Pirates of the Burning Sea
Game play is both classic MMO third person as well as a very unique ship combat system. The ship combat reminded me greatly of Starfleet Command that I have also listed on this page. You can probably tell from what I have documented here what I enjoyed most about this game.
Another thing you may be able to tell from this page is that the artwork is *exceptional*. It's really something you need to see in motion.
I'll admit, I made this page as much for me as for anyone. I have listed all the ships I have had as well as the names I gave them and comments I had about their merits and faults.
Ships by Level
Ship level: 1 (Free Trader starting ship)
Ship Name: Survivor
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
6x 3lb
Comments: Tubby and slow, the Otter is still often the most powerful of the starting ships simply because of its heavier armor. Even so, it is a happy day when this ship is replaced.
Ship level: 1 (Naval Officer starting ship)
Ship Name: (unnammed)
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
4x swivels
6x 6lb
Comments: A small and agile boat. Don't get too used to it, you're playing as a naval officer. You don't do light-footed.
Ship level: 8
Ship Name: HMS Fleet Foot
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
8x 5lb
Comments: The Bermuda is the most common first upgrade for new players. It represents a significant improvement guns, armor, and speed above any of the starting ships. It is also extreamly cheap to build, making the ship very affordable to new players.
Ship level: 10
Ship Name: HMS Sea Serpent
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
2x swivels
12x 4lb
Comments: The first lanteen rigged ship. The El Dragon handles well in nearly all wind directions. It also has an unusualy high number of guns for the level, but is a poor boarder for early levels due to shortage of swevel guns and crew.
Ship level: 14
Ship Name: HMS Erias
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
4x swivels
16x 6lb
Comments: The Curizer is a very heavy ship for the level. The guns and armor are basically equal to a Hermes Packet-boat, but four levels earlier. The ship is not as fast, but it is still fairly maneuverable. The van Hoorn is more popular among players, but I enjoyed this one more.
Ship level: 16 (Free Traders Only)
Ship Name: HMS Untouchable
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
10x 5lb
Comments: Let 'er rip! The Bermuda Trader's Sloop is the premere smuggling ship in the caribbean. Very fast, very maneuverable, this little thing is nearly impossible to catch if outfitted with the best of speed outfitting. The cargo capacity is only 220, so running through pvp waters can be tedious, but your cargo should be safe. just don't get shot at. A single broadside can finish your sails.
Ship level: 17
Ship Name: HMS Firefly
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
4x swivels
16x 7lb
2x 9lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The Locust is the middle-of-the-road ship at level 17. It ballances the extream speed and maneuverablity of the Hermes against the armor and guns of the Lexington.
Ship level: 17
Ship Name: Concord
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
6x swivels
16x 7lb
2x 6lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The Lexington has by far the heaviest armor of any ship of it's level. It's guns are also heavier or equal to any ship before level 20. In return, the Lexington also has has the poorest turning in it's class. That said, it still handles well compared to most later ships.
Ship level: 20
Ship Name: La Fortuna
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
6x swivels
16x 10lb
2x 12lb Stern Chasers
Comments: Tubby and slow, the Dromedary will not be getting out of trouble by speed. Then again, with moderately heavy armor and 16 10 pound guns, it is second only to the Postillionen for firepower in the level 17-25 era of the game. While dedicated cargo haulers may prefer the Atlas Bark for it's 50% larger cargo hold, the Dromedary can defeat nearly all aggressive npcs, making it a safer cargo ship. The Dromadary also has the firepower and armor needed to clear many missions, making is a good all-in-one ship.
Ship level: 21
Ship Name: HMS Starcrash
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
6x swivels
16x 7lb
Comments: The sportscar of mid-level ships, what the Mediator lacks in armor is made up in speed and manuverability. It also has the guns of the level 17 warships. On the down-side, it is very expensive when compared to similar level ships.
No other pictures.
Ship level: 21
Ship Name: HMS Sea Skimmer
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
6x swivels
16x 6lb
Comments: Identical to the basic Hermes, but faster and more maneuverable. The Hermes has just enough fire-power to be able to take a larger pvp ship if they're operated in groups. Hermes also have the posability to operate as blockade runners, although their top-speed has been weakened and is no longer among the fastest in the game.
Ship level: 23
Ship Name: William of Orange
Owned By: Mitch Collins (NO)
Guns:
4x swivels
20x 9lb
Comments: The Postillionen Heavy is an upgrade that adds a gread deal of armor to an already powerful little ship. It is fast, manuverable and well armed. It has been proven in pvp that a pair of these leading a group of six new players can take down a Cursed Blade.
Ship level: 27
Ship Name: Brother's Pride
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
8x 4lb
20x 10lb
2x 12lb
Comments: The Stralsund is a very slow and poorly ballanced ship. It's firepower is barely higher than a Postillionen or a Dromedary, while it's armor is arguably lower than a Heavy Postillionen. It's 4lb top deck guns are very short range which brings an immediate handicap in any ranged fight. There are much better ships in the level 23 to level 29 range.
No other pictures.
Ship level: 36 (Free Trader only)
Ship Name: HMS Zelda
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
6x 8lb
22x 14lb
2x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: A Free Trader warship. This ship was originally about equal to other warships of the level. However, all the warships recieved speed, armor, and gun buffs, leaving this ship behind. Even so, this ship is a good choice for the cash-strapped Free Trader at this point in the game. It has plenty of firepower to clear mid-level missions. Meanwhile, it also has a very large cargo hold. This allows a Free Trader to buy a single ship to fill both needs.
Ship level: 45 (Free Trader only)
Ship Name: Luna's Guide
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
10x 9lb
22x 16lb
2x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: An upgraded Mignone, this ship can destroy any agressive npc group in the ocean. It is also among the most accurate ships in the game, allowing engagements at conciderable range. You can carry cargo without fear of loss except in red zones. However, be prepared to fight. With the Mignone's low speed, there is no escape. Fight or die.
When the game was released, this ship was capable of challenging any non-lineship bundle ship in pvp. Following the warship buffs, the MC Mignone became a laughing stock at port battles. Despite it's armament, there is now no pvp ship that cannot outrun and defeat it, so it is unwise to place this ship in the red.
Ship level: 50 (Free Trader only)
Ship Name: Master's Call
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
4x swivels
8x 6lb
18x 9lb
22x 15lb
2x 9lb Bow Chasers
2x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The ship that was to be the Free Trader's main pvp ship, the MC Oliphant never had the turning to fight close, nor the heavy guns needed to fight at range. In theory, it can out DPS basically anything at close range. Unfortunatly, DPS battle plans require you to keep your guns pointed at the enemy, and basically all DPS frigates can simply out maneuver it.
For missions, the MC Mignone is basically supperior in all ways. While they are the same speed, the Mignone can turn much faster and fight at significantly longer ranges. The MC Oliphant's only advantage is that it has nearly double the crew.
Ship level: 50 (Free Trader only)
Ship Name: HMS Jupiter
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
10x 6lb
16x 11lb
2x 16lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The Leviathan is the most painful ship I have had the mis-pleasure to own. The ship handles such, that even mid-30s level npcs are a threat. Sailing with 3000+ tons of cargo through the Antillies is no fun at all. In combat, the Leviathan lacks swivels, so offensive boarding is out. The speed is low, the turning is extremely low, and there are very few guns. The high armor merely delays the inevitable if you are caught in pvp. The only thing really going for this ship is that it is cheap. On hitting level 50, any Free Trader can easily afford one of these.
Ship level: 50
Ship Name: HMS Undine
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
8x swivels
8x 8lb
28x 14lb
4x 16lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The Conquistador Sleek is a sporty little frigate that is concidered a favorite for boarding combat. (the Trinidad refit is probably even better) On the down side, she is noticably less manuverable than the Capricieux, Tigre, or Hercules. Meanwhile she has a lower DPS than other fast ships like the Raa Mastercraft. She also is more than a little odd for having four stern chasers instead of two. Having a single heavy gundeck instead of two small sets makes using spike skills easier, though it still suffers from having fewer guns than other level 50 frigates.
Despite not recieving a glowing review, this is a fun ship, it's just not all that powerful.
Ship level: 50 (Free Trader Only)
Ship Name: Royal Sovereign
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
8x swivels
20x 6lb
20x 10lb
2x 9lb Bow Chasers
2x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: Faster than a speeding bullet, more cargo than a locomotive, able to carry huge loads in a single trip, it's the San-Mateo! More seriously, if you are a Free Trader, you NEED this ship. It's open sea speed is such that with a few outfittings, you can hit 95+ knots on all points but close hauled. It has enough firepower to take down most npcs, and can outrun those it cannot. In battle it's base speed is 17.75 (2nd fastest in the game) and if riggend for battle speed is nearly uncatchable. The two things to watch out for in pvp waters is it has very low acceleration and do not be caught with the enemy between you and broad reach. That is your only fast sailing point.
Ship level: 50
Ship Name: HMS Cacophony
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
8x swivels
12x 9lb
28x 18lb
2x 8lb Bow Chasers
2x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The Hercules Heavy Frigate is a very heavily armed and armored ship that is simultaniously surprisingly mauverable. There are multiple ways to employ this ship. It has the armor and firepower to serve as a lineship if needed. On the other hand, with its manuverability, it can do incredible spike damage at point blank range. While this requires more courage than standing in a line, it might just be what allows you to live.
Ship level: 50 (Free Trader Only)
Ship Name: HMS Mass Effect
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
8x swivels
10x 7lb
18x 12lb
20x 20lb
8x 8lb Bow Chasers
8x 18lb Stern Chasers
Comments: The dream of every little Free Trader. The dream that kept them alive on those long hauls across the ocean. The Couronne. A long-standing complaint was that the Couronne had the firepower of a fourth-rate for the cost of a second-rate. With the recent drop in price, the Couronne is closer to being a ballanced ship. Two very unusual aspects of the Couronne are it's speed (17.50!) and that it has eight bow and eight stern chasers. This makes the Couronne a very odd ship in 1v1 pvp. If in the line of battle, these guns are simply wasted.
Flavor ships and other special boats
Ship level: 1
Ship Name: (unnamed)
Owned By: Matthew Davis (FT)
Guns:
2x swivels
1x 18lb
Comments: Operated normally as a joke, gunboats cannot be used in any useful way in combat. Although from the camera angle you will feel like you're flying, the top speed is only 13 knots. The only bonus to this boat is the cannon, which has a 10 second reload instead of 45 seconds. Heaviest ship I was able to take out was a St.Anne Schooner. Running from a Jamaica Sloop was embarasing.
Sightings
Ship level: 50
Comments: Big Guns!
Story Battles
Comments: Upwind and let them come to you. (why am I in a level 51 mission in a Dromedary?
Comments: Hundereds of players quit after playing this 500+ times to afford a second rate only to lose it in two battles.
Port Battles
Opponent: Pirates
Comments: The first and only port battle that I was allowed to participate in that was won in ship combat.
Opponent: Pirates
Comments: The plan was to bring cheap ships and lose in a blaze of glory. Instead, we outnumbered our enemy 24 to 14. The pirates retreated into the fort and lost in avatar combat. The first and only port battle I was allowed to participate in that was won in avatar combat.
Opponent: France
Comments: A good idea, too bad you don't need line-of-sight to see someone on the map.
