SAILING: EASY OR NOT?
Sailing is assumed to be an easy skill in this game, but it isn’t! The differences between skilled sailors and mediocre sailors will be the difference between finishing the event or not.
Important to note here that the lower PH level ships do not sail fast enough (or have enough crew to beat many 5 star targets during a cruise) to complete the event, but a skilled sailor will still get more rewards!
To become a skilled sailor follow the advice below. Practice makes perfect!
PRIOR TO THE EVENT: WHAT ARE THE CAPABILITIES OF YOUR SAILING CREW
For maximum points during the event you need to know the limits of your sailing crew. It has been proven that the most efficient crew at PH11 level is 4 Witch Doctors and the rest Bombers. On the Western map I haven’t found a cruise that results in a “Lost At Sea”! Regardless of the number of battles, a PH11 with maxed pirates will run out of distance before getting “Lost At Sea” and the voyages can be up to 3 days long dependant on the route and battles. On the Northern Map I can battle 5 x 5star monsters/ships without going “Lost At Sea” (Depending on the rate I lose WD’s, occasionally I will lose all 4 WD’s in which case I lose more Bombers, so 5 Battles is a SAFE number).
For pirates with less than PH11, as part of your normal sailing push the limits of what your crew can do to determine what you can safely do in in the event. Having found your limit, back off by 1 battle what the limit of your event voyages should be to ensure you do not go “Lost At Sea”.
HOW TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE/EVENT
There are only two reasons for not being able to complete the event:
1. Ship can’t sail fast enough due to PH level less than 10. For anyone in this category you should be trying to maximise your rewards, but an expectation of finishing is unrealistic. Finishing will become realistic upon upgrading to Ph10 and above.
2. Can’t keep the ship sailing (poor time management or just can’t be bothered).
SEA PREPARATION
For at least a few days (maybe a week) before the event, sail only to two or three corners of the Western seas map clearing the deep water targets. Importantly, leave one corner alone, so that when the monsters regenerate on the map they will do so in that corner or close to it. This action will concentrate all targets into a smaller area. Less distance between battles = more battles in the voyage and more points.
The map shows the clearing action of three voyages.
PRE-EVENT VOYAGE:
Use your prepared Western Seas map.
Take the shortest route to to get to the 4 & 5 star targets and maximise the voyage on those targets. This example targets 5×5 stars, 8×4 stars, 2x 3 stars. (It was quicker to go through the 3 star targets than around). The result of this voyage was 16120 points.
It doesn’t matter how long before the start of the event it finishes as long as the rewards are picked up after the start of the event, it counts to the event.
Once the voyage is finished DO NOT GO ON THE MAP until the event starts as it will immediately try to make you complete the voyage. If you hit the map icon by mistake turning the device off and on again has worked in the past to get back to the base screen.
Another tactic is to sail a little farther after the last battle. That way you can check your ship isn’t “Lost At Sea” before the voyage finishes.
Start the voyage four days before the event start. If you go “Lost At Sea” you still have time to do a slightly shorter long cruise (two bites at the cherry) and still get a head start to the event.
SAILING THE EVENT
CREW: the strongest crew available ensures less chance of a “Lost at sea” result. Use up to 4 Witch Doctors, and the rest Bombers. I haven’t found a voyage that I can’t complete with that crew, on a ship with 75 seats available. Smaller ships might limit the WD to 3.
STRATEGY:
1. Collect the rewards of a long voyage just after the start of the event. It makes no difference if the voyage finishes just after the start of the event, or two days beforehand, if the rewards are collected after the start of the event they count to your score! This gives an immediate head start and is vital to finishing the event. Collect the rewards by tapping on the pirate icon above the ship in the starting position on the map. You can then start your second event voyage just after the start of the event.
2. Ensure no “Lost at Sea” by conducting only safe voyages. No “dangerous” or suicidal” trips. The loss of time on the event will hurt you.
3. The points gained from sailing are insignificant compared to the points from battling 5 star monsters. Make voyages as short as possible battling as many 5 star monsters as possible. Because there are more 5 star monsters in close proximity on the northern map, use that map during the event. Lower PH’s may not have all the maps so may have to use one of the others. Western Seas gives the least points, Eastern seas gives more points, and the Northern Seas gives the most.
My voyages vary from 13 to 19 hours taking in 4 to 5 five star monsters and I only occasionally enter stormy seas. I finished the last event early on the sixth day.
4. Time spent idle is the killer. Match voyage length to when you will be able to play the game. If that means a shorter voyage timed for when you wake in the morning as opposed to finishing halfway through your work/school day, choose the short one. Wake up, collect the rewards, and send it out on a longer voyage that finishes in the evening when you’re free to play again.
5. The ship cannot be used when upgrading, so upgrade before or after the event.
Time spent idle is the killer though, so balancing the short voyage and longer voyages around sleep, work, when you have time to play the game, etc will be vital. Better to get some points from a longer voyage whist sleeping than none.
| 13 hours 53 minutes This extra time might be useful if it was timed to finish at 5:30am, and you normally wake at 6am. Use this instead of the third route. At least a few extra points gained then instead of sitting idle. |
13 hours 17 minutes
Fastest route, back out there quickest to more battles and big points. Quicker voyages means more voyages which means more points over the event.
Event voyages are on the northern map as there are more 5 star monsters in close proximity to each other.