[h2]Welcome back, everyone![/h2] In our last few posts, we’ve given a detailed breakdown of how to manage your fleet, conquer the archipelago, and cultivate your relationships with other factions. Today, we’re excited to be revealing a [b]new combat mechanic [/b]in the form of [b]active ship skills[/b]. This recently implemented system will add an extra layer of strategy to naval battles and will make fleet building and composition even more impactful! In[url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2103470/view/6107508076986469993?l=english] update 4[/url] we looked at the role of the fleet, shipbuilding materials, ship classes, and customisation. To recap, you will [b]use your fleet to explore the archipelago[/b], and [b]attack merchants and rival pirate ships[/b]. In doing so, you will [b]receive valuable loot[/b] which will help you to [b]build more advanced ships [/b]and [b]conquer additional islands[/b]. By conquering more islands you’ll then gain access to rare resources and more land to expand your republic. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/92165710aa3a5c6b2720c29c9a1cf5ea986ecaf9.jpg[/img] Remember that [b]every ship class has its own unique stat line[/b], but with the addition of the new active skills, you’ll need to be increasingly mindful of the importance of fleet composition and combat tactics when planning your next raid! [h3][b]Man the Cannons: An Introduction to Active Skills [/b][/h3] Depending on its class, each ship now has access to one of five active skills. These skills can be [b]triggered during combat [/b]by clicking on the ship and [b]selecting the active skill button[/b] in the ship unit UI. It's worth noting that if several ships have been group selected, you will also be able to see all their active skills at once and can easily choose the order in which they trigger, depending on your current needs. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/7c88c709c966380cc62ff1cd55d05a7b2790d46e.jpg[/img] [b]Active skills can be divided into three broad categories: [/b] [list] [*] [b]Offensive[/b]: Skills that directly attack and damage enemy units [*] [b]Disruptive[/b]: Skills that debuff enemy units in various ways [*] [b]Support[/b]: Skills that buff allied ships [/list] Once you have used an active skill, there will be a [b]short cooldown period[/b] before you will be able to use it again.[b] Cooldown times vary depending on the skill and the ship’s class[/b], so make sure to plan your attacks carefully. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/a5c73d2b4c898ba6f3c03f25c435f73e87c7a3fa.png[/img] [i]See below for a full breakdown of the five skills.[/i] [h3][b]Scattershot [/b][/h3] [list] [*] [b]Skill description[/b]: Fires a scattershot in a cone. It will hit all ships within the cone which can be rotated 360 degrees around the centre of the ship. The scattershot deals light damage. [*] [b]Skill type[/b]: Offensive [*] [b]Buildable ship class with skill[/b]: Cog, Brigantine [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/300beadb00bd683c55cd9b124f602ab4afbb5359.gif[/img] [h3][b]Smoke Bomb [/b][/h3] [list] [*] [b]Skill description[/b]: Fires a smoke bomb to a target location within range. This will create a small area of effect upon landing causing all enemy attacks from affected ships to miss for a short period. [*] [b]Skill type[/b]: Disruptive [*] [b]Buildable ship class with skill[/b]: Ketch, Galleon [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/a5f685d89c6ad82f41100b21658b91b1f5df5c96.gif[/img] [h3][b]Adjusted Sails [/b][/h3] [list] [*] [b]Skill description[/b]: Gives all nearby ships a temporary boost to their speed stat allowing them to traverse the map faster or escape from a difficult battle. [*] [b]Skill type[/b]: Support [*] [b]Buildable ship classes with skill[/b]: Frigate [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/b0856e164f2b8b0bd17535792a534477358c0bd6.gif[/img] [h3][b]Shred Sails [/b][/h3] [list] [*] [b]Skill description[/b]: Attack an enemy ship within range and damage their sails to slow them down for a limited time. [*] [b]Skill type[/b]: Disruptive [*] [b]Buildable ship classes with skill[/b]: Brig [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/e696a7628e3ed156c38060815a9c55dc9a8e6a46.gif[/img] [h3][b]Salvo[/b][/h3] [list] [*] [b]Skill description[/b]: Unleashes a devastating attack on an individual enemy unit within range. Your unit will attack several times, inflicting massive damage on your enemy in a short period of time. [*] [b]Skill type[/b]: Offensive [*] [b]Buildable ship classes with skill[/b]: Barque, Man-of-War [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44771533/fe657ebdfa9a4b4c2b3c76369305e3cab7e84052.gif[/img] [h3][b]Steam demo announcement![/b][/h3] On top of this new feature we’re really excited to announce that we will be launching our [b]Steam demo[/b] to tie in with [b]Steam Next Fest in June 2024[/b]! The exact live date for the demo is still TBC but until then, don’t forget to [b]wishlist the game [/b]and [b]follow us on our social media channels[/b] to stay up to date on any news! Until next time! Crazy Goat Games & PQube