Play as a CRAZY captain

[hlo]

I finally decided to do the CRAZY difficulty with AoP. Despite using "Best Practices" from the ancient days of old schooled computer RPG games - Save often + reload saved games + etc.(      ); I ended by dying few times before I managed to get a game going a bit longer....

May 9, 2014:
After 2 days of commutes + 2 lunchtimes, I managed to get to Level 11 and 3.5 yrs of game time. Started with the Shadowsail Cutter which was nearly sunk at least twice and held together by AoP version of duct tape for most of that time. Avoid boarding, actually any avoid combat as much as possible. Due to food + money shortage I was forced to piracy yet again and captured a Heavy Eastwinder by Board/Duel. I did ran into some Krakens but avoided combat completely while I was in that "Duct Tape" cutter. As the game begins to stabilize I am still staying away from any bounty hunting commission.

Lessons so far: Avoid combat at all cost. Stay with courier commissions. Enemy ships do not allow you to get close enough to board usually.

Note: Even checking the  2nd last checkbox  "Turn off Permadeath"  in the New Captain screen will not save you in Crazy mode. Believe me. I died at least 3 times, complete deaths!!! Even dashboarding cannot get you out of trouble completely. In this mode, commissions pay dirt and they won't help when your "Duct Tape" class ship is running out of Duct Tape. You go to port with less than 50 silver... Let me patch up little bit of mast, a bit of keel, and buy some rations on the way out. Even me the boarding specialist has to change my style.

[Officer Genious]

Keep us updated, I'd love to see what you're learning from Crazy!

[hlo]

May 10, 2014:
Level 15. Game time is: 6 years 282 days.
In the last 4 game years the captain have been nursing some form of gangrene most of the time. There must be around 1.5 years that I was sailing with 10% health!! Even in such bad condition I was certain that me, the 1st mate along with a handful of crew at times have to do all the work. No among of dashboarding and reload save games can prevent me from the continuous fight for basic survival with a ship held together at times with duct tapes. I did manage to do a few piracy attacks but I pick merchant ships only. I like those 50 crew ships but I don't even bother to try. I run away from the few Ice Demons and Kraken encounters as well. My captain's poor health prevented me to do otherwise.

[hlo]

May 11, 2014:
Level 19. Game time 9 yrs days.

Heavy Eastwinder is going to be the ship for some time to come until I can get 2000 silver in the pocket. I even manged to put in some upgrades to get +20 crew, axes + muskets, and some extra sails. The gangrene is healed finally. Still avoiding Ice Demons and Krakens but I can fight some opponents with few shots before boarding.

[hlo]

May 12, 2014:
Level 22. Game time: 11 yrs 139 days.

Some idiot from the companies decided to send a useless bounty hunter against me in his Naval Brig. I managed to shoot out most of its mast and captured it. Goodbye to Heavy Eastwinder now that I have my Naval Brig. Cargo capacity is not as good but I can have 70 crew! I think I am over the hump finally and no longer fighting for survival. Game on. Time to deal with the Krakens and Ice Demons.

Lessons learned:
- Avoid combat unless you can beat the opponent up
- Bully merchant ships only.
- Stock up on rations and gun powder.
- For CRAZY level, you need no more than 3 types of cargo: Rations, some Luxury rations, about 10-20 gun powder. Stock up.
- Try to be friendly with all 3 nations and hopefully you can be good friend with 2 of them.
- Dashboarding and reload save games may still kill you if your luck is really bad. 

[hlo]

May 14, 2014:
Level 27. Game time: 16 yrs 208 days.

With 3000+ silver in the coffer, I decided to buy a Hunting Brig. This one starts with 55 crew + 50 cargo. I need to crew to fight and the cargo for rations. I need the extra rations trying to regain my reputation with Ruseland.