• New Horizons on Maelstrom
    Maelstrom New Horizons


    Visit our website www.piratehorizons.com to quickly find download links for the newest versions of our New Horizons mods Beyond New Horizons and Maelstrom New Horizons!

Guide The tips thread

hers another one i just noticed

If you cant sneak into a enemy port by flying it's nations flag, you can park at a nearby shore and walk through the jungle.. everyone knoes this. however, if you are still wearing the enemy nations flag when you moor at that shore, when you get inside town, and a guard catches you, you now have the option to to say something back like "i moored with (nation) flag, dont bother me!" depending on your stealth, it may/not make the guard go the other way.

So doing this, you can savescumm your way through town without having to wait till nightfall to meet whoever you are there to meet in the first place.

If you are there at night, i think it works even better, because i kept getting the reply "oh i must be tired"
 
OTHER (Getting a ship of your dream)

There are a number of cpecial ships in the game. The stats of two ships (Flying Dutchman and Solei Royale) are constant. But the stats of other ships are random. Accidently you can get great ship or something more or less unusefull. But you can try to respawn them many times to get the ship you'll realy like. You just have to make a save before the moment when a ship stats are generated.

So these moments are:

1. Frigate "Sinko Liagos" (available only for peter Blood when he escapes from Barbados). When you kill its captain you can save in the cabin. Then come out and Jeremy Pitt starts a dialog with you. The stats are generated after the dialog.

2. Xebeck "Blue Bird" (Special quest that gives one of merchants) Generates before the sea battle with it. After you found the pirates from its crew in one bay at Bermudas you return to your ship and see it in the sea. Save before you return to your ship.

3. Corvette "Dog of War" (in COAS). The Mechanic wants you to buy it from him. In the moment you pay him full amount the stats are generated. Save before paing.

4. Brigs "Sea Wolf" and "The Queen" The stats are random but they are generated a long time before you find them so it's quite uncomfortable to respawn.
 
More about stelth

When you sheak into the towh at daytime and you doubt your stelth level is high enough you can try to avoid guards. Allways walk nereby a town dweller. When a guard approaches you start a dialog with him (not with the guard of course :no ) and wait until a guarg passes by.
 
I found that knipples won't do much damage from afar even if they fired 3rd person so heres a tip;-shoot cannonballs and aim for the mast-they do quiet a mess,sometimes bringing down the mast in one go.
 
(For carrying treasures)
Some treasures contain loads of stuff after you and your three fighters reached their carrying capacity.
Dismiss your fighters who reached their carrying capacity and assign your other officers as fighters, go out of grotto and reenter immediately to have your new fighters with you and load the remaining stuff to them.
If necessary you can repeat this procedure till all of your officers help carrying your treasure.
 
If you find yourself outnumbered like at keymaster's house or go to jackmans, slow down the game to 0,5 the fight becomes a bit easier.
 
Fencing.

If you slow the time you can manage to attack faster than your opponent. Whet you press SPACE you break the attack entering into the BLOCKING position. But from this one you can attack again anytime.

SO: Rightclick to make a lunge strike. Usually it is good enough for damade and for enegdy usage but it takes a time to be able to attack again. If you don't wait the end of the attack and press Spacebar you break the after attack animation and can strike again without waiting.

O course it works without timeslow as well but slowing the time you can kill your enemy before he even strikes you.
 
Ahoy! I've finally earned a corsair licence from Holland, but am told by the governor that I am tainted by some association with the Brotherhood. What had happened LONG ago, was that I was accosted by a pirate about picking up someone to take down to Port Royal,(which, incidently is hostile to me because I'm playing as a Dutchman). I didn't go to an earlier save b/c I didn't stop to pick up the passenger for Morgan. Silly moi, apparently. :modding So, all these months of playing time later am I correct that I am SOL as a Dutch privateer, and I've got to go become a full time pirate? (until something called the Panama attack or something...)Problem is, I can go pick up the passenger for passage to Port Royal- but I'll never be able to complete that mission as I'll be sunk on sight by the fortress. I really don't want to have to restart again... Any tips, mates?
 
Ahoy! I've finally earned a corsair licence from Holland, but am told by the governor that I am tainted by some association with the Brotherhood. What had happened LONG ago, was that I was accosted by a pirate about picking up someone to take down to Port Royal,(which, incidently is hostile to me because I'm playing as a Dutchman). I didn't go to an earlier save b/c I didn't stop to pick up the passenger for Morgan. Silly moi, apparently. :modding So, all these months of playing time later am I correct that I am SOL as a Dutch privateer, and I've got to go become a full time pirate? (until something called the Panama attack or something...)Problem is, I can go pick up the passenger for passage to Port Royal- but I'll never be able to complete that mission as I'll be sunk on sight by the fortress. I really don't want to have to restart again... Any tips, mates?

I have read somewhere that if u haven't done any nation quest lines u cant conquer ships which is needed when Morgan asks you to go to panama... to get to that fortress you will need to..
1. Go to a pirate port and get a diplomat to make the nation neutral to you.
2. get a trading license to the nation of the port you are trying to get on and before you go in you MUST change your flag to a nation that has a neutral/trading standing to it and when u get in and get bothered by the soldiers. pick the option that you got a trading license and they will leave you alone
 
Same thing happened to me in an earlier game. You still have to get into port with your ship to complete the quest. Even if you're flying the flag of a neutral nation that has good relations with you, if you've been privateering against the British and your stealth perks arent high enough they will recognize you as an enemy everytime and your flag will auto-change to Dutch again and the fort will open fire.

V/R Aaron S.
 
Thanks Dalius and Modernknight1,

I'll try the English trading licence route, and hope the English are in a forgiving kind of mood. Then, I guess it's the pirate's life for me... until Panama (whatever that entails) :keith Then, if I read the forums correctly, I can go back to national quests... but on the other hand, is a governor more inclined to give me missions at that point after I would have actually done a bunch of pirate missions? Remember that my original problem is that I hadn't really even done one, and the Dutch governor doesn't want to let me do missions for Holland... Sounds like Catch 22 to me. :urgh
 
One thing I noticed on the missions - and not sure which specifically did it for me, but... I picked up the honest face attribute, and soon after my reputation with Holland changed to Hero after I killed a bunch of undead outside Willemstad. My relations with Holland was "Good". Suddenly the governor started letting me do missions for him. The first one was pretty cool. I had to go pick up a Jansenist leader in Maragot and get him back to Willemstad. The amount of historical background it gave me in the dialogue on the Jansenists astounded me. I did a paper on them and Pascal's Letters to the Jansenists during my graduate work. The detail in this game continues to impress me at every turn! V/R Aaron S.
 
More tips/help needed, gang. So, having had to go pirate, I've finally chased down the pirate who stole the brig to Cumana, having sold my brigantine for a sloop because the pirate wouldn't fight anything larger than a 6. I even upgraded crew capacity in Bermuda. And, there I am going to battle this brig. OK so far. But now, after the forth or fifth reload I'm really pissed off. The other times I've been sunk at long distance when I thought to duel with him. Twice, getting closer was quickly fatal b/c he'd sink me with one salvo. Finally, I just rushed in and boarded, and my musketry killed dozens of his crew. Silly me- I thought I now had a chance- until I'm swarmed by his whole crew after I had killed my first two enemies. I am just playing at the second level, and I am in an apparently impossible no-win situation. This is where I'd welcome just the right tip, or strategy that will enable me to say, "Of course, that makes perfect sense," and I can continue with the game---
 
Sounds like you need to build up more skills mate. At level 2 you can't survive well at all. I start out by taking on local missions to improve sword/combat skills with robbers and undead in caves. I avoid ship contact at all costs and make deliveries (merchant to merchant) and take passengers around to get my skills/levels up. I try to gain decent officers as I go about. It may be a bit mundane, but you'll level up fast. I save often (F6 quicksave) and slow down game speed when in challenging situations (minus sign). I wouldn't try taking on that brig until you're at least at level 6 and with your fighter positions filled. You need a good gunner, bosun, and navigator to have advantage over your opponent and you need a good doctor and carpenter to keep your ship and crew from completely dying quickly under yer feet.

V/R AS
 
OK after reading your post again, you're talking about starting difficulty not character level...sorry. Also sounds like you have good bosun already if your using musketry effectively. One thing that works for me is to try to get the guys lined up below the stairs to the quarter deck where I can take them on one by one. May take a few tries but eventually it'll happen for you. V/R AS
 
I find the better tactic for you might be to load grapeshots up, sail directly towards the Brig, once your in rang try to sail so that you can broadside her from behind or from in front, if you do this effectevly you can rig your sails and fire broadsides into her while she can only fire 2 rounds into you. If this doesn't work for you hire a officer if you haven't got one alreqady who is loyal enough to help fight the Brig.

Give your companion a very fast but effective ship, something like a Sloop, tell the officer to attack the Brig while he does that he should take the brunt end of the attack leaving you to play the tactical game of tacking out troops ready for bording, but you will need to wipe out a lot of there troops at least 3 broadsides if you are to really take full advantage.

Back to your companion, you could alway's give him a Brig but you would have to upgrade its speed at Bamuda, you might want to upgrade your owm Hull so you can take more damage, and perhaps your own speed if needs be. Now to the battle.

After telling your companion to attack the Brig lower rise your sails and wait till he passes, try to stay behind your companion , once your close hit full sails and go for the rear or front of the ship firing grapeshot into the enemy Brig, if you can lower your sails so that you are in possition to fire another broadside into the Brig's front/rear (this part depends on loading speed, if its slow turn and fire your other broadside into the enemy Brig's front/rear. You should kill alot of the crew, try not to let the enemy Brig broadside you and for as long as your companion is able to keep the pirate occupied you can take advantage of your tactical spot and almost kill everyone onboard. When your ready board the Brig for what should be an easy victory, capture the pirate Brig and do what you want with her, or you can sink her up to you. Hope this helps you out.

Update:
You might want to upgrade your cannon calibure to at least 24 pounders at Bermuda and before you set sail load grapse shots so that when you enter battle you don't need to wait for the cannons to load and change the cannon type to Culverins since they have a longer range. You won't need to do this for both ships but you will want to concider it for your own ship. Once you have won, put the Sloop into dock and keep her she might be of use one day and that way all your money will not have been wasted on her.
 
Having good officers helps tremendously. Use good doctor and good carpenter and you will have almost no losses untill you board him. In the boarding fight your bodyguards can save the day. Basicly every man who fights on the deck represent real fraction of the crew (just as example - the real numbers probably are different - every 20 crew members "create" 1 fighter) - which makes your 3 officers are equal to 60 enemy crew members. And even more because your officers are much stronger then the average crew member.
 
Sounds like you need to build up more skills mate. At level 2 you can't survive well at all. I start out by taking on local missions to improve sword/combat skills with robbers and undead in caves. I avoid ship contact at all costs and make deliveries (merchant to merchant) and take passengers around to get my skills/levels up. I try to gain decent officers as I go about. It may be a bit mundane, but you'll level up fast. I save often (F6 quicksave) and slow down game speed when in challenging situations (minus sign). I wouldn't try taking on that brig until you're at least at level 6 and with your fighter positions filled. You need a good gunner, bosun, and navigator to have advantage over your opponent and you need a good doctor and carpenter to keep your ship and crew from completely dying quickly under yer feet.

V/R AS
I really appreciate your thoughtful post, but I meant to get across that when choosing your difficulty level, I had chosen the second level. Earlier, I had tried the third level as Peter Blood, but when facing 6 or 7 Spanish First rates while defending Port Royal I was in over my head (so to speak). This time, I hoped it would be a little easier. So, my character has leveled up to level 11 or so--- when I wrote the note you generously replied to. :ty
 
I find the better tactic for you might be to load grapeshots up, sail directly towards the Brig, once your in rang try to sail so that you can broadside her from behind or from in front, if you do this effectevly you can rig your sails and fire broadsides into her while she can only fire 2 rounds into you. If this doesn't work for you hire a officer if you haven't got one alreqady who is loyal enough to help fight the Brig.

Give your companion a very fast but effective ship, something like a Sloop, tell the officer to attack the Brig while he does that he should take the brunt end of the attack leaving you to play the tactical game of tacking out troops ready for bording, but you will need to wipe out a lot of there troops at least 3 broadsides if you are to really take full advantage.

Back to your companion, you could alway's give him a Brig but you would have to upgrade its speed at Bamuda, you might want to upgrade your owm Hull so you can take more damage, and perhaps your own speed if needs be. Now to the battle.

After telling your companion to attack the Brig lower rise your sails and wait till he passes, try to stay behind your companion , once your close hit full sails and go for the rear or front of the ship firing grapeshot into the enemy Brig, if you can lower your sails so that you are in possition to fire another broadside into the Brig's front/rear (this part depends on loading speed, if its slow turn and fire your other broadside into the enemy Brig's front/rear. You should kill alot of the crew, try not to let the enemy Brig broadside you and for as long as your companion is able to keep the pirate occupied you can take advantage of your tactical spot and almost kill everyone onboard. When your ready board the Brig for what should be an easy victory, capture the pirate Brig and do what you want with her, or you can sink her up to you. Hope this helps you out.

Update:
You might want to upgrade your cannon calibure to at least 24 pounders at Bermuda and before you set sail load grapse shots so that when you enter battle you don't need to wait for the cannons to load and change the cannon type to Culverins since they have a longer range. You won't need to do this for both ships but you will want to concider it for your own ship. Once you have won, put the Sloop into dock and keep her she might be of use one day and that way all your money will not have been wasted on her.

Lots of great ideas, thank you! Unfortunatly, though, the game won't let me go into battle with anything bigger than a 6 (sloop of lugger). Still, I hadn't thought to use another ship to draw off his fire- and maybe I'll just arm my ally with grapeshot. Maybe between us we'll live long enough to board a much weakened Brig. Great advice, mates! :onya
 
Having good officers helps tremendously. Use good doctor and good carpenter and you will have almost no losses untill you board him. In the boarding fight your bodyguards can save the day. Basicly every man who fights on the deck represent real fraction of the crew (just as example - the real numbers probably are different - every 20 crew members "create" 1 fighter) - which makes your 3 officers are equal to 60 enemy crew members. And even more because your officers are much stronger then the average crew member.

More great advice, thanks! I'll be scouring the beerhalls and brothels in search of high quality fighters for this one! Great responses, all of you- now, back to the Carib! :drunk

Since this post, I took on the brig, and finally won. The game made it really difficult, as I could only bring one sloop to the encounter. Fortunatly, this time the enemy came after me, while I sailed for the cover of Cumana's guns. As I manouvered in behind a helpful civilian galleon, the enemy was gradually pounded by all of us to the point that I was able to board with enough men to take the prize. It was the kind of fight where, after the exausting victory, I wanted jump around, yell ferociously, and "celebrate" with my wife. However- for some reason she isn't overwhelmed by my pirate prowess...
 
Back
Top