What's the point in attacking cities ?

Bllasae · Seaman Posts: 184 **788 Gold** -

Ah, okay. Thanks. I'll do that. But one problem:English isn't at war with Spanish and I'm fully promoted in Spain. But usually there isn't a city near a Spanish city.

Captain Redbeard · Seaman Posts: 169 **1466 Gold** -

loki59 · Rigger Posts: 1082 **24252 Gold** -

Bllasae · Seaman Posts: 184 **788 Gold** -

It has everything to do with it, because it'll be frowned upon by the English if I start attacking the Spanish ships.

loki59 · Rigger Posts: 1082 **24252 Gold** -

Dave the Knave · Rigger Posts: 1210 **22948 Gold** -

Plundering ports is a great way to keep your crew happy (or at least, non-mutinous). Income from captured ships, their cargo and gold don't seem to happen fast enough for my ragged and demoralized crew. In the early going, I try to plunder everything I can get...while remaining loyal to my patrons, so I can get promoted quickly.

As well, by capturing cities, you can reorganize the balance of power in the Caribbean as you see fit. Do you want to concentrate French power in the Leeward and Windward Islands? Go for it. Do you want to drive the English out of the whole Caribbean? You can do that too. Do you want to plunder scores of Dutch ships? Make the Spanish Main Dutch from Puerto Bello to Trinidad, and enjoy! With a large crew, your possibilities of remaking the map are virtually unlimited.
_________________
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves;
Britons never shall be slaves.

antiochus · Powder Monkey Posts: 3 **70 Gold** -

When you have a ton of gold and can support a huge crew, just attacking shipping gets boring. Sacking cities is fun!! Here's a bit of a cheat: fin a large city thats wealthy such as cartagena. Sack it for a ton of gold, then sack it again for a similar number. Then it gives you the option to install a different governor. Dont. just keep sacking the city, and leaving the same governor there. Your crew doesn't run out because after the first 1 or 2 sacks, they have less than 50 soldiers guarding it-so you have a swordfight instead of a land battle. when your in the city after the sack, you can recruit more men from the tavern. This is satisfying as revenge, too. Once, i got the population on Cartagena fro 15200 to 600 in 18 sacks-Ialso got more than 65000 gold-Very Profitable.

Antiochus III

Privateer · Swabbie Posts: 88 **951 Gold** -

Grnlb · Powder Monkey Posts: 1 **9 Gold** -

I sail nto a city or enemy town and its fort shoots at me and the when i touch it it says what do i want to do. sneak in or sail away but no attack option.

Roland · Helmsman Posts: 4085 **22541 Gold** -

Asclepius · Cutthroat Posts: 333 **11341 Gold** -

Dutchmans Bane · Powder Monkey Posts: 38 **153 Gold** -

Allronix · Swabbie Posts: 51 **1871 Gold** -

The point in attacking cities, to reiterate what others have said:

1. It gets you more "brownie points" with the nation you're working for. One city equals roughly five ships in terms of promotion and land grants, extra points if you install a governor of a nationality you want to impress.

2. Sometimes, the nation of your choice has a distinct lack of ports, either in your current base of operations, or in general. You need ports to repair your boats and sell your ill-gotten stores of spices, goods, and sugar. Ports are also where you recruit replacement crew for your ventures. In the old game (1987), a 1620 Dutchman would start out with a fully-loaded Fast Galleon...and no place other than Curacao to dock. The best strategy for success was to do a little DIY and make some ports for your Dutchman.

3. As nasty as this sounds, sometimes you have more men than you really need, or you're about to divvy up the goods. Fewer men = higher shares = more wealth points for you and better recruiting for your next venture. Land Battles, even under the best circumstances, can take a significant bite out of your crew size.

4. As others have also said, it reduces time wasted chasing the Marquis, Reymundo, and Mendoza. Fewer ports give the rats fewer places to hide, making the family retrieval quests and the hideout quest achievable on a more reasonable schedule. Considering that the Marquis is a vicious bastard in a sword fight, it's definitely worth your while to complete those quests quickly.

5. Sometimes the new boss does better with the city than the old boss does! There's a certain satisfaction I get from seeing a "Poor Spanish Port" transform into a "Wealthy [other nation] Capital." Of course, this means you're even MORE likely to get land, promotions, and good prices when you sell your loot. To obtain this effect, choose the new owner carefully by seeing what settlements are nearby to support it and what other hostile nations are around. Sending a convoy of immigrants from a Jesuit mission is definitely a win-win, as it builds the city, gives you a brownie point from the new owners, AND spanws an enemy ship to nail.
_________________
"Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hang'd like a dog."
- Anne Bonny to Calico Jack

Calico Jack? Hang him - but ALWAYS recruit his lieutenants!

Guru · Gunner Posts: 678 **1240 Gold** -

Very good viewpoints Allronix!