The pirate strategy of having a small amount of ships so you won't lose levels on them. Its so silly, wasn't this supposed to help the new players and hinder old ones. These players have more warships than me and significantly more battles yet I'm the one losing levels and they're not. Skyhawk invented this strategy but unlike him these guys are using the biggest ships in the game, with no worries of losing levels. Its so gamey.

Less QQ more pew pew

The reason you are losing levels, my friend, is because your not protecting your heavies. Its plain and simple. Protect them, and they can't lose levels, and if they just happen to lose levels, then it won't be your heavies, it'll be little ships that are easy to raise back up cheap.

And, these "scum lords" you talk about, just have a better strategy... They are anything but "scum".

That has nothing to do with it doomi.
-Ship Damages
-Ship damages are applied only to the winner.
-In case of tie, ship damages are applied to both.
-Ships that are sunk in the battle, get a small chance (Sink Chance) to lose a level. If they are level 1, they are sunk (lost forever). The chances are relative to the amount of ships the owner posesses and are:
1 to 3 Ships: 0% Sink Chance (Ships never lose a level)
4 to 10 Ships: 2% Sink chance
11 to 25 Ships: 5% Sink Chance
26 to 50 Ships: 25% Sink Chance
51 to 100 Ships: 33% Sink Chance
101 to 150 Ships: 50% Sink Chance
151 to 200 Ships: 75% Sink Chance
201 or more Ships: 100% Sink Chance (Ships always lose a level)

Things may lose levels, but the advantage of small warships is that they are SMALL and CHEAP. They get job done too.

That's not what Spastic is talking about. He's talking about LARGE and EXPENSIVE ships. Unless you consider Men-o-War and Sols small, cheap ships in comparison.

Well, with what Im bringing in, SoLs are cheaper than you'd think...

Then you just countered yourself. You said small inexpensive ships. Then you missed the in comparison part because I knew you say that. 750k is large and expensive compared to 12k. A sol is not a small ship, nor is a MoW. I think you missed the point of this thread too doom so please find a place that fits your need to boast.

Having the minimum ships also has it's downside. You can't participate in the trading business.
I'm sure most merchants earn most of their profit from trading while staying under the radar. But some would risk their fleet/ships to profit more than the rest, ignoring the dangers.

Pirates require turns to plunder. -nuff said.

You can always buy turns. traders make money but its impossible to get anything back when they attack. When they attack they aren't really risking much. Worst case they lose some of the gold they stole. Which is a fiar strategy but they should also be losing levels on their ships, which they don't so its risk free.