Naval Warfare tips!

Hey guys,

I just bought Napoleon Total War, and now I'm playing as the British!
The land battles are superb, but i get owned every time i play a naval battle...
I already tried different sorts of tactics, but for some reason, the AI always beats me!

So my question is: Do you have some tips for me to beat the AI??


Greetings,

Mithrandir the White

hmm try to stay in line, when you move

The AI is pretty aggressive and will charge like a bull. So just set up a line upwind and cross their T. If things get heavy try and run away to fight another day. Go back to base and repair your ships and chase the AI who usually hasn't repaired the battle damage. Try and save your bigger ships even if it means sacrificing smaller ships to do so when you run for it.

Never hang around in a losing battle.

Moved to Gameplay and Strategy Discussion.

Well, what I do in Naval battles is:

Tactic for 4 or more ships

DEPLOYMENT PHASE

Step 1: Divide your fleet into two groups (equilibrated) and form them in line astern;

Step 2: As the enemy usually comes head-on in your direction, what you want to do is turn your ships so that the broadsides are pointed to their deployment zone and one group touching the other in the oposite direction «--- ---» ,then, after checking if the two groups are equilibrated (this is very important) hit the "START BATTLE" button;

BATTLE

Step 3: You will usually have the first shots, and the minimap shall look like an inverted T with our line and enemy coming to it;

Step 4: Following that, you want to have your groups one on each side of the enemy line;

Step 5: When your groups arrive the end of the enemy line, start turning yours to keep up with the enemy fleet (turn so that the opposite broadside faces the enemy, the original must be really battered by now);

Step 6: Repeat 5 until the enemy is at the bottom of the sea or surrendered.

Tips when using this tactic:

Always have fire at will active and if your ships catch on fire deactivate it so that the crew is able to stop it.

In this tactic the best type of shot to use is the round one.

Avoid repairing your ships when using this tactic, as the most important parts of it are movement and shooting, which are disabled during the repair process.

Originally Posted by *_doGerdnA_*

Well, what I do in Naval battles is:

Tactic for 4 or more ships

DEPLOYMENT PHASE

Step 1: Divide your fleet into two groups (equilibrated) and form them in line astern;

Step 2: As the enemy usually comes head-on in your direction, what you want to do is turn your ships so that the broadsides are pointed to their deployment zone and one group touching the other in the oposite direction «--- ---» ,then, after checking if the two groups are equilibrated (this is very important) hit the "START BATTLE" button;

BATTLE

Step 3: You will usually have the first shots, and the minimap shall look like an inverted T with our line and enemy coming to it;

Step 4: Following that, you want to have your groups one on each side of the enemy line;

Step 5: When your groups arrive the end of the enemy line, start turning yours to keep up with the enemy fleet (turn so that the opposite broadside faces the enemy, the original must be really battered by now);

Step 6: Repeat 5 until the enemy is at the bottom of the sea or surrendered.

Tips when using this tactic:

Always have fire at will active and if your ships catch on fire deactivate it so that the crew is able to stop it.

In this tactic the best type of shot to use is the round one.

Avoid repairing your ships when using this tactic, as the most important parts of it are movement and shooting, which are disabled during the repair process.

Thanks!! Im going to try that now! +rep for you!

Congrats on the Naval Warefare.

Who else here supports stem cell research?

Use chainshot to slow down a faster ship that is harassing you and it getting more shots on you because of maneuverability. Actually, chainshot is great for demasting, and a demasted ship loses alot of morale, so if my ship is heavily outclassed with nowhere to run I'd rather take my chances with demasting then go toe-to-toe with roundshot.

Keep your ships together. Try and surround enemy ships as much as possible. And only use grapeshot after an enemy's hull is damaged by roundshot, otherwise most of the grapeshot will get deflected by the hull

Just out of curiousity, does anyone use boarding to capture enemy vessels? I tend to pound the enemy into submission from a safe distance - they either sink or surrender. Boarding seems to carry the risk of heavy losses to your own crew(s).

Originally Posted by meme_engine

Just out of curiousity, does anyone use boarding to capture enemy vessels? I tend to pound the enemy into submission from a safe distance - they either sink or surrender. Boarding seems to carry the risk of heavy losses to your own crew(s).

Yes, boarding is not a good idea, especially if you have a smaller ship than that of your enemy. However, it is a great way to capture smaller ships without provoking much damage.

Originally Posted by meme_engine

Just out of curiousity, does anyone use boarding to capture enemy vessels? I tend to pound the enemy into submission from a safe distance - they either sink or surrender. Boarding seems to carry the risk of heavy losses to your own crew(s).

Well if the enemy ships moral is broken and in flight, usually a smaller ship can take it without much trouble.

I will often board. I have had a crash or two, always when I capture the Spanish 140 gun ship in the Peninsular Campaign but the rest of the time it seems to come off okay.

I never board the big SOLs until they have been whittled down but merchant ships and small ships are not a problem as long as you can hook on to them.

One major thing to look out for is after boarding your own ships switch back to round shot and will shoot and blow up ships ready to surrender.

I have lost a lot of prizes that way.

Originally Posted by meme_engine

Just out of curiousity, does anyone use boarding to capture enemy vessels? I tend to pound the enemy into submission from a safe distance - they either sink or surrender. Boarding seems to carry the risk of heavy losses to your own crew(s).

Boarding also carries the big risk of freezing your game ... until this bug is fixed I would never board in NTW.

Hi guys,

I play a lot of NTW, and on-line, i prefer naval battles _ less confusion and better game speed.

So, I have now 6 stars (in Portuguese iron avatar) and i will try to help those are afraid of naval battles in NTV.

a) - naval battle against AI :

1. One ship full upgraded with xp (106 cannons for ex) easily can beet a fleet of 4-8 line ships of AI. Do not believe? I will tell you one simple thing: The AI ONLY shoot at you IF are in the red shooting range. BUT the real range of heavy cannons are more then red zone, (more or less + 25%) so if you will keep a safe distance - out of red zone but INSIDE of red-zone + 25% and keep shooting, (aim with calm) you will make A LOT of damage on AI ships. Its just a question of time until you the AI ship will loose the green and start to have red in the health bar.

2. Try to use the same ship always to win how much its possible xp - this affect your morale, fire accuracy and reload speed.

3. Like always a say, the most powerful formation in fight against AI its a fleet of one heavy ship + a group of 4-5 bomb ketch.s ; NO SHIP can survive against 3 -4 salvos from 4 -5 bomb ketch.s. This its a fact. Afraid by Nelson fleet ? ha ha, ITS SO NICE TO SUNK THEM! How ? read this:

1. Wait until you build a fleet of 4-5 bomb ketch.s ; attach them a heavy ship - one 74 guns or 106; keep the ships on harbor until you have all the fleet build. Engage then the Nelson fleet.

2. IN-battle: make a horizontal line of bomb ketch BEHIND your heavy ship; arrange them, if its possible, up to wind, in a way to have the Nelson fleet coming after you AGAINST the wind. This will slow down them and give you some extra salvo.

3. Advance with your heavy ship to engage the Nelson fleet, but in the last moment, turn and run in a direction far away of your bomb ketch.s ; make sure the Nelson fleet are coming after your heavy ship and NOT after bomb ketch.
The AI will engage the closer enemy, so its simple: have your heavy unit close to them BUT OUT of red zone of cannons fire. Be careful to keep your ship OUT of red zone, once the Nelson salvo make a lot of damage. Do not engage them with cannons ! Just run, keeping your ship just a bit out of red zone;

4. The bomb ketch are FASTER then Nelson fleet, so, they will manage to come close, in the fire range of the mortars, attacking the last ship in the Nelson fleet. They will destroy ship after ship with no problem.
Just keep running with your heavy ship and keep shooting in the back the pursuing fleet.

5. Be careful: IF some Nelson fleet turn against your bomb ketch, RUN! They are no match from a salvo of a heavy ship! The power of bomb ketch reside in his HIGH, unreal accuracy, the devastating power of mortar shell, AND his ability to run faster then a heavy ship. BUT you must use all this ability TOGETHER to win.

Hope to help wit this. Also, if somebody need extra help, just put here a request . A big hug !