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I've fought a few battles now and I've come to the conclusion thats its best to be the defending fleet However, I'd like to hear some good tactics for attacking. I've tried the Nelson attack in column attacking line, but I get pretty hammered doing that, even with a numerical advantage. They keep getting "attacks of opportunity" or something like that. Perhaps long range battering of their rigging before turning up/down wind for the kill? Whats your guys tactics?

The "attacks of opportunity" are probably just ships using reaction movement.  I've found that when attempting a column attack to cross-the-T, it helps to take the lead ships out of the column as they begin to take too much damage.  It also helps to have at least two columns in a large naval action that are placed close enough to be able to support each other if necessary.

ORIGINAL: TheOx

I've fought a few battles now and I've come to the conclusion thats its best to be the defending fleet However, I'd like to hear some good tactics for attacking. I've tried the Nelson attack in column attacking line, but I get pretty hammered doing that, even with a numerical advantage. They keep getting "attacks of opportunity" or something like that. Perhaps long range battering of their rigging before turning up/down wind for the kill? Whats your guys tactics?

I try to tack about 2/3 of my fleet to the upwind side of the defenders and then sail down their line raking their sterns and then grappling them when I have a bunch of ships in position. The other 1/3 sails in colum towards the downwind side and only engages defensively until their will to fight starts getting low, then they try to rush in and grapple a few ships. If I get a dramatic wind shift such that the roles should be reversed I reverse them. Every once in a while the wind shifts enough to allow both wings to act aggressively and I do so.

Mus, that worked to pefection. Thanks!

I was out numbered and down wind in one engagement. I left my frigates in a line parallel and out of range of the enemy's battle line. My Man-O-Wars slipped behind the enemy battle line and proceeded to attack the rear-most ship. When it was finished, I attacked the next and so-on. The enemy finally withdrew. All during this the enemy fleet didn't react. The just sat there stupid in their battle line.

In a second engagement the odds were even. I repeated this tactic except this time my frigates joined the Man-O-Wars. The results were the same. The enemy just sat there while I attack the rear of their line.

George

Seen this as well. Chalked it up to superior English seamanship[:D] Working as intended? The AI responds well to column attack in the middle, but not so hot to attacking the fringes.