battle rating 30) - 12 Gun Sloop
LD 8-10/8-8

Privateer - Full crew size of 55 (Battle rating 30) -12 Gun Sloop
LD 8-9/7-8

Pickle - Full crew size of 55 (Battle rating of 40) - 12 Gun Sloop
LD 8-9/8-8

Yacht - Full crew size of 40 (Battle rating 30) - 12 Gun Sloop
LD 8-9/8-8

Brig - Full crew size of 110 (Battle rating 50) - 16 Gun Brig
LD 8-9/7-8
Rear Guns 8-9/7-8

NavyBrig - Full crew size of 135 (Battle rating 70) - 18 Gun Brig
LD 8-9/7-8
Rear Guns 8-9/7-8

Snow - Full crew size of 130 (Battle rating 50) - 22 Gun Brig
LD 8-9/7-8
TD 8-9/8-8
Front Guns 8-9/8-8
Rear Guns 8-9/8-8

Mercury - Full crew size of 135 (Battle rating 70) - 20 Gun Brig
LD 7-8/5-8

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Bellow is the list of all ships that can't access shallow ports

Nagaria - Full crew size of 155 (Battle Rating 100) - 20 Gun Brig
LD 6-9/4-8
Rear Guns 6-9/4-8
{Nagaria can enter shallow water ports but not shallow water port battles}

Cerberus - Full crew size of 195 (Battle Rating 100) - 26 Gun frigate
LD Gun Class 6 - 9,
Back Gun Class 7 - 9

Renommee - Full crew size of 240 (Battle Rating 110) - 30 Gun Frigate
LD Gun Class 6 - 9,
TD Gun Class 7 - 9,
Back Gun Class 6 - 9

Surprise - Full crew size of 240 (Battle Rating 140) - 38 Gun Frigate
LD Gun Class 5 - 9,
TD Gun Class 7 - 9,
Front Gun Class 6 - 9,
Back Gun Class 6 - 9

Belle Poule - Full crew size of 280 (Battle Rating 180) - 38 Gun
LD Gun Class 4 - 9,
TD Gun Class - 5 - 9,
Back Gun Class 7 - 9

Frigate (Cherubim) - Full crew size of 280 (Battle Rating 170) - 38 Gun
LD Gun Class 4 - 9,
TD Gun Class 5 - 9,
Front Gun Class 7 - 9

Trincomalee - Full crew size of 315 (Battle Rating 200) - 44 Gun
LD Gun Class 4 - 9,
TD Gun Class 5 - 9,
Front Gun Class 5 - 9

Constitution - Full crew size of 450 (Battle Rating 300) - 54 Gun
LD Gun Class 3 - 9,
TD Gun Class 4 - 9,
Front Gun Class 4 - 9,
Back Gun Class 4 - 9

3rd Rate - Full crew size of 650 (Battle Rating 500) - 74 Gun
cannon classes to be updated later

Bellona - Full crew size of 650 (Battle Rating 550) - 74 Gun
LD Gun Class 2 - 9,
MD Gun Class 3 - 9,
TD Gun Class 5 - 9,
Front Gun Class 2 - 9,
Back Gun Class 2 - 9

Pavel - Full crew size of 800 (Battle Rating 600) - 82 Gun
LD Gun Class 2 - 6,
MD Gun Class 3 - 9,
UD Gun Class 6 - 9,
TD Gun Class 6 - 9/5 - 8,
Back Gun Class 3 - 9/ 3- 8

Victory - Full crew size of 850 (Battle Rating 900) - 106 Gun
LD Gun Class 1 - 6,
MD Gun Class 2 - 6,
UD Gun Class 3 - 9,
TD Gun Class 4 - 9,
Front Gun Class 2 - 9,
Back Gun Class 2 - 9

Santisima - Full crew size of 1050 (Battle Rating 900) - 138 Gun
LD Gun Class 1 - 6,
MD Gun Class 2 - 6,
UD Gun Class 4 - 9,
TD Gun Class 5 - 9,
Front Gun Class 2 - 9,
Back Gun Class 2 - 9