Can ships be sunk outside ship-to-ship combat?

Captain Squid · Seaman Posts: 191 **4360 Gold** -

Can your flagship or any ships in your fleet be sunk by gunfire from forts or passing ships? There have been cases where I have taken several ships and am limping for a friendly port, prizes in tow, and have a pirate hunter buzzing after me. If my ship is damaged and my crew spread thin I really don't want to engage, but if my speed is reduced I can't shake him, so I wondered if just ignoring him was a safe option.
_________________
"Have you struck? Do you ask for quarter?"
"I have not yet begun to fight!"

dalgo · Swabbie Posts: 104 **668 Gold** -

I got a bit lazy with my sailing and dragged one of my fleet through some rocks. It already had hull damage and that was enough to sink it. However I don't think you can sink your flagship that way. I tried and could only get it up to 98% hull damage.

Vulture · Gunner Posts: 509 **606 Gold** -

The answer is yes, at least at the higher levels. My flagship was beat up so I swapped flagships. Dummy me, I did it in range of the forts guns and, glug, glug, glug, down went my old flagship with a connonball from the fort in its stern!! Evil or Very Mad

_________________

32 brightly polished cannons, a bottle o'rum, ahh..... a pirates life for me!