The Tip Jar, a collection of community tips

[HamsterIV]

-Some captains suffer from tunnel vision, if you spot something let your captain know verbally.
-If you just spawned and your ally is getting double teamed on the other side of the map don't rush blindly to his aid. Sometime it is better to let your ally die to reestablish the formation, than to feed the other team a steady stream of 1v2 fights.
-Pick the squishiest ship on the other team and gang up on it with your team mate, forcing the other team into a steady stream of 2v1 engagements is a fast path to 5-0 victories.
-If you take cover in the clouds immediately change your direction and altitude when the enemy team looses spot. A good gunner will predict where you went and try to blind fire you.
-If you are hiding in clouds to repair tell your gunners not to shoot. A good gunner on the other team could track the path of you bullets back to the source.
-If an enemy ship takes cover in the clouds, and you have a large clip weapon (like a Manticore or Whirlwind) spray the clouds around where you last saw the target with bullets. The hit confirmation box will show where the target is to the other gunners on your ship.

[ATeddyBear]

- When piloting only rarely leave the helm. Even if your Balloon is down you can still pilot the ship to a safer spot and give your crew more time to repair.
- Know your limitations of your ship. This goes double for Squid pilots I see charging to the front of a Goldfish.
- Know when to run. Most maps offer some sort of cover to escape and give your crew a breather.
- For Engies. Know all the jumps to get around a ship. The quicker you can get to a component the higher your chances for survival.
- Use uninspiring ship names to throw off the other team (We Will Die, We Will Lose, We Will Blow Up). Over confidence can kill! =)

[Van Der Basya]

- Use uninspiring ship names to throw off the other team (We Will Die, We Will Lose, We Will Blow Up). Over confidence can kill! =)

Well, I hardly disagree with it... He that has an ill name is half hanged.

[N-Sunderland]

Never start trying to fill in other's roles. If you're a gunner, don't go all the way up to another deck to repair the hull. Stay away from the hull. Only repair anything if you're asked to, or if you're far away from enemies. If you're an engineer, don't get on to the heavy guns (except on the Galleon, but that's another matter). You'll probably have a light side gun assigned to you. Also, if you're the secondary engineer on the Pyra, for example, never help the main engineer until asked. You're making a much more important contribution to the team by staying on your gun. Also, buffing is a minimal priority. If you're on a Galleon and a ship is sitting in your broadside, don't go buffing the engines. That's just silly.

Oh yeah, and don't take lesmok for the field gun. I'm not sure where people get that weird idea.

[Pickle]

Use your "friend" tags wisely, periodically look through the Social tab and decide "Do I remember this player?" "Are they still an active player?" "Do I enjoy playing with this player?" - keep your friends list up-to-date and use it, when there's a player online who you enjoy playing with go join them in a match.  Crews that play together regularly will work better.  It doesn't have to be a fixed crew of four, but even having just one crew member you know on a 'ship can make a difference.

(I've just culled out my Social tab, removing about 2/3rds of the names - half of those hadn't logged in for 30+ days, the other half I couldn't remember who they were)

[RearAdmiralZill]

Use your "friend" tags wisely, periodically look through the Social tab and decide "Do I remember this player?" "Are they still an active player?" "Do I enjoy playing with this player?" - keep your friends list up-to-date and use it, when there's a player online who you enjoy playing with go join them in a match.  Crews that play together regularly will work better.  It doesn't have to be a fixed crew of four, but even having just one crew member you know on a 'ship can make a difference.

(I've just culled out my Social tab, removing about 2/3rds of the names - half of those hadn't logged in for 30+ days, the other half I couldn't remember who they were)

The only reason I dont do this is the newsletters they send out each update. Ive had old friends come back and all of them said "Yea I got a newsletter about an update and it brought me back." Old friends make great matches.

[HamsterIV]

Crews that play together regularly will work better.  It doesn't have to be a fixed crew of four, but even having just one crew member you know on a 'ship can make a difference.

I don't necessarily agree with culling my friends tab; but the difference between a ship of three bots/insubordinate players, and a ship with one player who follows instructions plus two bots/insubordinate players is immense. If that one player already knows the captain's style and can do what is needed without orders, the captain can spend more time whipping the rest of the crew into shape.

[N-Sunderland]

Know which parts of the ship to hit with your gun. Don't start shooting the balloon with a gatling, that's just stupid. For the same reason, you should avoid shooting at the hull with a carronade (thought that's a bit less stupid).

If your pilot tells you to get on a particular gun, get on that gun and that gun only. I've had too many people on Pyras who decide to get on the rear left gun and sit there for the entire match.

Don't use lochnagar unless you've got a really powerful gun with a small clip, like the flak or the merc. Even then, I'd recommend charged instead.

The ships have colours on them. Look at those colours wisely.

Don't start shooting at an enemy until  it's in range. Seriously. What are you possibly going to manage with your mortar when the ship is on the other side of the map?

[Lord Dick Tim]

• Don't fight on your enemies terms!
  If your facing long range fire go to ground and hide!  Get close to tall objects or terrain that will make it difficult to line up a shot.  Patience is key, a perfectly executed ambush will allow a disadvantaged force to overwhelm a superior one.
• Be lucky!
  Luck is opportunity meeting preparedness, coordinate and plan a complimenting strategy with your fellow captains.
• Make good use of Captain Tools!
  Tar is often over looked as an effective tool.  At long range it can break a lock that sticks in cloud cover, and at short range enemies caught in it will have their components destroyed.  Phoenix claw is GREAT on squids for a rapid and surprising about face with little loss in momentum.  Helium and Chutes can be used just like moon shine to ram somebody at high speed above or below you!  Talk about an uppercut!

[Jazzza]

• Don't attract attention by shooting at an enemy out of range unless you need to (to distract them/attract them away from cap point or damaged teammates, etc.
• Work together with your team
• Shoot at the balloon if your enemy is low to the ground or over dangerous terrain
• Don't all run to something to repair - balance it
• The hull is the most important part of the ship (although I'm realising that to preserve the ship, you may need to repair other things such as the engines to evade)

[HamsterIV]

Your ships momentum is transferred to your bullets if you want your gunners shots to go where they aim them, have as little perpendicular movement to the bullet's path as possible.
This means line the target for your forward guns with the bowsprit, and come to a full stop when using the side guns.
A good gunner can compensate for lateral bullet trajectories. Be aware of your gunner's skill when flying.

[Pickle]

Your ships momentum is transferred to your bullets if you want your gunners shots to go where they aim them, have as little perpendicular movement to the bullet's path as possible.
This means line the target for your forward guns with the bowsprit, and come to a full stop when using the side guns.
A good gunner can compensate for lateral bullet trajectories. Be aware of your gunner's skill when flying.

And be aware how little idea the gunner may have of the movements of the ship he's on.  He will be compensating the sights relative to the target and may not notice bearing changes of is own ship.  This is particularly true with long-range guns like the Mercury.

[Helmic]

Your ships momentum is transferred to your bullets if you want your gunners shots to go where they aim them, have as little perpendicular movement to the bullet's path as possible.
This means line the target for your forward guns with the bowsprit, and come to a full stop when using the side guns.
A good gunner can compensate for lateral bullet trajectories. Be aware of your gunner's skill when flying.

And be aware how little idea the gunner may have of the movements of the ship he's on.  He will be compensating the sights relative to the target and may not notice bearing changes of is own ship.  This is particularly true with long-range guns like the Mercury.

This so much.  You can't really use your crosshairs to aim on a side gun when you're moving so fast, I simply cannot snipe components off of a side Mercury on a full speed Squid.  Either park it or quit bitching about me not hitting their engines.

[RearAdmiralZill]

This so much.  You can't really use your crosshairs to aim on a side gun when you're moving so fast, I simply cannot snipe components off of a side Mercury on a full speed Squid.  Either park it or quit bitching about me not hitting their engines.

- Never park a squid in the open.

[Helmic]

This so much.  You can't really use your crosshairs to aim on a side gun when you're moving so fast, I simply cannot snipe components off of a side Mercury on a full speed Squid.  Either park it or quit bitching about me not hitting their engines.

- Never park a squid in the open.

If you're at mercury range and you're wanting to snipe either it parks or I'm going to miss three out of four shots.  I don't 360 noscope.