So ye be thinkin' of turnin' yer coat and swearin' allegiance to another crown? A bold move, and a useful one for a captain with ambition. Mark this well: defection be the act of changin' yer flag to one of the seven playable nations: Portugal, Spain, England, the Netherlands, France, Venice, or the Ottomans. The others, like Genoa or Sweden, are but NPC realms ye cannot join.
Why Would a Captain Defect?
Every flag flies for a reason, matey. Perhaps ye be a shipbuilder needin' to invest in a capital's shipyard to craft the finest vessels. Or a trader seekin' goods that only appear to loyal investors. Maybe ye fancy privateerin' and wish to fly a less crowded flag than Spain's to find more plentiful prey. A change of scenery can open new horizons.
The Path to a New Flag
The way is simple in tellin', but requires meetin' the crown's eye. Sail to the palace or governin' building of the nation ye desire and parley with the ruler's administrator. If ye be eligible, the option will appear. But to gain audience, ye'll need formality—earnin' court ranks is one sure way.
Am I Eligible to Defect?
That depends on the winds of power, lad. The world knows which nations be strong and which be weak. Check the official charts for the current score.
- To a Weaker Nation: Easier. Have at least a Neutral status, some fame (20k+), no active quest, and keep yer notoriety below 1000.
- To a Stronger Nation (or the Ottomans): Harder. Ye must first win their favor. This requires Trust status, much greater fame (200k+), no quest, and low notoriety. The Ottomans demand even more: Affection, a high total level, the Suez Canal Permit, and a 10 million ducat "tax."
Winning a Nation's Favor
To improve relations, ye have two main routes. The first be to employ an aide with the Correspondence skill for yer desired nation, find their flagged NPC fleet at sea (often near their capital), and use the skill—not fight!—repeatedly. It tests patience, takin' many hours. The second be to use the aide officer system, sendin' an aide of that nationality on a mission.
The Price of Treason
Change yer flag, and pay the piper. The game will show ye the cost before ye agree.
- Be discharged from the Royal Fleet, losin' all performance.
- Restart any unfinished national storyline or special events.
- Lose Fame: 5,000 if joinin' a weaker nation, or a hefty 50,000 if joinin' a stronger one.
Take heart: ye keep yer port permits and investments. A wise captain invests heavily in his current nation's exclusive ports before defectin', to keep those benefits.
A Premium Escape Hatch
For those with gold to spare and no patience for penalties, a premium item called the Secret Defection Application lets ye switch flags without any cost or consequence.
So there ye have it—the lay of the land for a captain lookin' to change his stars. The full guide holds the detailed charts, the list of every flag NPC to find, and the deepest secrets of the process.
If ye hunger for the full chart and every last secret to navigate these treacherous waters, make way to the complete guide.
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