So earlier today, I was hammering away on a Merchants Armada. This sailor has several hundred trade ships and has elected to not equip them with any guns (assuming to avoid the daily upkeep cost).

Seeing this, I took my trusty Sloop of War up against these ships for quick cash grab. The treasury was sinking nicely and getting close to plunder some ships, when all of a sudden, I LOST A BATTLE. I lost a battle to a NO CANNON EQUIPPED LMM. This said LMM however had the new ship trait Leviathan Assualt. On the 3rd round it called the beast and my ship was sunk and the battle lost.




I am torn on this and would like the communities feedback. Should a ship with no cannons equipped, be able to win a battle simply due to a ship trait? Should a ship with the Leviathan Assault ability need cannons to be active?

I am good either way, I was simply surprised by this outcome.
Oh and it happened twice in a row! Lucky 5% hit (twice)! SMH....

I would say cannons should have no factor in Levi assault. I mean think about it-it's a leviathan that's sinking your ship not cannons. Though that is a rather funny story. Maybe one of those sailors was a voodoo doctor

I wanted to post this pic with cannons attached to its tentacles but I am no One Eye. So, I give you this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60AjI1pIzVQ

I agree with Meliva...it's a Levi assault not a ship charge!
I've had it happen when I really should have won the battle..I was a little surprised but it made me laugh..
It's just the way the mop flops...surprises are great!

Lol, cdv!

I completely disagree. If someone can't be bothered to pay 140 gcs a piece for cannons then they have shown they have no intent on trying to defend themselves. Not only should they be required for Levi assault they should be required for all ship traits to be active.

Cannons are the very basic defense of any ship.

Turn it around to make my point, if I decide to attack someone without cannons equipped, should I be able to win simply on Ship attributes? No, I should be ridiculed and laughed at in a very public way.

JMO though I guess

Feniks wrote:I completely disagree. If someone can't be bothered to pay 140 gcs a piece for cannons then they have shown they have no intent on trying to defend themselves. Not only should they be required for Levi assault they should be required for all ship traits to be active.

Cannons are the very basic defense of any ship.

Turn it around to make my point, if I decide to attack someone without cannons equipped, should I be able to win simply on Ship attributes? No, I should be ridiculed and laughed at in a very public way.

JMO though I guess

The difference is that ship attributes are a part of the ship. Calling a leviathan is not. Some ship traits already need cannons to work, and some are unrelated to them and shouldn't be forced to have them. We have the trait extra cannons and fire assault, that require cannons, then we have extra cargo and loyal crew which don't and shouldn't.

If we go and force everyone to have cannons to access traits then why stop there. Why not force everyone to have a full cargo to access all traits, or to fully level all ships to maximum level.

Traits should only require things that are necessary for them to function-nothing more.

Interesting.... I would like to here some more feedback on this, before I provide my input.

Meliva wrote:

Feniks wrote:I completely disagree. If someone can't be bothered to pay 140 gcs a piece for cannons then they have shown they have no intent on trying to defend themselves. Not only should they be required for Levi assault they should be required for all ship traits to be active.

Cannons are the very basic defense of any ship.

Turn it around to make my point, if I decide to attack someone without cannons equipped, should I be able to win simply on Ship attributes? No, I should be ridiculed and laughed at in a very public way.

JMO though I guess

The difference is that ship attributes are a part of the ship. Calling a leviathan is not. Some ship traits already need cannons to work, and some are unrelated to them and shouldn't be forced to have them. We have the trait extra cannons and fire assault, that require cannons, then we have extra cargo and loyal crew which don't and shouldn't.

If we go and force everyone to have cannons to access traits then why stop there. Why not force everyone to have a full cargo to access all traits, or to fully level all ships to maximum level.

Traits should only require things that are necessary for them to function-nothing more.

If that is the case then why doesn't loyal crew return the ship to you automatically without it being triggered by something? There needs to be a trigger.After all it is an attribute of the ship.. If they are ship attributes as you state then they are ship attributes for all and need to be treated the same. It can't benboth.

Feniks wrote:

Meliva wrote:

Feniks wrote:I completely disagree. If someone can't be bothered to pay 140 gcs a piece for cannons then they have shown they have no intent on trying to defend themselves. Not only should they be required for Levi assault they should be required for all ship traits to be active.

Cannons are the very basic defense of any ship.

Turn it around to make my point, if I decide to attack someone without cannons equipped, should I be able to win simply on Ship attributes? No, I should be ridiculed and laughed at in a very public way.

JMO though I guess

The difference is that ship attributes are a part of the ship. Calling a leviathan is not. Some ship traits already need cannons to work, and some are unrelated to them and shouldn't be forced to have them. We have the trait extra cannons and fire assault, that require cannons, then we have extra cargo and loyal crew which don't and shouldn't.

If we go and force everyone to have cannons to access traits then why stop there. Why not force everyone to have a full cargo to access all traits, or to fully level all ships to maximum level.

Traits should only require things that are necessary for them to function-nothing more.

If that is the case then why doesn't loyal crew return the ship to you automatically without it being triggered by something? There needs to be a trigger

Don't see how that relates either to what you posted before or what I posted, but I'll answer it anyway.

If loyal crew did that it would be too powerful. It would make such a ship completely impossible to steal, which is something that no ship should be. As for a trigger being needed, some traits do need a trigger, but not all need one. Again this relates to traits needing what is necessary for them, there is no point in adding something that does not add to the trait in a beneficial way.

Levi assault attempts are triggered in the third round of combat : if the ship has no cannons it dont matter : its not a cannon thats being 'fired' : nor does it matter if the ship is down to its last HP : if it starts the round the Levi can be unleashed. This has always been stated in the info on ship traits : fire assault is similar in operation.
The issue is why the unarmed ship lasted long enough to trigger the levi assault : that's down to the attacking vessel being unable to sunk it prior to the third round trigger event. Thats a factor attackers have to consider now traits exist.. along with the other unknowables like extra cannon, durable sails, attribute stacking and tech boosts.
Variety of choices means sometimes they work for you.. and sometimes against you.
Sending a single SoW against unarmed trade fleets used to be a 100% win : but not anymore.
Adapt or lose.