Last night was my first experience doing naval combat in ArcheAge. Lag aside, it was a resounding success and some of the most fun I’ve had in the game to date. A big thanks to the Praetorian guild for organizing the event and inviting The Immortal Imperial Legion.
I made a quick trip to the Priestess to change my build back to Justicar before meeting up with our guild. Earlier in the day I’d exchanged two class trees. I’d swapped in Battlerage to begin leveling my Paladin build and Songcraft, the second healing tree. Deciding to level both at the same time, I was in an ineffective melee build that definitely wasn’t safe for PVP.
Felt like EVE Online
I had no idea what to expect when the call went out to join up for the event. Our guild portaled together into Two Crowns. As we rode down to the docks, we were met by a sizeable force of bodies jostling each other while things were being organized. The event leaders began grouping people into specific teams within the raids that were being formed. People were asked to self-identify a role within their party. Cannonballs were being handed out. Players who could apply buffs were shouting where to find them if you wanted to be buffed. It was fun chaos and not unlike forming roam fleets in EVE Online.
As teams were assigned to ships, they were given call signs and specific roles. We were advised to listen, stick to the roles and stay with the assigned ship. The ships were spawned and we loaded up. Our composition included two cutters and five clippers. The cutters were our gunships. The clippers were for tackling and scouting. Yep, this was EVE but on the water.
One in Every Bunch
I suppose you can expect to have assholes in every bunch. I was assigned to the cutter owned and being captained by our guild leader, Fannel. Things were settling down when I saw people’s health dropping. I was confused as to why. There were no enemy ships near us. We were just leaving the docks. I started casting AOE heals and putting HOTs on individual targets, all the while wondering WTF.
Ah ha, realization dawns when I see purple names. Motherfuckers! We have PKers onboard – players who “bloodlust” to kill their own faction. It’s such an asshole and cowardly move. Done by players who don’t have the balls to fight pirates or the enemy faction where their intention is obvious because they’d be flagged red. Whatever – they were roffle stomped into the deck without killing a single one of us. Thanks “Winning Everyday”, the easy honor points were much appreciated. Now go die in a fire why dontcha.
On our way after killing raid members who were chickenshit PKers
Sailing in formation looking for targets
Big Badda Boom
It took a little while to find targets. Sailing in our winged formation – the 5 clippers like an arrow in front of the cutters, takes time and coordination. None of us had ever worked together before and many people have only sailed their ships to do solo trade runs. In a fleet you have to perform as a team and follow explicit directions.
Killset and others man the cannons
The Fleet Commander was calling out directions to scouts (clippers) and waypoints for the gunships (cutters). It took about 15 minutes before we encountered our first enemy ship, a poor lone clipper. I knew we’d kill him and take their trade pack. Reds do that to us on a daily basis. It wasn’t until the command went out to start firing cannons that I realized we were going to sink all ships regardless of size.
My first reaction was “Wait…what… we’re going to destroy his ship??” Ouch! Having your ship destroyed is such a kick in the nuts. Poor clipper splintered in a matter of seconds. I suppose all is fair in war. It’s not like reds don’t do the same to us. We were attacked by a large ship and clipper loaded with reds during our guild fishing event. Not much you can do to fight back wearing a fishing rod and sitting in a rowboat.
The area became more target rich as we moved deeper into contested waters. I have to admit being flustered during the first encounter. I have a fear of heights that persists in games. Being near the edge on a cutter is scary on its own. Combine that with collision detection/body bumping from a couple dozen people squeezed on board and lag, moving at all feels very precarious to me. There’s an instant of true fear my intellect can’t control.
The cutters are intentionally separated at this point having been sent to different waypoints. Our ship is positioning itself to fire on a clipper containing several enemy players. I always insist on pulling my weight so I move to the ship’s bow and try to help get the ship into combat which prevenst the owner from de-spawning it. The jostling up front is a scary thing but as ranged DPS, I’m able to target and help destroy the ship since the cutter maneuvers to slowly to align it for cannon fire.
WHEW! I didn’t have to stay at the bow very long. As soon as the ship went pop, I went back to the middle of the deck. I watched the retrieval team swim around collecting the scattered trade packs. Once everyone was back onboard, we proceeded to the next location.
Go Big or Go Home
I didn’t like fighting at the edge of the ship. *Shudder* I made a decision to go big or go home. Even though I only consider myself to be an average PVP player, I changed my raid designation from defender to attacker. Standing on the edge casting spells wasn’t going to work for me.
We’re on the move again with an enemy location identified. We arrive and align for cannon fire. Several reds are on board and there are trade packs. We get closer and the FC tells attackers to get ready. I exchange my plate boots for swimming fins. I hear GO and jump off the cutter.
Launching my glider, I'm first in the air flying toward the enemy target. Uh, this might hurt landing first and alone but there’s no turning back now. I hear Killset encouraging my insanity on TeamSpeak shouting, “Go Aly, go!” I float down into the center of the reds. I do AOE stun followed by AOE DPS. Other friendlies land alongside. We dispatch the reds with ease. SCORE!! The surge of adrenaline when facing off against other players has no equal in gameplay.
Docked at Crescent Throne to unload our first wave of booty
Searching for more targets - 2nd from left is me wearing my swimfins
Definitely Successful
The rest of the evening progresses in the same fashion. During the 2.5 hour event we kill lots of ships, several in multi-ship battles and ran into a recognized Twitch streamer named Pace22, known for his privateering antics. We join efforts in an attempt to maneuver a Lutesong Junk out into contested waters but they’re able to slip by. I know they were shitting a brick during the attempt that lasted for several minutes and was very close to tipping them over.
Watching the fleet's attempts to box in the Lutesong Junk
Trying to block one of its escape routes
We're up against a cliff but our weight starts to submerge the Lutesong
Hope we do it Again
It was definitely a successful event. The tally of enemy ships destroyed when I left was 6 fishing boats, 4 cutters, 16 clippers and lots of red corpses. We lost no ships and had no deaths until the last yolo fight, where we were warned going in it would likely result in our deaths. It was as the end of the event - actually past the time allotted. We’d lost half the fleet and had condensed down to one raid on a single cutter when a group of fishing boats with clippers was spotted.
The FC asked if we wanted to give it a try and those of us still there said yes. We destroyed their ships and went FFA in the water. Dozens of players everywhere fighting any and all takers. Like an idiot, overly excited, I got out ahead of our pack trying to slow fleeing players. Brokenwind and Killset nearby when we got swarmed. Yeah, this is gonna hurt. There’s too much chaos going on for anyone to resurrect me before the re-spawn timer expires. The game resurrects me in Crescent Throne which is leagues away. I call it quits for the night.
I would definitely do that again and hope it becomes a regularly scheduled event. I see the attraction. I felt the lure of naval combat and understand why many players have made this their end game. It’s exciting, challenging and ever changing. Please sir, I want some more.
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