Need Help Tips on the money business

[Armando Salazar]

Ahoy

It's been a while since I touched this game. I finally decided to try a longer, more in-depth run of this game. I've been starting slowly, doing some cargo missions and capture one or two ships. The problem is that, even though it feels like I'm making positive income I have to pay it all back again for repairs and supplies.
I need some help/tips on better ways to make money, currently doing mostly merchant stuff but I haven't figured out how the trading system works yet, maybe someone can give me a guide.

Thanks in advance. Happy sailing.

 

[DavyJack]

Try gambling and doing business with the smugglers.

 

[Armando Salazar]

Would reading the smuggling books be a way to go about a the business idea?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

It'll at least explain you something about how smuggling works and that can't hurt to know.

 

[Armando Salazar]

Thanks for the tips guys

What is a good way of making money in a pirateing way?

 

[DavyJack]

..What is a good way of making money in a pirateing way?

More smuggling. Capturing and looting ships. Destroying forts and looting the town - this will really up your finances considerably in exchange with your reputation and maybe some headhunters along the way.

 

[Grey Roger]

Thanks for the tips guys

What is a good way of making money in a pirateing way?

Umm, piracy? In other words, stealing or looting ships. Preferably merchant ships, as they're not so well armed, their crews are not so tough and are more likely to surrender, and they're the ones carrying the cargo. Unescorted merchants are easy prey but less likely to be carrying valuable cargo. If you want to get rich quickly, you're going to have to take your chances with escorts.

To attack a fort, you'll need at least 18lb cannons. Anything less will just bounce off the fort's walls harmlessly. To survive what the fort is throwing back at you, you'll need a big, tough ship, preferably with plenty of 24lb or even 32lb cannons. If you're lucky, you'll find one escorting those merchant ships; if you and your officers have good melee skills, weapons and armour, you can take it.

If you have the "Landing Party" ability, you can raid unfortified settlements. Most of these belong to Pirates, so if you raid those, you can forget about joining the Pirate Brotherhood! The one unfortified settlement which isn't Pirate is Oranjestad on Aruba.

 

[Armando Salazar]

Thanks guys, really appreciate it.

 

[Grey Roger]

Can you make a living as a full-time professional gambler? Many players can. But the real question is should you try to do it? Only you can answer this question, and it's not simple ^^

@vantinz is probably a spammer, but it's a valid question for this thread so I'll answer rather than delete, in case any genuine players have the same idea.

You'd need high "Luck" skill for a start. Beginning a game with the background "Gambler" will help here (and also starts with a short story involving a duel, a prison escape and finding a new ship, which means don't waste time choosing a starting ship). The "High Stakes" ability will also be useful. There's a limit to how much you can make because there are generally only one or two possible opponents in each tavern and they have a limited amount of money. On the plus side, it won't be long before you trigger a sidequest involving a rather unusual bet...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Gambling is but a mini-game.

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

@vantinz is probably a spammer

Yep, definitely a spammer.

Edit: Added the spam question to @Grey Roger's post, so it still made sense.