manual age of pirates 2

AgeOfPirates2.Packaging.PC.UK.Manual.indd 1 2/6/2009 11:32:28 AM

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System Requirements 4 Known con� icts with other programs 4

Gameplay Tips 4Main Menu 5

New Game 5Hero types 6Select a nation 6Game options 6Customizing hero parameters 6

Pro� les and saved games 7Pro� les 7Load Game 8Save Game 9

Settings 9Escape menu 10

Main game interfaces 10Characters 11P.I.R.A.T.E.S. RPG system 12

Skills 13Personal Skills 13Ship Skills 14Other character parameters 16Abilities 17Passengers 18O� cers 18

Your ship and her shape 22Ship’s parameters 22Crew 23Companions 24

Appointing a captain 25Exchange between ships 25

Transferring cargo 25Changing captains 26Swapping ships 26Transferring the crew 26

Cargo in hold 27On-board guns 27

Repairs 28

At sea 28At the shipyard 28

� e Quest Book 29Logbook 29

Completed Quests 30Relations 30

Nation relations matrix 31Bounty or merit 31Flag on the ship 31Trade 31Goods and prices 32Selling contraband 33

Equipment and items 33Main character’s equipment 33Viewing maps 34

Treasure maps 34Living in the city 35Residence 35

Distinguishing governors and overnors-general 35Career 36

Brothel 36Church 37

Donations. Increasing reputation 37Improving health 37Port Control 37

Leave ship 37Retrieve the ship 37

Fort and prison 37Tavern 38

Recruiting a crew 38Hiring o� cers 38Brawls and duels 39Renting a room 39� e smuggler 39� e freelancer 39� e diplomat 39

Reconciliation 39

Table of Contents


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Trading licenses 40� e privateer license 40Ransom for the city 40

Shop 40Buying, selling goods 40Street dealers 41Buying, selling items 41

Moneylenders 42Shipyard 42

Buying and selling ships 42Price di� erence 42

Repairs 43Dungeons, caves, grottoes 44

Search for treasures 44� e undead 44

Game modes 44Land mode 44

Quick travel 44Combat system 45

Life 45Health 45Energy 46 Enemy life and energy 46Pistol rounds 46Attack types 46Assigning strike controls 47

Looting corpses 47Stealthy movement 48Bounty hunters 48

Sea mode 48Ship status 49Mini-map 49Spyglass 50

Quick commands 50Managing your squadron 51

Sea battles 52Ammo and gunpowder 52Targeting 53Damage to cannons 53 Forfeiting battle – leaving ships behind 53

Grappling 54Take the captured ship 54Let the surrendered ship go 55

Stealthy sailing – remaining undetected 55Cabin and moving on the ship 55

Chests for holding personal items 56Rest until morning or night 56Hiring slaves into the crew 56Managing o� cers 57Captives in the hold 57

Send out a rowboat 57Learn goods prices 57Trading 58Play cards or dice 58Demand a “toll” 58Global map mode 58

Encounters with enemy ships 60Encounters with peaceful ships 60

Storms 61Bounty hunters 61

Capturing cities 62 Destruction of the fort and battle in the city 62Land assault 63Looting the city 63Raise a nation’s � ag 64Raise a pirate � ag above the city 64

Appoint a deputy 64Remove a deputy 64Collect taxes 64Sieges and retaking the city 64Pay ransom for your city 65

Transfer control of your city to the governor-general 65

Default controls 66Credits 68Limited warranty 70


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System RequirementsTo successfully run the game, your computer needs to meet the following

requirements:

• Operating system: Win XP/VISTA • DirectX: DirectX 9.0c or higher • CPU: Intel Pentium IV 1.5 GHz or Athlon equivalent • RAM: 256MB (1024 for Vista) • DVD-ROM: DVD Drive• Free HDD space: 8.5 GB Hard drive space available • Sound card: DirectSound compatible Soundcard • Graphics card: DX9 Graphics card, GeForce 4 or

equivalent with 64 MB Ram

Known con� icts with other programs• QIP: Quiet Internet Pager – May somewhat slow the system down while receiv-

ing messages. If message popups are turned on (they aren’t by default), then on receipt of messages, the game crashes, whether in fullscreen or windowed mode.

• Punto Switcher – Clicks, when pressing certain keys; crashes possible. Fixed by adding the game into the exception list, through Options/Applications.

• Kaspersky Antivirus 5.0 – May run slowly with active � le checking mode on; no crashes.

• Kaspersky Antivirus 6.0 – May brie� y slow down with active � le checking on; no crashes. You can pause the program whilst you play: Preferences/� le/antivirus/preferences/additional/ pause tasks when launching application.

Gameplay Tips (Quick Reference)

• Hire Offi cers as quickly as you can (you can fi nd Offi cers who are looking for work in the Tavern in every town, just talk to them and they will off er their services)

• When ashore be sure to have some Fighters with you (you can assign Offi c-ers to the role of Fighters, and then reassign them to ship duties once you board your ship, use the [F2] Ship menu to do this)

• Hire regular crew members for your ship from the Tavern owner (talk to him and he will off er a crew for hire)

• Ensure you have enough money to pay the crew wages• Before leaving port be sure that you have suffi cient Food, Weapons and

Medicine for the journey


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• Assign an Offi cer to be a Navigator and a Cannoneer on your ship (and then fi ll up the remaining roles as soon as you can)

• Do not buy a ship in a Class that is beyond your Navigation Skill (in the [F2] Character menu right-click on the “Navigation” skill to see more information)

• When you are off ered a quest you should think about it long and hard before accepting or rejecting it, some quests will only be o� ered once, and other quests have grave penalties should you fail them)

• When engaged in a Naval Battle against superior forces it is often better to � ee than to try to � ght

• When engaged in a Naval Battle you can use the [R] key to speed up time, and then use the [+] key to speed up time up to a value of 6 times normal speed

Main Menu� e main menu o� ers the following selections:

• New Game – Starts a game from the beginning.• Load Game – Loads a previously saved game.• Options – Video, audio, and control settings.• Credits – A list of developers of the game, and those who took part in its creation.• Exit – Exit the game.

New Game


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To begin a new game, select a hero from the list.

Hero types • Adventurer • Corsair • Merchant

Select a Nation � is de� nes your starting city, and the way other nations will tend to treat the player.

Game Options• Enter pro� le name – � e name under which saved games will be stored. • Di� culty – Varies from “Sailor” to “Impossible”; ten levels in total, with

“Captain” as the median. � is a� ects the pace of your hero’s development, enemy strength, pro� t, and many other things.

• Enemy Encounters – Changes the frequency of potential battles, especially the number of ships on the world map.

• Auto reload pistols – In this mode, pistols are automatically reloaded during combat. Otherwise, you need to sheath your saber � rst. � is mode a� ects all characters in the game.

• Hardcore game – Not pumping enough adrenaline? Do you want to feel the full weight of your actions, like a real corsair? In this mode, you can only save the game on sancti� ed ground – that is, in churches. � is mode requires some hard decisions, as you won’t be able to fall back on constant reloading.

• Sea Battles – You can choose between “Dynamic battles” (fast speed, maneuvering, and cannon reload times) and “Tactical battles” (for the more contemplative player).

Customizing hero parametersAfter starting the game, the dialog on the deck will let you view and modify

your hero’s status.


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Clicking the arrows will let you � ne-tune your Capabilities, to build your own unique hero type. Your other skills and experience thresholds will automatically change, according to new PIRATES values. (See “PIRATES RPG system” section).

Pro� les and saved games Pro� les

Each time you start a new game, you need to enter a new user pro� le, under which your saved games will be stored. Pro� les allow several people to hold their saved games independently from each other. � e pro� les also keep track of game options.


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Load Game To load a game, select “Load Game” from the main menu or [Esc] menu. (See

“Escape Menu” section for more details.) You will see the profi le selection screen.

• Load Pro� le – Load selected pro� le. • Delete – Delete selected pro� le. • Exit – Back to the previous menu.

After the pro� le loads, the save/load screen should appear. � ere’s no limit to your save slots, so go nuts if you like. Use the scroll bar to the right, to see all your games.

� e lower part of the screen shows which o� cers are in play, in the selected game.

• Pro� le – Select another pro� le• Load – Load the selected game. • Delete – Delete the selected game. • Exit – Back to the previous menu.


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Save Game � e ‘’Save’ option is only available from the [Esc] menu. � e interface is

similar to the load-game interface, with a “Save” button in place of the “Load” button. To save a game, select an empty slot then hit “Save”. If you select an already-occupied slot, a box will ask you if you want to overwrite the old game.

Settings

• Video settings – Slide the sliders to set the game’s overall gamma, bright-ness, and contrast.

• Sea details – Designate your preferred oceanic complexity. Higher levels make the sea feel smoother; lower levels improve your compu-ter’s performance.

• Foliage Quality – How complex do you want your trees? Uncheck all op-tions to increase your computer’s performance.

• Sounds – Can’t hear the voices? Hate the music? Here, you � nd your own balance.

• Controls – Fiddle with your mouse, and set your movement rate. • Button settings – Map your own controls for sea and land movement.

To change a key binding, double-click the action (or select it and press [Space]), then tap your preferred key.

• Restore the default buttons – Return everything to factory settings.


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To save your changes, click the “OK” button. To discard changes, hit the “Cancel” button.

Escape menu � e “Escape menu” is basically the same as the main menu. You can call it

up at any time by pressing the [Esc] key on the keyboard.

From this menu, you can save your current progress, load a previously saved game, or change your settings.

Important: Provided “Hardcore Game” mode is o� , you can save your progress at any time, except in the midst of a boarding operation or an attack on a fort.

Main game interfaces� e [F2] key brings out the main system menus. � ese include:

• Characters – Manage your hero, o� cers, companions, and passengers. • Ships – Manage the hero’s ships, and the ships’ parameters, crew, and stored goods.• Journal – Ship’s log, game statistics, useful information, cashbook. • Nations – the interface of relations between the nations, bounty on the

hero’s head, his reputation with the nations, ship’s � ag management.• Trade – Trading log; a list of goods and prices, automatically updated dur-

ing shop visits.


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• Items – Manage your hero’s equipment, view your journey maps, and study treasure maps.

Press [F2] to open your last-viewed menu, then use the icon panel at the top to navigate.

A more detailed look at each interface follows.

Characters� e � rst time you hit [F2], you will be presented with the character interface.

Here, you may view the parameters of all characters under your purveyance, and manage the parameters of your main hero and o� cers.

As with your hero, each character in the game has her or her main Capabilities, Personal Skills, Ship Skills, and Personal and Ship Abilities. Major Capabilities af-fect the speed at which the character gains Skill points, and the Skills in turn a� ect the character’s Rank and Abilities.


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� e hero’s rank is your indicator of the character’s personal development. It changes in steps, as experience is amassed. � e hero’s Life points also increase with rank; the speci� c increase is determined by Endurance. As the hero increases in rank, he will more frequently encounter stronger enemies and better items.

� e P.I.R.A.T.E.S. RPG system� e hero’s development is directly dependent on his starting PIRATES

Capabilities. Capability values run from 1 to 10. At the game’s beginning each hero has a balanced set of Capabilities and the default settings are optimal for the development of your chosen character, but an experienced player can reassign values from 3 to 10 to each of the PIRATES Capabilities, from a pool of 42 points. (If you like, that’s six points for each statistic.) By reassigning Capabilities values you can create a unique hero, suited to your own personal style of play.

• Power – Hit harder, throw farther, and carry more. A� ects how much stu� you can lift and carry, and your amount of health. � is is the de� ning characteristic for Skills that require great physical e� ort, especially heavy and medium weapons, and cannon Skills.

• Insight – � e ability to see and hear. You need a good eye for naval combat, because it can be di� cult to hit the broad side of an enemy ship. Greatly a� ects the Accuracy and Stealth Skills.

• Reaction – A� ects movement coordination and sleight of hand. A clumsy man will catch his saber in his own sheath, or a boarding hook in his pants. Important for such Skills as light and medium weapons, pistols, and board-ing. A� ects your maximum amount of energy.

• Authority – � e sum of a courageous, scarred face and a properly applied tongue. A leader need not rob a merchant of his best merchandise, as the merchant will give it freely. He will attract the best followers, and be greeted in every port by the most beautiful women in the Caribbean. Leadership is an essential attribute for Skills such as Authority and Trade. A� ects the number of o� cers willing to join.

• Talent – Knowledge, wisdom, and the knack for fast decisions. A sharp character will have no trouble reloading his weapons or bargaining for lower prices. Using navigational devices also requires some thought. Aff ects Trade, cannons, navigation and – most importantly – the pace at which the hero progresses in rank and gains new Abilities.

• Endurance – Crucial for any man looking to make his way as a pirate. And it’s just as important to their potential clients. Repairs and defense largely depend of this characteristic, as do weight endurance and the gain of health points.


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• Success – What can you say about providence? Here but for the grace of God go we. Helps where all else has failed you. A bullet may miss its target, or an enemy will pass you by unaware. A� ects pistols, Luck, and stealth Skills.

Skills� e hero’s performance is dependent on his Skills. A character’s speci� c Skills

are divided into Personal Skills, and Ship Skills. When you achieve a certain Skill level, you are also awarded Ability points (personal and ship related) and these allow you to add special Abilities to your character.

You are free to choose your own Abilities, selecting the ones you prefer to develop your character. You can improve your ship Skills by employing skilful o� cers, but your personal Skills depend on your hero alone.

Below, you will � nd a list of in-game Skills. Your Skill scores range from 1 to 100; their starting value (typically around 5-10 points) is determined by your Capabilities. Your Skill stats automatically improve as you use their correspond-ing skills. For example, � xing your ship at sea will boost your Repairs Skill, while gutting your enemies with a rapier should improve your mastery of light weapons.

Note for advanced players: in the descriptions of each Skill the formula in paren-theses at the end shows the dependence of Skill improvement on your PIRATES Capa-bilities. For example (A*0.9+T*0.1) indicates that the Authority Capability setting has a signi� cant in� uence, and the Talent Capability setting, has a minor in� uence on the development of the speci� c Skill.

Personal SkillsAuthorityWhen people see that you are a reliable person under any circumstance, they

begin to trust you. When that happens, the tavern starts to brim over with sailors eager to join you in your adventures, and your enemies surrender the moment they see your � ag. If your authority is high enough, you can trust that your men will grapple even the Sea Devil himself. � is skill depends on “Authority” and “Talent”. (A*0.9+T*0.1)

Light weapons� e ability to handle light arms – mostly rapiers and small killing tools.

It depends upon “Reaction” and “Insight”. (R*0.9+I*0.1)


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Medium weapons� e ability to handle swords – arms that require not only power, but some

skill as well. Th is relies on “Power” and “Reaction”. (P*0.6+R*0.4) Heavy weaponsYou need to be in pretty good shape to handle axes, backswords, and other

heavy swords. Th is skill relies on “Power” and “Endurance”. (P*0.9+E*0.1) Pistols� is Skill allows you to handle highly complex devices, capable of propelling

small lead pellets over great distances. E� ective use of pistols requires agility and a bit of luck. Who knows where a bullet will fl y? Depends on “Reaction” and “Success”. (R*0.5+S*0.5)

LuckProvidence and good fortune are of universal need. � is all depends on

“Success”. (S)

StealthSneaking past an enemy guard post, losing your pursuers on the endless � eld

of the ocean, or striking an unsuspecting opponent out of the blue – these are the skills of a true captain. Yet none of it is possible without great “Success“ and “Insight”. (S*0.5+I*0.5)

Ship SkillsNavigation� e Skill to navigate a ship through storms and fog; the Skill to use navi-

gational instruments and manage a squadron. At the hand of an experienced skipper, the biggest and the most menacing ship will � y like a bird. � is depends on “Insight” and “Talent”. (I*0.2+T*0.8)

Incidentally, for e� ective control, each ship class requires a certain minimum level Navigational Skill:

• Class 1 requires 95• Class 2 requires 80• Class 3 requires 65• Class 4 requires 40• Class 5 requires 25• Class 6 requires just 1


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It is important that you match your ship class to your Navigation Skill level, do not acquire a ship class that is far above your Navigation Skill because you will lack the Skill to outrun and outgun your enemies, and you will fall prey to their attacks. A de� cit of Navigational Skill when in a high class ship also reduces the character’s other Skills and Abilities. � e di� erence between the current and required Navigation values for a particular ship class (that is, the required value minus the current value) will have a negative impact on your character’s performance.

Accuracy One of the most important Skills for captains who sail the high seas. A real

skipper will never waste cannon balls and powder on � sh; every salvo must be delivered with precision! And when the salty wind disperses the acrid fumes from the bridge, the horizon must be clear as day! You can’t � nd good accuracy without “Insight” and some “Success”. (I*0.8+S*0.2)

CannonsLoading the cannon like a demon; promptly rolling it up, then cleaning,

loading, and targeting once more, the sound of the salvo still ringing between the bulkheads, remembering to splash the barrel with water to avoid overheating ... No room for nonsense, amongst the � ames and thunder – just loading, roll-ing, and fi ring! Requires “Talent” and “Power”. (T*0.6+P*0.4)

Grappling Close in on the foul vessel, connect your lines on the � rst throw, and unleash

an avalanche on the trembling enemy. Storm the decks, and capture the vessel for your well-deserved prize. It all takes Skill and experience, but think of the loot it may bring! Requires “Reaction” and “Talent”. (R*0.7+T*0.3)

DefenseAs each day passes the crew becomes more accustomed to its charge, until

each salted hide is worth ten barebacks from the tavern. A good skipper needs know how to protect his men from a foolish and unnecessary death. In mobiliz-ing the crew for defense, “Endurance” is as important as reliable “Authority”. (E*0.5+A*0.5)

Repair When enemy orbs reduce your deck to splinters and your sails to cheesecloth,

when a squall rends the hull and the wind rips the rigging like so many threads – this is when the value of a good handyman comes to light. � e key here is “Endurance”, but some “Insight” certainly can’t hurt. (E*0.8+I*0.2)


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Trade � is is the Skill to turn over something you bought for a pittance, and make

a killing for the e� ort. It’s all about business acumen, knowing the richest trade routes, and maintaining friendly merchant relations. � ere’s no better relief for a headache than a plump pocket, as you will learn when the crew starts to ask its due. Depends on “Talent” and some “Authority”. (T*0.8+A*0.2)

Note: Your may improve your Skill values by assigning o� cers with a higher value

in the corresponding skills than your protagonist’s own. Another trick is using items with Skill bonuses. Your Skill values may be reduced by sickness, ship class penalty, items with negative bonuses, or lading yourself with more than you can carry.

Other character parameters • Rank – Your character’s level of personal prowess. It grows in stages,

based on the experience you gather. With each new rank, your hero’s Life increases, depending on your endurance. As your rank increases, you will more often encounter powerful enemies and new items.

• Life Points – Your indicator of the main character’s ability to withstand physical damage. � e more life points you have, the more piercing, slash-ing, chopping, and gun� re you may withstand before succumbing to the Sea Devil. Your supply of Life increases with each new rank, based on your Endurance value.

• Health – � e indicator of your hero’s overall physical condition. Bad health lowers your hero’s statistics. Health depletes if the hero should be severely wounded, and it returns if he abstains from melee battles for an extended time.

• Energy – A sign of your character’s endurance during hand-to-hand combat. All melee attacks expend some energy – meaning over the course of a battle, your character will exhaust himself, and will need to rest, to restore his strength. Your maximum energy depends on your character’s Reaction value.

• Money – Your total trove of piasters. Your hero can stash money in his pocket, with select individuals, or in the form of a bank draft from a moneylender.

• Reputation – A� ects how other characters see you. Reputation can be high (that’s positive), neutral, or low. Th e reputation you earn depends on how you do what you do. Whatever your notoriety, it will tend to diminish over time, and your actions will be forgotten. People remember bad things longer than they remember good – no surprise there. If you sit on your heels for an age, eventually the world will see you as nothing but a run-of-the-mill sailor.


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• Carried weight – � e maximum weight that you can carry without en-cumbering yourself, thereby compromising your movement and dexterity. Depends on “Power” and “Endurance”.

• Title – Shows how much your nation appreciates you.• Loyalty – � is pertains more to o� cers than to your hero. An o� cer’s

loyalty depends on what you do. Noble o� cers won’t take orders from a scoundrel for long, while rascals won’t tolerate being fenced in by a right-eous busybody.

• Nation – In the corner of your portrait, you’ll see a national � ag. � is is your allegiance, whether be it your point of origin or adopted, in the form of a privateer license. � e � ag on a ship is not necessarily representative of the allegiance of its captain; you can hoist whatever � ag makes your life easier (see “Nations” screen), but the actual attitude towards your character depends on his allegiance and whatever bounty he might have on his head.

Your Experience threshold indicates how many points you have earned toward the speci� ed skill, rank, or ability, and how many more you need to reach the next level. Your Skills improve when you use them. So for every time you hit a target, your “Pistols” skill goes up. Regardless of the particular skill, the points you earn are then pooled in your rank or Abilities experience (depending upon skill type). Reaching a Rank and Skills threshold gives you a new rank; your hero’s life is increased, and you are granted Ability points to distribute as you deem � t.

Abilities


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Abilities are additional statistics that represent your specialization in a particular � eld. You may become an elite fencer, a master at the ship’s wheel, or a famous merchant. Some Abilities are not immediately available, as they rely on other Abilities that the player must � rst master. � ere are both personal and ship Abilities; Ability points are awarded upon achieving a certain threshold of personal or ship abilities. You should have access to most ship Abilities, depend-ing on the statistics of your assigned o� cers.

PassengersOn the left of the screen is a list of all characters a� liated with the player. � e

same list contains all possible o� cer positions. � ere are four types of characters in the game:

• Passengers – Characters you are delivering to a particular destination, in exchange for a reward. Hired o� cers you have yet to assign to a position (free offi cers) are also considered passengers.

• O� cers – Characters that perform the duties of a ship’s o� cer.• Companions – Should you agree to escort a merchant vessel then the mer-

chant captain will become your companion for the duration of the journey. Should you assign an o� cer to command one of your ships, he also will be considered your companion.

• Captives – Characters held aboard your ship against their will; you can try to ransom them o� , or o� er them jobs, if they’re up to the work. If any of your passengers start to annoy you, you can take them captive as well. Also, those captains who surrender during a boarding exercise will become your captives. You can interrogate your captives in the hold; when you know who they are, you can contact the appropriate authorities for ransom. � e big-gest ransom is granted by the captive’s own governor, but the exact amount will di� er from city to city.

O� cers If the main character is less adept at a task, he can hire o� cers to do the job

more e� ectively. For example, if you focus on Trade and Defense, you may need a Navigator and a Gunner, while an experienced seafarer will require a Treasurer and a Carpenter. � e o� cer will improve your corresponding Skill by the dif-ference between your and his levels in that Skill: if your navigation is at 33, and your o� cer is at 43, you will net 10 points. If your Skill has been so bolstered, the di� erence will be highlighted in green.


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Note: Any ship class penalty applies to your post-boosted navigation Skill.

You can assign o� cers to the positions of Navigator, Bosun, Cannoneer, Doctor, Treasurer, Carpenter, or Fighter/Grappler. Depending on the o� cer’s po-sition, only certain Skills and Abilities may be improved. � ere are a total of nine o� cer positions on the ship, plus one captain – that being your hero. You can assign up to three Fighter/Grappler o� cers. � ese o� cers will accompany your hero on land and during boarding, protecting him with their bodies, blades, and pistols. Make sure to equip them with enough bullets, life elixirs, and good, ap-propriate steel. O� cers can also have the “Multitasking” or “Jack of All Trades” Abilities, which allow a single o� cer to hold two or three positions at once. � is means that a mere three o� cers may be enough to bolster the hero’s Skills and Abilities, and aid him in combat.

Hiring and appointing an o� cerOften you can � nd worthy candidates in taverns, sitting at tables and openly

off ering their services. Before you hire them, you can (and should) view their Capabilities, Skills, and Abilities. When you pay them what they want, they’ll become your Passengers. From there, using the [F2] “Characters” screen, you can appoint them to a position, or make them your companions by buying or capturing them each a ship. Each month, you need to pay your o� cers and crew a salary; sometimes men may ask for a bit more gold, or – should their loyalty plummet, categorically announce their resignation.

To appoint an o� cer, double-click or press [Enter] on an empty slot. Select the desired candidate from the list, and press “Add offi cer”. Under the passenger list, you will see a Capabilities table, to aid you in your decisions.

Appointing a companion will be covered in the “Your ship and her shape” section.


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Removing from post and dismissingTo remove an o� cer from his post and make him a passenger again, double-

click or select and press [Enter] on his picture in the passenger list.

You can dismiss an o� cer in dialog. If an o� cer is a Fighter/Grappler, then you can do so on land; otherwise, you should go to the Wardroom on board your ship (when on your ship go to your Cabin, and then walk through the Can-non Deck to the Wardroom door and enter to meet your offi cers in person).

You can dismiss a companion by removing him from his ship (see “Your ship and her shape”) and making him an offi cer; this will place him either on land or in the Wardroom.

Gaining experience for o� cersJust like the main character, o� cers gain Skill experience while performing actions

featuring those skills. So an o� cer will improve in, say, light weapons if he is equipped with and actively uses a rapier. Companions will also improve their ship skills. Further-more, any experience received by the hero will be distributed amongst all passengers: o� cers get 25%; companions, 16.5%; everyone else, 5%. If the character has the “Ex-perience Exchange” ability, these values go up to 50%, 33%, and 10%, respectively.

As his Skills improve, an o� cer gains new ranks; his life increases, and he gains new Ability points, which the player can distribute himself.

Hint: � e “Multitasking” ability allows an o� cer to occupy several positions at once.


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O� cer’s equipmentYou can view the contents of each passenger’s pockets in the [F2]/Items

screen. Yet you can’t exchange or equip items there; you can only exchange items when the hero and the o� cer are in the same location. Fighter/Grapplers follow the hero everywhere he goes, while other offi cers can be found in the Wardroom on your ship (if applicable). You must go to the offi cer and call up the command menu ([Enter]), then select “Trade” to bring up an interface not dissimilar from the looting window (see “Looting chests” section). Trading during combat is only possible if your hero has the “Experience Exchange” Ability. Items are equipped automatically; the o� cer chooses the best arms for his attributes.

Hint: Always give your o� cers a few bottles of life elixir – this should allow them to survive di� cult skirmishes.

Another method: You can purchase shop items straight into an o� cer’s pockets by se-lecting their picture at the top of the Item Trading Menu and mak-ing a purchase for them; when trading is over, they will automati-cally equip them. You can’t sell an item that is currently equipped.

Loyalty and salaryAn o� cer’s loyalty is determined by his reputation and the hero’s actions. Vir-

tuous men will grow distant if you commit “dirty deeds”, and vice versa. If the loyalty indicator in the [F2]/Characters screen falls to zero, the o� cer will leave the hero at � rst opportunity, and you will have no recourse to stop him.

Each month you need to pay out the salaries, including to the o� cers, regard-less of their current position. � e more developed the o� cer’s Skills, the more money he will demand.

Sometimes, after serving the hero for some while, an o� cer may have a change of heart and leave you for the life of freelancer. A small, one-time bonus may be enough to rein in such a wild spirit.

Hint: Carefully track your o� cers’ loyalty; if you value your men and you’ve got a mission that you know will con� ict with their morals, you would do well to plan your actions in advance.


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Your ship and her shape

A corsair’s ship is his home, his weapon, his livelihood, his pride and his joy. You can view the parameters of a ship’s captain by right-clicking the portrait at the top-left of the screen.

Ship’s parameters• Name – � e ship’s name is displayed under her picture. To change the

name, click it, delete the old one, and type in the new name.• Hull – � e amount of damage the ship’s hull can withstand. A strong hull

will help you to survive an armada and bring down a castle. Keep an eye on your hull’s condition, and repair it as required. If you’ve the planks to spare, you should be � ne, given time to e� ect the repairs.

• Sails – � e amount of sustainable damage by the ship’s sails. You may want to keep a stock of sailcloth on board, just in case.

• Speed – For some tasks, a decent ship speed is essential; tactical maneuvers and “playing catch” with merchants (a favorite pirate game) take quite a bit of thrust. Speed is a� ected by the cargo in the hold, the captain’s Skills, and any ship damage.

• Maneuvering ability – In battle, a swift turn can save your ship and all on board, or allow you to perform two broadsides in the time that a galleon could perform but one. A ship’s maneuverability is a� ected by its cargo, the captain’s abilities, and any damage sustained.


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• Point of sail – � is is how close to the wind a ship can sail. � e higher this value, the closer to the wind the ship can travel. Ships with fore-and-aft rigging are better suited for traveling against the wind.

• Hold – � is is how much cargo the ship can carry, in relative volume-weight units. � e more goods in the hold, the less agile and fast the ship. A huge hold is every merchant’s dream. To increase how much you can carry in the hold, you can always remove all those heavy cannons – if you can a� ord the risk.

• Cannons/Culverins – Adjust the caliber and number of cannons and culverins on board.

• Crew – � e number of sailors in your crew. A minimal crew is required to control the ship; you are allowed to go over the maximum crew limit, but such a crowd increases the risk of mutiny.

• Crew experience – � e crew’s experience is divided into three categories: Sail-ors, Cannoneers, and Soldiers. See the “Crew” section (below) for more detail.

CrewA ship’s crew consists of all the occupied sailors on board. You can scout for

sailors in taverns; during the day, there’s always someone willing to set sail with you. � eir number depends on your character’s Authority – the more respected you are, the more people will want to join you. (See “Tavern”.)

Th e crew’s experience is divided into three categories: Sea (ship handling), Gun-ner (cannon reload and accuracy), and Grappling (melee combat) experience. Th is means that every sailor can be a Sailor, a Cannoneer, and a Soldier, but his special-ties may di� er. A small, experienced crew may be far more e� ective than a boat brimming over with greenhorns. Crew gain experience in a particular category when they perform relevant tasks (maneuvering, shooting, grappling) – yet they also lose it, if they fail to exercise their skills for very long. A sailor’s pro� ciencies may depend on his nationality: the English are always good sailors, while France is famous for excellent cannoneers. Still, pirates can do anything in a pinch.

If you need to, you can always strengthen your crew with any slaves you are carrying. To do this, you must be in your cabin; from the [Enter] menu, enter “Speak aloud” mode and select “Slave recruitment”. If any agree to join you, your crew will increase in number, but its morale and experience will su� er a bit.

� e crew receives a monthly salary, which depends on the ship’s class, the crew’s experience, and the hero’s Skills (“Authority” and “Trade”).

If you fail to pay the requested sum, the crew’s morale will dwindle rapidly – though the “Iron Will” Ability slows the decay a bit. A rebellious crew will handle the ship poorly, won’t � ght as well as it might, and you may even face a mutiny.


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� e crew’s size is determined by the ship’s “Sailors” parameter. For example, 174: 25 / 159 means that the ship currently has 174 sailors; the minimal crew is 25 men; and the maximum is 159, which means that there’s a crew surplus. � erefore, the crew indicator is in red. A surplus of crew allows you to increase the overall productivity of an inexperienced crew, but leads to a lack of space, which damages morale. A below-minimum value will also be highlighted in red: an insu� cient crew leads to an uncontrollable ship.

� e morale of a crew is a key concern of sea life. Its value a� ects a ship’s handling, cannon reload times, and grappling battles. A sharp drop in morale will surely lead to mutiny.

Mutiny aboard a companion’s ship will lead to that ship leaving your squad-ron. Mutiny aboard your ship requires immediate action: your hero will appear on deck with his loyal o� cers, against the rebels.

Also, mutiny is a risk when you are carrying more slaves than crew members. Of course the slaves’ weapons are worthless, but the slaves are worthless cargo if they’re dead.

Every day the crew expends some provisions – � sh, meat, biscuits, fresh water. A lack of provisions leads to famine, death of crew members, and a sharp drop in morale. Each day, 1 unit of provisions is consumed for every 10 sailors, and 1 unit for every 20 slaves.

Your stock of provisions is displayed in days at the top-left corner of the “Ship” screen. Provisions are distributed independently for each ship: some might have too much, while some might not have enough – you will have to redistribute your stock through the exchange-between-ships menu.

After battle, some sailors may die from wound or disease. To decrease your mortality rate, always keep a stock of medicine on board. Medicines are used automatically when needed; if you run out, you get a warning message.

One way to keep up morale is by doling out a daily share of rum. To do this, you need 1 unit of rum for every 10 sailors.

You can also improve morale by distributing a share of the loot, which you can do by pressing the “Raise morale” button. � is button calls up a dialog screen, where you can see the cost of improving morale, 10% at a time.

Companions� e hero’s squadron can consist of as many as � ve; one under the players

control, the rest enrusted to his companions. A quest character can become a temporary companion, but your control over such a character is limited; you can’t simply dismiss him and sell the ship.


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Appointing a captain� ere are two cases where you may need to assign a captain: after buying a

new ship at the shipyard, or after boarding and capturing a vessel. Later you can remove the o� cer and appoint a new one, using the exchange-with-ship screen.

Exchange between ships� ere are two ways to enter an inter-ship exchange. � e � rst is through the

[F2]/”Ships” screen: double-click (or press [Enter]) on the companion’s portrait. � e second one is at sea, with ships board-to-board, through the “Exchange” fast command.

� e � rst method does not work during sea battle, while the second one gives you a chance to swap ships or transfer crew and cargo during combat.

Transferring cargoYou can unload all cargo with a single click: “Take all goods”. If there is

enough space, everything will be transferred; otherwise, you’ll simply take what you can carry. Keep in mind that the most expensive goods are transferred � rst; cheaper stu� comes after. To transfer speci� c goods, use the arrows in the list: left-click transfers 1 unit at a time; right-click, 10 units. Arrow keys perform quick unit transfers, and [Shift] + arrow keys will transfer all the selected goods.

You can dispose of excessive goods or read their description by double- clicking, or pressing [Enter], on the goods in the list.


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Changing CaptainsWhen you close the exchange window, a ship without a captain will sink; any

crew and goods left on such a ship will be lost, so be sure to transfer them before sending the ship to the bottom.

Appointing a new captain is analogous to appointing an o� cer to a position – you select a person from the list of passengers. If your appointed o� cer is holding a position on your ship, he will be relieved.

As with the hero, a companion is a� ected by his Navigation Skill and ship class penalty. You can view a captain’s characteristics by right-clicking his portrait.

Swapping ships� e “Swap ships” button swaps the captains of two ships, meaning that your

hero is transferred to a new ship. � e goods in the hold and the crew of the ships remain as they were. Any personal items in the chests in your cabin are automatically transferred to the new room. Any captives in the hold are also led to the new ship.

Transferring the crewTransferring the crew is done using the arrows in the “Crew transfer” mode.

� e number highlighted in red signi� es insu� cient or surplus stock. After the transfer, the sailors’ experience is averaged.


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Cargo in holdYou can view a description of goods by double-clicking the items, or pressing

[Enter]. To dispose of unwanted supplies, use the arrows or type a number in the provided form; con� rm by hitting “OK”.

On-board gunsYou can manage the guns on your ship by double-clicking the “Cannons/

Culverins” � eld in the ship’s parameter list.


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Your ship may be equipped with cannons or culverins, of 12, 16, 24, 32 or 42-caliber rounds. You can specify the number and layout of the guns; the ship type determines the maximum number and caliber of the guns.

Cannons have better damage, rounds, and reload times, but smaller shooting radius.

All guns are considered goods, and the number is displayed in the hold as cargo. Equipped guns are not seen in the hold, and you cannot dispose of them or sell them until you dismount them with the “Remove All” button.

Guns are heavy things, so to make some extra room for commerce, you can cut down on their number, leaving only a token defense in case of emergency.

You can exchange all your guns by pressing the “Remove all” button, selecting a new type from the list, and hitting “Fix all”. You can add or remove guns on starboard, port, bow, and stern, using the corresponding arrows.

During combat, guns can be disabled by a direct hit from an enemy can-nonball or bomb, or from a failed salvo on your part. � e guns’ rounds can vary: small cannons (12-pound) have small rounds, larger calibers can fi re more punchy munitions. You can replenish your stock of guns by transferring any spares from the holds of enemy ships, or by buying them at a shipyard.

You cannot dismount of equip guns during combat, or while looting a prize ship; � rst you will have to appoint a captain to the ship and leave combat.

RepairsDuring your travels, your ship may be damaged by storms, enemy � re, or

collision with rocks and coastal reefs. Damage can be in� icted on the hull, sails, or occasionally the masts.

At seaTo repair your ship out of port, you need a good stock of planks and sailcloth.

Repair speed depends on your “Repair” Skill and various carpenter Abilities. A good carpentry o� cer will allow you to rebuild your ship quickly and e� ectively.

Unfortunately, there is no way to repair a mast at high sea.

At the shipyardTo repair at port, you don’t need planks or sailcloth; all you do is select what

percentage of damage you want to repair, and pay for the service. � e ship’s masts are repaired automatically at the shipyard. Each ship still takes a while to repair, but it’s quicker than doing it yourself in less than ideal conditions.


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Speed and maneuveringA ship’s handling is a� ected by several factors: wind strength and direction,

the captain’s “Navigation” Skill, the crew’s experience, hull condition, weight in the hold – yet generally the most important factor is the sails. A ship with dam-aged sails cannot move quickly, and struggles to maneuver. Speed is also a� ected by sail position. Sails can assume three distinct positions: struck, battle positions, or full sail.

Maneuverability is a� ected by inertia: a higher speed leads to a higher turn speed, but a wider radius. It is easier to maneuver with sails in battle position.

A ship’s current and maximum speed and maneuver values are shown in the [F2]/”Ships” screen. For example, in the speed � eld, 11.50/16.30 means that the ship itself is capable of reaching 16.30 knots, but with the current captain and crew expertise, and the cargo and damage at hand, the speed will not exceed 11.50 knots. � e current value does not take into account sail position, or wind strength and direction.

Sailing ships are propelled by force of wind, so in theory the stronger the wind, the faster the ship goes – yet sailing upwind and downwind have di� erent e� ects on a ship’s speed. A ship cannot move directly into the wind. Each ship has a particular “Point of sail” – or, the minimal angle to the wind that the ship can sail. A higher value means the ship can sail at a shallower angle to the wind. Ships with fore-and-aft rigging are better suited to sailing upwind.

� e Quest Book� is screen allows the player to view the ship’s log, which the hero � lls in

automatically.

Logbook� is journal shows a list of active missions. You can expand any entry into a

full event log by double-clicking or pressing [Enter]. Each entry is time-stamped; the oldest entries are at the bottom, the newest at the top.


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Completed Quests� is tab holds all the quests completed by the player.

Relations


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Nation relations matrix� ere are three types of diplomatic relations:

• Friendly • Neutral• At war

Along the top and left are sovereign � ags; at the intersections are their relationships.

� e hero belongs to his a� liated nation – be that his nation of origin or the hold-er of his current privateer license (if any). Whatever diplomacy applies to your home nation column applies to you as well, keeping in mind any bounty on your head.

Bounty or merit� e way you’re seen by a nation, its citizens, and its soldiers may change.

Deeds that people perceive are in their bene� t will raise your reputation, while bad deeds may earn you a bounty on your head. As there is no end to bounty hunters, this means constant pursuit on land and at sea. Yet you can reduce a bounty, through good deeds or outright bribery – which may help restore the peace, somewhat.

Flag on the shipYour a� liated nation is either your place of origin or the nation that

holds your privateer license (if any). You can check your affi liations in the [F2]/”Character” screen. In the [F2]/”Nations” screen, you can view the � ag on your hero’s ship, which you can change at sea to conceal your real identity. An enemy vessel can still be recognized by ships at sea or guards at port; it all de-pends on your hero’s Stealth value. If your own state has a bounty on your head, you’re considered at war even with them.

Who is considered an enemy depends on current diplomatic relations and any bounties in play. Fast travel does not work while behind enemy lines.

Trade� ere is little end to the goods for sale. You are therefore granted some leeway

when it comes to trade. Some goods are produced locally, so prices are low; others need to be im-

ported, driving up price and demand. Some goods may be banned altogether, depending on a governor’s whims.


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You can pro� t on simple price di� erences, buying cheap and selling higher. � ere is more money to be made by smuggling, but this is a slippery slope. Of course, the most pro� table deals come when you take your goods for nothing ... It’s up to you to dwell on the logistics there.

Goods and pricesAs you shop around, you will encounter a range of prices. � e lists of goods

and prices you encounter are archived for your convenience in the [F2]/”Trade” screen. � ese lists contain a table for di� erent cities: stock levels, sell and buy prices, and type (import, export, or contraband). Th e information is somewhat time-sensitive, since commerce has its own in-game life. Still, it allows you to research and make some basic mercantile decisions.

Hint: Don’t be shy about asking prices from merchants at sea, and take note of tavern rumors.

Prices are based on supply and demand: if a shop’s stock is perpetually low, then prices will go up. Conversely, goods that are constantly sold result in a surplus, which leads to price drops. With time, the market balances out.

Important: Looting a city will lead to a sharp drop in stock levels, meaning that prices will start to rise.


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Selling contrabandFor whatever political reasons, some goods are technically banned – meaning

you will be unable to sell such above board. Likewise, you can buy them, but the price will be outrageous.

Because of this, merchants out for a quick fortune swarm to contraband like moths to a � ame. � e tradeo� for the pro� ts is the risk of getting caught by a patrol. You are best o� heading to a tavern and making arrangements with a professional smuggler, then unloading your cargo in a deserted bay.

A patrol may catch you on land, or it can be waiting for you at sea, near the exit from the bay.

Equipment and items� is interface allows the player to view his characters’ and passengers’ pos-

sessions; choose a new saber, equip a cuirass, or study a treasure map or island schematic.

Items held in the chests in your cabin can be viewed only from the cabin itself, through the looting interface. � e [F2]/”Items” screen shows items the hero carries on his person.

Main character’s equipmentYour hero can equip four items: a saber, a pistol, a looking-glass, and a

cuirass. To equip an item, just select it from the list and press “Equip”. O� cers


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choose their equipment automatically, after you exchange items with them or buy something from a shop.

Items with an e� ect on Skills – +10 to Authority, for instance – work when they in a character’s pocket. Th e exception here is wearable items (such as a cuirass), which need to be equipped for the eff ects to become active. Also, there is a unique artifact, called the “three skulls”. � e e� ects are activated only when all three skulls are assembled – which is to say, you have them all on your person simultaneously.

Viewing mapsTo view a schematic map, select it from the list and hit the “Equip Item” but-

ton, to open a new map window. You can buy maps from item vendors in town.

Treasure mapsYou look at treasure maps the same way you do normal maps, but instead of

an outline you will see a depiction of where the treasure is hidden. If you can � nd a vendor, sometimes you can buy treasure maps in the tavern. � ere’s no telling how real they are, though. Also, as time passes, the treasure may corrode down to junk.

Some treasure maps may be split into several pieces. To know where you need to go, you need to have at least two pieces of the map. Sometimes you can � nd map pieces in treasure chests. � e map will automatically assemble itself, as you collect the pieces.


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If the treasure is located in a dungeon, opening the chest may lead to the appearance of pirate skeletons. � ese are a few of the people killed by the fellow who hid his treasures. And now they’re passed on to you.

Living in the city Cities are the hubs for all Caribbean society. In cities, you can repair your

ships, recruit o� cers and sailors, buy and sell goods, enlist in the service of the local governor, sign a contract to escort a ship, and many other things. Towns-people know all the latest gossip, usually. In general, each city has:

• A port• A residence• Shops• A shipyard• A Moneylender• A tavern• A port control• A brothel• A church• Residential houses• Nearby fort, with a prison

In friendly cities you can use “fast travel” (hit [Enter] to call up the command menu), select the “Go quickly to ..” icon and you will be prompted to select your destination, using arrows.

ResidenceIn the residence, you will � nd the city’s Governor, who at this very moment

may well be receiving the Governor-General – the King’s representative of all state colonies in the New World.

Distinguishing Governors and Governors-generalA governor is the mayor of a city and surrounding territories; his interests are

limited to keeping his district in order, and doing his part to bene� t his country in general.


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Th e Governor-General is the King’s representative in the New World; he may be touring the cities of his empire. His interests are much broader than those of a simple governor. Missions from the Governor-General may be far more di� cult, and involve a lot of responsibility. Also, he is responsible for promoting your hero.

� e Governor-General will not deal with a captain without a privateer’s license.

Receiving a privateer license – For loyal service to your city, in the form of completing several missions for your governor, you may be granted a privateer license. � is patent is your ticket to potentially more pro� table missions from the Governor-General.

Initially, the hero’s nation is unimportant for receiving a license, since there are various back doors to acquiring one. You can simply bribe a fellow who knows a guy who may help you.

Ownership of a license changes your a� liated country. In e� ect, it is your business license, and therefore the start of your career.

CareerHaving received a patent, you become a privateer. And for your loyal service,

the Governor-General can promote you to any of the following:

• Commander• Captain• Commodore• Admiral

If you should lose your patent – which may only happen if you attack your own countrymen – you also loose all your titles and achievements. If you receive a new patent, you will begin again, with nothing.

� e speed of your career-climbing depends on the quality and terms of the missions you complete.

BrothelPretty self-explanatory; ultimately, the solution to all a corsair’s needs. Sure,

your reputation may su� er a bit, but nothing like a good rest to get you back on your feet again. You can also treat your crew, which surely will improve morale on deck. You can � irt with a doll, and if she takes a liking, there’s no telling what secrets she might unfold. Of course, not all cities are so enfranchised...


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ChurchPirating can be hard on the conscience, it’s true. � e nice thing about the

church is they’ll forgive anyone – more or less. Which in retrospect isn’t so diff er-ent from the above establishment. Except a bit less jolly.

Apart from simple churches, there is also the Holy Inquisition, but... best keep away from that, frankly.

Donations – Increasing reputationDonations and righteous deeds improve the hero’s reputation. � e bigger the

sum, the better.

Improving health� e exclusive knowledge gathered through the centuries by church scholars

allows the holy fathers to perform true miracles of healing. If your maximum health has somehow been docked, and will not recover on its own, the priests are the only ones who can help you.

Port ControlEvery city with a shipyard also has a port control.

Leave ship If your hero has several ships, he can temporarily leave his companions at

port. � is will disband the crew, but any companions and cargo will remain in-tact. You can leave up to three ships in one port. Dock fees are based on its class; the higher the class, the more you’re charged for your ship’s safety.

Retrieve the ship You can retrieve your ship from the head of port. Altogether, you can own up

to sixteen ships – yet can only sail with � ve at a time. � ere are times for leaving your favorite ship at port, if, for instance, you

want to avoid attracting attention on some mission.

Fort and prisonThe fort is located outside the city, and therefore immune to quick

travel. To reach the fort, you need to jaunt outside the city gates and through the jungle.


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Every fort has a prison. If you’ve nothing better to do, and you’ve a streak of anarchy in you, you can try to release the prisoners. � e guards generally don’t like that, however.

TavernHere you can listen to the latest rumors, or recruit some salty dogs to your

cause. Also, the innkeep can always � nd you someone who needs an escort or transport. Also, if you like, you can � nd all manner of lowlife: shady map mer-chants, the smuggler couched out in the corner there. And of course, you can pal around with the other customers: draw a pint of ale and throw the dice around.

Recruiting a crewWhile talking to the barman, you can ask him about sailors. Th is will bring

up a recruitment interface, where you can select your ship and recruit or � re sailors. � is is only available during the day.

Hiring o� cersYour prospective o� cers may be sitting right there at a table, and you need only

ask; they will tell you who they are and what they expect from you. Mind, there may be no sailors to � nd – but if they are there, they won’t budge all day. If you’re not � ush enough to hire right o� , you can leave, earn or borrow a bit, and return to do your hiring. You can view a man’s statistics before hiring him; all you need do is ask.


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Brawls and duelsIn the tavern, you may be drawn into a bar � ght. Alternatively, you can

initiate one yourself. From here, there are several ways events can unfold. If you brawl right there in the tavern, you will scare away all the customers. You can set a time to duel outside the city. Or, if the duelist has his own ship, you can do a ship duel in coastal waters.

Renting a roomAsk the barman about accommodation, and you can rent a room for the

night – or for the day, if you prefer. Or you can simply sit in the bar, or sleep in your cabin on the ship.

� e SmugglerSometimes, amongst the regular bar� ies, you can � nd a smuggler – who may

act as a fence, to help you sell banned goods. Or, if you’re out a ship, you can always ask him for a ride.

After you make a deal, you need to � nd your way down to the harbor, where the smugglers will be waiting for you.

� e Freelancer Sometimes, between pints, you may bump into a hero much like yourself. If

you get on well enough, then you may be able to do a cooperative mission – or he might become your o� cer, or even join you as a companion, with his own ship. You may meet the same sailor again later, elsewhere, when you’re both a bit more experienced. Alternatively, if you o� end the fellow, you may wind up in a duel.

Important: You can create your own list of corsairs and names in the RESOURCE\INI\texts\english\HeroDescribe.txt � le.

� e DiplomatIn pirate taverns, you may � nd a diplomat, who can restore your good rela-

tions with a country, lower a bounty on your head, or help with some documents.

ReconciliationAs an adventurer, you are sure to attract a few bounties on your restless head.

After a while, your life may become intolerable, as you won’t be able to turn around without bumping into a hunter. If your through-line to the governor is


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cut o� , the diplomat may be your savior – for a fee. Furthermore, reducing any bounty on your head will take some time (5 to 15 days), and the agent will ask for the full sum up front. It’s your decision...

Trading licensesIf you want to cut it as a merchant trader, you need access to as many shops

as possible – yet it can be di� cult to trade in enemy lands. A trading license will allow you to pass checkpoints and freely enter enemy cities. You can also acquire a license from the Governor-General, if his missions require you to enter foreign townships. Licenses can be valid for 30, 60, or 90 days, and are priced accordingly.

� e privateer licenseIf you are too impatient to earn a license lawfully, you can simply buy one

from a diplomat.

Ransom for the cityIf you should take a city for yourself, and then grow tired of fending o� the

subsequent rain of sieges, it’s time to hit up your local diplomat. He can arrange a cease� re, though it will cost you dearly.

ShopHere you can buy and sell all manner of goods. Some goods may be o� cially

unavailable, but you can always � nd what you’re looking for – granted, in the case of contraband, only in limited quantities. Merchants can also assign you various tasks.

Buying, selling goodsWhen you buy or sell goods, you do so in relation to your specifi ed ship.

Purchases go straight to your hold.

Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll the list. Red goods are contraband; blue are imports; green are exports. Double-click or hit [Enter] on a table row to call up a trading menu. Type in a positive integer to set the number of goods to buy, or a negative integer to sell. � e left and right keys change the quantity by packs, and [Shift] + left/right arrow keys set the maximum allowed quantity. Hit [Enter] for okay, or [Esc] for cancel.


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Hint: To quickly sell everything, use the up/down arrow keys to navigate the list, then [Shift] + right arrow key, then [Enter].

Street dealersMerchants do not all keep to formal shops; you can also trade with the many

street dealers. � ey can provide you with anything – elixirs, a new saber, am-munition, or maps.

Buying, selling itemsTrade between parties occurs from the following menu.

As before, use the up and down arrow keys to scroll the list; you can view the item description under the table cursor. Double-click or hit [Enter] on a table row to call up a trading menu. Type in a positive integer to set the number of


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goods to buy, or a negative integer to sell. � e left and right keys change the quantity by packs, and [Shift] + left/right arrow keys set the maximum allowed quantity. Hit [Enter] for okay, or [Esc] for cancel.

Important: � e list of items for sale does not include any currently equipped items.

MoneylendersNearly every city has its moneylenders; what would commerce be without

loans? If you are desperate enough, they can lend you a certain amount, at a � xed rate. How much, depends on your rank and repute. At the beginning of the game, this is a solid enough way to gain some starting capital.

If money is burning a hole in your pocket, you can deposit it with a lender, for safe-keeping. � ere is no time limit, and the longer you save your money the more interest it will accrue.

Keep in mind that if the city is looted, the lender may lose all his deposits. Lenders may also be a source of missions, as someone is always defaulting on a loan somewhere.

ShipyardEvery port has a shipyard. If your ship is damaged, you can repair it here.

Alternatively, you can buy a brand new ship, for yourself or for your companion.

Buying and selling shipsTo buy a new ship, you need to have a prospective captain. Select an empty

slot in the list at left, then a ship from the list at right. � en if you’ve got the money, hit the “Buy” button to complete the transaction. If the selected charac-ter already commands a ship, then it will automatically be sold, with the price di� erence put toward your purchase.

Price di� erenceAt any time, a shipyard may have several ships of the same make, but at dif-

ferent prices. � e price depends on the ship’s statistics, which are unique for each ship. Also, the hero’s Skills and Abilities may a� ect the price. � e price you get for your old ship depends on its condition and ... well, technical legal status. If it’s not legitimate, it’s not worth as much, while if it’s got a squeaky-clean record, it could pull a high price tag. Keeping in mind that di� erent shipyards may have


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di� erent prices on the same ships, you can make some pro� t by bringing ships from one city to another.

Important: When you sell a ship, the hold contents and guns are not included in the price. You will have to sell them separately.

Repairs� e ship can receive damage during a battle or a storm. You can � x it yourself with

planks and sailcloth, but it will take forever, and fallen masts are beyond any � eld re-pairs. So when possible, it may be preferable to swing by a shipyard. To do this, select at left a ship that needs repairing; if it is damaged, a “Repair” button will be available.

You can set what percent you want to repair – though your � nances may set a practical limit.


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Dungeons, caves, grottoesDungeons, catacombs, grottoes, caves – the Caribbean is riddled with ‘em!

But rarely found in cities.

Search for treasuresTreasure is quite often hidden in caves and grottoes; good luck � nding it

without a map.

� e undeadIn caves and dungeons that never see the light of day, you will � nd artifacts

better left where they lie. You can recognize them by an eerie wail, and a spin-ning, shimmering orb. Approaching them will raise the dead, who as a rule are altogether grumpy when disturbed.

Game modesCity of Abandoned Ships has three distinct modes – land, sea, and global

map. Each mode has its own controls and special features.

Land modeQuick travel

In friendly cities, you can use quick travel to leap amongst the major attrac-tions. To do so, hit [Enter] to call up the command mode, then select the “Go quickly to ...” icon:

After this, select your destination using the arrow keys:


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Combat systemSometimes, there’s no talking your way out of a situation. � e combat system

gives you three types of strikes, two kinds of parrying, a block, one circular strike that serves as both attack and defense, the use of � rearms, and a backward or side dash.

Life A character’s hit points determine how much damage he can take. Your hit

points increase with each new level; some added Skills will also raise them a bit. During a � ght, your hit points are represented by a red strip in the top-left

corner, to the left of your character’s portrait. You can restore hit points during battle, by using elixirs – whether through the [Enter] menu, or with a hotkey.

HealthHealth is an indicator of your hero’s general physical condition. When his health

worsens, your hero’s abilities also deteriorate. His health worsens if he takes many hits, and it recovers if he avoids hand-to-hand combat for an extended period.

If it falls below excellent, the character begins to su� er from diminished Skills, which in turn diminish his Abilities. Health generally restores itself, albeit slowly. � e process moves fastest when you do absolutely nothing – keep in bed – and is twice as slow at sea. � e “Iron Constitution” ability doubles your recovery rate.

A golden background to the health indicator shows health has been restored to maximum. However, the maximum can itself be lowered by serious wounds (scars and severe injuries which, even after full restoration, have an eff ect in a fi ght). Priests in churches can restore your health to maximum, but not very often, not very much, and not very cheaply. Sometimes you may need to visit


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two or three priests for your “golden” health to turn “white” – and even then, you still need to wait for your health to return to “excellent golden”.

Energy You can’t � ght forever; sooner or later, exhaustion will take you. � e amount

of energy you’ve got depends on your hero’s “Reaction”; the higher the value, the more you can do. Each move takes a certain amount of energy, so you watch how you spend your e� ort in a � ght. Your available energy is represented by a blue strip to the right of your hero’s portrait. If you don’t have the energy, you can’t attack. � e energy gradually replenishes throughout a � ght, so if you � nd yourself expended, try blocking or parrying until you � nd your second wind. Some Abili-ties may cut down on the energy you expend, or let it replenish more quickly.

Enemy life and energy During � ghts you will also see your enemies’ hit point and energy indicators.

When you or your allies strike an enemy blow, a number will appear over that enemy’s head, indicating the damage dealt.

Pistol roundsAt the top-left of the screen, above the portraits, you will note a number of

stars; these indicate the rounds in your pistol.

A red star indicates an expended round, signifying that the pistol is still recharging. Attack types• Strike – A simple thrust; deals little damage.• Lunge – A strike with a bit more weight behind it. Deals more substantial

damage, yet also requires more time to execute.• Crushing strike – Requires a lot of energy and a wide swing; very slow, but

deals a lot of damage and can penetrate any block.• Circular strike – Requires an average amount of energy, and deals some

damage to all characters around you. A character hit by a circular strike sways backwards a bit, giving your character some room for maneuver and an opening for counterattack.

• Parrying – Forces the opponent’s blade to the side; does not require energy, and guards against crushing strikes. A successful parry will break the op-ponent’s rhythm, and spend a lot of their energy.


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• Deceptive strike (feint) – Like parrying, but takes longer to execute. If successful, allows you to catch the enemy’s weapon and immediately strike back.

• Block – Allows you to withstand any strike except a crushing blow. It doesn’t use any energy. You can block at any time, even interrupting your attack if you can see that it will be unsuccessful. A block can sometimes be penetrated with a common strike, if the opponent has some special Abilities.

• Pistol shot – Deals some damage, and forces the enemy back. � ere are di� erent types of pistols, and you need bullets to shoot; reloading during a � ght depends on the game settings, and is typically only performed with your blade sheathed.

• Dash – Lets you pop away from your opponent, back or to the side, to escape a hit or the � ght itself.

Fencing weapons are divided into three categories: rapiers (light), sabers (me-dium), and swords and axes (heavy), each with its own mastery. Each category has its advantages and disadvantages: heavy arms deal a lot of damage, but are the heaviest, and thus expend more energy to use; light arms put little burden on the � ghter, but do little damage to the opponent.

At all times the player has access to all three attack types, and all three types of defense. � e controls are bound to the three mouse buttons, and you can switch between attack and defense with the [Shift] key. Saber combat o� ers plenty of room for you to devise your own tactics – aggressive slashing, or de-fensive lunging. You can further diversify your style with Abilities. For example, the “Berserker” ability allows you to go berserk for 20 seconds, wherein you may hack through any defense and take no notice of enemy blows.

Assigning strike controlsTo simplify the controls, there is a key that, when pressed, switches between

attacking and defensive actions. By default, piercing and circular strikes are assigned to the left mouse button; crushing and feint to the middle button; and slashing and parry to the right. Blocking, shooting, and dashing are assigned to separate keys.

Looting corpsesEnemies and o� cers who die in combat will sprawl across the ground; if you

hit [Enter] and select the “Search body” command, or press the hotkey ([1], by default) while next to them, you can enter the corpse-searching mode, which is similar to the item trading menu. If you hit the “Do not search” button in the looting menu, you will prevent this body from being searched again. Be careful, as you may lose valuable items this way.


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Stealthy movementIt is hard to sail into an enemy port, as its fort will tend to � re relentlessly the

moment you show sail. You can try to fool the defenders with a di� erent � ag, but another idea is to secretly enter the city through the jungle, particularly dur-ing the night. Watch out for patrols and guards at the gate, though.

Bounty huntersIf you commit a lot of crimes against a country’s ships or citizens, any bounty

on your head will just grow and grow, which will make you all the more appeal-ing a target for bounty hunters, both on land and at sea. At sea, you can try to � ee or wage a naval battle. On land, you can try to � b yourself out of a situation, or simply remove the hunters’ heads. If you start to tire of all this, you need to visit your local diplomat, who may be able to reconcile you with the nation you’ve peeved so dearly.

Sea modeAll naval battles and attacks on forts are performed in Sea mode. Any en-

counter on the global map will trigger a switch to the Sea mode, where the battle will take place. You can switch between two views in Sea mode:

• � ird-person view – View your ship from the side. Use your mouse to ro-tate the camera around the ship, and zoom in and out with the scrollwheel.

• First-person view – See it all from the eyes of your captain.


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Ship statusIn the top-left of the screen you will see indicators of your ship status, and of

your squadron’s. � e icon in the center shows the ship herself. � e red bar rep-resents the hull condition; the blue one, sail condition. � e number in the white oval shows your crew number. Under the circle is the ship’s name. Th e stars above the ship icon show the ship’s class.

Mini-map� e mini-map shows the wind direction in relation to your ship, the locations of

enemy and friendly ships, as well as island outlines, if you happen to be near one.

• Friendly ships are shown in green; enemy ships in red; and sunken ship in blue. Neutral ships are gray.

• Below the mini-map, to the left, you can see the wind speed; to the right, your current speed and rigging.

• Shaded zones around the ship’s outline show the range of cannons, with the current ammo type.

• Th e ammo type is displayed in a small square under the mini-map. It also shows the number of shots of this type remaining.

• Th e icons that encircle the mini-map show the status of your cannons. When all icons are green, the deck is ready for a salvo. If your cannons are damaged, some icons will be red.


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SpyglassOne of the items you can use is the Spyglass. With its aid, you can glean

some information about an enemy ship. � e amount of information you receive and zooming strength depend on the spyglass type. � e better the spyglass, the more information you may learn about the ship.

Important: You can only use the spyglass in � rst-person mode.

To use the spyglass, press [Ctrl]. Any information about the ship you are viewing is displayed at the bottom of the screen. At the bottom-left is the ship status, her allegiance, hull and sail condition, ship speed, number of cannons, and the type of ammo she is using. At the bottom-right are the captain’s charac-teristics, but you can only see this information with the very best spyglass.

Quick commandsPress [Enter] during sea mode to access the ship’s quick commands. To ex-

ecute a quick command, select it with the arrow keys and hit [Enter]. � e quick commands are as follows:

• Moor – Appears when you are close to a friendly port. Hit this to jump to the nearby city or bay.

• Sail to – Quickly sail to a fort, city, bay, or other ship. Has a certain func-tional radius; also, doesn’t work during combat.

• Map – Go to the global map.


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• Reload – Lets you reload your cannons. From the list, select the type of ammo you want.

• Sails – Change the ship’s rigging. Select the rigging from the list that pops up. • Grappling – Appears when a vessel is close enough to board. • Cabin – Select this to go to your captain’s cabin. From there, you can move

between other ship locations (the Cargo deck, the offi cers’ Wardroom, etc.).• Cancel – Exit the quick command list.

Important: While you are in the quick commands mode, you cannot control your ship.

Managing your squadronWhen your squadron consists of more than one ship, you order the other

ships through quick commands. To switch between quick commands for your ship for the squadron, use the up/down arrow keys.

• Attack – Appears when enemy ships are nearby. An order to attack the selected ship and sink it.

• Grappling – Appears when enemy ships are nearby. An order to shoot grapeshot at the selected ship.

• Defense – Give an order to defend the friendly ship in question.• Sail away – Give an order to � ee the battle. • Remove sails – � e ship will remove the sails and await further order. • Fire-ship – Give an order to approach the enemy vessel and then set the

powder room on � re. � e explosion will be more powerful if you have a lot


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of powder in the hold. Naturally, this sacri� ces the ship. � e captain can save himself, if he has the “Lifeboat rescue” Ability.

• Cancel – Exit the quick command menu.

Sea battlesYou can win in a sea battle either by sinking the enemy vessel, or by capturing

it. � e principle � repower of 17th century sailing vessels is concentrated in the board cannon batteries, therefore it is most e� ective to target the enemy while your boards are facing them. Apart from board cannons, ships also have fore and aft cannons, which serve as additional � repower during maneuvers. Aft cannons are also quite e� ective against pursuers.

Ammo and gunpowderTo destroy your enemies, you have four types of ammo at your disposal:

cannonballs, bombs, chain shot and grapeshot. All types of ammo require gun-powder, so make sure you always have plenty.

• Cannonballs – � e cheapest, simplest, and most reliable ammo, suitable for almost any type of target, for either defensive and o� ensive use. But they are most e� ective against an enemy hull or against forts. Cannonballs have the longest range of all ammo.

• Bombs – � e most expensive and destructive ammo, bombs are cast iron balls, � lled with powder, garnished with a fuse. After the shot is � red, the bomb explodes, blasting the crew with shrapnel, setting the rigging on � re, and shattering the hull.

• Chain shot – � ese were created to destroy rigging and sails. Chain shots are two iron balls connected by a chain or a pole. During � ight, a chain-shot spins around, entangling rigging and breaking masts.

• Grapeshot – Small metal pellets, rather like a huge blunderbuss; deals ter-rifying damage to a crew. Since grapeshot is only good at close range, it is recommended to use it immediately before grappling.

To switch between ammo types, use the 1, 2, 3, and 4 keys. � e moment you select a new ammo type, the crew will start reloading them, so it is most e� ective to change your ammo just after a successful volley. � e bosun will always relay your order to the team with his booming voice, as well as informing you when a board is ready to � re.


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Targeting When controlling your ship in third-person mode, all you have to do is

position your ship so that the enemy is inside your cannon range, and press the � re button. Your gunners will target the cannons themselves. All cannons that have enemies in range will � re. � e accuracy of your shots in third-person mode depends on your “Accuracy” Skill.

When you are controlling the ship in fi rst-person mode, you control the targeting yourself. You set the vertical angle for the cannonball shot using your on-screen target; the higher the angle, the further the balls will � y. � e direction of the shots is the direction you are facing. When you set an angle that will result in a hit on the enemy, the target will turn red. � e shot will be made only in the direction you are facing, even if there are enemies that other cannons might hit. If you don’t see a target crosshair, it means that you cannot shoot in that direction.

You must remember that after you give an order to shoot, the cannonballs will not � y in that direction immediately, so if you are targeting a fast ship, take the speed into consideration.

Important: If you accidentally target a friendly ship, the target crosshair will become green.

Also important: � e crosshair will light up when your cannons are directed at a ship’s hull. If you want to shoot at the ship’s masts and sails, raise the crosshair a bit.

Damage to cannonsBad gunpowder, unskilled gunners, or a low-quality cannon build can

sometimes cause the guns to explode. � e probability of a gun exploding during a shot depends on your “Cannons” Skill and the gun’s type. Guns of larger calibers are tougher, and cannons are tougher that culverins. More often, guns will be destroyed by cannonball and bomb collisions.

You can replace damaged guns in the [F2]/”Ship” screen. (See “On-board guns”.)

Forfeiting battle – Leaving ships behindDuring a battle, the hero’s ship may exit the enemy cannons’ shooting radius,

which will activate the “Map” icon. If there are still companion ships engaged in the battle, then instead of exiting to the map mode, you will be asked if you want to “Leave your ships?”. You can return to the battle, or leave your ships and exit combat.


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GrapplingA true corsair will strive to board and capture an enemy ship, as there’s

nothing to gain from a sunken ship, yet the goods she carries, not to mention the ship herself are always of value. To successfully board a ship, � rst you need to get in close enough that your crew can toss their grapples. � e distance they can throw depends on their “Grappling” ability, and it can be improved by ad-ditional Abilities. As soon as an enemy ship is available for grappling, a quick ac-tion icon, showing a grapple, will appear next to the mini-map. To enter combat mode, hit the quick command key (Spacebar, by default).

Sometimes a nearby enemy ship may try to grapple you. If it succeeds, you have no choice but to engage them in battle.

Having grappled an enemy ship, you will appear on its deck, where you and your crew must defeat the enemy crew. � e number of sailors taking part in com-bat depends on the ratio between the two crews, but it cannot exceed the limit for the grappling deck, which is calculated from the ratio of your crew against the enemy crew. For example, if your crew is 100 strong, and the enemy has 150 people, then you will have 10 soldiers on your side, while the enemy will have 15. If the hero has Fighter/Grappler o� cers, they also will engage in combat.

It is important to have a supply of “Weapons” in your hold. Unarmed sailors will su� er greater losses. Having enough “Medicine” on the ship will lower your losses from wounds, after grappling. Your sailors’ “Soldier” experience a� ects their Skills and Abilities in melee combat, so veterans and masters, even if out-numbered, will be much more e� ective than rookies. Keep an eye on your stock of Weapons and Medicine, and resupply all ships in your squadron as necessary, since all of the above is true for your companions as well.

You can evaluate the number of people aboard an enemy ship using the spy-glass, and if they have advantage in numbers, you can � re grapeshot at their ship.

As soon as the last enemy dies on deck, and your sailors holster their sabers, you can begin the next stage of taking over the ship – a duel with the captain. Using the quick command (Spacebar), you will appear in his cabin, where you will face the captain one-on-one. At times the captain may not have the guts to face you, and decline your challenge. In that case, you will enter the ship looting interface straight away, and the captain will surrender to your mercy.

Take the captured shipIf you have a free o� cer on your ship, you can assign him to control the

newly-captured vessel. � e o� cer you assign to this position must have good Navigation, Accuracy, Cannons, and Defense skills. But if you don’t plan to keep the ship in your squadron, and just want to sell it in the nearest port, you can disregard the o� cer’s skills.


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You can take the ship by pressing the “Appoint captain” button; if you don’t see such a button, you will have to press the “Remove captain” button � rst, after which you will have to decide the captain’s fate – keep him as a captive, or kill him.

After you appoint an o� cer, you will have to redistribute the crew, by pressing the “Crew transfer” button – similarly to transferring crew between companion ships.

Let the surrendered ship goIf you successfully complete your boarding operation, then there’s no one

to let go, and unless you appoint an o� cer, the ship will simply sink. But if the captain and his crew surrendered without a � ght, or during combat they decided that resistance is futile, you will have several options, regarding their fate.

You can take everything of value from the hold and let the captain and what’s left of his crew go in peace. � ey will be tame when they regain control of the ship, and will try to leave combat as soon as possible.

You can also remove the captain from his ship, take him captive, or kill right there and then. You can take the crew as slaves, or throw them overboard.

Each of these decisions a� ects the hero’s reputation in a di� erent way, and can also sway the o� cers’ loyalty one way or another.

Stealthy sailing – Remaining undetectedWhile at sea, you can change your fl ag to appeal to your enemy. Th is may

allow you to travel unmolested, and approach to within grappling range without entering combat – or to trade with the enemy, or enter a city without engaging the fort in combat. All you need is a corresponding set of � ags, and these can be attained by selecting the “French Flag”, “Spanish Flag”, etc. in your Ship Abilities panel on the main “Character” screen. At the beginning of the game, the hero always has a choice between two � ags: the “Jolly Roger” or the � ag of his starting nation. � e ship’s class, the number of companions, and the Stealth Skill all af-fect the probability of not being recognized. You cannot change your � ag on land or during combat, so change it in advance, while enemy ships are still far away.

Cabin and moving on the shipWhile your ship is at sea, you can go to your private cabin. Simply select

“Cabin” from the menu:


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From there, you will have the option to visit other ship locations, such as the Wardroom or hold.

Chests for holding personal items

Your cabin has several chests where you can keep your personal items or money. � e chests allow you to keep as many items or as much gold as you want. When you switch ships, your personal items from the chests are automatically transferred to your new cabin.

Rest until morning or nightYou can also rest in the cabin. Your health won’t return as quickly as in a nice

tavern bed, but at least you don’t have to pay. To rest in your cabin, select “Speak Aloud” from the command menu (Enter), and then select the corresponding reply in the dialog.

Hiring slaves into the crewIf your hold contains slaves, you can recruit them into your crew. � is will

slightly decrease your crew’s morale and experience. � e number of slaves that may agree to join you depends on your Authority.

To use this function, select “Speak Aloud” from the command menu, then select the corresponding reply.


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Managing o� cersYou can manage your offi cers from your ship’s Wardroom. You can get to the

Wardroom from your cabin, through the Cannon Deck. Th ere you will fi nd your o� cers; you can start a dialog with any of them. If an o� cer is no longer needed, or is simply too expensive for you, you can relieve him. Only the larger ships have a Wardroom. Any Fighter/Grappler offi cers will always be in the captain’s cabin.

Captives in the holdAny captives you collect will be held in the ship’s hold. You can speak with them

as well. You can turn a captive into a slave, or release him and allow him to reach land (if your ship is not far from an island), which may improve your reputation.

You can hit your captives, or you can throw them overboard. But be careful, since their fellow captives might try to defend them, and even start a � ght!

If your captive is a pirate, you can hire him as an o� cer – that is, of course, if he agrees to serve you.

Also remember that city governors may pay a decent ransom for your captives – especially if the captive is one of their own nationals.

Send out a rowboatWhile at sea, you can send out a rowboat to a friendly or neutral ship. To do

this, hit [Enter] and bring up the command menu. � ere, hit the following button:

If your ship is close enough to the ship you want to send the boat to, you will see that ship in the list.

On the other ship, you will have to start a dialog; � rst with the captain, as the sailors will not speak to you. If you meet a squadron of several ships, the captain may send you to the � agship of that squadron, as he may not be authorized to discuss important issues with you.

� e captain of the � agship may tell you the prices of his goods, or various rumors; you can trade, or play cards or dice with the captain (if he pleases); you can also demand a toll for passing by.

Learn goods pricesIf you are sending a boat to a merchant ship, you may learn when the ship is

coming and the prices in the shops there. To do this, select the “Where are you coming from?” question in the dialog.


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TradingTo trade, select the “Shall we trade?” dialog option. If the captain agrees, you

will see a familiar menu. � e interface will show the goods on each ship; the goods that the captain does not want to trade will be displayed in red.

Play cards or diceYou can play cards or dice, provided you have enough cash and the captain

accepts your invitation.

Demand a “toll”You can try demanding money outright, by choosing the corresponding reply

in the dialog. � is method is rather risky, as the captain may refuse to pay you, forcing you into an unwanted sea battle.

It is important to note that if you take the “toll”, your hero’s relationships with that nation will change, yet the hero’s home nation’s relationships will not. So if you have a license, you don’t have to worry about losing it if you perform this action.

Global map mode� e global map mode allows you to quickly travel between the islands of the

Caribbean archipelago and the mainland colonies. � e global map controls are the keys [W],[A], [S] and [D]. To switch to sea mode, hit [Spacebar] or [Enter], to bring up the command menu and select the following button:

To switch to the global map from sea mode, hit [Enter] and press the follow-ing button:

� ere are two modes for viewing the global map, and you can switch between them using the [Tab] key. In the � rst mode, the camera is centered on your squadron and follows it. In this mode, you can zoom the camera in and out using the mouse wheel. In the second mode, the camera is not focused on your squadron, and you can pan it as you wish, but you cannot zoom in or out.


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On the global map, you can encounter storms as well as other squadrons, both friendly and not.

Th is interface shows you the direction of the wind (shown by the arrow), its strength (blue indicator, beneath), and the time of day. Below the icon, you will notice a bar, showing your crew’s morale. If the bar is red, your crew is at the verge of mutiny. Th e rosier your crew’s spirits, the greener the bar will be (as in the picture above).


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Below the morale indicator, you can see the number of days of provisions your squadron has remaining. � e timeframe given is based on your pooled provisions, so if you see an alert that a speci� c ship lacks some essential goods, you will need to transfer what it needs using the goods exchange interface.

Encounters with enemy shipsWhen you close in on an enemy ship, the following icon will appear over on

the right of the screen:

Hit [spacebar] to select a quick command, and the sailor on lookout will tell you the squadron’s fl ag, numbers, and nature (patrol, merchants, etc.). You can choose to keep sailing, or to attack. If you are unable to avoid the ships, the “Sail on” button may not be available; in that case you will no option but to � ght.

At very close range, the enemy ship may attack � rst – in which case the look-out will again report to you, and give you a choice of action.

Occasionally, you may encounter a battle in progress, that you can leap into. In that instance, your lookout will alert you as to who is � ghting whom.

Encounters with peaceful shipsEncounters with peaceful squadrons are almost identical to those with enemy

ships, except (logically enough) they will not throw the fi rst stone. If you � nd friendly ships on the global map, then you will see this icon to the

left of the wind indicator:

Hit the spacebar to use quick command and learn how many of what kind of ships you’re looking at. As with enemy squadrons, you can switch to sea mode, or choose to sail by. In this case, however, the “Sail on” button is always available.

Important: On the global map, squint closely at the � ag and sails on the ship icon to tell its nationality. As each ship class has a unique icon, you can also try to guess the make of the squadron’s � agship.


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Storms

You may encounter a storm on the global map. If you get close, you will see the following icon:

Hit the spacebar to bring up the command menu and switch to sea mode, and the storm will manifest right before your eyes. Your ship will su� er slight damage (depending on your hero’s Skills), and your hero will gain some experi-ence. After some time, the global map icon will reappear and you will be able to return to the map or moor at land.

Important: If you get caught in a storm during battle, you will have to remain in combat. It’s best that you avoid such a situation, as you will be unable to return to the global map until you sink the enemy ships. Keep in mind that your ship will continue to receive damage, and sea battles during a storm are very di� cult, which increases the risk of failure.

Bounty huntersIf you manage to greatly anger some nation, then it may send bounty hunters

after your head, and they will follow you on land and at sea. And if you can some-


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how deceive or bribe them on land, you will have to � ght them after an encounter on the global map, since the “Sail on” button will be inactive. Of course, you always have the option of running away if they can’t catch up with you.

You can read more about bounty hunters in the “Diplomat” and “Relations between nations” sections.

Capturing CitiesSooner or later your hero will have to face the need to capture a city. It may be

a mission from the governor-general, or player’s own wish. Port cities are guarded by a fort, and sometimes by military ships that might be near the port at the time. Jungle settlements do not have forts, and you can only capture them over land.

Di� erent city forts have varying numbers of guns and garrison. Every fort is equipped with powerful cannons with a large shooting radius, that might be much better than the best ship guns. Usually these are 42- and 48-pound can-nons loaded with bombs.

Destruction of the Fort and battle in the CityDuring battle, you will have to destroy most of the fort’s cannons. � e

number of cannons you must destroy depends on the game di� culty setting. As soon as this happens, a “Landing” quick command icon will appear next to the mini-map, which will take you to the next stage of your assault – a � ght with the remains of the garrison, inside the fort itself. Apart from destroying the cannons, you can target the fort with grapeshot to decrease the number of soldiers in the garrison. After you destroy the cannons, grapeshot will have no e� ect on the fort.

� e more sailors you have, and the more experienced they are, the easier it will be to break the defenders’ resistance. � e Allied Troop Landing Ability will include the crews of your companions’ ships into your storming force.

Th e presence of Weapons goods in your hold is extremely important. Un-armed sailors will su� er greater losses. Having the Medicine goods in stock will lower you losses from wounds after storming the fort. � is also applies to your companions taking part in the assault.

After squashing the fort garrison resistance, the hero enters the city with the remains of his forces, where he will have to battle the city guards to get into the governor’s residence.

� e hero enters the residence together with his o� cers, and he may � nd the remaining guards in there, or the governor alone, if his advantage in numbers is great enough.

In the dialog with the governor you can choose the city’s fate – looting or rais-ing a diff erent fl ag above it (take the city yourself, or give it to another nation).


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Land assault� e capturing of the city begins from the jungle at the city gates. From the Enter

menu, select “Speak Aloud” and then the “Start capturing the nearest city” reply. Th e assault will start if your ship is not in port (else the fort will just sink it)

and you have enough men.Next, you will have to battle the guards at the gates, after which you and your

followers enter the city to � ght the remaining guards on the streets and in the residence, as in a sea assault.

Note: If the fort in a port city remains intact, you can loot such a city, but not capture it.

Looting the cityAfter choosing to loot the city, you will receive a certain ransom before you

start the actual looting. You can loot a third of the goods available at the shop at the moment you capture the city. If the fort is intact, you can loot one-sixth of its goods. � e rest of the goods are taken away and hidden by savvy citizens.

� e controls in the looting interface are the same as in the shop, but without the price columns.

Hint: You can always check the shop’s stock levels, to tell beforehand if looting will be worthwhile.


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Raise a nation’s � agIn the dialog with the governor, you can choose to capture the city for your-

self, or in the name of another country; depending on your decision, a new ban-ner will be raised. You will be presented the choice to transfer the city’s custody if you have captured the country as part of a mission, or have a corresponding privateer license. After a while the city will be repopulated; the garrison will be resta� ed, a new governor will be installed, and the city will be absorbed into the colony in question.

Raise a pirate � ag above the cityIf you choose to keep the city for yourself, a pirate � ag will go up. After a

while the citizens will return to the city, but there will be no governor. You will have to appoint a deputy, from amongst your o� cers.

You must remember that the aggrieved party will not abandon its e� orts to retake the city, so you should expect fairly regular business calls.

Appoint a deputyA captured city requires a deputy. You can appoint him in a dialog with one

of your o� cers in the city or in the residence, by selecting the reply: “I hereby appoint you my deputy in this city!”.

Note: � e deputy is excluded from the list of your o� cers, he is not paid a monthly salary and he is not counted in the limit of o� cers you can hire based on your Authority Capability.

Remove a deputy� e deputy will always be in the residence, but in a dialog with him you can

select the “I need you on board, so I am relieving you from duty” reply. � en he will become an o� cer once again.

Collect taxesIn the dialog with your deputy you can select a reply about taxes that you

may collect. � e amount you can collect will depend on your Authority and Trade Skills, as well as the city itself. � ere are small cities that will not give you much in tax money, and there are big ones that will bring you more money. � e sum is accumulated every day, and you can collect it whenever you want to.

Sieges and retaking the city� e squadrons that will come to try to retake the city from the hero will

besiege the city for some time. � e hero might be able to make it in time to


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rescue the city and � ght the enemies. If the hero is not quick enough, the city will go back to its lawful owner. � e deputy will be executed, and all the money he collected will go into the city treasury. Is the hero had deposits with the local Moneylender, they are con� scated.

Pay ransom for your cityIf your hero has several cities, then sieges that start at the same time will

not allow him to rescue all of them, if the cities are far apart. Some of the cities might be captured.

You can talk to the diplomat about stopping a nation’s attempts to retake a city you captured, which will stop enemy squadrons trying to besiege the city. � e price of such a service is high, indeed, but the bureaucratic problems the diplomat has to solve are great as well.

If you pay such a ransom for a city, it will not be attacked again and will remain in hero’s custody forever, unless you decide to transfer the control over it to the Governor General of one of the sides.

Transfer control of your city to the Governor-GeneralYou can transfer a city that you captured for yourself to one of the countries.

� e city need not to be bought out with the aid of a diplomat. In the dialog with the governor-general, you can select the corresponding reply about transferring a captured settlement, and select your city from the list.

Your hero will be rewarded for such an action, and the nation’s relationship with him will improve.


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Default controlsGeneral

Switch 1st person / 3rd person modes [TAB]Acceleration [R], [+] and [-]Open character interface [F2]Open ‘’Escape’’ menu [Esc], [F1]Open ‘’Quick command’’ menu [Enter]Quick save [F6]Quick load [F9]Execute quick command [Spacebar]Screenshot [F8] (only 32 bit modes)

Sea � rst-person Move forward on deck Right mouse buttonMove back on deck Middle mouse buttonTurn ship left [A]Turn ship right [D]Raise sails [W]Lower sails [S]Execute a cannon salvo Left mouse buttonViewing scope [Ctrl]Zoom in mini-map [E]Zoom out mini-map [F]Load cannons with cannonballs [1]Load cannons with grape shot [2]Load cannons with chain shot [3]Load cannons with exploding shot [4]

Sea third person Zoom camera on the ship Mouse wheelZoom camera away from the ship Mouse wheelTurn ship left [A]Turn ship right [D]Raise sails [W]Lower sails [S]Execute a cannon salvo Left mouse buttonZoom in mini-map [E]Zoom out mini-map [F]Load cannons with cannonballs [1]


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Load cannons with grape shot [2]Load cannons with chain shot [3]Load cannons with exploding shot [4]

Land controlsPerform action (talk to a character) Left mouse buttonWalk forward W, Right mouse buttonWalk back [S]Move left [A]Move right [D]Switch between walk/run modes [Shift]Draw sword (turn combat mode on) [E]Browsing answers in dialog Arrow keys, mouse wheelSelecting answer in dialog [Spacebar], Left mouse button‘’Berserk’’ Ability [F]Use ‘’health potion’’ [X]Search a corpse [1]Show the name and parameters of the closest character [F12]

Character control in combatMove forward [W]Jump back [S]Move left [A]Move right [D]Draw/sheathe sword [E]Shoot the pistol [Q]Switch strike modes [Shift]Block [Spacebar]Piercing strike / Circular strike Left mouse buttonCrushing strike / Feint Middle mouse buttonSlashing strike / Parry Right mouse button

Global map modeForward [W]Back [S]Move left [A]Move right [D]Change map mode [TAB]Zoom in / zoom out camera Mouse wheelGo to sea (battle) [Spacebar]


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AkellaVP Development:• Dmitri Arkhipov Director, External Projects Department• Sergey Belistov Director, Testing Department• Denis Yepifanov Sales & Marketing• Svetlana Gorobets• Grigory Vladimiro PR Managers• Pyotr Golovin• Irina Semyonova• Olga Pak

Seaward.ruProject Leader• Edward Zaitsev

Atr-director• Yury Rohach

Lead Designer• Edward Zaitsev

Designer• Alexei Bobrovnikov

3D-Modeling• Yury Rohach• Alexei Ryabov• Pavel Rohach• Elena Sablina

Texturing• Yury Rohach• Andrew Rohach

Art• Andrew Rohach• Innocenty Shevchenko• Andrew Ivanchenko• Nikolai Lobzov

Intro Video• Yury Rohach

Subject Video• Maxim Kulakov

Animation• Pavel Barnev

Programming• Edward Zaitsev• Mikhail Volkov• Ivan Shcheblykin• Nikita Kurnosov

Subject• Edward Zaitsev• Pavel Karpov• Maxim Kulakov

People’s Quest• Ivan Lazarevich• Denis Borodaev• Mikhail Volkov

Editing texts• Ivan Lazarevich

Music created by• Nikolay Makarov• Rock band

«Doroga Vodana»• Alexei Nikiforov

Sound directors• Sergei Tsypin• Alexei Nikiforov

Montage• Alexander Krasavtsev

(“In-line studio”)• Anton Levkov

Actors• Igor Kornilov• Victor Solodkov• Valentin Samokhin• Ella Volkova• Victoria Nakleskina• Lilia Fomicheva• Vasily Pehov• Alexei Nikiforov• Anton Verbitsky• Maxim Kulakov

City of Abandoned Ships project


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Sound Engine• “FMOD Ex Sound

System” “Firelight Technologies”

Testing• Andrei Larionov• Sergei Mayorov• Sergei Tsypin• Alexander Sergeyev

• Artem Rodin• Dmitry Ivanenko• Sergei Kosterin• Vyacheslav Smirnov• Anton Kovalenko• Yevgeny Kudryavtsev• Boris Zakoyan• Fedor Checherov• Sergey Romanov• Eugene Taran

• Yevgeny Ivanov• Gennady Ivanisov• Pavel Knyazev• Alexander Nesterov• Igor Devil• Maxim Nazarov• Maxim Kulakov• Vasily Pehov• Sergei Zenin• Vladimir Grankin

Executive Vice President• Rogier W. Smit

Chief Technical O� cer & Production Director• Dominique Morel

Chief Marketing, Licensing & Sales O� cer • Pierre Yves Th iercelin

Chief Legal and Compliance O� cer • Catharina Prak J.D.

Producer • Poria Torkan

Product Support Services Manager• Hoang-Minh Luu

Legal & Produc-tion Specialist• Maaike Chanowski

International Sales Director• Lee Shuffi eld

Sales Manager• Russell Beadle

Marketing Manager• Beco Mulderij

PR Manager• Rick van Beem

Logistics Manager• Marius Snellink

Junior Product Manager• Erik Coenen

Design & DTP• Marijn Wegman

Illustration• Tom Th iel• Sven Papenbrock

Voicerecording• Universally Speaking

Testing Team• Stefan Snip• Robin de Visser• Quantic Lab• Bug-Tracker

Localization• Gamelocalization.net• Pearse Finnegan

Additional Artwork By• Playlogic

Game Factory

Special thanks to• Willem M. Smit, Chief

Executive O� cer• Everyone at

Playlogic International

Playlogic International


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Limited WarrantyPlaylogic International warrants you, the original purchaser of the Game, that

this Game will perform substantially as described in the accompanying manual for a period of 90 days from the date of � rst purchase. If you discover a problem with the Game covered by this warranty within the 90 days period, your retailer will repair or replace the Game at its option, free of charge, according to the process identi� ed be-low. Th is limited warranty: (a) does not apply if the Game is used in a business or for a commercial purpose: and (b) is void if any diffi culties with the Game are related to ac-cident, abuse, virus or misapplication. Returns within 90 day period Warranty claims should be made to your retailer. Return the Game to your retailer along with a copy of the original sales receipt and an explanation of the di� culty you are experiencing with the Game. At its option the retailer will either repair or replace the Game. Any replace-ment Game will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or 30 days from receipt, whichever is longer. If for any reason the Game cannot be replaced or repaired, you will be entitled to receive your direct (but no other) damages incurred in reasonable reliance but only up to the amount of the price you paid for the Game. Th e foregoing (repair, replacement or limited damages) is your exclusive remedy.

Limitations� is limited warranty is in place of other express or statutory warranties,

conditions or duties and no others of any nature are made or shall be binding on Playlogic International, its retailers or suppliers. Any implied warranties applicable to this Game or the media in which it is contained are limited to the 90 day period described above. TO THE FULL EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, NEITHER PLAYLOGIC INTERNATIONAL, ITS RETAILERS, SUPPLIERS ARE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNTI-TIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE POSSESSION, USE OR MALFUNCTION OF THIS GAME. THE FOREGOING APPLIES EVEN IF ANY REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSEN-TIAL PURPOSE. Some countries/jurisdictions do not allow limitations as to how long an implied warranty lasts and/or exclusions or limitations of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitations and/or exclusions of liability may not apply to you. � is limited warranty gives you speci� c rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from country/jurisdiction to country/juris-diction. For questions regarding this warranty contact your retailer or Playlogic International at: Playlogic International N.V. World Trade Centre C-Tower 10th Floor, Strawinskylaan 1041 1077 XX Amsterdam, Th e Netherlands

SupportFor questions regarding this game please contact Playlogic International at:http://www.playlogicgames.com/support


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Notes


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AGE OF PIRATES 2 – City of Abandoned Ships © 2009 Playlogic International N.V. All rights reserved. Developed by Akella and Seaward. Produced by Akella. Published by Playlogic International N.V.

Playlogic is a registered trademark of Playlogic International N.V. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. “Age of Pirates” is a Trademark of Feenix Gmbh, Karlruhe – www.feenix.de


manual age of pirates 2

Documents

previously saved game

select speak aloud

ship class penalty

cannon reload times

maximum allowed quantity

item trading menu

experience exchange ability

map load cannons