I play pve but i hunt every boat i see. Not to attack but to enforce alliances.
It just need some different aproach but on a long voyage cash keeps popping up from allies.
At the start of a long session i first invest time in making allies and check for so called friendly server.
I die from shark to get on the ferry and get to meet the players passing by and start a friendly talk. Hi sir can i ask you a question?
Im looking for alliances and explain how it works and i can put reaper on to meet when empty. I offer some free loot or to do a fort or whatever.
I have no loot at start and nothing to loose so i sail to every boat explaining alliance.
When i have 2 or 3 boats allied i start playing and with some luck the ally slowly gains new members making a friendly server. Turning in loot regularly to keep them greedy happy and allied..
But there is a lot of details to aproach boats in a friendly way because they are scared and start shooting.. so dont go close and make sure they can see you are no threat.
I stay on a distance where i can talk but out of gun range or shoot over to get in talking range or drop some loot close or bring a rowboat with presents and take some distance so they can get it and start explaining alliance benefits. If they like i sail just in range to join alliance and move on.
If i see a boat in trouble i go in and offer help its a nice way to earn trust for making ally. Last night killed karen 10 on a pirate galleon in trouble then i asked if they like ally after helping them and return to my sloop to join the flag.
If i see them occupied on a mission or fort i sail just close enough to offer alliance or shoot over to explain and to leave them about their bussiness and sail on.
Everytime we turn in our expensive loot after each map or island and keep the cheap loot to gift away as friendly gestures to make allies.
When we only have cheap loot we gamble on making new allies but when we have expensive loot we keep distance until we turned it in.
Many times this is worth the effort since i can never gather so much loot alone as 3 allied ships can gather seperate and it just keep popping up cash from allies turning in loot.
Sometimes its bad luck and pirates rob me from the free cheap loot i give them but often i dont even try to fight i jump in the water and explain they can take it i just look for allies or ask if i can play i want to do a skullfort but not alone :") then sometimes they change their mind and i can hop on to help a little and have fun before i take a mermaid back.