Being boarded by 7 men

[Dead Guy]

I never board, unless a ship is routing and I might have a hard time getting enough fire on it to surrender.

Do you use any particular methods to dismast ships? I try to fire chain sometimes but I find it just rips boring holes in the sails.

[Durallan]

just thought I'd tell you guys this, and yes a stargate fan

for the first time I've come across a MUCH superior navy!
Okay, Playing as Prussia, I bought Goa off of my allies the Mughals so I could have a repair haven in india, Mysore my Incredibly long time trading partner decided theyd had enough of my alliance with the Mughals and declared war on me. A pirate fleet had attacked me in the ivory coast, with my fourth rate I captured 2 pirate galleons. I then sent this fourth rate and the 2 galleons to Goa to be repaired. unfortunately the port was damaged and I was unable to repair them. the next turn Mysore blocks my trade route to the Mughals, costing me 16000 gold a turn! enraged I send my fourth rate and 2 galleons around the southern tip of india, There's one mysore ship close by I attack it. It's a fourth rate and I capture it easily, it was rather damaged. I then send my damaged fleet onto the blockaded port, but I see them approaching a Mysore Fleet. I figure oh ok that'll be easy just a bunch of brigs for sure...

My Fleet:
2 Fourth Rates
2 Galleons

Mysore's Fleet:
2 Second Rates, Battleships of the line!
2 Third Rates
4 Fifth Rates
2 Bomb ketch's
1 Sloop

I was utterly amazed. I was Outgunned, Outmanned and Outnumbered. I could have retreated but what prussian retreats?? I decide to attack. Unfortunately the enemy fleet were downwind. While this meant that that they would have had to sail long and hard to attack me, I figured I would sail towards them to try and start ruining their sails. Bad move, once those second and third rates got in firing range they actually decided to start attacking me instead of chasing after me, and it turned into a very messy battle and I lost both my fourth rates, and the galleons retreated. Lesson learnt. Good thing the army I'm sending has my best navy guarding it!

[Zarky]

I never board, unless a ship is routing and I might have a hard time getting enough fire on it to surrender.

Do you use any particular methods to dismast ships? I try to fire chain sometimes but I find it just rips boring holes in the sails.

It pretty much most of the time just rips holes in the sails, since to demast them you have to hit the masts at least once, just keep shooting and eventually you'll see their masts falling down and then mysteriously disappearing.