Enemy ships getting stronger?

[MacIronhawk]

I use guerilla warfare... sort of...

All I'll do is go in front of(or behind) a ship and do broadsides, never letting them get me. I can go through twenty to fifty ships without getting hit once. That's only if I don't dock.

I usually knock out the sails of enemy ships with my cannons. I'll let the front of the enemy ship be near the end of the compass and then I'll start using lightning. I'll only use five and then I'll use round shot to take out the rest of the sails. This really helps me when I need to level up my cannons.

Also, I've been doing this because I'm afraid of some enemy ships.(Yep, I admit it.) Isn't there a bug where when an enemy ship is near you when they spawn, it will do extra damage to you? My war frigate was sunk by a Corsair in two broadsides because I went by it when it was spawning. That's why I've been using a form of "guerilla warfare". Hit them when in firing range, run away, hit them, etc...