Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Naval combat

  1. #1
    Ice stink there for a ham. Member Mystery Science Torture 3000 Champion, Mini Putt 3 Champion, Super Hacky Sack Champion, Pencak Champion, Sperm Wars Champion, Monkey Diving Champion Yoyoma1910's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Yarr me matey. I be livin on the high seas.
    Posts
    2,528

    Default Naval combat

    Hey all,

    So I figured I'd brush off my copy of Empire and give it another go. One thing that always seems to frustrate me is naval combat. A bit ironic, I suppose, since I'm in the navy... although as a corpsman not a line officer. Any strategy y'all find useful?

    To me it seems that one must rely on numbers and size rather than finesse. Which sometimes I find a bit disappointing. I'm trying to find battle techniques that add that extra element of skill.

    Yoyoma

    edit:

    Oops, I didn't realize there was a sub forum here, and it looks like there's already some discussion going on towards this end. Apologies.
    Last edited by Yoyoma1910; 11-07-2010 at 23:01.

    My kingdom for a .

  2. #2

    Default Re: Naval combat

    You have done very well. Its good, you can start next version of that.

  3. #3
    Grand Patron's Banner Bearer Senior Member Peasant Phill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Somewhere relatively safe, behind some one else, preferably at the back
    Posts
    2,953
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Naval combat

    I'm by no means an expert. I'm now in my first campaign where I focus on naval battles.

    The most important thing in naval battles is the weather gauge. You want to be between the origin of the wind and your enemy as much as possible. In other words your opponents should have to go into the wind to get to you. This will give you the best chance to get into a good position and hammer the enemy's ships before they can retaliate.

    Some more specific advice:
    - Try to turn with the wind, it'll go faster. If you need to turn the other way around, make sure you have enough momentum.
    - Don't be afraid to make a giant detour if it means you can take the weather gauge
    Quote Originally Posted by Drone
    Someone has to watch over the wheat.
    Quote Originally Posted by TinCow
    We've made our walls sufficiently thick that we don't even hear the wet thuds of them bashing their brains against the outer wall and falling as lifeless corpses into our bottomless moat.

  4. #4
    Member Centurion1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Wherever my blade takes me or to school, it sorta depends
    Posts
    6,007

    Default Re: Naval combat

    im so bad at it i have to auto resolve everything. i mean im horrendous.

  5. #5
    Pleasing the Fates Senior Member A Nerd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Living in the past
    Posts
    3,509

    Default Re: Naval combat

    Start with smaller fleet battles and try to have ships that outclass your enemy. Great Britian is a good starting point. Don't take on the pirates before you have a decent fleet either.
    Silence is beautiful

  6. #6
    Member Centurion1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Wherever my blade takes me or to school, it sorta depends
    Posts
    6,007

    Default Re: Naval combat

    i practice with the custom battles but literally stand no chance. ive gotten to the point where i can beat a sloop with a heavy first.......

    no but really i lose if its like a sloop vs. sloop or first rate vs. first rate.

    and i almost always lose if its two vs. 2

  7. #7
    Pleasing the Fates Senior Member A Nerd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Living in the past
    Posts
    3,509

    Default Re: Naval combat

    I can manage if my fleets are small and so is the AI. My ships go around all over the place, there is no order to their movements. Seeing as the ships automatically fire unless you call for a broadside, all you really have to do is maneuver to the side of the ship. I have seen videos of people using chain shot to take enemy ships masts down, rendering them immobile. Never tried it myself, but looked quite effective. Then, at the end of the battle you can take those ships into your fleet with little damage on them. The best I ever got in campaign was a 4th rate. In campaign the AI seldom raises higher than that. At least in my experience.
    Silence is beautiful

  8. #8
    Member Member daztheviking's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Sunny North- West England
    Posts
    6

    Default Re: Naval combat

    Looks like i'm one of the few that actually prefers naval combat to land. When controlling large groups of ships, your deployment is probably the most important part of the battle. With a bit of luck you should be able to deploy your ships so that when they are sailing in a straight line towards the enemy, the wind is fully behind them. This allows you to control the pace of the battle yourself. Generally when controlling 10+ ships, i give a move (not attack) command to a point past where the enemy ships are GOING to be. This does require a bit of estimated guesswork, but generally if you can work out the speed of the enemy ships and the direction of the wind your ships will intercept them. The ships will fire automatically, so all you need to do is give them a route which will bring them as close to the enemy as possible. If you are at an angle to the enemy, it is possible to sail in between two ships, unleashing a broadside on the bow of one ship, and another bow on the stern. Once all my ships have gone past the enemy fleet (and fired), i pause the game, and give them another move command. At this point i generally take direct control of three ships (taking control of three larger ships such as 3rd rate or above is actually easier than smaller ships, as their turning circle and move speed is slower, allowing you more time to reload, fire and turn). The initial attack has to be the largest, as once you have to turn round you no longer have the wind behind you, meaning that the battle is back on even terms.

    One thing i never do is use the attack command, as the pathfinding is less than useless. Far better to use move commands and let your ships fire at will on anything within range.

    I would say when attacking a fleet with a flagship or admiral, go for that one first. Take direct control of your two largest ships and send them after it. Once intercepted, you should be able to unleash four full broadsides within a matter of minuites. Crippling the admirals ship, just like killing a general, will give you the upper footing

    Anyway, thats how i fight my naval battles. Thoughts?

  9. #9
    Grand Patron's Banner Bearer Senior Member Peasant Phill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Somewhere relatively safe, behind some one else, preferably at the back
    Posts
    2,953
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Naval combat

    It's been a while since I played ETW and I was never an ace with naval encounters but I won my share.

    Just a few remarks:
    - your ships are faster when the wind blows from behind but a bit to the side (more wind in the middle and front sale)
    - you should try to accomplish 'crossing their T' and than move away before the enemy can pull their line alongside you
    - focus as much fire as you can on the their front ship thus delaying their line
    Quote Originally Posted by Drone
    Someone has to watch over the wheat.
    Quote Originally Posted by TinCow
    We've made our walls sufficiently thick that we don't even hear the wet thuds of them bashing their brains against the outer wall and falling as lifeless corpses into our bottomless moat.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Naval combat

    In my opinion, there are two different types of situations in the naval battles in NTW: the battles where you start with an advantage and the battles you start with a disadvantage... lol

    More seriously, I usually adapt my strategy following these two situations.

    If I have an advantage right at the outset of the battle (favorable wind which will give me more speed during the first pass, or simply more guns and ships), I will place my ships in two parallel lines in the direction of the enemy. The idea is to go straight towards the enemy line and encircle it with my own two lines of ships. The enemy line MUST absolutely go between my two lines of ships (this is why speed and mobility are important with this strategy).
    While this strategy will increase the enemy's firepower (enemy ships, facing my vessels on both sides will fire with both their starboard and portside batteries), it will drastically reduce its mobility. In addition, the enemy's firepower will soon collapse, hammered by my guns on two different sides. If I maneuver properly, the enemy fleet will soon try to turn around to escape the trap. This is when I will stop my own vessels into a loose circle around the enemy formation. At this point in time, the battle is effectively won. The enemy formation simply falls into chaos with surrendering ships blocking the path of their surviving comrades while being pounded by my own guns.

    If I have a serious disadvantage (like a lot less ships or simply a unfavorable wind), the only situation is to place my ships into a line perpendicular to the enemy formation (with my strongest ships at the center of the line), stop my boats, and wait for the enemy to come at me. It's actually a real-life strategy (a bit old fashioned, but hey, we're talking about the 19th century!), it's called "crossing the T"

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO