Pulling up Ladders

You might think it's a good idea but it really isn't and this has already been talked about before.
A good crew will just naval you until they can either board or sink you.

Another thing let's say I just decide to ram your ship putting holes into it and than just blunder bomb you off and anchor you how will you get back on? By the time you swim out to catch a mermaid your ship will have sunk.

Equip blunderbuss. Listen for the swimming sound of a boarder.

Blast them in the face as they come up the ladder.

Congratulations, you have now learnt to fend off boarders

@sketchsawyer said in Pulling up Ladders:

I play with my family maybe once a week: My 68 year old mother, my older sister, and my nephew. We'll NEVER get good enough to repel marauders. Not just because of age either but because we only really play once every week or two. The time of alliances seems to be mostly a thing of the past. I realize this would fundamentally change the most compelling aspect of the game (for most) but why the heck can't I pull up the ladders? Wouldn't it be more of a challenge for boarders if they had to jump or shoot themselves into someone elses ship? I know it's a video game, I get it. But keeping ladders dangling off the side of your ship is just asking for trouble.

Anyway, I thought it was a nice idea for us novices who just really enjoy the sandbox but are tired of getting punished and griefed.

You aren't being greifed.

Next I want you to think about something real quick. Even though this idea is bad for a multitude of reasons, in what way will this idea help you and your family??

If you are as bad as you say you are then cannon balls will sink you anyways. Not to mention if you are as bad as you say you are, enemy pirates are probably already on your boat when sitting at the islands, your crew is off ship so they raise your ladders for you and now you have no way to get back onto the boat.

Honestly this idea is bad. I feel for you but not everything is for everyone. They are releasing private server soon, so you guys can play but with zero progression.

People like boarding man. It’s ok. I do know for a fact boarding was a heck of a lot more difficult in year 1 than it is now.

But again people enjoy so it is what it is.

I mean, we can’t change the game cause your team is weak.

@burnbacon Correction, the game can tell enemy from crew. Plenty of examples,

Stolen loot. If it didn't track it then you would get extra rep on emissary whenever you picked up the same chest.

Legendary thief title, steal 5 Athena, it tracks if it's stolen from another crew.

Handing gifts in from other players, yet again tracks if you and enemy.

Ship sinks that's viewable on rep tab via website, if it didn't track enemies how it know how many we sink?

And last of all, the recent fix they applied to the 'keg your crew mate, leave and they can get pink lantern' which doesnt work cos they track the enemy🤔😉 They track everything and I mean everything even down to the chat logs while you're talking using text chat. 😂😅

Even, they know the difference between a PvP sink and a PvE because you spawn closer to where you was if it's PvE.

@sketchsawyer There's a reason the ladders can't be retracted. Same reason that it's difficult to see someone hanging on it from inside your ship (you need to jump on the edge to get a good view). Boarding is obviously something that's intended to be in the game and the ladders provide that option. To balance it out a bit, you hear a distinctive splash and see mermaids when it happens.

Some tips:

• Look at where other ships are and estimate their ability to fire themselves off in front of, or towards your ship and adjust course accordingly.
• Look for mermaids. Adjust course if you suspect anything.
• Blunderbombs are an excellent measure to knock them off your ship without having to be an expert in hand-to-hand combat, have 5 of them in your inventory and sometimes throw one at the ladder tops if you suspect anything.
• If you're at the wheel: don't hold on to the wheel 100% of the time, but rather step back so you can see both ladders and blunderbomb them.
• Remember that boarders have unlimited tries if chased by you.

Make sure you sell often, don't carry much loot or emissary flag, and when they do board, scuttle and continue elsewhere. A ship is free of charge, and it's nothing to you if you scuttle it without much loot on it. Don't think twice about it, your boarders will only have wasted their time.

Good luck.

I know this is inconsiderate of me but I'm sick of people asking for a PVE mode or the game to be much easier. I don't remember who but he said soon people are gonna want padding on their ship to prevent them from knocking their pirate heads on the sides. I have been playing once a week as a solo or a duo with my friend for about 3 hours. I couldn't PVP until I actually started trying. I was a gold bucko after one month then I started to try. In 2 months of playing 12 hours, I got pirate legend, legendary thief, and Athena 11. I'm now working towards glorious sea dog and am halfway there after a month of trying. It's not that hard if you guys work towards getting better.

The ladders are very clearly attached to the ship. Pulling them up would destroy them. Also, just guard your ladders. And, not to mention, it would make boarding almost impossible. Then, no one has fun. You just sink.