Captains,

Three loot events will run from daily maintenance on June 24th until daily maintenance on June 27th due to the upcoming major update:

• All traders carry increased numbers of crafting resources and rare woods.

• Martinique 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
  
• Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain Holdfaust from the April screenshot competition.

Captains

Major Patch will be deployed on Monday 27th June (or worst case Tuesday). We wanted to deploy the patch this week but unfortunately it got delayed due to server problems.

• All сurrent improvements come from the major change in our design philosophy: Game play is king. Realism will be kept if it supports gameplay, but it is not going to be a key factor when it does not help to improve gameplay.
  
• Every item every module and ship should have a reason to be used. If an item does not have any reason to be used it should be changed or improved or dropped.

Please let us know in the patch stabilisation on steam forums or in comments if you see things you want to use but do not see any reason to use it (due to balancing mistakes or low parameters).

• Acceleration has been completely revamped
  
• Acceleration now depends on on wind power in sails. You will accelerate slower if you have less wind and faster if you have full wind power in all sails. Hull now influences deceleration and resistance based on speed much better, which provides a more natural and realistic sailing feeling
  
• This also means that you have to push your ship further when tacking if you want to gain speed faster.
  
• All ships passport speed can be exceeded if you use manual sails and add more wind to sails, some ships are affected more by this feature than others.

• Cannon Ball will no longer damage masts for clear game play difference.
  
• Cannonball can be used for hull and structure, chain will be used for masts and sails
  
• Chain shot damage is no longer limited by distance and will damage rig as far as your chainshot can reach.
  
• Chain shot always damages masts at any distance for clear predictable demasting gameplay. Battle sails and lower sail combinations reduce incoming mast damage by 50%
  
• Chain will have very low damage to sails (representing their ability to catch wind even if torn)
  
• Chain will now entangle the rig represented by rigging shock if you hit the rig right way (hitting as many sails as possible).
  
• Rigging shock will stop yard and sails from working for 1 min and will slow you down for a fixed % of speed loss. Rigging shock will provide predictable and standard speed debuff allowing you to keep enough speed to be effective in combat even if multiple gankers are shooting at you.

Mast thickness bonuses and modules still work but are not as effective as before. Refit your ship for mast HP for best results.

• Artificial low structure speed debuffs have been removed.
  
• Receiving water into hull increases your deceleration and thus reduces speed. Losing structure increases structural leaks as before.
  
• You can reduce incoming water by slowing down.
  
• At 0 speed incoming water is reduced by 50% even if you are at 0 structure.
  
• Increasing speed to max will double incoming water.

All gun penetration tables are reworked for gameplay.

• Choice of gun barrel length and gun type will become more important and defined (even better than in 2015/2016 Sea Trials).
  
• Angle will predictably work for the gun typical range.
  
• For example if medium gun penetrates at 50 degrees at 100 m it will penetrate the same way at all distances from 0 to 750 m - its typical gun range.

Gun types

• Long guns – best for distances above 750m, good at distances below 750m. Guns: Long, Navy Long, Blomfield. Lower DPM
  
• Medium guns – good for distances below 750m, bad at any other range. Guns: Medium, Congrive, Edinorog. Medium DPM
  
• Short guns – Low penetration – work only below 300-400m. Do not work at any other distance. Guns: Carronade, Obusier. High DPM

750m = distance when nickname becomes visible.

• Dependence of cannonball deflection on your ship speed has been removed due to inability to use this feature in combat effectively and predictably.
  
• All reload speeds have been lowered
  
• Planking hit points for ships have been lowered (base 900 for cutter, 10000 for Ocean)
  
• Damage and Time to Sink have been reworked closer to old Sea Trials Levels and tuned for average 8 broadsides to destroy all planking (both sides) for any similar class ship.
  
• Turning and changing broadsides is now absolutely required to increase damage that you deal to enemies.

• Interceptor classes (and fast battleships) - higher speed (1-2 knots higher), good turning at high speed, horrible turning on lower speeds. Use of yards absolutely required for maneuvering combat.
  
• Combat classes - lower speed, great turning at low speed, good turning at high speed. Use of yards further improves maneuvering combat ability.

• All current investments (which can be compensated) will be compensated. Refunds will be sent to clan warehouse of the current clan owner of the port.
  
• IMPORTANT: If there is no space (number of slots) in the warehouse refund will be lost - so clear up clan warehouse space to have empty slots for the number of items refunded.

[/h2]

There is no other way to track individual contributors unfortunately but some clans might help you get back what you invested..

[/list]

• New seasonal reward has been added - Naval Service Medal.
  
• New ability has been added - ability to invest seasonal medals to improve your industrial knowledge (allowing adding new types of buildings) and shipbuilding knowledge (allowing building better ships)
  
• This feature is added in test mode and will be wiped 1-2 times before final release. All investments of seasonal medals to improve shipbuilding or investments will be refunded when reset.
  
• Shipbuilding capabilities will work in ANY port where you can build a shipyard.(The increased chance for more slots in capturable ports still remains).
  
• Industrial capabilities will work in ANY port where you can build buildings.

Captains,

Due to additional testing required and personal circumstances - the patch is moved on Wednesday, June 29th. Apologies for the inconvenience caused

Captains,

the update was deployed today, June 28th.

All current investments (which can be compensated) were compensated. Refunds were sent to clan warehouse of the current clan owner of the port.

For more information please check full patch notes above (section Clan Port Investments)

Screenshot by Captain KemFrei Torsten

Captains,

Diana and St. Kitts events are live from daily maintenance on Friday, June 17th until daily maintenance on Monday, June 20th.

St. Kitts 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain Ava <3 from the April screenshot competition.

Captains,

Two loot events will run from daily maintenance on June 10th until daily maintenance on June 13th:

• All traders carry increased numbers of crafting resources and rare woods.

• Martinique 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
  
• Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain badgamer from the April screenshot competition.

Captains,

Diana and St. Kitts events are live from daily maintenance on Friday, June 3rd until daily maintenance on Monday, June 6th.

St. Kitts 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain Sato from the April screenshot competition.

Captains,

Two loot events will run from daily maintenance on May 27th until daily maintenance on May 30th:

• All traders carry increased numbers of crafting resources and rare woods.

• Martinique 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
  
• Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

*Spotlight image from Captain Mudi from the April screenshot competition.

Captains,

Diana and St. Kitts events are live from daily maintenance on Friday, May 20th until daily maintenance on Monday, May 23th.

St. Kitts 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain Stuffy from the April screenshot competition.

Captains,

Two loot events will run from daily maintenance on May 13th until daily maintenance on May 16th:

• All traders carry increased numbers of crafting resources and rare woods.

• Martinique 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
  
• Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

*Spotlight image from Captain [KAH] from the March screenshot competition.

Since 2015 we have launched 6 games each of which have reached top global 10 best sellers on Steam, and most were highly commended by the players. We learnt a lot during this time and got better.

Over all these years we have tried to improve the depth and realism of age of sail combat in Naval Action and have experimented a lot. We finally understand and now fully embraced the view that if gameplay is improved by realism, it becomes the must have feature, but if gameplay turns bland or unplayable because of realism – then gameplay must be prioritized and realism for that feature dropped.


Take gun penetration for example. 2015 Sea Trials and 2016 release version have had a simpler penetration system. All guns had clear specific and defined roles and did not intersect with each other, medium guns had much lower pen and worked at medium distance, long range guns worked at long distance. There were now drops in pen and you could expect your long gun to work at any long range the same way.

Later we have decided to bring more realism and moved all guns to real penetration tables from French and British age of sail gunnery treatises implementing real ballistics and penetration drops for all guns. This was a great idea for realism (we thought) but it did not bring anything from the tactical perspective. No guns were working at 1500m. all guns were working at 100m. In fact, all guns became almost the same with some minor differences. No clear gameplay or tactical difference, choice was not present.

And gun pen is just one example of realism bringing nothing to gameplay.

We became unsatisfied with the current state of balance in the following areas and are going to apply changes soon.


All gun penetration tables will be reworked to bring clarity for distance and angle. Choice of gun barrel length and gun type will become more important and defined (even better than in 2015/2016 Sea Trials).

• Long guns – best for distances above 750m, good at distances below 750m. If your gun penetrates target at 900m, it will penetrate at 1400 the same way. Penetration comes at a cost of lower damage.
  
• Medium guns – work only for distances below 750m, not effective at any other range. Medium penetration allowing somewhat comfortable angles. Medium damage.
  
• Short guns – Lowest penetration – work only below 300m. Highest damage. Require precise angles.
  
• Universal guns – acceptable penetration working at all distances.

Predictable Angles

Like in old Sea Trials penetration will be changing in 2-3 steps (not in gradual ballistic drop like now). This will bring clarity and control over angles at all distances. Nickname visibility helps with understanding of which guns work best when. As in Sea Trials we will be using 3 ranges.

• Short range -0-300m – nickname visible. your penetration will work same way at 0m and 299m
  
• Medium range – 0-750m – nickname visible. Your penetration will work the same way be it 100 or 749m.
  
• Long range – 750-2000m – nickname not visible. But your penetration will work the same at any distance above 750 be it 900m or 1400m

Once distance working again in shooting – the player will have to have better means to control distance better (for example if he wants to stay at long range against a faster ship). Several changes will help.


Chain and rig damage will be reworked.

• Chain shot is losing current distance limitation (250m) and will damage rig as far as your canon will reach.
  
• Chain damage will be reduced drastically, as sails even with holes keep power in real life and only stop working if they are fully torn.
  
• Chain will now entangle the rig represented by rigging shock if you hit the rig right way (hitting as many sails as possible).
  
• Rigging shock will stop yard and sails from working for 1 min and will slow you down for a fixed % of speed loss.

What this brings to the table:

• You don’t lose sails even if 10 ships are shooting your sails from close distance.
  
• If you are a target you can only get a standard predictable debuff on speed and after it stops you regain your speed capabilities in full. You can never lose more speed than that predictable debuff even if you are ganked by 10 ships (and all of them have to be a good shot to get proper damage to apply a rigging shock)
  
• If you are a hunter you can slow the enemy for a predictable % and time even at full sails if you are a good shot. This will help you to close distance or increase distance (again if you are a good shot and have chain supplies left).

Additional changes

• We will also increase chain penetration to hull (chain shot are two cannonballs and should have ok pen)
  
• Chain will be working on damaging masts too.
  
• Plain cannonballs effectiveness against masts will be reduced for gameplay purposes as their supply is unlimited.

How turning is working is brought closer to sea trials design and given additional depth.
Overall: Increase in ship class will increase importance of using yards.

Specifics.

• Yard power importance will be gradually increased on all vessels (the heavier the higher).
  
• Rudder power will be gradually reduced for all vessels with class growth.

Speed vs Turning differences between ship will become more defined and pronounced allowing increased benefits and negatives. Balanced ship will have ok yards and ok rudder turn rates. Good turners will be slower. Fastest interceptors will have to rely mostly on yards to turn in combat unless at perfect turning speed.
Turning differences in ships and between classes will become more profound and will be based on 180 degree turn time (not theoretical turn diameter as before).

Difference Example
Before change

• Ship 1: Speed 11.95 Turn rate 4.95 - 130m turn diameter (DPM 2800) - theoretical turn time on rudder 55 sec
  
• Ship 2: Speed 12 Turn rate 5.45 – 120m turn diameter (DPM 2300) - theoretical turn time on rudder 50 sec

Yes turning parameters are historical, based on Block coeff, ship length, B/L ratios and what not. But what’s the real difference in gameplay if you only look at sailing performance. There is no point to pick ship 2. The problem alleviated with the incorrect mistaken improvement in rudders where yards give additional bonus to already good rudder turn rates.

After change (numbers for illustrative purposes only)

• Ship 1: Speed 15. Turn rate on rudder 0.5 + superior turning on yards.
  
• Ship 2: Speed 12. Turn rate on rudder 3 + ok turning on yards

Both ships will have same turn time (if using both rudder and yards) - but ship 1 will have to achieve it using mostly yards. And ship 2 can turn ok on rudder with yards providing some bonus.

As a result we will have a high skill ceiling interceptor (like Ford GT MK2 requiring precise control and planning) vs a comfortable brawler (Good quality road car).
Ship 2 can now be a choice as ship 1 has a drastically different style of combat. Ship 2 DPM can now be much higher due to faster broadside changes on rudder if ship 1 makes mistakes.

This brings us to the TTK and turning relationship to reload in balance.

Turning was not balanced with DPM and reload before (it was somewhat touched in Sea trials).
Time to sink is now greatly unbalanced due to mods (40-80% hp boosts depending on woods and mods).

It is brought closer to Sea Trials levels, by reducing HP levels and tweaking DPM.
All reload times will be increased (become longer) to push for changing broadsides in a maneuvering combat. Together with turning changes it will bring more tactical variety and planning to combat

• Clan port investments are getting discontinued. All investments (which can be compensated) will be compensated to the clan owner (we will post separately on how and when), there is no other way to track individual contributors unfortunately but some clans might help you get back what you invested. Only port features (like trading outposts or taxes) and investments into forts will remain on clans.
  
• All players will be able to individually develop resource or ship building capabilities. They will work the same as clan based investments before but will be player based and will work in any port where players can open buildings.
  
• The feature is new and will have to be tested and reset 1 or 2 times before the launch of the full version of the feature, in case bugs or exploits are found. All investments made during this time will be returned to player wallets or warehouses. You will be able to immediately reinvest refunded resources into cards.

This list of changes is not final and could be confusing. Please ask questions in comments if you don't understand something or find descriptions confusing. We will update the text during the next 1-2 days.

ETA for the patch - May


Edit 1 - Apologies for typos in advance. English is not our native language.
Screenshot by Thunderous Applause.

Captains,

Diana and St. Kitts events are live from daily maintenance on Friday, May 6th until daily maintenance on Monday, May 9th.

St. Kitts 5 modules are available in the Admiralty, they can be exchanged for Broad Pennants that occasionally drop from 5th rates and higher
Broad pennant will drop from military NPC ships

Captains have to find rare ships like Diana, Santa Cecilia and Admiraal de Ruyter in the search areas provided below. These ships may carry a very rare ship notes and special loot coins, rare wood and rare guns:

• Gold Ducat
  
• Gold Rouble
  
• Gold Sultani
  
• Gold Thaler
  
• Strange Gold Bar
  
• Rare wood
  
• Rare guns

Coins might be exchanged in the Academy building to receive:

• Additional outpost permit
  
• Additional dock permit
  
• Diana permit
  
• Admiraal de Ruyter permit

If you already have the Navy Connection using the item will add even more outposts or docks (up to a total limit).

Search locations

WAR SERVER (PVP)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

PEACE SERVER (PVE)

• South Antilles
  
• East of Tumbado - area between Cuba and Tumbado
  
• South of Hispaniola

In case of capture of certain ports in the area, the nation of ships will change.

*Spotlight image from Captain Mudi from the February and March screenshot competition.