Checked against the August 2026 game information. Card effects, objective thresholds, and ship values may change in later patches.
How Does Naval Combat Work?
Direct answer: Naval encounters are turn-based events made up of one to four objectives, with a set of Choice Cards available during each stage.
Every objective has its own goal. Choose actions that advance that goal, prevent damage, weaken the opponent, build the next turn's Dice Pool, or take a calculated risk for another benefit. Winning the event requires completing its objectives rather than simply dealing damage in every stage.
How Do You Choose a Ship for an Event?
Direct answer: Start with the event's recommended ship class and tier, then confirm that the vessel is crewed, supplied, and in fighting condition.
The recommendation identifies the class strengths that fit the encounter. Tier summarizes overall ship strength, but classes specialize in different stats, so a higher tier does not remove every mismatch. Destroyer-class ships emphasize Gun damage and Armour, while Hunter-class ships emphasize Speed. Review the actual event recommendation before embarking.
Which Ship Stats Matter in Combat?
Direct answer: Health, Crew, and Supplies keep the ship operating, while five specialized stats shape many Choice Card effects.
The specialized stats are Gun damage, Boarding damage, Speed, Manoeuvrability, and Armour. The current objective determines which stat an action uses. Gun damage or Boarding damage may drive an attack, Speed or Manoeuvrability may build Distance, and Armour may prevent damage. This is why one ship class can fit an objective better than another.
What Do Choice Card Colors Mean?
Direct answer: Blue cards come from the objective, yellow cards come mainly from the ship class, and purple cards come from the captain.
Blue cards reflect the current objective's standard actions. Yellow cards are influenced mostly by ship class and sometimes offer stronger versions of similar effects, although they may use more Supplies. Purple cards are tied to the assigned captain and remain consistent for that captain across objectives and events.
How Does the Dice Pool Work?
Direct answer: A related ship stat sets an action's baseline effect, and the Dice Pool adds a variable amount to that result.
Some cards increase the number of dice available on the next turn, creating a choice between immediate progress and a stronger later action. Higher-tier ships use wider dice ranges to scale the variable result alongside their larger base stats. Exact values are less useful than reading the current card preview and checking which stat drives it.
What Are the Main Objective Goals?
Direct answer: Each objective tells you what must be reached, reduced, survived, or collected before the stage can end.
| Objective | Current documented goal |
|---|---|
| Ambush or Sneak | Gain enough Distance |
| Board or Demoralise | Reduce the opponent's Crew to 50% |
| Chart or Investigate | Gain enough Charts or Hints |
| Chase | Gain enough Distance |
| Defend or Endure | Survive three turns |
| Destroy or Shoot | Reduce the opponent's Health to zero |
| Duel | Gain enough Edge |
| Navigate or Traverse | Gain enough Distance |
| Parley or Barter | Gain enough Advantage |
| Plunder | Collect Treasure until the objective ends |
| Threaten | Reduce both opponent Health and Crew below 75% |
Chart, Investigate, Duel, Parley, and Barter use objective-specific progress that does not depend on ship stats. Many Plunder effects are also independent of ship stats. For other objectives, the ship's specialized stats can strongly affect the available results.
What Happens If Health or Crew Reaches Zero?
Direct answer: The battle is lost and the ship is destroyed if either Health or Crew falls to zero.
Protect both values instead of treating Crew as a secondary bar. Damage-prevention cards can be as important as attacks when an objective lasts several turns. Supplies can be replenished during battle, but doing so costs Health and Crew, so it is not a free reset.
How Should You Prepare for a Naval Event?
Direct answer: Match the recommendation, fill compatible Crew positions, restore Health and Supplies, and review the event panel before the ship leaves.
Use this preparation order:
- Read the recommended class and tier.
- Choose a ship whose specialization fits that recommendation.
- Fill its compatible Crew positions.
- Repair the vessel and restore Supplies before departure.
- Confirm that island production can sustain the assigned Crew.
- On arrival, read each objective before choosing a card.
- Compare immediate progress with damage prevention and next-turn Dice Pool effects.
- Protect both Health and Crew throughout the encounter.
FAQ
Are Event Objectives Shown Before Combat Begins?
No. The specific objectives are revealed when the event starts, so the class and tier recommendation is the main preparation signal available beforehand.
Are Choice Card Names Always Identical?
No. Similar effects can appear under different names to match the story and setting of the current objective.
Do All Objectives Depend on Ship Stats?
No. Chart, Investigate, Duel, Parley, and Barter use progress and damage that do not depend on ship stats, and many Plunder effects are also independent of them.
Does a Higher-Tier Ship Automatically Win?
No. Higher tiers increase overall strength, but the event's class recommendation, objective mix, ship condition, Crew, captain cards, and your choices still matter.