The Free Tribe's Guide to Solo Sailing

By Iroquois Confederacy, January 9 in Guides

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Iroquois Confederacy

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Posted January 9

We often see posts complaining about how hard this game is, and how difficult it is to play - on
analysis, each time it seems to come down to people sailing solo, not joining up with someone,
and not coordinating with faction or clan.

And so, as someone who does sail solo routinely, I thought I might do a quick guide. And so, I
present:

The Free Tribes Guide to Solo

Sailing
The first thing I can suggest is simply this: Don't.

You might think that's me being cheeky. It's not. Sailing solo is its own play style and its own
reward. However, maybe you want some insight into it. Maybe you want to learn my tricks so
you can counter them.

So, if you suck at following directions, and insist on reading on, I continue:

Calle Goya, 23, 4º Dcha. - 28001 Madrid

Tfno.: 91 577 99 72 - www.aecarretera.com – aec@aecarretera.com - @aecarretera - #InformeAEC
1. Be patient. Most players tend to clump up into groups. That might be
around Capital Zones, it might be around major trade hubs, but other players tend to clump
up. Clumps of players make for fast action, but they also make for a press of numbers and a
variety of ships that you cannot counter. You can try sailing fast, and this often works, but the
more people there are, the more likely there are those laying in wait for you
afterwards. Remember, the more often you get away, the more badly people want you. In other
words: The faster you are to meet combat, the faster combat is going to meet you.

2. Plan your trips ahead of time. The goal of a solo player is to catch someone else alone and
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unaware. Alone is good. Unaware is better. The way to get someone alone is to get someone
who has "a quiet spot." Someone who just so happens to be doing some PvE or some trading out
in the middle of the Gulf, or down by South America, or someone similarly out in the middle of
nowhere. The more people there are online, the further out you need to get to find someone
alone. Unaware is good too. If you know that a certain spot is frequented, just like one would a
deer, you can stake out their position from the lee of an island. Most players think they are safe
once they hit their "main tack" and focus on other things. That is, of course, the perfect time to
strike. Unaware players mean you get to choose the engagement, and you already have half the
fight won.

The way you do this is you examine trade patterns. You can see a lot of it in taxes earned in
various ports. You can try to determine what ports are main "crafting hubs" for nations with tools
like the online Naval Action map. Where are clans investing? Those are probably important trade
hubs, which probably means players to and from. The map of the Caribbean is big. You should
know it well. If a patrol turns up empty - that's not a waste - it was merely a reconnaissance that
tells you where (and when) people are not.

3. You are going to be poor. Get used to it. You are not going to run around with millions of
reals playing solo. For a long time, I kept only about 100K on hand - before the currency
deflation. AI captures are your friend. You can throw it away and not feel the loss. You can earn
money selling cannons and rum if you wish to do econ. I cannot speak to selling trade goods en
masse, as I just hock whatever I take off of other merchants. The reward is intrinsic to hunting
other players. Again - you will have to be patient.

4. You are not going to have a lot of fair fights. You will lose those. You are going to get called
a ganker. That's OK. You are working hard for those ganks.

5. Have an escape plan. People are going to want to sink you. You will need to refit your vessel
with repairs. Be well aware of shallows - they can stop you, or stop a chaser if well used. Be
prepared to jettison cargo, or any prizes taken along the way. Always be ready to lose your
ship. In a fight, be ready to break off the engagement if they start getting the upper
hand. Typically, advantages in this game compound over the course of a battle, which should
drive your in-battle actions.

That really sums it up. Be patient. Think out your sails - why you are sailing somewhere, what
you expect to find when you get there. Have an egress plan in mind. Don't be afraid to lose, but
always be ready to hop in an AI vessel to keep going. Lower your expectations. The path of a
solo sailor, especially one of middling skill such as myself (and probably yourself too, if you're
reading this) is a quiet one. But the quiet allows for deeper reflection in and on action.

Calle Goya, 23, 4º Dcha. - 28001 Madrid

Tfno.: 91 577 99 72 - www.aecarretera.com – aec@aecarretera.com - @aecarretera - #InformeAEC
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Posted January 9
On 1/9/2019 at 12:29 AM, Iroquois Confederacy said:

You are working hard for those ganks.

Let's not distort the "gank/ganking" term. Sailing solo has very little to do with ganking. People
can be calling that whatever they want, but that does not change the true meaning of these words.
How about we stop calling any PvP activity - ganking? You also forgot to mention that if you get
good at PvP, people will often call you seal-clubber.

Calle Goya, 23, 4º Dcha. - 28001 Madrid

Tfno.: 91 577 99 72 - www.aecarretera.com – aec@aecarretera.com - @aecarretera - #InformeAEC