Need Help How to gain rank quickly

[smrtwhkd]

I am playing Ardent storyline and enlisted in Royal Navy. However, gaining ranks is painfully slow. There are only two types of quests: ship hunting and smuggler. Each Smuggler one gives me only 2 points and likewise for the ship hunting. You will need 300+ points to get to rank 10 where you can buy 1st rate. That would mean a long grind by doing these 2-pointer quests. Is there any faster to rise in ranks?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

enlisted in Royal Navy

I assume you mean you got a Letter of Marque?
That makes you a Privateer; not a Naval Officer.

However, gaining ranks is painfully slow. There are only two types of quests: ship hunting and smuggler.

You don't need to play quests to gain points.
ANY enemy ships/forts you tackle will count.
Want to speed things up? Capture some towns for 'em!

 

[Sand 2 Go]

Just as @Pieter Boelen said, capturing forts is one of the best methods to get ranks, but you need some really powerful ships to capture some of the cities.
Since you need powerful ships to capture forts, then why not get some cursed ships from the cursed shipyard?
They are some of the best ships in the game.
They usually have the power to easily capture forts on their own, but do not be fooled. Even cursed ships can meet their match in a battle.
Some forts are just too powerful for a single ship, no matter the upgrades, and no matter the officers.
Capturing certain towns is VERY HARD without a good fleet.
The cursed shipyard doesn't care about rank, no matter what you want to get.
If you don't want to get the cursed ships though, in the cursed shipyard, I think you can also buy the 1st rate that you want.

 

[Grey Roger]

If you or your master at arms have reached at least level 20 and have some spare ability points, you can get the "Landing Party" ability. That allows you to attack unfortified colonies such as Pirate Settlement on Nevis. This is a lot easier than taking a fort, and should also get you plenty of points towards your next promotion.

Whether you're attacking forts or unfortified colonies, you don't need to capture the town to earn lots of points. Ransom it instead. You'll still get lots of points, you'll also get a lot of money, you can loot the store, and then later on you can do it again.

As for a 1st rate, you don't need to buy it. If you're lucky, you can meet one in an enemy fleet. You'll want good armour and good swords for you, your officers, and your boarding crew - make sure your weapons locker is well stocked. You and your officers had better have good melee skill and abilities too because you'll be facing a lot of opposition!

Alternatively, if you're playing the "Ardent" storyline, play the story! Everything I just said about being well equipped and skilled applies because you're going to have to take on a 1st rate as part of the story. I've personally taken it using a fast war galleon. And I know at least one other player took it using a frigate.

 

[smrtwhkd]

I have taken Porto Rico with only two ships: Satanist Frigate and a pirate frigate. The pirate frigate almost died. For the "landing party" ability, I was never able to unlock it. It says need good relationship with governor. I did tons of quests for him, but still couldn't unlock that ability.

 

[Grey Roger]

Unless you're in the "Revolutions" period or later, the Satanist frigate only has 12lb guns. So does the pirate frigate. Upgrading them with "Reinforced Hull" allows them 18lb guns, which is the absolute minimum to take on a fort. Even so, they're still only frigates, not exactly the toughest ships on the high seas! If you're planning on attacking forts, first go and capture something like a 3rd rate battleship - bigger, tougher, and with plenty of 24lb guns.

"Landing Party" will be unlocked when you reach rank 5 ("Commander" or equivalent) if you're a naval officer, or rank 7 ("Knight" or equivalent) if you're a privateer. It will also be unlocked, along with all other perks, if you edit "InternalSettings.h", find "ALLOW_LOCKED_PERKS", and set it to 0. You still need to be at least level 20 to be allowed to take it.