"Corsairs: To each his own!" Almost "Debriefing". Corsairs to each his own Corsairs to each his own trade import export
Hello everyone, you are on a blog about fantasy and science fiction! Sometimes there are issues that are not related to science fiction, but this is not the case. In these "Corsairs" there is enough devilry. In all senses.
The game turned out to be made on the engine of the past corsairs, that is, the same bearded year. Even then, everything that his senile relics are capable of was squeezed out of him, so the picture cannot boast of anything new. Unless some screensavers, character models and icons were redrawn. Added a couple more videos.
However, I'm comfortable enough to play like that.
So, game. We don't have a choice of character, we can only play one - a Frenchman named Charles de Maur. Next, we select parameters, focusing on fencing, handling heavy weapons, pistols and muskets, or trade and oratory. In my opinion, it is better to choose something from the first two options. I settled on rapiers and swords.
Attention! In no case do not set the difficulty above the Second level! All but the most avid nerds, play on the lowest difficulty. Masochists confident in their God-chosenness can choose the second difficulty. In different versions of the game, this is either the Boatswain or the Brave Privateer.
The game is insanely difficult, and if you feel confident on the "Captain" difficulty in the "City of the Lost Ships", then set the minimum difficulty here and set all possible concessions in the menu next to it.
If you played the Admiral, and you were more or less tolerant, then you can risk setting the second difficulty.
If you choose a higher difficulty level, you will quit the game after a few hours, cursing the developers and the whole wide world. I'm serious.
No, you will swear and yell in any case, even on the minimum difficulty, but then at least there will be a chance that you will not quit the game, but will go online for tips and manuals.
Important! This game must be completed exclusively with a detailed manual! This is due not only to the extreme complexity of the game, but also to bugs - without knowing at what point the catch is, you will not have a chance to avoid a fatal bug. I will give a link to one of these at the end of the article.
Okay, the difficulty is selected, everything is set, let's go!
I did this: Z - shot, Q - active action key, C - power strike and parry (instead of the wheel). So it's pretty easy to play.
First Impressions
They are excellent. We are introduced to the game in detail, we are led a little by the hand, talking about the buildings and gaming opportunities. It seems that the game is designed for new players who are unfamiliar with the previous parts of the franchise. Don't be fooled by this!
The first difficulty is that over the past time I have quite forgotten the controls in battle, but here no one is in a hurry to explain which keys to press. Therefore, to understand the types of strikes, feints and parries, go either to YouTube or to thematic sites. For those who are familiar with the early parts, I will briefly explain the innovations:
1) A new parameter for melee weapons is balance. It is very important, and closely related to two factors: the type of weapon (rapiers, sabers or broadswords), weight, type of blow.
For a rapier, the ideal balance is 0.0. In this case, lunges (default, right mouse button) deal maximum damage. Chopping and power strikes are not for light weapons.
Sabers perform well with a balance closer to 1.0. They can cut, and stab, and carry out power strikes. The problem is that none of this saber does very well. In Corsairs: City of the Lost Ships, the saber was the most convenient weapon for me. Here they are kind of useless. I do not advise.
Broadswords and axes. The balance is closer to 2.0. Chopping and power attacks. It hits hard, but consumes a huge amount of stamina.
It was not possible to find out how weight affects damage. Most likely, the same as the balance - the greater the weight, the greater the damage of slashing weapons. In this case, it is better to choose rapiers as light as possible.
2) Pistols can now explode when fired. This happened to me with Stroyev and Dueling pistols. Repeating shots, muskets and shotguns did not explode.
3) New types of charges: in addition to bullets, there are shot, harpoons and nails. There is also a manual mortar with grenades.
New is good, but there is a big but here. The shot hits only one target, thereby completely devaluing itself. I have a Combat Cartridge shot at the crowd (although if you believe the thematic forums, this should not be), but the damage there is ridiculous.
Removed the "berserk" skill, which was white in the previous part. On the one hand, right - the thing was absolutely cheating, turning any duel into nonsense, but I somehow got used to it. And with her, the local quest duels would not tear one place like that.
First quests
The first serious problems you will have in Guadeloupe - when you need to go to Fadey.
Important! Yes, these problems will be the first only if you play by the manual. Otherwise, you will be stuck in Martinique. Play only according to the manual!
I still don't understand how Fadey's quests work. If you take them in the wrong order, you will easily break some scripts, and he will not give you the assignment that your brother spoke about.
If you have the patience to cope with all this, then you have to choose a side - the Dutch Gambit quest.
I played as the Dutch - there are tricky restrictions on the level, reputation and skills. The Dutch are unpretentious about this.
To play as England, you must be: positive reputation, level below a certain value (it seems to be different in different versions, I was less than 12).
Secret organization: negative reputation, all weapons have been upgraded to a certain level (somewhere around 30+).
Difficulties await you here. Time-limited missions, mind-bending duels and more. But if you played the previous parts, you can master all this.
And I'll be the cherry on the cake.
Quests that break the player
This joy is called "Pirate Saga". This is a global, obligatory and interesting plot quest. Made by complete sadists.
The first difficulty is that you will need to save one girl - Rumba, she is Helen - in 16 calendar days. This will be at the very beginning of the quest line. And if you fail this rescue, then fill up the entire line.
The first difficulty is that there is not a word about the deadlines in the task log.
The second difficulty is that even with a fair wind, you will not have time to sail to Antigua on time. No way.
What to do? Go to the combat map and sail along it, periodically going to the global map to check the direction.
How do you like this game design?
There are still many complexities in The Pirate Saga, but I will move on to another extravaganza of absurdity:
Two naval battles in a row. First you have to deal with a corvette and a frigate on half acre (3rd class ship). And then board a heavy frigate on the same half acre. And it's just tin, even on the second difficulty.
Then you can still break the scripts in many places if you complete the quests in the wrong order, and a lot of other exciting things.
Impression
Because of the really interesting storyline company, I can't bring myself to call the game bad. I got a lot of pleasure from her. Yes, it was a somewhat perverse pleasure, especially until I thought of digging into the manual, but still.
Big, varied and interesting plot. It's cool, and for this developers a lot of respect.
A good partner is Mary Kasper. But if you don’t play according to the manual in life, you won’t guess what to do so that she joins your team. Yes, you may not even meet her. Despite the fact that the location of the Island of Justice is not so big. But confusing...
Reworked characteristics of ships. Now corvettes are useless troughs. Otherwise, the balance is good.
Outcome
If you are well versed in the game series, then you should arm yourself with a manual and a detailed walkthrough, and play Corsairs: To Each His Own.
If you are more or less fumbling in the Corsairs, then you can try your luck on the minimum difficulty. Again with the manual and walkthrough. But be prepared to suffer.
If you haven’t played Corsairs before, then starting with To Each His Own is a worse idea. “City of Lost Ships” was once called the most difficult game in the series, and “To each his own” is 5 times more difficult…
It’s always like this: a good story doesn’t want to get along with good game design. Almost always you have to choose one thing, especially in more or less independent projects like this one.
Play at your own risk. I'll get through the game to the end. Now I brought 3 church relics to the inquisitor, and took a long pause - to calm my nerves.
The walkthrough I used: The Beginning of the Walkthrough. on the same site there are detailed manuals for later quests.
See you soon!
By the way, The Witcher: Blood and Wine announced the best RPG 2016 🙂 Yeah, addon. I have on the site who has not played or not seen all the endings - I recommend that you read it. There are also links to 2 other articles on the world of The Witcher.
The company has been publishing pirate-themed games for several years, and is their latest (at the moment) product. I’ll make a reservation right away that veterans of the series will not find anything new for themselves, except for alchemy, a couple of additional ships and a fresher plot. Beginners will discover a whole unknown world full of exciting adventures.
The game was developed by the studio. At first it was positioned as an addon to , but still became a separate product. Unlike previous games in the series, in the new Corsairs we will not be given the opportunity to choose a nation and a character name, although it was originally planned. Characteristics (the game uses the PIRATES system) can now also not be selected independently. True, we are still given several prepared options for the distribution of points to choose from, which will still allow us to create a character with a trade or military bias.
The adventure begins
After creating the character, we will be told the backstory, and after a short dialogue, we will find ourselves in Martinique almost penniless. Here it will become clear to everyone that Corsairs is by no means a casual game. Yes, there is a training here that says where everything is, what you can find out from whom, where to find a job, etc. forum). True, there is a detailed manual in the game directory, which will not be very easy for a beginner to master either.
Suppose you have already completed the initial quests in Martinique, sailed to Guadeloupe and back... , trade, capture ships ... By the way, about ships: there are a lot of them in the game, however, in order to manage a large ship, you will need to improve your skills well or hire a navigator, because if the “Navigation” skill of the main character is less than required, then he absolutely all skills will go down, which will greatly complicate the further game.
lugger lugger strife
All ships have characteristics that show the strength of the hull, the maximum number of crew, the capacity of the hold, maximum speed and maneuverability, etc., and they are generated randomly, so that from two absolutely identical appearance you can still choose the best ships. As I said earlier, there is a wide variety of courts in the game, that is, you can (and should) find something to your liking. One, small and fast, will be an excellent solution for attacking small convoys, while the other, powerful and heavy, is great for attacking a fort or even the Spanish Golden Fleet (although this will require a good squadron of powerful ships).
The speed of the ship depends on the integrity of the sails and the wind. Unlike the previous parts, the highest speed is achieved not directly into the wind, but at some angle to it, which adds realism to the game.
Travel between the islands takes place on a global map. It is here that you can find some unprotected trade caravan or run into pirates, which are often not a problem to sail away from on the global map, since usually the player’s wind speed is much higher than that of others. But sometimes there are also Gentlemen of Fortune, who can be even faster, especially if the player has a squadron.
The Gentlemen, unlike the others, are much harder to deal with. Firstly, they pursue the player for a very long time, and secondly, that cheating method does not work with them, when the player, being at a distance of more than 1000 meters from the enemy, goes to the tactical map and returns to the global one again (usually the ships simply disappear). Realism, again. True, not complete.
But in the sea you can meet not only ships, but also the places of recent battles, which on the global map look like a barrel floating on the waves. Having left in this place on the tactical map, the player can pick up cargo that has not yet managed to sink.
Combat: on land and at sea
The life of our character in any development option will take place in wanderings and battles both on land and at sea. Let's start with the marine part. I note right away that all game process(with the exception of manual aiming in a naval battle) takes place in real time from a third person.
We are free to maneuver and shoot when we want and where we want, and we have 4 types of ammunition: cannonballs, bombs, buckshot and knippels. Fire is fired from cannons or culverins, their number and maximum caliber depend on the type of ship. Guns strike a large number of damage and recharge quickly, culverins hit further, but the damage from them, of course, is less, and the recharge takes a little longer. That is, here again, everyone is free to customize everything for themselves and their tactics. Accuracy of hitting and reloading speed depend on the skills of the captain and the training of the crew, so a team that has already been in battles should be protected, as the newcomers raise/lower the sails for a long time, shoot crookedly, and also fight badly when boarding. I don't know if this should be considered a plus or a minus, but now the quality of the sailors in the tavern is strongly tied to the nation: the British have good sailors, the French have gunners, the Spaniards have boarders. Only the pirates have remained the same: although their morality is not so hot, they are most often true professionals in all three areas.
Well, you exchanged volleys with the enemy and boarded (do you want to get his cargo or even a whole ship?). Now we move on to the “ground” combat. I must say right away that I have always liked combat. The character is able to inflict four types of blows, make a feint, parry and block. It would seem, what is the difference between the last three? Block gives the character the ability to parry almost all of the enemy's attacks, except for the piercing one, parry is harder to perform, but repels all blows and makes the opponent spend more energy, and the feint, in addition to the parry functions, makes it possible to deal additional damage to the enemy. All this variety fits on four buttons: three for the main blows, and the fourth is a switch between a blow or an additional one. function. And it is in this fourth button that a small problem lies: it is not always possible to perform, for example, a feint instead of a blow, which in the worst case can lead to death .. But in general, everything is framed very well.
There are three classes of weapons in the game: light (rapiers), medium (sabers) and heavy (broadswords, axes). Moreover, the damage and energy loss depend just the same on the type: the rapier is great for attacks, axes - for piercing blows, and sabers are a universal weapon. But the damage when dealing various blows also depends on the skills of the character, the characteristics of the weapon "Damage / Balance", as well as on its length and curvature. Moreover, weapon stats are generated as randomly as ship stats, so the best blade for a particular character is revealed in battles.
But besides melee weapons, there are also firearms. Here the game also took a step forward: in addition to pistols, various muskets and shotguns appeared. In addition, weapons now need not only bullets, but also gunpowder, although pistols are best loaded with homemade cartridges - they weigh less (the character has a maximum carry weight) and reload faster.
But what to do if you are seriously wounded in battle? To save you, you can drink various potions that you can brew yourself, find in chests, or buy from merchants. It's also nice to have a few antidotes with you - what if you get hit with a poisoned blade?
Mystic…
Oh, by the way, about poisoned blades ... Most often, weapons that have a poisoning effect are considered to be charmed. And in general, here, as in other Corsairs, there are many mystical things. Take, for example, amulets. Here, almost every amulet has both useful and harmful properties, besides, it “works” only for a certain period. In the previous parts, such things mainly gave bonuses, were endless and lay in every second chest. Now the frequency of their finding has greatly decreased. However, no one bothers to order the right little thing from the lighthouse keepers for an exorbitant price.
Well, according to tradition, in the new Corsairs there is a mystical ship with black sails, filled with undead, to take possession of which you will need to go through many sorrows and hardships. True, this time the developers for some reason brought this gameplay feature into a separate DLC (apparently, they decided to join the general fashion).
We count the profits
The line has always been positioned as giving the opportunity to earn money not only by piracy, but also by using completely legal methods, one of which is fair trade (there are other ways, such as escorting a merchant or transporting cargo, but we are not talking about them now). The goods of each colony are divided into 4 (previously there were three) types: contraband (bought by the player at an exorbitant price, can only be sold to smugglers), export (cheap prices for both sale and purchase), import (expensive) and those that the colony collects for export to Europe (even more expensive than imported). Moreover, prices change all the time, which is why it is useful to ask other captains for fresh reports more often.
This is how the trade in large goods is positioned. But personally, I almost never used it, since it is simply impossible to trade honestly at the initial levels. Due to the low Treasury skill, the character will still buy high and sell low. And then ... Why buy expensive flutes and try to trade if you can take a brigantine and grab some flutes along with goods on it, and then sell it? Therefore, there is no special meaning in this export / import, especially considering that by that time the player will no longer be particularly worried about the difference of 2-3 thousand from the received cargo.
It is a completely different matter with the trade in small things. Traders used to have “a little bit of everything”. Now they are separated by prices and a list of products offered. That is, you can buy a saber or sell it at a higher price only from a gunsmith, and it is better to cash in gold and diamonds to a moneylender, from whom, by the way, you can take a loan or leave money for storage. On the one hand, everything has somehow become more orderly, but on the other hand… Now it is much harder to find some exclusive item.
Game design
Summing up, let's talk about the schedule. Yes, it has remained the same at the level of approximately 2005, although you can still notice that some cosmetic improvements have been made. Firstly, new higher-poly character models were added, ships were improved externally, whales were added to the sea environment, and loading screens were also “beautified”. But in general, there have been no significant changes .. The sound design has not changed at all, but it did not need to be changed, believe me, since all the sounds are very realistic.
Conclusion
The game is perfect for fans of everything related to pirates and sailing ships, because the atmosphere of piracy or privateering, its more legal form, is perfectly conveyed. Yes, the graphics in the game are not up to par, but this is not so important, right?
A pirate, a privateer, even an officer in the service of His Majesty is always thinking about how to sell something. I don’t know if this actually happened (it is doubtful that the captains of the royal ships transported goods for their own benefit), but I can say with confidence that in the Corsairs the most profitable business is trade. You can sink hundreds of ships, but you won't earn even a tenth of one successful trade of a true merchant. About speculation with exotic (and not so) goods in the vast caribbean we'll talk.
From sloop to galleon to warship
The choice of a ship (or ships) for trading operations is a very responsible matter. In fact, the style of the whole game depends on it. You can choose a small boat and win at the expense of speed, or you can equip an entire squadron. Of course, the difference in net profit will be very significant, but there is another side to the coin. On a small ship it is easier to get away from pirates, and a "heavy" squadron is clumsy and vulnerable. The effect of cargo is especially felt on huge ships, such as the manowar. On a trough loaded to the eyeballs, you can’t get away from persecution, and a tactical maneuver is unlikely to succeed. And a pirate on a light corvette (brig, sloop, frigate) will have time to change sides ten times.
How to solve these problems? First, you need to choose a route. Secondly, estimate the budget and figure out what style of play will suit you best. Decide in advance whether you will fight or run away when meeting with ill-wishers. The fact is that it makes no sense to equip one, but a heavy ship. You will take up precious space in the hold with cannonballs, gunpowder, provisions and other goods. On the other hand, many small pelvises will be able to escape persecution, and sometimes the price is lower. And thirdly, you should choose a group of goods. Some are cheaper, some are more expensive, but only you will lose money from rats, not buyers (and sellers).
On a note: in Tenochtitlan you can find a whole bunch of "Rat Gods". If you're serious about trading, it makes sense to complete this quest first.
Depending on the strategy, you need to choose ships. In this chapter, we will take a look at each vehicle in turn, assessing their effectiveness in relation to cost and other parameters. Money is the main thing to pay attention to. How well this or that ship behaves in battle is the tenth thing, because for military raids a successful merchant can easily make up a separate squadron.
Let's divide the ships into three groups: small, large and huge. Everything below the third class will go to the first. In the second - the third and second class. Huge ships - all first class.
So, after buying a ship of any group, the first thing to do is to decide on equipment and tactics.
It is important: Equipment advice is valid for all ships within a group.
From all legs
If you decide to cut through the sea with great speed (and maneuverability) on a small boat, the first thing to do is to sell guns. Yes, you will not be able to oppose anything to the pirates, but you do not need it! The main thing is to leave, break away, and for this you need to lighten the ship. In addition, guns take up space for cargo. Cannons are excellently dropped in battle, but they cost so much that it is better to sell them anyway.
It is interesting: in Corsairs Online, dropping cannons is a common thing for merchants. True, the guns there are restored on their own, and there is no need to buy them again.
The next category is people. This includes the team itself (and its salary), its provision (food) and rum (for morale). Since you will not participate in battles, you can immediately forget about weapons and medicines. Weapons are needed during the boarding, and medicines after. If there is no cause, then there will be no effect.
Sell cannonballs, buckshot, knipples and bombs after the cannons (or throw them away, they are still cheap). Gunpowder in the same place - all this is not necessary. True, it doesn’t take up much space, so you can, in principle, leave the knipple and just a few guns to shoot at the pursuers, and then make your legs.
To summarize, a light ship strategy requires maximum movement speed, which means you need to provide the best captain (with maximum navigation) and a full crew so that the ship does not drag along like a lame turtle.
You better not come
This strategy is valid for any ship variant. However, its trading efficiency is somewhat lower than that of all the others. The bottom line is this - you equip the ship to the fullest (except perhaps without boarding materials) and give battle to anyone who decides to attack you. For ships of the first group (small ones), this strategy is useful only if you are only afraid of pirates. Otherwise, the very first punitive squadron will send you to the bottom. No options.
Owners of large and huge ships will feel somewhat more confident. Almost always, heavy warships have the best hold volume. Therefore, the fact that you are carrying cargo imposes only one limitation - mobility. It is much more difficult for a galleon loaded according to the most “I don’t want” to pick up speed, turn around, and cut. Keep in mind that you will have nowhere to put loot from other ships, so you can not take anyone on board.
Combat trading squadron in all its glory.
This strategy achieves maximum effectiveness (in terms of defense) when controlling manowars (and ships of a similar class). We buy the heaviest guns and bombs, and if someone attacks, it’s worse for him. But there is one very serious nuance - you will have to look for captains with the maximum navigation skill. Otherwise, instead of combat vehicles, you will end up with useless piles of wood and metal. As you know, the level of a mercenary depends on yours, and masters of all trades are found only at the highest (forty and beyond) levels. Another argument "against" is the volume of cargo transported.
Let's calculate how much is needed for the combat capability of the ship. First, of course, the guns. A set of 32-pound guns for the royal manowar (112 guns) weighs 1,700 units. Five thousand bombs - another 300. Provisions - about a thousand, no less. Do not forget gunpowder - at least 250. Rum is optional, but 500 barrels will weigh 500. In other words, goods for battle require two and a half, or even three thousand volumes. With a total carrying capacity of seven thousand (sometimes a little more), this is almost half. That is, you can earn half as much. In addition, do not forget about the cost of repairs, and the team needs to be paid and maintain morale in it. Officers also regularly demand a salary, and the higher the level of the mercenary, the more money you have to pay.
With all the disadvantages of the strategy, it has one advantage - you can follow the story and trade along the way to maintain a budget. You won’t really earn money, but the cost of maintaining the squadron will not be so noticeable (which is no less important).
It is interesting: the maintenance of a thousand people costs almost two hundred thousand every month. Calculate how much money you need to maintain a full squadron.
Classic scheme
Being a Rogue Trader is, of course, good and romantic. Here you have a chase, and responsibility only for yourself and your actions, and real money in your hands. In addition, you can do whatever you want at any time, no one will customize. But the profit in this case is not so impressive. A large merchant who manages an entire squadron, turns millions and in some cases tens of millions. He can sell (and buy) the entire Caribbean, but the degree of preparation (and cost) is completely different. The highest level in trading, in my opinion, is just occupied by a merchant warrior.
This is how the trading screen of a self-respecting merchant should look like. Information about the number of goods in all stores of the archipelago is bought from the bartender.
What does this mean? It's simple - you do not run from the enemy, but drown him, but you do not spend half of the hold on weapons. The key is specialization. Each ship must perform a specific function. Only those who are suitable for this should fight. Naturally, the player should play the role of an escort, since the allies, although they are not stupid like traffic jams, cannot boast of perfect adequacy. Practice shows that one single manowar with guns of the maximum caliber and full equipment can easily cope with a serious squadron.
Also, don't forget that you have a huge advantage in the form of critical shots, skills that improve reloading and other goodies. And if you manage to fire from two sides at once, you can be sure of victory. I remember when I ran into a punitive squadron of five Spaniards, I drowned their manowar with three volleys. Two of them, however, were critical, but even without them, fifty cannons cause significant damage.
Do not forget that the squadrons of other powers never consist of only manowars. Yes, only ships of the first class can meet, and so what? Combat and warships are no match for you. As for the pirates, it's even easier with them. You will rarely meet among them even the simplest battleship (they are not in this part), but no matter how maneuverable corvettes, frigates and others are, a few powerful volleys will still send them to the bottom.
The rest of the ships with this style are completely unnecessary in battle. They can simply be turned into "trucks". Dismiss the entire crew, hire the cheapest officers, remove the cannons and throw shells, provisions, weapons and medicines overboard. So you can achieve maximum efficiency when trading. Count for yourself: four completely empty ships (from 6500 to 8000 holds) and none payments to the team, because there is none at all! The huge total size of the hold will allow you to extract tangible benefits even from relatively cheap goods. In addition, you will be able to earn fabulous money on smuggling, and to accumulate start-up capital, complete the tasks of merchants in cities. Do not forget that any merchant wishes to fill all space available on your ships. And the more goods - the greater the reward.
Advice: merchants offer different goods for transportation, but try to choose those that are not gnawed by rats. For example, cores, knippels, buckshot and bombs. Try not to take expensive items if you don't have Rat Gods. Rats can easily gobble up all the fat. Because of these rodents, more than once I had to pay a penalty out of my own pocket.
ships
Until now, there has not been a single intelligible analysis of the ships, in fact. There are several reasons for this: ships of the same type (frigates, for example) can differ significantly from each other. The caliber of the guns, the volume of the hold, the thickness of the armor - everything is different, the ships were not built on machine tools, and each had its own characteristics. Naturally, all this affects the price (sometimes very significantly). In this chapter, we will analyze the ships in order and in detail. Since different strategies imply a fundamentally different style of play, a comprehensive assessment of the characteristics will be very useful.
Ship characteristics
Not all ship parameters in the Corsairs have a designation. For example, allowed team size measured by "seats", and gun caliber- pounds. However, nothing is said about speed, maneuverability, hold volume. In fact, everything is very simple. The developers, most likely, decided not to overload the player with unnecessary data (knots, degrees and rolls), so they introduced abstract values for some indicators. Hold capacity, for example, is measured in units of "net cargo". "Net cargo" is already multiplied weight and volume, expressed in abstract game units. So the fruit basket takes place "1", and the package of ebony - "5". The rest of the characteristics are calculated in the same way. Hull strength are the same virtual hits. If the mark reaches zero, you drowned. Speed created to compare ships with each other, because you can swim to another island only on the global map. In the heat of battle, the one with the higher score will be faster. Maneuverability calculated in the same way. Whoever has a higher score is better. Only close-hauled calculated differently. The higher the score, the steeper into the wind you can go.
"Small" class
Tartana (class 7)
Tartana first appeared in the Mediterranean. Initially, it was a small fishing boat with a triangular sail, but its good running characteristics made it a very popular ship for coastal voyages and trade between neighboring settlements.
Tartana is, in fact, an ordinary boat, but with a sail. Its size does not allow it to make long trips (although it is possible in the game), and the general indicators say that if you swim on it, you are in really bad shape. Fishing in the game is not allowed, but tartan is suitable only for this. It is not suitable for anything and is present in the game only for entourage.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 95 |
| speed | 6,5 |
| maneuverability | 46 |
| close-hauled | 8,2 |
| hold | 50 |
| team | 10 |
| guns | No |
| price, gold | 350 |
Longboat (class 7)
Longboat - a large boat on which small guns are mounted. It will never become a serious ship, but it is used for pirate or smuggling sorties all over the world.
This is the same tartan, but a little larger in size. The hold is usually three times as large, but the guns take up the lion's share of its volume. "Dead" armor and general uselessness is offset by maneuverability and speed. An experienced captain will be saved on this vessel from any persecution. Just what to save?
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 200 |
| speed | 13,5 |
| maneuverability | 72 |
| close-hauled | 7,5 |
| hold | 200 |
| team | 17 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 8 |
| price, gold | 2500 |
Lugger (class 6)
The lugger is a small ship designed to carry cargo and protect small convoys. Despite the fact that the lugger's weapons are weak and the team is small, it is specially designed for both trade and battle. Many captains appreciate the lugger for its speed and maneuverability, and its small size allows it to make long sea voyages.
The first more or less serious ship, which, in principle, is perfect for a free trader. On this one, you can sink a pirate, and transport something. Another thing is that the lugger is a small and not very strong ship, and only 12 guns are not at all impressive. In addition, combat equipment occupies almost half of the hold. The only indisputable plus is that slanting sails allow you to walk steeply into the wind.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 700 |
| speed | 14,5 |
| maneuverability | 62 |
| close-hauled | 9,5 |
| hold | 550 |
| team | 57 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 12 |
| price, gold | 14500 |
Sloop (class 6)
With a shallow draft and excellent sailing performance, the sloop is a highly efficient reconnaissance ship suitable for coastal patrol and trade.
However, the hold is too small, and at a comparable price, the sloop completely loses to the lugger in terms of driving characteristics. Improved weapons do not change the situation. In my opinion, additional guns only take up precious space in the hold. It is not worth buying a sloop, it is better to wait for the next ship - a schooner.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 1000 |
| speed | 13,5 |
| maneuverability | 36 |
| close-hauled | 7,85 |
| hold | 750 |
| team | 66 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 16 |
| price, gold | 18000 |
Schooner (class 5)
The good sailing characteristics of this ship, coupled with a capacious hold, made the schooner one of the most attractive ships as a merchant ship for mediocre merchants who cannot afford anything better.
The schooner is the first worthy ship for trade. Her hold is usually twice as large as that of a sloop, and her driving performance is almost identical. The armament of the schooner, as well as the armor, is also at the appropriate level - twenty guns will allow you to fight off small pirates. The only gripe is the price.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 1400 |
| speed | 12,5 |
| maneuverability | 32 |
| close-hauled | 7,5 |
| hold | 1400 |
| team | 105 |
| guns (caliber 16 pounds) | 20 |
| price, gold | 32500 |
Bark (class 5)
Bark is, in fact, a converted longboat. The barque is better suited for long-distance voyages. With a spacious hold and sufficient firepower, the barque is considered one of the best ships in its class. However, the design does not allow it to reach high speeds, and maneuverability fails. In terms of running performance, the bark loses. On the other hand, a small team and a capacious hold will allow you to transport goods with little blood. In addition, the barque is somewhat cheaper than the schooner.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 1500 |
| speed | 9,5 |
| maneuverability | 26 |
| close-hauled | 3,5 |
| hold | 1900 |
| team | 80 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 16 |
| price, gold | 30500 |
Caravel (class 5)
The unusual formula of the caravel deck makes it easy to identify this ship from a long distance by outlines. It is advantageous to use caravels for transporting large loads, especially since they proved to be unimportant as warships.
Excellent hold and weak combat characteristics. This is due to low speed and poor maneuverability. On the other hand - thirty guns (13 on board and two in front and behind), and the caliber is not bad - up to twenty-four pounds. Among the shortcomings, one can note a poor move in hauled winds, since all the sails of the caravel are straight. A caravel is fine as a "truck", but military cover is a must. Another plus is that a caravel is only a little more expensive than a bark, and the hold is almost one and a half times larger.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 2300 |
| speed | 9,5 |
| maneuverability | 28 |
| close-hauled | 3,5 |
| hold | 3000 |
| team | 175 |
| guns (caliber 24 pounds) | 30 |
| price, gold | 38500 |
Barkentina (class 4)
When the Spanish merchants realized that they were becoming easy prey for pirates in the Caribbean, they began to massively convert their galleons into barquentines. Thanks to the mixed sailing armament, the barquentine can move quite quickly in any direction. And although the transatlantic journey lasts a little longer, the barquentine will surely leave the pirates.
Excellent running characteristics and a good hold. An excellent ship for a scheme "from all legs". The hold, however, is not as spacious as that of a caravel, but the barquentine goes against the wind perfectly. Of the shortcomings, only weak weapons can be noted, but the price does not bite. The maximum team reaches two hundred people, which means that you can safely board a brazen pirate.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 2300 |
| speed | 10,5 |
| maneuverability | 38 |
| close-hauled | 9,5 |
| hold | 2500 |
| team | 195 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 16 |
| price, gold | 33500 |
Brigantine (class 4)
The legendary type of sailing ships. Fast and maneuverable, like a swallow, the brigantine soars over the endless expanses of the seas and oceans.
The brigantine has excellent running characteristics, although the price is only slightly more expensive than the barquentine. The hold, however, is very small, so the brigantine is hardly suitable for trading operations. The choice of a pirate or a privateer, but not a merchant.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 2100 |
| speed | 16,5 |
| maneuverability | 52 |
| close-hauled | 8,5 |
| hold | 1200 |
| team | 105 |
| guns (caliber 16 pounds) | 20 |
| price, gold | 32500 |
Flutes (class 4)
Flute - the ship is quite strong and large. It is great for long-distance voyages, but it is unwise to use it for military purposes. The flute is good as a merchant ship, since it is very difficult to find an opponent in its class in terms of the size of the hold and the strength of the hull. Flutes first appeared in Holland. They were built from soft woods to make the ship as cheap as possible.
The first ship for large merchants. Excellent hold capacity and good running characteristics, a fairly strong hull and a large crew. Yes, it is difficult for him to find an opponent in the class (only a galleon), but, as you remember, flutes were built from the cheapest types of wood. They were originally conceived as workhorses, and guns were mounted on them more for show. The flute is a true merchant ship, but also suitable for the "all-out" scheme, although it works best in guarded merchant squadrons.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 3100 |
| speed | 12,5 |
| maneuverability | 36 |
| close-hauled | 4,5 |
| hold | 3200 |
| team | 165 |
| guns (caliber 24 pounds) | 18 |
| price, gold | 50000 |
Brig (class 4)
The brig is often used as a merchant ship, but even more often as a warship. High speed and excellent maneuverability make it one of the most harmonious vessels. However, direct sailing rigging limits its ability to move in close-hauled.
The brig is good for the scheme "from all legs". Still, in battle, he is rather weak (only 16 guns). On the other hand, even a small number of guns can pay off thanks to maneuverability and speed, but there are pitfalls here too. The fact is that the direct sailing rig does not allow the brig to go steeply to the wind. The only reasonable use is to load up to the eyeballs and run.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 2700 |
| speed | 14,05 |
| maneuverability | 44 |
| close-hauled | 3,5 |
| hold | 2000 |
| team | 177 |
| guns (caliber 24 pounds) | 16 |
| price, gold | 41500 |
Galleon (class 4)
This is undoubtedly the most famous type of ship in history. A close relative of the caravel, the galleon is a clumsy but reliable ship that has served sailors for two hundred years. Easy prey for a real pirate.
They were used by everyone, but most often by the Spaniards. It was on the galleons that gold (as well as other goods) was exported from the colonies. The galleon is an excellent merchant ship, but not very important in combat. It's all about poor maneuverability and low speed. With such indicators, only the battle line is suitable for combat, but the relatively thin armor puts an end to this venture. The galleon is great for a merchant, and if he has a ship (or ships) to guard, the legendary ship will pay off in one trip.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 3500 |
| speed | 10,5 |
| maneuverability | 31 |
| close-hauled | 3,2 |
| hold | 3600 |
| team | 366 |
| guns (caliber 12 pounds) | 20 |
| price, gold | 53500 |
"Big" class
Corvette (class 3)
The corvette was designed as a ship with powerful weapons, but at the same time as fast and light as possible. As a result, corvettes have a weak hull, but are able to catch up with lighter ships and fight successfully with heavier ones. As a rule, the corvette was used as a patrol vessel, as well as an auxiliary warship.
The corvette has the thinnest armor in its class, but only a frigate can match it in speed, and it has no equal in maneuverability. However, a corvette is not at all suitable for trade, because a loaded ship is not so fast, and this is its main advantage. Each ship must be used in accordance with the specialization. Corvette is fast, nimble and relatively powerful ship. You can’t take a fort on it, but on the high seas it has no equal.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 3200 |
| speed | 15,5 |
| maneuverability | 58 |
| close-hauled | 4,6 |
| hold | 2600 |
| team | 202 |
| guns (caliber 32 pounds) | 32 |
| price, gold | 73500 |
Heavy Galleon (Class 3)
The Heavy Galleon is a powerful warship. Large-caliber guns, a strong hull and a large crew provide reliable protection for any cargo. Unfortunately, the heavy armor resulted in an even greater reduction in performance.
Heavy galleons eventually replace flutes (because of the hold) and regular galleons. Yes, in terms of driving performance, heavy galleons lag (and very noticeably) behind other ships in their class, but a huge hold more than compensates for all the shortcomings. Due to the low maximum speed, the heavy galleon is not suitable for the "all-out" strategy. Ideal application - "better not come" or "classic scheme". The armor is strong, and there are fifteen guns on each side, and the caliber is decent. The verdict is that the heavy galleon is great for armed squadrons, but it opens up only under escort.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 5500 |
| speed | 7,5 |
| maneuverability | 23 |
| close-hauled | 2,6 |
| hold | 5000 |
| team | 448 |
| guns (caliber 32 pounds) | 36 |
| price, gold | 100000 |
Pinas (class 3)
This ship is large enough and strong enough for long sea voyages. The capacity of its hold allows you to transport a large amount of cargo, and weapons - to drive away pirates. However, in combat it lacks the agility and speed of a real warship.
The pinas is simply an improved version of the flute. Its hold is capacious, there are few guns, but it is cheap and fast. Cheapness makes pinas a workhorse, but it makes no sense to buy it - it's better to save up for a galleon.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 3600 |
| speed | 12,5 |
| maneuverability | 32 |
| close-hauled | 5,7 |
| hold | 3600 |
| team | 241 |
| guns (caliber 16 pounds) | 18 |
| price, gold | 62500 |
Frigate (class 2)
Fast and nimble frigates are a favorite of many captains for their good performance and firepower. A squadron of frigates could well smash the fort and sack the city.
In fact, the frigate is the first heavily armed ship (twenty guns aboard), and anything heavier plays the role of a floating fort. Meanwhile, the hold of a frigate is not as small as that of a corvette, so you can protect the squadron and carry additional cargo. Keep in mind that frigates have straight sails, so you won't be able to go straight into the wind.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 5000 |
| speed | 15,5 |
| maneuverability | 37 |
| close-hauled | 3,9 |
| hold | 3200 |
| team | 323 |
| guns (caliber 32 pounds) | 46 |
| price, gold | 150000 |
Warship (class 2)
A warship, outnumbering a frigate in number of guns, loses to it in speed and maneuverability. However, due to the strengthening of the hull and increase in size, some warships can be equipped with the heaviest guns.
A warship is just a weighted frigate. To tell the truth, the armor and additional guns went sideways to him - maneuverability and speed dropped significantly. It makes no sense to use a warship as a “truck”, since there is a heavy galleon one class lower, which is equal in armor, and you can carry more cargo. In addition, the galleon is much cheaper, and the speed in the presence of a military escort is not so important.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 5200 |
| speed | 13 |
| maneuverability | 36 |
| close-hauled | 1,8 |
| hold | 4200 |
| team | 435 |
| guns (caliber 24 pounds) | 56 |
| price, gold | 170000 |
"Huge" class
Ship of the line (class 1)
The battleship is a formidable force. Armed with the most powerful and long-range guns, with a very strong hull, it is able to successfully resist any ship at sea and destroy coastal fortifications.
Great ship for a "better stay away" scheme. Numerous guns, a solid hull, a large crew and a capacious hold. Unfortunately, it is hardly suitable for other schemes - it is too expensive, and in terms of hold volume it is not far from a heavy galleon. On the other hand, good speed allows you to apply the scheme "from all legs".
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 7600 |
| speed | 12,5 |
| maneuverability | 32 |
| close-hauled | 1,4 |
| hold | 5000 |
| team | 571 |
| guns (caliber 32 pounds) | 66 |
| price, gold | 250000 |
Combat ship (class 1)
A warship is the development of a warship (essentially a frigate) by increasing the size and strengthening the hull. Huge and unwieldy, it carries several batteries of heavy guns and is manned by a large crew.
Good only for combat. Its hold is not much larger than that of a battleship and a heavy galleon, but the armor is much thicker, and there are as many as thirty-six guns on each side. Suitable for the "better not come" scheme, but that's all. "From all legs" will not work, since the warship does not shine with speed, and there is no sense in the "classic scheme". Why guard an expensive ship when you can buy three heavy galleons for the same money
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 7700 |
| speed | 11,5 |
| maneuverability | 29 |
| close-hauled | 1 |
| hold | 5300 |
| team | 523 |
| guns (caliber 32 pounds) | 80 |
| price, gold | 345000 |
Manowar (class 1)
Man-of-war is the most powerful ship in history. On three gun decks, it carries up to a hundred guns, and its hull is practically impenetrable for cannonballs. Unfortunately, huge size and the displacement of the ship limits its use to naval battles and the siege of forts.
The largest ship of the line is great for a merchant. Surprised? The manowar has the largest hold, and the level of armor allows you to wait until the military escort has dealt with the enemy. Great for the "better don't come" scheme. There is nothing worse than five manovars. I remember how the punitive squadron of the Spaniards ran into me at sea ... With the very first salvo we sent the Spanish flagship to the bottom. Two and a half hundred cores are no joke. Especially when the caliber is forty-two pounds.
| Average parameters | |
| frame | 10000 |
| speed | 10,5 |
| maneuverability | 25 |
| close-hauled | 0,7 |
| hold | 7300 |
| team | 850 |
| guns (caliber 32-42 pounds) | 102 |
| price, gold | 525000 |
Royal manowar (class 1)
Royal first class ship of the line. Terrifying firepower is combined with exquisite hull finishes and impressive driving performance. This is the greatest ship of all time.
Suitable only for war. To be honest, its usual modification has a much more capacious hold, and additional guns are not as important as cargo. Ideally, you can make the royal manowar the flagship, and let the “trucks” be ordinary ones. The same squadron configuration is also suitable for the "better not approach" scheme.
The royal manowar is the pinnacle of shipbuilding. However, it is only suitable as a flagship combat ship. For trade, it is better to adapt ordinary manowars, they are cheaper.
trade routes
In the Return of the Legend guide, we compiled a table of exports and imports of goods for all stores in the archipelago. Since then, the economic system has been slightly modified, and some goods have changed status. The new version takes into account all the changes since the "Return of the Legend" and the latest patches. Based on the table below, we will consider the optimal trade routes.
Types of trade
Of course, the economic system in Corsairs is far from ideal, it lacks changes in prices, demand, supply, and much more. The economy is simple and just asks for money to be made on it. The game is kind to the player who will be able to assess their strength. Let's take a look at a few trading techniques that are characteristic of the "Corsairs" (from time immemorial).
It is interesting: actually prices change. If you buy a lot of a certain type of product, the price of it rises (scarcity), and if you sell a lot, it falls (glut). That's only if something is exported somewhere, even the end of the world will not force the merchant to import this product.
Direct flight
By direct flight we mean the usual journey from point A to point B and back. We buy the right product, sell it and come back for the next portion. For direct flights, goods from the highest price category(ebony and mahogany, silk, gold). Why? It's simple: you make a huge profit, and the faster you move all the goods, the sooner it will end and the sooner you can switch to another product. At this time, stores will replenish stocks. Distinctive feature- the method is only suitable if you have money for expensive goods. This is true, for example, for a squadron of manovars. You need to invest an unimaginable amount of money, but the return exceeds all expectations. Best Use schemes are contraband.
Chain
The essence of the chain is to highlight the group of goods that you will trade. For example, you buy ebony at the lowest price and take it to where they buy it the most. At this port, you buy another export item and take it to the next port. And so on. The scheme is difficult to implement as you need to be aware of quotes in all stores. Use the table and make the best route.
Circular flight
This method is, in fact, a mixture of the first two. You choose a starting port and transport the best goods to another city. There you buy another product and take it somewhere else. In the end, you must return to the first selected port. This scheme is the most difficult to implement, but it is also the most profitable - your ships will not be idle. Net profit, complete confidence and accuracy. The essence of the scheme is that when you return to the starting city, there will already be enough goods. In addition, you can change the round trip as much as you like, simply by choosing another product.
| Goods of the Caribbean | ||||||||||||||
| Nuclei | - | - | - | - | - | E | E | - | - | - | - | And | And | And |
| Buckshot | - | - | E | - | - | And | - | - | And | - | - | And | And | - |
| Knippel | - | - | - | - | E | - | - | E | - | - | E | - | - | E |
| bombs | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Powder | To | - | E | E | - | E | - | - | - | And | - | - | - | - |
| Provision | E | - | To | And | E | - | - | To | And | - | E | E | E | - |
| Weapon | And | - | And | E | - | - | E | - | To | And | - | And | And | And |
| Medications | - | To | And | - | And | To | And | E | E | - | And | And | And | And |
| Canvas | And | E | - | To | - | - | - | And | And | And | - | And | And | - |
| Boards | - | And | - | And | To | And | - | - | E | E | To | - | - | - |
| Cocoa | And | And | And | To | And | To | - | - | E | - | And | E | E | - |
| Coffee | - | E | - | E | - | - | To | - | - | E | - | - | - | E |
| Tobacco | To | - | E | - | E | - | - | And | To | And | E | And | And | And |
| Sugar | And | - | - | E | E | - | And | And | To | E | E | - | - | - |
| Wheat | - | E | E | - | E | - | To | And | And | To | E | - | - | E |
| Wine | To | And | E | - | E | - | And | To | To | And | E | E | E | - |
| Rum | - | And | - | - | And | - | E | E | - | - | And | E | E | - |
| El | E | - | To | And | - | - | E | E | - | E | - | E | E | E |
| Cotton | E | - | E | - | E | - | To | And | - | To | E | - | - | - |
| canvas | E | E | - | To | And | - | E | - | E | E | And | - | - | E |
| Leather | - | - | And | - | And | To | And | - | E | E | And | - | - | E |
| Silk | - | To | To | - | - | E | - | And | - | To | - | - | - | And |
| clothing | - | - | - | To | And | And | - | - | And | - | And | - | - | - |
| Ebony | - | E | - | - | To | And | And | To | - | - | To | To | To | To |
| The Red tree | E | - | To | - | To | And | - | - | E | - | To | - | - | And |
| sandalwood | E | E | E | E | - | And | - | To | - | - | - | E | E | - |
| Cinnamon | To | To | And | And | - | E | - | - | - | E | - | E | E | - |
| Copra | - | - | And | And | - | To | And | - | And | To | - | To | To | To |
| Paprika | And | And | - | E | - | E | - | E | - | - | - | - | - | E |
| Fruit | And | To | - | And | To | - | And | And | - | And | To | And | And | - |
| Oil | E | E | - | E | - | And | To | - | E | - | - | To | To | To |
| bricks | And | - | And | And | - | E | - | E | And | And | - | To | To | To |
| Slaves | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To |
| Gold | - | And | - | - | And | - | E | - | - | - | And | - | - | - |
| Silver | - | And | - | - | - | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | And |
| Nuclei | - | And | And | - | - | - | - | E | And | - | - | And | - |
| Buckshot | To | And | And | And | - | - | - | E | - | E | - | And | - |
| Knippel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | And | - |
| bombs | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | And | E |
| Powder | And | To | To | To | - | E | E | E | - | - | To | And | And |
| Provision | E | - | - | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | To | - | - |
| Weapon | - | To | To | To | And | To | To | E | - | - | To | And | - |
| Medications | And | - | - | E | - | And | And | - | E | And | And | And | - |
| Canvas | - | And | And | And | To | And | And | And | And | To | - | - | And |
| Boards | - | E | E | - | And | To | To | - | - | E | E | E | - |
| Cocoa | - | E | E | - | And | To | To | - | - | E | - | - | - |
| Coffee | - | E | E | - | To | E | E | - | - | And | - | E | - |
| Tobacco | - | To | To | To | And | - | - | And | - | And | - | To | - |
| Sugar | E | - | - | E | - | E | E | - | E | - | E | E | - |
| Wheat | - | E | E | - | E | - | - | - | - | E | And | - | - |
| Wine | E | - | - | E | E | - | - | E | E | - | And | To | - |
| Rum | E | - | - | - | E | E | E | - | And | And | And | To | E |
| El | - | - | - | - | - | E | E | - | E | - | - | E | And |
| Cotton | And | To | To | To | E | - | - | And | - | E | - | E | - |
| canvas | E | E | E | - | And | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | - |
| Leather | - | - | - | E | To | And | And | To | And | And | To | To | - |
| Silk | And | - | - | And | - | - | - | And | And | To | - | - | - |
| clothing | E | - | - | - | - | E | E | And | To | And | And | E | - |
| Ebony | To | And | And | - | E | And | And | - | - | E | E | - | - |
| The Red tree | - | - | - | E | - | And | And | - | - | - | E | - | - |
| sandalwood | - | E | E | - | And | And | And | To | And | - | E | - | - |
| Cinnamon | - | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | E | - | - | - | - |
| Copra | To | - | - | And | - | - | - | To | To | - | - | E | - |
| Paprika | - | - | - | E | And | - | - | To | And | To | - | - | - |
| Fruit | And | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | To | And | And | - | - |
| Oil | To | And | And | And | To | To | To | - | E | E | - | - | - |
| bricks | To | And | And | And | - | E | E | - | To | To | And | - | - |
| Slaves | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | To | And |
| Gold | And | And | And | - | - | And | And | And | - | - | E | - | And |
| Silver | - | - | - | And | E | - | - | And | - | - | E | - | And |
| * K - smuggling, E - export, I - import, dash - regular price. |
|||||||||||||
Destinations
In the final chapter, we will look at commodities and ports, and draw up some illustrative examples of trade routes.
First, take into account that the cities that are nearby have almost the same trade policy. In other words, if Havana imports canvas, then Puerto Principe imports it too. There are no short but profitable routes in the Corsairs. Or rather, they were, but with the release of patches, the easy life ended. Consider several routes for each type of trade.
Direct flight
The easiest and most expensive at the same time. Best choice for direct flights the most expensive goods: gold, silver, silk, ebony, mahogany and sandalwood. For a while, smuggling was one of the most profitable flights, but recently a smuggler has disappeared in a pirate city near Curacao (mahogany). Although store data indicates smuggling of goods, no one will buy it from you. And for the better. To be honest, having found one single route with enormous profitability, I abandoned all the others. Why waste time when you can earn phenomenal sums on multiple flights?
Scheme of direct trade in mahogany. The final destination is Fort-de-France.
Consider expensive goods in turn. Mahogany is sold at reasonable prices only in four colonies: Havana, Maracaibo, Marigot and Willemstad. The noble type of wood is considered to be smuggled only in Port of Spain and Fort-de-France. There are only two cities, and they belong to the French and the British. The shortest redwood route is from Curaçao to Martinique. Just remember to settle relations with other nations and take the appropriate flag in your skills. Unfortunately, trade patents are indispensable (unless you're playing as Holland). The second good route is from Marigot to the same place, to Martinique. Use it in case the stock of mahogany in Willemstad runs out. Havana is of little use for profitable trade. Nearby there are no ports with sufficiently high purchase prices, and the nearest "smuggling" cities very long away.
Another acceptable option is a flight from Maracaibo to Martinique. This option is also suitable for starting a “half-chain”. Let's say you have a squadron of five manovars and you easily buy up the entire stock of goods in the store. It turns out that you are wasting time in vain, as you leave the hold empty. To get the maximum benefit, you need to start from Maracaibo, then look at Curaçao, and only then sail to Martinique. If things do not grow together with smugglers, you can simply sell the goods at a high price. They import mahogany, for example, in Bas-Terre. However, the difference in profits is very significant.
Let's count. With a stock of goods in the store at the level of 10000, you can buy redwood for an average of 250 gold. You can sell it to a store with the "import" tag for a price of 400 gold. If you do not have "Rat Gods", we will write off another 10% for losses from rodents. We multiply 150 by 10,000, and subtract 10% of the average losses from rats from the final profit. In total, you will receive 1,350,000 net profit. Not bad? And now let's count with smuggling. A unit of mahogany in Fort-de-France is taken for 700 gold. Multiply 450 by 10,000, subtract losses from rats, total - 4,005,000 gold. The difference is obvious.
On a note:"Corsairs" is partly a role-playing game. Try to play the part to the end. In particular, you can play without the save-load link. If something happens, keep playing no matter what. With this style, selling goods in "import" is perhaps the safest option.
Redwood is the best commodity for a direct flight, especially if you haven't gotten rid of the rats. Silk gray robbers absorb indecent quantities. Gold, however, is not touched, but there is no smuggling on it either. If you choose between gold, silver and ebony, choose wood. First, even with a larger volume, the final profit will be greater. Secondly, only a few colonies are “rich” in gold, and even then there is so little of it that the game is not worth the candle. Ebony, in a successful scenario, can be bought at an average price of 100 coins, and sold for 550. Gold, with its ratio of 650-820 (170 income per unit), cannot compete with noble wood in any way. The best routes are Cumana, Maracaibo, Cartagena - Fort-de-France.
We did not consider two products from the upper price range - slaves and sandalwood. It is impossible to make money on the first ones, because they are sold (and even with “import”) only in Bermuda, and you can get them only during boarding (you leave the survivors as slaves). But this income cannot be called permanent, besides, slaves can raise a rebellion, and when the rebellion is suppressed, someone will inevitably die.
Sandal, on the other hand, is a good choice for trading, but only if the stock of the tree has completely dried up. Sandalwood is considered to be smuggled in Charlestown and Santa Catalina. It's a pity, but these cities are too far from the main trade routes, so, in fact, you have two options: take sandalwood from Willemstad to Charlestown, and then stock up on mahogany in Marigot, or not trade sandalwood at all.
Chain
For the chain, the best goods are in the middle and lower price categories, since the “export-import-smuggling” schemes are much more diverse for them. Judge for yourself, mahogany, for example, we carry to Martinique (or St. John's), as there are the best prices. Ebony - right there. But bricks, wheat, rum, ale and other inexpensive goods, you can sell and buy wherever you want, since the ratio of the purchase price of one unit of goods to the sale price is not so large. The benefit here comes from the quantity, not from the cost of a single sack of wheat.
The chain starts in Cartagena. The final destination is Fort-de-France.
It is interesting: the difference in the prices of purchase and sale for goods of the lowest category is not more than ten doubloons and rarely reaches even a double excess.
The first thing to do is to make a good itinerary. For a novice trader, buying trading licenses is very burdensome, so you should only trade with those ports where they don’t dream of letting you go to the bottom. Life is easier for the Spaniards and the Dutch. Many ports are open to him, which means you can trade anything. The question "where?" does not play a role, except that the distance between cities can somehow affect the choice of goods (route). Everything else is the same. Unfortunately, in "Corsairs" there is no binding of NPCs to any specific islands, ports or sea areas. You can meet in the deep rear of the Spaniards, on the Maine, a huge punitive squadron, say, the British. This is annoying, since the chance to escape from pursuit depends only on the course relative to the wind. Blowing in the back? Rock out. Not? So, they'll catch up.
It is important: Don't rely too much on the Master Navigator ability. Yes, it allows you to get away from a meeting on the high seas, but this does not mean that you will hide from any pursuers. In the most unfortunate cases, the menu will pop up every fraction of a second. In other words, after the refusal, you will immediately be offered to enter the battle - and so on until you agree. Or don't load the nearest save.
Consider an exemplary scheme using the example of the main character from Spain. The choice is not accidental. Spanish merchants live the easiest way. Let's say you start a chain in Cartagena. The nearest city is Maracaibo. We take a load of wheat, and in Maracaibo we buy a batch of sugar to bring it to Curacao. In addition, we fill the holds with gold and silver. Having sold sugar in Willemstad, we fill the hold with mahogany and sail to Kuman. There we will sell gold and silver, and we will fill the vacant place with ebony, which can be sold to smugglers in Fort-de-France. Starting with simple goods, at the finish line you will trade in the most expensive ones. The chain should be replenished exactly by the time you return to the starting point. If the goods have not yet appeared upon return, lengthen the chain.
In the resource-rich Caribbean Sea, there are many different trade chains, because the route is determined only by the opportunity to buy or sell a certain product.
Circular flight
Circular flight starting in Cartagena. Note that our beloved Fort-de-France is not included in the circle.
Any merchant should have a good map - as well as a whole bunch of more detailed ones. For dark deeds, you know...
The round trip example is simple. Let's take the route given in the "Chain" chapter as a basis and refine it a bit. The last city in the chain is Fort-de-France. To get a round trip we need to change Fort de France to Basse Terre. Of course, you will have to buy a trading license, but the profit is worth it. Looking at the table "Products of the Caribbean", we see that the French in Basse-Terre import ebony and mahogany, and export silk. Now you have a choice: either sail to Porto Bello and sell the purchased silk honestly, or hand it over to smugglers in Cartagena. To be honest, the second option is much better. According to this principle, you can build a chain of such dimensions that you will literally sell and buy the entire Caribbean Sea.
So, we figured out the trade. Of course, no article is enough for comparative analysis profits from the sale of various products, but we have "built a foundation" on which you can create schemes yourself. Whether they are profitable or not, only a test flight will show. I wish you successful voyages and profitable transactions. You will especially need luck!
Ship's log
In this form, the player can get acquainted with the ship's log, which is kept by the hero and automatically filled in by the system.
The event log
The journal is a list of the current tasks of the hero. Each item in the list by double-clicking or Enter is expanded into the event log. Each entry is marked with the time it was logged. The log goes from bottom to top, that is, the very first entries are at the bottom, and the latest are at the top.
Events archive
This tab contains a list of quests completed by the hero.
Cash book
On this tab, the bookkeeping of our hero is kept. All deposits and loans from moneylenders are fixed for the convenience of calculating terms and interest.
Statistics
Any action of the hero is displayed on the form of statistics. There is a record of the killed inhabitants by type, accounting for the capture and sinking of ships, looting of cities, and so on.
Relations of nations
Nation Relations Matrix
Relations between powers are of three types:
friendly
Neutral
Hostile
To the left and above are the flags of the nations, their intersection indicates the relationship between them.
The hero belongs to his base nation - this is the nation of the start of the game or the current letter of marque, if any. For the hero, the column of his base nation is applied, taking into account the reward for the head.
Head award or appreciation for merit
The attitude towards the hero of the power, its citizens and soldiers can be different. Good deeds for the good of the country increase the reputation of the nation, while bad deeds can lead to a reward on the head of the hero. And this is an eternal pursuit on land and sea, as there will always be hunters for wild heads. The reward for the head can not only be received, but also reduced by one's own deeds or direct bribery, thus returning the friendly disposition of the state.
Flag on the ship
The hero's nation is the nation chosen at the start of the game, or the nation the hero currently serves (whose patent is in the hero's pocket). It can be seen on the "F2/Character" form. On the "F2/Nation" form, the current flag on the hero's ship is visible, which can only be changed at sea in order to hide its true essence. But the enemy of the power can be recognized both by ships at sea and by guards in the port. The stealth of the hero affects the success of the deception. If the hero has a bounty from his main nation, then he is considered an enemy even to her.
Recognition of the enemy takes place taking into account the relations of the countries themselves and rewards for the head on their behalf.
Fast travel in the cities of a hostile nation does not work for the hero.
Trade
The list of goods for trade is quite large. This gives a lot of freedom in trading for the hero.
Something on the islands and the mainland is an exported product and its prices are low, something is imported, and the demand is great, as well as the price is high. And something is completely prohibited for official sale, and is controlled personally by the governor.
You can make money on price differences by buying low and selling high. It is more profitable to sell more expensive, but this slippery slope lies through smuggling. And transactions become completely profitable only when the goods are not bought at all, but are taken “for this”, “free of charge” from merchants at sea by the method of direct robbery and piracy.
Products and prices
The "F2/Trade" form shows the price lists collected by the hero while shopping or obtained from merchants at sea. This is the state of the store's inventory on a specific date. The list is maintained by city in a table: quantity of goods, sale price, purchase price, type (import, export or smuggling). Over time, the information becomes obsolete, as the turnover in the game lives its own life. But the main findings for successful trading can be done.
At the beginning of the game, the list is empty, as information is received (shop visits), it will be filled.
Tip: Don't miss the opportunity to find out the prices of goods from merchants at sea or in a rumored tavern.
Pricing in stores works on supply and demand: if the quantity of exported goods is constantly small (everything is bought up in large quantities), then prices for it will rise. Conversely, an imported product that is constantly on sale and creates a “package” in the store leads to a drop in prices. The situation eventually returns to its original state.
Important: The looting of the city leads to a sharp decrease in stocks in the store, which means a gradual increase in prices.
Sale of contraband
A number of goods in cities are prohibited from free circulation, this is due to the current political situation and increased tax collections. Such goods cannot be officially sold in the store. You can buy, but the price will be exorbitant.
Therefore, merchants suffering from quick profit do not shun smuggling deals. The prices there are favorable, but the patrol can also turn up. You need to negotiate a deal with a smuggler in a tavern, and then unload the entire batch in a deserted bay.
The patrol can swoop down both on the shore and wait in the sea at the exit from the bay.
Equipment and items
In this interface, the player can view the items carried by the hero and his passengers, choose a new saber or put a cuirass on the character, study the treasure map or the map of the island.
Items that are in the chests of the hero's ship's cabin can only be viewed in the cabin itself through the chest search interface. The "F2/Items" form shows the things that the hero carries with him at all times.
Hero equipment
The hero can wear four items: a saber, a pistol, a spyglass, and a cuirass. To equip an item, you need to select it in the list and click the "Take" button. Officers choose their equipment automatically when exchanging items or buying in the store.
Items with an effect on skills, such as +10 Prestige, work if they are in the pocket of a hero or officer. The exception is clothing items that need to be equipped as a cuirass, then the effect in the skills from them will work. There is also a unique collectible artifact "three skulls", the effect will appear only when all three skulls are collected together, that is, all three of them are in objects at the same time.
View maps
To view a map-scheme, you need to select it in the list and click the "Get" button. An additional window with a map will open. Cards are sold by item merchants in town.
Treasure cards
Treasure cards are viewed in the same way as regular cards, but instead of a diagram, there will be a description that the hero made on the map indicating exactly where the treasures are hidden. A treasure map can be purchased at the tavern if there is a seller there. The card may also be fake. Also, the treasure from time to time can turn into junk.
Treasure maps can consist of several parts. To get information on exactly where to look, you need to have two parts of the map. Parts of the map can be found in treasure chests. The map will automatically stick together from parts if you click the "Take" button on any of the parts of the map.
If the treasure is in a dungeon, then opening the chest can lead to the appearance of the skeletons of pirates who were killed by the villain hiding their treasures.
