Chain Shot is not the power it was and it takes for ever to do damage to enemy ships even on a rake, and that is making sure they have sails deployed and not shooting at them heading up wind...
I had a battle I would have easily won in 1.3.1 and slaughtered them in 1.4 but it was a very close engagement...and I don’t get many of those anymore.
My fleet was 2 5th rates, 1 6th rate ,and 2 sloops. The French fleet was 1 5th rate, 3 6th rates, and 2 sloops. The battle was set to normal and the time was 1 hour.
The effect of chain was minimal. It degenerated into broadsides of round shot or grape shot. I lost my admiral’s flagship sunk. One of my sloops was taking water and the other had routed. I did capture the whole fleet but repairs were steep and I had to make up my loss by keeping the French 5 rate.
Naval battles are back to what they were pre 1.4. The improved accuracy and the longer range of the light vessels does not seem to play a huge role.
I would guess that chain shot is only about 1/10th as effective as it was in 1.4. It may be less effective than it was in 1.1 or 1.2. The guns are all less powerful also so it all has a definite effect.
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