In Skull and Bones, while you don’t directly control the boarding combat itself, understanding its mechanics and making strategic decisions can significantly increase your chances of success:
Mechanics:
Triggering: Once an enemy ship is weakened (health bar flashing blue), aim at their rigging (ropes and lines supporting masts) and fire grappling hooks when the "Crew Boarding" prompt appears.
Cutscene and Transition: A cinematic sequence showcases your crew grappling and boarding the enemy ship.
Automatic Combat: You have limited control during this phase. However, you can actively participate by:
Spamming the designated button (usually spacebar on PC or "X" on Xbox controllers) to perform quick attacks and support your crew.
Focusing on weaker enemies or high-value targets (officers) if possible.
Influencing Success:
Crew Skills: Upgrading crew skills related to boarding, like attack damage, health, or movement speed, significantly improves their performance during the boarding sequence.
Ship Choice: While boarding is possible with any ship, some excel in this area:
Bombardier Padewakang: Known for its offensive capabilities and potentially a good choice for aggressive boarding tactics.
Brigantine: Offers a good balance of firepower and maneuverability, making it versatile for various combat situations, including boarding.
Enemy Composition: Consider the enemy ship’s crew size, equipment, and potential defensive measures before attempting to board. Heavily fortified ships or those with larger crews might pose a greater challenge.
Additional Tips:
Weaken the enemy strategically: Focus fire on their crew rather than the hull to weaken their resistance before boarding.
Position your ship effectively: Maneuver alongside the enemy ship, ideally at their port or starboard side, for easier access during the boarding sequence.
Utilize support abilities: If your ship has specific weapons or skills that can weaken the enemy crew or provide buffs to your own, use them strategically before initiating the boarding process.
Observe and adapt: During the cutscene, assess the situation and focus your button presses (if possible) on weaker enemies or high-value targets for a more efficient takeover.
By understanding these mechanics, making informed decisions based on ship selection, and strategically utilizing available resources and tactics, you can increase your chances of success in boarding combat and securing valuable loot in Skull and Bones.