Wit and Charm

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

Yes, I am using the Extra Dutch cities mod.

I am extremely pleased with this. Taking out four Treasure Galleon with a Sloop with 41 crew is almost impossible. I put it right up there with Sparticus de-masting a Ship of the Line using a War Canoe!

Captain Dave · Powder Monkey Posts: 13 **671 Gold** -

I've also played a couple games selecting Wit and Charm after reading this thread, and I've become a fan.

With this skill, I've been able to take down Montalban while I still have fine health (i.e., within 6 or 7 years, depending on if I've managed to buy the Medicinal Herbs by that point).

One game I was hurrying to get to his hideout close to the 6 year point on aging from "fine" to "good" (didn't have the Medicinal Herbs), and I made it with only 9 days to spare.

With other skills I've typically fought Montalban at his hideout when my pirate has good health, and it obviously makes a difference being able to fight him while still having the fencing benefit from younger age.

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

I finally finished my game and had a great time of it!
As I said above, my start was absolutely world record - taking out four Treasure Galleons before even sailing into the first city was amazing!
I was able to go up thru the promotions in amazing time. Taking out Puerto CAbello and Coro and giving them to England and France was a great idea. It gave me a fine base of logistics so I could knock off all the Spanish ships, sell the ships and cargo, recruit fresh crew and get promoted from all three nations. That is a great idea to raise a large army right at the start of the game and take over two Spanish cities. Worked well!

In this game, I did not see an Indian War Canoe early in the game and decided to play the game using a Royal Sloop I liberated from a Spanish Pirate Hunter. This was the first time in 10 years I used a Sloop, instead of a small boat. It was like riding in a Cadillac, very smooth and by carrying 16 guns on this ship the pirates I ran into did not want to get into a shootout. They simply rammed me, which is what I wanted in the first place. I was almost never out-gunned except by the big Spanish Galleons and some of the named pirates. It took an extra year to play this game but was a gun change of pace.

In this game I saw the most intense combat I have seen in MANY years! I had three trophy ships, 125 sailors and I went after Monty, got him and had to staff his ship. Then Raymondo came by and I got him too and had to staff his ship. Now I was down to only 20 sailors left on my Royal Sloop. The Spanish sent a War Galleon at me as a Pirate Hunter. I had to sink one of my trophy ships to add a few more crew so I did. I took the War Galleon and then the Spanish sent ANOTHER War Galleon Pirate Hunter at me. Now I was down to only 15 sailors on my Sloop so I had to sink TWO trophy ships to get him. Then, a Treasure Galleon comes by and I take him too with only 15 sailors and I limped slowly back to a port. All this happened right away, no delay. It was fast and furious combat!

With my Wit and Charm I was able to get a lot of Lost City map pieces and found two Lost Cities pretty quickly. When I finally found Monty's hideout (took all four pieces), I was able to afford a 240 man army without dividing the plunder. Also, I knocked off the named pirates earlier than usual this game because I gathered a lot of gold earlier from the Spanish ships.
Monty's hideout was north of Vera Cruz but no landmarks. I simply started a small distance north of Vera Cruz and just marched north until I found the hideout.

The game went very well, a lot of fun. I retired at 32 years of age in fair health and 123 points. This was a wonderful game and I highly recommend all the techniques I used. I will do it again later this year. Try it yourself!

Roland · Helmsman Posts: 4085 **22541 Gold** -

Thanks for the fascinating report, Salty. It sounds like you took some risks and they paid off!

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

I started another game on Friday and am over halfway thru now. I took my latest "favorite" settings of Wit and Charm, English, 1660's and it launched me at St. Kitts but I turned around before entering port and then went down near Trinidad and captured one Treasure Galleon and sank another one. Best way to start a game! I raised an army and took over Puerto Bello for the English so I got an extra promotion from them. After that, the game played as usual and the Wit and Charm helped me find pieces of a Lost City Map.

I was able to go looking for Monty's hideout after only two map pieces. I had an X and a landmark so I started looking north of Vera Cruz for the Landmark. Amazingly, I sailed all the way to Texas and there was not even one Landmark. Incredible, no landmarks at all north of Vera Cruz! So I went due east of Campeche and sure enough, that is where it was.

Rather then retire and raise an army, I just kept playing and after I freed my last relative I took out the named pirates and had enough to support a 198 man army. That was enough to beat the Indians and I captured Monty in year 7 of the game.

My first lost city was tough - an X and only one item - a totem pole and nothing else. It use said "Southeast of Campeche" but I was able to find it without too much trouble. A newbie would have been SOL on that one. I am still looking for the other Cities, have not gotten married yet and have five more treasures to find.

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

I finished the game last night. I retired at age 30 in fair health. My score was only 120 but that's OK by me. I found all the treasures, cities, pirates, relatives etc... All four of the Lost Cities were tough to find. Not one landmark on any of them. Just a stone head, one totem pole or a cabin and dead tree. Two of them were "East of Campeche" and two were "East of Gran Granada", very hard to find but I got them. Some of the treasures were extra tough too. I still can't believe nothing. happened north of Vera Cruz and there were no landmarks up there!

Because the last two lost cities were East of Gran Granada, I married the beautiful daughter of Port Royale and that worked out fine. When Mendoza kidnapped her he was just down in Rio de la Hacha and I sailed straight down there and got him right away.

If I want, Gun Pierson is still young enough to un-retire and go hunting Spanish Galleons at will and also take over more cities just for fun. Maybe I will do that. Or, maybe I will try to get a Ship of the Line from the West Indies.

I like playing a game every 3 or 4 months and I am now hooked on using Wit and Charm, the War Canoe and I love taking out the Treasure Galleons before sailing into my first city - fun!

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

Is anyone else playing a game? Am I the only one who still plays SMP?

fleetp · Boatswain Posts: 3736 **36123 Gold** -

I'm not currently playing, but I plan to start a new game next week.

corsair91 · Sailing Master Posts: 8255 **207674 Gold** -

My Captain is currently on Shore Leave wenching and drinking the local tavern dry

Anyday soon will be off chasing the latest Treasure Ship
unless an irate Husband makes it sooner!

themodelcitizen · Gunner Posts: 865 **14671 Gold** -

I was playing Tropico 4 for a bit but jonesing for some more SMP. Either my expanded Caribbean map and then starting a save in the East Indies 20 years later, or doing the opposite...

[+] · Powder Monkey Posts: 10 **313 Gold** -

I'm about 2/3 of the way through my first game in a while - I wanted to see if I've still "got it," so I'm playing 1600 Dutch on Swashbuckler with the Fencing skill. Strangely, defeating Montalban was the easiest it's ever been. Maybe, like fine wine, my reflexes are getting better with age. Or maybe it was dumb luck.

I hope others are playing - I enjoy reading the game summaries.

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

I have another game going now. I am about 2/3 of the way thru it. I chose 1660, French and Wit and Charm. This one is going great. I have been dancing really well and even got lucky to buy the Calfskin Boots from the Mysterious Stranger early in the game. I have been able to find two Lost Cities very early on. I have two relatives so far and know where Monty's hideout is. I already have 207,000 in gold. So I will keep freeing up relatives and leave Monty out there sailing around so I get some more map pieces.

I hope to take out Monty's hideout without having to take out Blackbeard, Morgan, Kidd or Laffite. I want them to keep getting more gold and then take them out at the end.

Are you aware of the special table that Roland and I put together? It lists all the cities and what they could be selling for ship upgrades. Based on the city name and upgrade, it shows what type of daughter (Plain, Attractive or Beautiful) are in the city. That way you can sail past the city and decide if you can enter the city to dance with a Beauty and get a piece of a Lost City map. That is what I have been doing and how I have gotten two Lost Cities so early in the game.l

Once again, this proves how valuable Wit and Charm is, it is the most valuable talent you can choose. Also, use a War Canoe or similar to speed up the game!

[+] · Powder Monkey Posts: 10 **313 Gold** -

No, I haven't heard of that table! Where do I find it?

Salty Dog · Sailing Master Posts: 10060 **191991 Gold** -

Roland,
Do you remember where we put the table? I wish it were a sticky here in the General Strategies board!

fleetp · Boatswain Posts: 3736 **36123 Gold** -