RU Play

The Pilot’s Book · Flags and the law

The three flags

Flags and the law

Neutral — quiet scouting with an 85 % free hold. City or guild — peace with the law, fights with pirates and monsters. Pirate — hardcore: rob anyone, and pay with skulls.

  1. The flag is chosen in port: the «Colours» chip in the port window's second row. Each card says what the flag lets you do; the flying one is marked «Flying».
    1The flag is chosen in port: the «Colours» chip in the port window's second row. Each card says what the flag lets you do; the flying one is marked «Flying».
  2. «Neutral»: scouting and fishing. Captains leave you alone and you cannot touch captains or peaceful ships; pirates attack only rarely. Only while trade goods fill at most 15 % of the hold — load more and the city flag goes up by itself. Only here «Boarding: off» works against captains.
    2«Neutral»: scouting and fishing. Captains leave you alone and you cannot touch captains or peaceful ships; pirates attack only rarely. Only while trade goods fill at most 15 % of the hold — load more and the city flag goes up by itself. Only here «Boarding: off» works against captains.
  3. «City or guild» — a new captain's flag: peace with the law. Merchants, fishers and patrols leave you alone and you them; pirates, monsters and enemy captains attack.
    3«City or guild» — a new captain's flag: peace with the law. Merchants, fishers and patrols leave you alone and you them; pirates, monsters and enemy captains attack.
  4. «Pirate» — hardcore: rob merchants, fishers, patrols and captains. Every victim is a skull. Merchants flee, patrols hunt you; the sea's pirates count you as one of theirs until you fire on them.
    4«Pirate» — hardcore: rob merchants, fishers, patrols and captains. Every victim is a skull. Merchants flee, patrols hunt you; the sea's pirates count you as one of theirs until you fire on them.
  5. Tap another flag and it goes up in a minute — but never sooner than 10 minutes after your last fight with a captain. Leave port before that and the order is cancelled. In lawless waters no flag protects anyone.
    5Tap another flag and it goes up in a minute — but never sooner than 10 minutes after your last fight with a captain. Leave port before that and the order is cancelled. In lawless waters no flag protects anyone.

Try it in the game

See also

Skulls and how to wash themUnder the pirate flag every peaceful victim is a skull. With one, the flag is locked; with two, lawful ports are shut. Wash them by time out of a fight or buy a pardon in a pirate haven.4 steps«Boarding: off»A switch on the flag card: no one boards you and you board no one — guns only. Against captains it works only under the neutral flag.3 stepsThe privateer patentA licence to hunt your city's enemies without skulls: sold in the ports of the Crown, the League and the Harpoon, from level 10, for 7 days.3 steps