Privateer Contracts

Name

Availability

Optional Objective

Tips

Effect

Henderson in Distress

Complete Sequence 05

Limit ally health loss to 50%.

Steer directly into the initial group of enemies to draw their fire away from the Henderson. Once you have disposed of this immediate danger, take care of the second wave of vessels waiting in the distance. To complete the Optional Objective, it can help to place the Aquila between the Henderson and her assailants.

For each completed Contract: -25% Risk Rate for this route

Paving the Way

Destroy three ships by ramming them.

While it’s easier to go for the collision-related Optional Objective immediately, this puts you at risk of high damage. It’s worth the risk, though, and infinitely preferable to chasing a single remaining gunboat in a never-ending loop in an attempt to ram it.

Dread of Night

Limit environmental damage to 25%.

While pursuing the Saint James, don’t try to shoot it, and focus on steering. When the engagement begins, break straight through the fleet’s line while firing your left and right cannons until the enemy ships are on one side of the Aquila. With little room to maneuver, aim your broadsides carefully to try to destroy multiple smaller vessels at once.

Name

Availability

Optional Objective

Tips

Effect

Troubled Waters

Complete Sequence 06 and all three Saint-Augustine Contracts

Limit damage taken to 50%.

Brace both for Rogue Waves and when the three frigates fire at you. This is essential to complete the Optional Objective. Wait until you have a clear line of sight before you fire on enemy vessels: shots made below a target or, worse, into the waves will be ineffective.

For each completed Contract: -25% Risk Rate for this route

Raiding the Prospector

Sink the fleet within 1:30 min.

The Piercing Rounds upgrade is a definite boon during this mission. Destroy the initial gunboat patrols to start the real battle. To complete the Optional Objective, turn left immediately after you come out of the rocks. While doing this, fire your cannons at the Prospector and the first part of its fleet. Focus on the two schooners and the gunboats with the swivel guns. Repeat this with the second part of the fleet, which should now be on your left. Aim at the Prospector’s bow to expose its Weak Point and take it down quickly.

One of a Kind

Sink a frigate.

In this mission you must stay in the marked area and survive the enemy waves until the time limit expires. The channel is very narrow at first, which limits your ability to fire broadsides. The second wave, which appears once you reach a more open area, includes two frigates. Destroy one in priority to complete the Optional Objective.

Name

Availability

Optional Objective

Tips

Effect

Blistering Dawn

Complete Sequence 07

Limit damage taken to 25%.

This is a very short and uncomplicated battle. Take care of the two schooners first, then eliminate the frigates. As long as you take care to brace, the Optional Objective should be easy to complete.

For each completed Contract: -25% Risk Rate for this route

A Call for Help

Limit ally health loss to 75%.

Carefully navigate around the rocks. Some of the sharp turns necessitate a call for dead stop for a brief moment, before deploying Half Sail again. To save the Independence, you need to steer the Aquila right into the middle of the enemy groups to draw their fire. This will enable you to shoot both your port and starboard cannons alternately. Don’t be too alarmed as your ally’s life bar depletes at a rapid rate early in the fight: this is to be expected. As you eliminate enemy vessels, this will gradually slow to a crawl.

Search for the Somerset

Limit environmental damage to 25%.

Ram one of the two schooners while shooting your cannons at the other. Then fire your swivel guns at the small gunboats. With this strategy, you will destroy most of the Somerset’s fleet during the opening approach.

Name

Availability

Optional Objective

Tips

Effect

The Sea Wolves

Complete Sequence 08 and all three Bahamas Contracts

Complete the Contract with no more than four allied casualties.

The eight merchant ships that you must escort will often get in your way during this Contract. Try not to ram them and pay attention to their positions; sometimes they will block your line of fire. The enemy frigates will concentrate most of their fire on the merchant ships, which enables you to be very bold and avoid wasting time by bracing for attacks. Upgrades to the Aquila’s offensive capabilities will obviously make the Optional Objective easier to complete.

For each completed Contract: -25% Risk Rate for this route

A Midnight Engagement

Limit environmental damage to 25%.

If you chart a course to the right of the rocks, taking the long route, you can hit the Greyhound with at least two full broadsides before she meets with her fleet – which, with the Extra Cannons upgrade, should be enough to sink her. You can then turn in to the left to deal with the four schooners.

The Giant and the Storm

Sink all ships by firing on the powder stores.

Don’t be too casual with the schooners at the start of this mission: you will need your ship in robust shape for the battle that follows. Once you defeat them, the Orpheus and two frigates arrive. Having the Improved Rudder upgrade can be quite helpful in this Contract. To fulfill the tough Optional Objective, ramming the bow of the final three ships may prove useful to expose their Weak Points, as the rough sea makes aiming very difficult. One option is to use chain shot to disable them in advance – though even then, it’s tricky to line up a broadside to the bow.

Name

Availability

Tips

Sinking a Secret

Complete Sequence 05

As you reach a succession of green search zones, the camera will highlight ships to your left and right; left for the first two instances, right for the third. Wipe them out immediately with a single well-aimed broadside. In the final part of the mission, the Dartmoor has the advantage as you follow her through the rocks. Chart your pursuit carefully to avoid her guns until a cutscene begins; once this ends, the Aquila will be positioned right next to the man-of-war. Brace as prompted, then unleash a full, focused broadside at the Dartmouth’s bow to reveal her Weak Point, and sink her immediately with a swivel gun shot. You can then finish off the gunboats and schooners in any fashion you please.

The Ghost War, Act 1

Carefully navigate the rocks and Rogue Winds to reach the green search zone, then eliminate the small privateer fleet of gunboats and schooners; you can actually sail into the middle of the fleet and decimate it with broadsides to the left and then right. Continue with the search until the Windermere attacks. Her angle of approach will enable you to aim two, perhaps three broadsides at her bow – and therefore eliminate this man-of-war by revealing her Weak Point. As in “Sinking a Secret”, you then have the simple task of mopping up a collection of smaller vessels.

The Ghost War, Act 2

Complete Sequence 05 and The Ghost War, Act 1

After the short journey through the rocks, eliminate the small fleet that engages the Aquila, then set sail for the waypoint marker. Once the cutscene introduces your targets, wait until the Leviathan and the two frigates pass before you launch the ambush. This leads to an enjoyable battle on turbulent seas. With a deft hand at the wheel, you can actually lead the Leviathan to destroy her own allies.