Sinking Flagships
 

Meself and me hearty, Ferrex The Scurvy went out into open waters hunting a certain ship that goes by a certain name and reputation, the Barracuda. Well we indeed found her off the shores of Isla Perdida. Ferrex starts taking her sails down starboard while I use me broadsides.

...Allow me to offer ye a bit more information. We both be of 13 Notoriety. Me sail'n skills be 10 whiles me cannon guy be nearly 9. We be taking on a level 27 Warsloop.

So me be do'n all the dodging, making sure we be at a distance when we broadsides her and then we come about close when we are at her bow and stern. Her fore mast was the first to crumble, then her main topsail...but it did take awhile fer me cannon boy to take down her Main sail....her Gaff must've be made of iron.

We then gained the ability to board her. We knew that if we did we would had some treacherous and highly trained blaggards to deal with. We then tried to sink her instead. Her sails were down and methinks we couldn't have done more damage to her hull.

There be rumors of being able to sink flagships...and we be try'n to but we were shootin at unsinkable rubble, or so it seemed.

If'n me cannon boy used flame cannonballs I heard that works. We be needing the booty off this ship and noth'n more.

Methinks that some information mayhaps before we try to go after this filthy sea dog again!

My observation on the subject.
If you use fireshot before grappling the boat, it will likely sink instead of giving you the chance to grapple/board. Once you grapple the ship, I dont think any amount of cannon fire will sink it. You must board a flagship to receive its plunder. When/if they sink prior to being grappled/boarded, plunder is not rewarded, generally your only reward when that happens, is the "reps" earned.

Zeppers lvl40
http://pirates.teamofx.us

Be there any tips or tricks mayhaps that can afford meself and me two manned crew of 13 Notoriety a victory over boarding this particular ship?

the voodoo doll dance, just attune and run circles around them whilst poking them repeatedly lol

After grappling, use your grape shot to shoot as many of the crew as show themselves--allow some time for this as they sometimes hide. Once you board then it's just a melee until you or they are dead. You might want to get some more help if you plan to board flags.
:degen:

Indeed me cannon boy mentioned he mayhaps taken down a few with his guns and mayhaps we try that next time. I be in yer debt.

I can confirm that fireballs still sink flagships, but only when used at the wrong time and on the wrong part of the ship. I still regularly use it when solo boarding, but I'm only rank 1 and I use it for the specific purpose of burning the sails off the masts from a distance. Unfortunately, that means if I'm sloppy and hit the deck when the ship is low on hull points, then it will sink.

Getting troops to come out on deck before/after grappling has been made progressively less reliable, but it seems to me that sometimes taking a few potshots at stairs, at the banisters around forecastles, near the helm, and at cabin doors especially. However, they really seem to change it around a lot; there were a few weeks when I could swear that other than taking out the helmsmen it didn't matter how many you took out, you'd still see the normal amount once aboard.

I would suggest goin after the non-flag ships if you dont think you can handle the flag ones. Goin up against a flag though use your dolls. Attune each other to heal and attune the enemy to kill and do the Voodoo dance.

Yar, mayhaps me be need'n to go practice on me neglected dolly.

Be there any unflagged Barracudas? If'n that be the case then they not be show'n their face to me yet.

Have you tried sailing away when the grappling hooks land? That always works but I don't think you get Plunder.

Nay but the plunder is what me be need'n.

There are better pure plunder options than the Barracuda, but you may need them for a quest.

In any case, if you set sail from Tortuga, then you might try sailing northeast out to the east side of Salty Flats. If you set sail from Port Royal, then you might try heading east toward Isla Tormenta, and then sail around between Isla Tormenta and Kingshead (there's usually 1 on Smuggler's Run somewhere). If you leave from Cuba, then sail around the west side and head down south to the west side of Dead Man's Trough. If you leave from Padres Del Fuego, then you might just see some sailing on Boiling Bay.

Theres often a few sailing the waters between PDF and Port Royal.

Zeppers Lvl40
http://pirates.teamofx.us

Ahoy mate! I be in yer debt, and rightly so! Indeed there be Barracudas in those waters and me mate and I sunk her fast and at last the onyx earring be mine!

I find boarding that Navy War Frigate the best for me to do the Voodoo Runaround in cricles (even when I'm matched up against 4 officers- for a level 11 voodoo doll).