Warehouse Backbones/Backups:
When it comes to Warehouse Backbones/Backups there's a larger 'span' of resources to choose from that you can store for the raniest of days. I will look at all three types in this guide.
Tool Storage:
I learned this when I was very young in the game - Where you would get a level 50 warehouse (At the least) and fill it with tools. So when a pirate comes, puts you under blacklist etc - It will not cast any turns to get roughly a Million gold coins out. With Gold Bars recently evolved into the next best thing this has become outdated. However, it can still be used today. Personally the more you have of these the better, although 5 would be great.
Gold Bar Storage:
This has become very popular recently - Where all you really need is a level one warehouse in a designated port - It works the same as buying tools in as a reserve, you buy them and save them for a rainy day. You have got to bare in mind not to make your 'reserve' too large as Official List of Demands can remove 1% of Gold Bars per 'cast'. Due to the Tool Reserves being considerably obselete, effectively you could have 500 Gold Bars in every port (Excluding your Ship Building Ports) which would ensure you could cash in X Million in one instance (How many gold bars you sell, how many ports you have it in etc)
Ship-Reserve Ports:
Some people as awful as it sounds does not realize they may need this one day. Let us say you have annoyed a Pirate and he wants your blood - You only have one Ship Building port, he takes all your fleets. Leaves you with nothing. Normal pirates target Aiora for Official List of Demands first (As thats what they choose when they start off with). If you have another Ship Building port stacked with resources - Then you can re-build considerably easily. From a ex-pirate's advice I personally would have up to 5 Ship Building Ports ( 3 in the Wood Ports, which is obvious but effective and to top that off a extra 2 Ship Building ports in random places accross the map - So they do not know where to cast ( Very rare a pirate casts all 21 Official List of Demands to find out all ports )
Fleet Reserves
Now we will move onto Fleet Reserves - You may know about fleet reserves in one instanse or you may now know. However do not worry your pretty little face. I will talk about it here. Fleet reserves can be found within Ships which you sell in desperate times. Desperate times call for desperate measures - So they say.
Level 10 Ships
When it comes to Level 10 Ships this is not used often - With of course the value of selling a ship only 70% of its original value, which is a reason why. However let us say you have already used your Gold Bar reserves. And about to get zeroed until you realize you have a few level 10 Large Merchantmen sitting behind a fleet - Simply remove them out of a fleet sell them then thats a additional 900,000 (70% value) which saves your fleets from being taken by this monster.
Ships in a Mariner
This is really a Backbone for when you are actually wiped - Whether it be when your active or not. You build a expensive ship, get it levelled up to 10 usually it can be a Large Frigate or higher (Man of War is preferred, as its useless how it is as of now). When you are wiped - Withdraw this from your mariner, sell it on Market or to the ShipWright (70%) again. Then you have 25,000,000 gold coins to spend! (If its a Man of War, of course) A lot of booty, to start again! Thats just for one ship. I would recommend having a total of 3 Ships. One Man of War for gold, another Ship of the Line 60 attributes for credits. And another for missions.
Ships out of a fleet
Although to me this can be your destruction, it can still count as a backup. I see many Merchants including me with ships outside there fleets. Whether it is cheap ships like howkers or more lubractive ships like the LMM's. Whether they are used for tails when your others sink to protect your bigger ships, or just as 'Start' up again ships. This is a good backup to have. I would recommend having one 'ship' outside of a fleet, per fleet you have. (X * Y) When X is 1, and Y is the number of fleets you have. Remember - Cutters have the cheapest ransom ( Which avoids a pirate casting Ravage on them, as they will deem it unprofitable.)
Bank Reserves:
Although this will be a smaller section - I still think its worth talking about, and is the most used Backup people have (For it being cheap, pehaps to cheap) to withdraw gold coins. You basically put gold coins in the banks, save them for a rainy day or when you are building a ship. When it comes to how much Black Sparrow can add this, as he is a pro at 'How much' is needed as a reserve.
Treasure Hunting:
Treasure Hunting is perhaps, a outdated source however it is still used today. Unlike Banks though its a lot more dangerous - As someone can dig up your treasure. With a few modifications it could be popular. Again, if Black Sparrow can add to this with how much in terms of reserve, it would be brilliant.
I think that is it - I hope I helped you understand Reserves/Backups/Backbones a bit more then you already do.
Henry Avery.
