I think you may be disappointed with bow and stern cannons. They are not very powerful, and they take up 2 to 4 of your max armament. For a maritimer it probably makes more sense to use those cannons in your broadside.
However I like to use stern cannons on my traders - they don't carry any other ordnance. They can be good enough to protect against NPC pirates who are chasing you. If you wait until you have a good shot (head on and fairly close), you stand a good chance of forcing the NPC to bear off. Chain shot can be good for this because it takes them time to replace sails.
One of my players is named Dundra and he's a trader, though he has committed piracy on the ottoman merchant fleet out side of ceuta. If I ever get attacked by the Ottomans, I'll go invest in hamburg. One problem, I don't have the casting skill or handicrafts skill (which I think you need). Thank you for telling me!
@purplepirate like carronades? besides piracy i see little reasons to use any stern or bow which are not Normal shot.
they are player made but you don't really need to make em yourself, you can join a company and ask from your company craftsmen or just ask in seville for a friendly Blacksmith, i could make em for you but i rarely spend time in seville.
Desire spawns madness, madness collapses into disaster. mankind never learns...
@theedgedemonlike carronades? besides piracy i see little reasons to use any stern or bow which are not Normal shot
Well, i used to use stern carro back on OGP when i was adv/trader. Carro's pack a good punch for bow crits when you are running from a pirate. But since it's not the amount of damage but just the fact of scoring a crit will stop a ship dead in the water, i use stern angels now. They have less damage but have much longer range (400) and they are chain shot so it targets your opponent's sails which further slow him down. True, it's a 'luxury' item and not a necessity. You can only get them from completing the 'forbidden waters' quest (as far as i know) and they have rare drop rate (usually you get bow angel). I do see both types in comp shops from time to time.
I think you are right @PP. The amount of damage you do is irrelevant because you will never do enough damage to stop an NPC.
But you can inflict a critical hit with anything. And because the NPC is chasing you after a bit they will be in exactly the right place for a crit. It's very satisfying to see an NPC pirate stopped like that.
NPC pirates are the biggest headache for traders and adventurers with low maritime ranks. I hate the way they strip your crew. Player pirates are pussy cats in comparison lol.
All though you can easily play without any cannons equipped, i would suggest you ALWAYS, regardless of class, have atleast have a stern cannon equipped. You never know when that npc or player pirate will ambush you and you need to run because you have no tribs/blue flags/BH support. to protect you. Some (but not all) player pirates will use 'direct hit prevention" to thwart that attack but "It's better safe than sorry" and they are more useful, more often than not.. :)
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However I like to use stern cannons on my traders - they don't carry any other ordnance. They can be good enough to protect against NPC pirates who are chasing you. If you wait until you have a good shot (head on and fairly close), you stand a good chance of forcing the NPC to bear off. Chain shot can be good for this because it takes them time to replace sails.
mankind never learns...
But you can inflict a critical hit with anything. And because the NPC is chasing you after a bit they will be in exactly the right place for a crit. It's very satisfying to see an NPC pirate stopped like that.
NPC pirates are the biggest headache for traders and adventurers with low maritime ranks. I hate the way they strip your crew. Player pirates are pussy cats in comparison lol.