2026-09-30
The open sea became one sea for everyone, round a walled capital called Corona, with a chart that stays blank until you explore it and ship's boats that can take prizes.
The open sea
The open sea is now a body of water about 38 by 23 km, enclosed by shore, with islands, cays and shoals. At its centre is the island of Corona, the Crown's capital. Puerto Cabral lies at the head of a gulf on the east shore. Everything is drawn by hand: the world is its own, and the places on it carry the names they've been given.
Corona stands at the head of a bay, behind a low barrier island whose wooded ridge stops shot. The water between is a sheltered anchorage deep enough to hold a dozen first rates. The town is walled, with four bastions, a quay and an inner harbour behind a mole, a plaza, a cathedral, the governor's house, the customs house, a citadel flying the Crown's ensign and a light on the mole's head. Its houses have storeys, gables and tiled roofs over cobbled streets. The quay is stacked with crates, barrels and bales, with a crane at its face. People walk the quay and the main street, and smoke drifts from the chimneys. Eleven ships lie moored in the roads.
One sea for everyone
The open sea is shared: everyone who sails it is on the same sea at the same time, each in a cutter, with the guns silent. A new cutter starts stern-to on the seaward side of Corona's mole. You see only what lies within sight of your own ship. Explore Open Sea on the welcome page takes you there.
A chart you make yourself
The map is now an engraved chart: laid paper, a compass rose with its rhumb lines ruled across the sheet, a graduated border, soundings, shaded coasts and a title cartouche. On the open sea the chart starts blank and fills in as you sail, about 3 km round your ship. Members keep their chart with their account, so it follows them from one computer to another. The open sea's chart is a paper chart with no ships on it, not even yours; engagements keep the tactical map.
Boats and prizes
- B lowers your ship's boat and puts you in it, as long as the ship is making under 2 knots. Row it back alongside and B hoists it in. While you're away, a captain lies the ship to and fights whatever broadside bears.
- From a boat you can board an enemy that has struck and take it as a prize. It comes over to your side at full morale with its surviving crew, and it's yours to command.
- In a room or on the sea, you can row to another player's ship on your side and ride along as a passenger, seeing what it sees.
- A second, smaller boat, the jolly boat, with four oars and six men. The brig and the cutter carry one on deck.
Smaller things
- The sun casts shadows round whatever you're looking at.
- Chain shot now looks like chain shot: two half-balls on a bar, tumbling end over end.
- The welcome page got a card for the Crown, a still across the top and new welcome text. Sea Trials became Sea Trial.
- The world always opens in the chase view.