SOTL spawning tactic

R_Matey · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **105 Gold** -

I think wealthy towns are paramount to spawn the 'new warships'. I was working for England, who was at war with both Spain and France. I made Port Royale quite rich selling my plunder of the nearby cities there, also providing the occasional escort service to a new governor or some immigrants. After nabbing me a SoTL passing by when raiding ships near Tortuga I didn't have time to sail back for repairs&upgrades when they decided to hand me over another one Shocked

This was like 3 years into my career, off to not too bad of a start. The governor didn't mind, I think he even gave me a promotion for it Smile

These 'new warships' clearly were meant for me to use in privateering against the yellow and blue guys.

Rupert Drake · Powder Monkey Posts: 35 **346 Gold** -

In my experience, Ship of The Line can come out of any town, it does not have to be "wealthy capital" at all. If you strenghten a nation (give them a few new towns) and then you turn against that nation and attack them relentlessly, a Ship of The Line will spawn pretty soon. I also think it is easiest to catch a Ship of The Line in the later eras (I prefer 1680 anyway).

Stephen · Powder Monkey Posts: 22 **611 Gold** -

Stephen · Powder Monkey Posts: 22 **611 Gold** -

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

Well done in capturing Ships of the Line, mateys! It's a great coup, and a real delight!

This just proves my point- that the mighty Ship of the Line is the most prestigious vessel in the game- and a real confidence-booster for any player to acquire!

No other ship in the game has inspired so much comment, effort, or exultation.

Even now, after capturing many of them, I still feel the rush I when I see the bold writing "New Warship- Ship of the Line"- on an approaching vessel...
Excited

"All hands, action stations!"
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Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves;
Britons never shall be slaves.

sparticus · Helmsman Posts: 5818 **44872 Gold** -

Jackal · Powder Monkey Posts: 1 **142 Gold** -

I started playing Pirates! when it came out. It was on the shelf for years and I just got it out again for fun.

I've had a few SOLs as I've played, but it was always just dumb luck in getting them.

Last night I tried following the "killing fields" guide and had success. Here's how it went down.

I started w/ the English in 1660 in the Lesser Antilles. I tried to rack up money picking on random ships up and down those islands, and even as far over as Curacao/Maracaibo. I found 3 pirates and 2 treasures to get some healthy cash, and the ship I chose for the SOL quest was a named pirate one... Kidd maybe. It was a Brig of War that I upgraded. I had a few canoes to add crew.

So with enough cash and a decent crew of nearly 400 or so (and having a price on my head from the Spanish), I started setting up the Lesser Antilles. I chose St. E and St. M as a base and left them Dutch. I honked off the French by making Montserrat, Martinique, and Guadaloupe English. This made everything from Barbados to St. Kitts English. Barbados was wealthy but nothing else was, so I went and hunted for a treasure for a short time to let those ports strengthen a little. I then went in to all of them, gathered my promotions and acreage, sold off all ships but my loaded BoW, and tried to max out my crew to start the SOL quest. I chose NOT to divide the plunder since my total wasn't that impressive yet.

I found it difficult to nab EVERY English ship besides the wealth-creators. I just did the best I could. I couldn't monitor Martinique and Barbados hardly at all. I mainly focused on circling around Montserrat and catching what I could. I did have to run up to the Dutch islands several times to unload ships, get repaired, and dump goods here and there, and I did struggle to keep a crew decent enough in size, but got the job done. I noticed as time went by more frigates and the occasional large frigate came after me. I actually switched over to a large frigate partway through this quest, figuring it would be a good enough ship to have in case the SOL quest failed.

I kept it up for awhile. I had come out of St. E for repairs and headed back down, and on was on the east side of Antigua island when I saw an English SOL and frigate together ALMOST ready to pull into the west side of Antigua. AHHH! Wrong side of the island, it almost slipped away! I turned hard to try to get around the island in time, but missed a little and my vessel tried to anchor. I said no, and my ship was set back out facing the wrong direction. The SOL cruised into Antigua and I missed it.

BUT... I saw the SOL had spawned out of Barbados. I figured it was probably already on its way to Antigua by the time I had last pulled into St. E. I thought, well, if I reload the game at "arrival" I can redo my business in St. E. then hurry down to patrol Antigua til the SOL shows up again. I tried this, but the "arrival" loaded not at St. E but instead my accidental anchorage on the far side of Antigua island. Ugh. I could see the SOL just seconds from pulling into port.

I reloaded over and over at "arrival" until I was able to turn my ship correctly and quickly enough to get into attack range. Finally I hit... it let me attempt attack on the SOL from WAAAY far away, and I was still on the wrong side of the island. However, I snaked around and got my SOL.

Success! I got it done in Dec. 1661, in just a shade under 2 years from starting my game. Woo!

Swordeater · Seaman Posts: 220 **2009 Gold** -

Regarding Ships of the Line, I've played a lot of Pirates, especially back then when it was still not entirely dead, but even nowadays a little. All I can say is, I remember every single time I've ever seen a SoL - all two of them. One of them was in my first or second game, not sure, and another was very recently. Both times, I've only seen it for a short time before it zipped out of sight.

I'm gonna try capturing one tomorrow, but if it works like anything else that randomly turns up very rarely, I won't get one even after hours of harassing a set up string of cities.
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Every time you capture a SoL a kitten dies. So please sink the SoLs Smile

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

One more thing, mateys. When preparing to capture Ships of the Line, keep in mind that the more English, French and Dutch ports you prowl around, the more chance you will encounter that awesome vessel. You need to increase the number of ports these nations possess.

To this end, I convert all of the Spanish ports to the other three nationalities. This brings two major possibilities:

1) Spanish privateers, spawned to attack vessels you escort, always have thousands of gold pieces for the taking- sometimes over 20,000.

2) All of the remaining ports in the game can spawn Ships of the Line.

Perform your escort missions, attack pirates and war canoes, and make the area rich (the Spanish Main is the highest traffic area, where most of my Ships of the Line are captured).

Then, start attacking shipping. A Ship of the Line is bound to come to investigate- it may even be from another nation (Dutch Ships of the Line often sail by when I am harming the French in the same area).

Often, a barmaid will give you tips on enemy ships. One of my first Ships of the Line was sailing from Martinique to Leogane, a comely wench informed me. That Ship of the Line was liberated from being a tool of French despotism, and became a symbol of might for heroic and free Englishmen...YAAARRRR!!!

...err, I mean, God Save the King! Victorious

Orange Irish · Powder Monkey Posts: 11 **332 Gold** -

I've found the "killing fields" strategy to be too much work with not enough reward. I've tried it faithfully several times but perhaps just didn't have luck on my side. OTOH, what I've found to be quite a fortunate tactic is to take the first few weeks or months to attack everything coming out of your target nation's ports in the same area (usually lesser antilles), and then after you have at least a $4,000 bounty on you to sail toward one of that nations (typically) more wealthy ports. IE, attack St. Martin and St. Eust. and then sail straight to Curacao. Or attack Martinique, Guadalupe, and Montserrat and sail straight to Port-de-Paix/Tortuga. Before half way or even sooner you can often have a SoTL sailing right at you on a silver platter.

I've taken a Dutch SoTL within two months and had three French SoTL within 18 months using this strategy. It just depends on whether those typically wealthy ports are actually wealthy when the game starts. You won't know until you actually sail that way, but if you pick a SoTL up on the way who cares to actually find out?!?
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Faithfully testing my Pirates! game on Windows since 2005.

Young Guilo · Powder Monkey Posts: 45 **862 Gold** -

Ship of the Lines are spawned from 1 of 3 ways.

1: A Hurt city that had over 600 troops has now less than 150

2: A New warship possibility after you have taken 50 ships of that nation (spain not included)

3.) Pirate Hunter if you have taken over 100 of that nation's ships and are near a city that is at least prosperous.
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Alan Holding

Captain Teague · Rigger Posts: 1185 **12207 Gold** -

Can you verify that? Because you're the first person I've seen who's so sure of the spawn conditions. Even most vets of the game just shrug and say "I don't know; they come when the gods of pillage and plunder deem you worthy, Sailor

" At least; that's what I tell people. I've also had up to four SotLs before; so I guess I'd know Very Happy

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The Code is the Law.

Young Guilo · Powder Monkey Posts: 45 **862 Gold** -

After 5 years of research the guide is about 96% correct.
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Alan Holding

Captain Teague · Rigger Posts: 1185 **12207 Gold** -

All of my SotLs are/were New Warships. I've never seen a SotL pirate hunter. Large Frigate yes, but never a SotL. Guess I've not been harassin' those Brits enough!
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The Code is the Law.

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

I don't recall if I told this but I played a game once where I just kept at it until age 80. I was capturing cities, chasing Mendoza and just raising Cain all over the map. Well, I actually ended the game with EIGHT ships of the Line! Yep, I had a fleet of eight ships and they were ALL SOTLs!