Summary and Gunnery Philosophy

Summary

Recommendations

Brawlers

Snipers

Disablers

Ship Selection

So, finally having brought all this knowledge into combat situations, a good starting point for a final discussion on gunnery philosophy is the dynamic between DPS and Damage. In many games, you'll simply want to maximise your DPS to make sure you are as powerful as possible. However, as mentioned earlier, the issue of gun selection in Naval Action is slightly more complex because damage is positively correlated with penetration but negatively correlated with DPS.Thus, maximising your damage output means putting the largest guns on your ship. These can be either Carronades (if you don't mind close quarter engagements) or Medium Cannons (if you do). However doing this lowers your DPS and puts your penetration under what it could maximally be (with Long Cannons).If you choose to maximise your DPS you will necessarily lower your damage per shot and penetration. To achieve maximum DPS you should (somewhat counterintuitively) equip the smallest but fastest-reloading Carronades or Medium Cannons (depending on your taste).Maximising penetration means going for the heaviest Long Cannons you can equip, but this will lower your DPS and damage per shot.I didn't compose this guide to push a certain approach to the game or to recommend a specific weapon loadout. Rather, my intention has been to explain and illustrate the gun mechanics of Naval Action so that you, the reader, can apply this knowledge to your own gaming experience.I will now conclude, however, with a brief description, and advice for, some of the broad groupings of players that I have encountered in the Caribbean. In truth, there are as many approaches to gunnery as there are Captains in Naval Action, but they can be grouped broadly into three chief philosophies; Brawlers, Snipers, and Disablers. Bearing in mind the contents of the guide so far, here is an outline of these philosophies and how they are affected by the different gun choices.Brawlers like to get up as close as possible and lock the enemy in combat. Naturally this strategy benefits hugely from increases to rate of fire, damage and penetration. If you find yourself engaging the enemy on these terms, you are probably using carronades, and there is little reason for you to do anything else!Carronades offer the highest rate of fire and highest damage of all the gun types. Furthermore, their penetration values are as a rule very high at close range. Sailing in close to the enemy and firing from as close as range as possible means that the inferior range and accuracy of carronades is irrelevant. Neither medium nor long cannons can compete with carronades in terms of what is important to the Brawler.The choice between high DPS or high raw damage per broadside depends a lot on how often you find yourself maneuvering between broadsides. In a nimble ship, DPS should be a priority as you will seldom find yourself without a firing solution. However, in a bulkier ship, outfitting for raw broadside damage over DPS may be worthwhile, seeing as you won't be able to make use of said DPS if you are stuck between broadsides much of the time. In terms of penetration, when equipped with carronades you shouldn't have to worry much of the time as they are typically very powerful at close quarters.I'd like to wave my red flag once more of the danger of fighting PvP with carronades equipped. While such a loadout is indeed ideal for fighting AI ships, the severely reduced range of carronades compared to cannons is a huge risk factor in PvP. In a group this risk is mitigated but on your own you are very likely to be outmaneuvered or disabled, particularly if you are aboard a heavier ship.Snipers focus on damaging the enemy with greater accuracy than that with which said enemy can respond. Naturally, Snipers tend to gravitate towards long cannons for their high accuracy and range. The high penetration of long cannons is ideal for combat at long range, as medium cannons will sometimes struggle to impact the enemy's ship at extreme range.Long cannons' range means that you sometimes will be able to engage the enemy without them being able to respond as well as being able to damage them at longer ranges. However, changing to medium cannons and closing range slightly may be worth considering. The increase in rate of fire and damage may be worth the loss of a modicum of accuracy. Moving from long to medium cannons increases DPS by about 20% - if you are a good shot - try achieving it with medium cannons!DPS is often preferable for Snipers - you'll more or less always have a firing solution on your enemy, so make the most use of it! Just don't push your gun size too low striving for higher DPS as this will negatively impact the penetration value of your weapons - and for a Sniper penetration is paramount. Disablers aim to damage the rigging or crew of their enemies in order to render them defenceless before taking them out at ease by manoeuvering around them with their healthier ships. Here it is even more important than in the other strategies to achieve the aim quickly. If the opponent responds with fire at your hull, you can't afford to tarry in disabling them. In this endeavour, all three gun types could potentially be favoured.Carronades are suited for disabling due to their enormous damage output and high rate of fire. However, a drawback to carronades not often considered is the difficulty of maintaining a targeting arc on your opponent. The closer you are to the enemy, the more difficult it is to keep your guns trained on them.For this reason, medium cannons are often preferred by Captains aiming to disable the enemy. Maintaing a respectable distance to the enemy makes it a little easier to keep a steady rate of fire and make the most of the DPS available. Long cannons are an interesting option for those looking to disable their opponents. Although using long cannons all but rules out the use of grape shot, the increase in range and accuracy means that chain shot or round shot aimed at the rigging of your enemy becomes all the more lethal. The drawback of lengthy reload times is hopefully balanced by the more accurate fire from a more comfortable (for you) range, which often renders return fire from the enemy difficult or impossible (if they are armed with carronades).In terms of selecting between high DPS or high raw damage per broadside, consider how often you will have a firing solution on your opponent. Particularly if you have opted for long cannons, focusing on DPS can be a wise choice indeed. Just remember that if you intend to disable from long range, it is very important to have guns with good penetration values. This means that you may have to go for the heavier, more slowly firing, guns after all.This guide has covered the guns of Naval Action. If you are contemplating which ship is most suitable for your play style, please see my Ship Guide for an in-depth analysis of the ships of Naval Action.