Advanced Combat Guide

Some quick tips until a deeper guide is implemented:


 * Use the Q menu frequently to identify allies and enemies, at least until you can tell on sight the difference between Pirate and Navy uniforms. This will stop you from shooting friendlies or being infiltrated by enemies.


 * SPRINT (press Shift) is your friend! A sailor who doesn't use sprint to get around the ship or into the fight quicker is at a big disadvantage to those who do.
 * Your powder weapons will remember what stage they were reloading at if you change weapons, so don't be afraid to put your weapon away for a second to do something else during a long reload.


 * With certain weapons it is possible or even mandatory to aim down sights before firing, by using RMB. This makes it easier to aim.


 * All Blackwake hand weapons have some amount of random inaccuracy, even when you aim correctly. Sometimes it can be worth getting closer to your enemies to ensure your shot doesn't miss.


 * Getting up in the rigging of the ship during a fight provides a useful height advantage, letting you see all the enemy team at once, and making you invisible to the sort of player who doesn't look up. On the flipside, though, you are very exposed to everyone who does know how to look up.


 * During a grapple fight, if your team is all dead and you are outnumbered, it may be worth running up to the grapple (can be found on the edge of the ship) and removing it by holding E, if it is safe for you to do so without getting shot. This will save your ship and deny the enemy the tickets for capturing it. But if you think you can take the enemy, this is a bad idea. It's up to your judgement.


 * If loading a cannon during a boarding action, mashing Control to crouch up and down can make you more difficult to headshot.


 * When fighting with melee, it is possible to bypass an enemy's block by getting behind them. The optimal strategy is to hold down Block until you manage to get behind them and see an opening.


 * If you're holding a melee weapon and see someone holding a gun, don't run directly towards them! This makes it very easy for them to headshot you. Instead, run diagonally towards them left and right, while jumping-- this will make you hard to hit.


 * When fighting on land in areas such as a Fortress or Island Beach, there are lots of unexpected hiding spots a landlubber can use to their advantage. For example, you can hide on the rocks around the edge of the Fortress walls (near the side cannons) to snipe the inhabitants as they walk past, or on the island, you can hide inside plants and rocks which have not yet been player clipped. Once inside the Fortress itself, you can also hide in the underground section or in the Mortar Towers waiting for your time to strike-- though make sure you aren't wasting your team's time.