What is the difference between the different types of captain?

[Fluen]

I've noticed, that I originally started out as a captain. When Silehart in "Tales of a Sea Hawk" recruited me and gave me a letter of marque, I became a privateer captain. Later, when I became enemies with England and chose the pirate way, I became a pirate captain. And when I during "Tales of a Sea Hawk" freed and hired Leborio Drago, he was listed as a merchant captain.

But is there any difference between the skillsets or anything else aside from titles of the four different types of captain?

 

[Grey Roger]

For yourself, there's not much difference. NPC officers assigned to companion ships will also be given one of these captain types, in which case it will determine which perks the captain can use.

 

[Fluen]

So it's a matter of different perks for an officer in command of one of my ships?

 

[Grey Roger]

Yes. If you have been hiring captured captains as officers, they may still show up as "Merchant Captain", "Naval Captain" or "Pirate Captain" depending on what they were before they were captured. Have a look at their perks list and see what is contributed and what is not.