Can't capture enemy ships?

[andrewt]

The only galleon I captured, I used continue battle instead of end after routing it last, then kept using grape shot at it while it was routing. I meant to board it eventually but the game ended the battle automatically and gave me the ship as a prize afterwards. I guess I killed so many of the crew that I got it.

[Fridgebadger]

I don't want to disagree with the tactics mentioned earlier, but I've been having similar problems to everyone else in capturing ships, until last night. I had a fight with 5 Brit 3rd and 4th rates against a stack of 15 Persiah Dhows. I just sent two lines in, all round shot, no grape or chain, no boarding, and I didn't continue the battle, just ended it as soon as possible, and got 6 captured ships.

Other battles where I've boarded, used predominantly chain to dismast, or continued the battle to the bitter end... nada.

[Shahed]

Now I'm playing my 2nd campaign, as UP. I always 1) Chain shot, 2) Ball shot 3) Board while pounding the sides & astern.
It always works for me. I've got every single ship I boarded 100%, including a few 2nd liners from the French.

The only problem is that a capture apparently doesn't count as a kill, so no exp. I tried an experimental battle myself, captured everything of value (1 2nd liner, 2 heavy frigates) and sunk the last 2. Then I tried with autoresolve and I got 4 kills (1 escaped) plus exp. I didn't get any xp with the captures so it seems captures don't count as kills.