For Salt And Glory, A Tale About Lessons Learned

[Olthoi 65]

I needed salt.  SALT. 

Rumors were there was salt 5 zones to the east.  Loaded up the schooner with my best kit, ready for anything and for any length of time.  The Patriot was rigged with a Large Speed sail and a Small Speed sail, the most it could handle.  She was fast, amazingly fast and the wind was to my favor.  No armament, just speed and storage.  She could sail past a Ship Of The Damned without needing to even change course and without concern, she was long gone before they could even target.

I found my salt after hours of sailing and exploring.  Not only did I find my salt, I found some rare seeds and an insane concentration of metal.  After one evening of farming I was ready to leave, over 5k Salt, 1,600 metal, some seeds, and a storage chest full of sugar (a nice little bonus). I was ready to sail home.  The Patriot was still under weight and I was feeling good.  My Company would be pleased with he haul.  I was already thinking about how soon I could return with a bigger boat for a bigger haul.

The wind was not so favorable for the trip home, and it was HOT.  I sailed as far as I could before needing to retire for the evening, surviving heat stroke and one typhoon before I found a nice little island to harbor for the night.  I went to bed pleased.

I logged in the next morning feeling great, thinking about the Companies reactions to seeing The Patriot back home after such a successful haul.  Enough salt for weeks or even months!  My elation was short lived.

I repaired and stocked up and set sail into unfavorable winds.  After 20 minutes I was into the next zone where a typhoon was waiting for me.  No worries, sailed through these before.... Then she sank.  Sank faster than I could repair.  The Patriot was no more.  The 5k Salt was no more.  All my best kit was gone. The metal, the seeds, and most importantly my spirit was sank.  All lost.  I didn't even try to swim away when the sharks and jellyfish came.

But I did gain something:  Even though I suffered a spirit crushing event, I had a freaking blast.  I don't think I had a more fun than this 2 days of gaming in years.  The scenes were stunning and the exploration was amazing.  I must have stopped at 10 islands along the way, each one an adventure by itself.  I have already learned from my mistakes how I will do it next time.  I will be prepared.  And it will be a blast.

I have rage quit so many times when crushed like this, but this time (after a 15 minute cussing session), I was back at my base farming the mats for a new schooner, a better one, for the next trip for Salt And Glory.

See you on the water.

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by Olthoi

[boomervoncannon 1,541]

Great story, and well told, thanks for sharing. I have a key question, because someone in a thread yesterday posted about the typhoons sinking their ship which they claimed was fully repaired, almost immediately.  Do you think you could have or would have, had any chance to repair the ship and prevent sinking? 

[Olthoi 65]

It sank FAST.  But to be honest it was probably sinking for a few minutes before I realized it was as damaged as it was.  I also did not have that special chest on the boat where you can repair without having the mats on your character.  So I was halfway sunk before I even realized it, and then it took me a few more moments to gather the materials I needed to repair.  By the time I was repairing it was too late.   If I was smarter and had the right equipment I probably would have survived.

I was also alone with no crew.  I'm thinking if I had a couple of crew below with hammers they would have helped repair? 

EDIT:  Next time I will probably just start repairing the moment the storm starts, instead of trying to sail through it.  Just repair and wait it out.

All for the next time

Edited January 14, 2019 by Olthoi

[archaegeo 192]

NPC's will only repair if the ship is at anchor and they are assigned to no position (and materials in the Ship Resources chest).

But yeah, other players woulda helped

[boomervoncannon 1,541]

25 minutes ago, Olthoi said:

It sank FAST.  But to be honest it was probably sinking for a few minutes before I realized it was as damaged as it was.  I also did not have that special chest on the boat where you can repair without having the mats on your character.  So I was halfway sunk before I even realized it, and then it took me a few more moments to gather the materials I needed to repair.  By the time I was repairing it was too late.   If I was smarter and had the right equipment I probably would have survived.

I was also alone with no crew.  I'm thinking if I had a couple of crew below with hammers they would have helped repair? 

EDIT:  Next time I will probably just start repairing the moment the storm starts, instead of trying to sail through it.  Just repair and wait it out.

All for the next time

My partner and I have discovered that especially if you have crew and any practice at commanding them effectively (it does take a little practice and familiarizing yourself in order to be able to react properly when time is of the essence), then anchoring and repairing while riding it out seems the better approach. To us anyway. Again thanks for the tale, a good read.

Edited January 14, 2019 by boomervoncannon

[Vhalkyrie 38]

Great story!  Honestly, coming from EVE Online, losing your ships is just part of the story.  All the landlubbers can keep fighting over claims; my sailing partner and I live grand adventures on the sea!  I've lost 3 ships in Atlas so far, and have fireside tales like yours of how I lost the Silver Mermaid, Myth's Folly, and Queen of the Damned.  Rebuilding each time is just to make it better, and try new configurations.

Keep Sailing and Exploring, Matey!

Edited January 14, 2019 by Vhalkyrie

[Beylerbeyi 26]

great story mate good have you back. if i can give a little advise you can use 3-4 med-planks for emergency repairs. one box usual wood,tatch,fiber and one box planks.

i guess you was offline and go to sleep, meanwhile ship decay and after storm hits you - your ship get flooded and sank ? if i read and understand it right.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Beylerbeyi

[Olthoi 65]

3 minutes ago, Beylerbeyi said:

great story mate good have you back. if i can give a little advise you can use 3-4 med-planks for emergency repairs. one box usual wood,tatch,fiber and one box planks.

i guess you was offline and go to sleep, meanwhile ship decay and after storm hits you - your ship get flooded and sank ? if i read and understand it right.

I was too busy trying to sail out of the storm, it was damaged and sinking for a bit of time before I realized it.  By the time I retrieved my hammer and gathered my mats its was too late.  Next time ill have the right chest and my hammer ready!!  And great advice on the planks, I actually do that on my sloop, just got sloppy when kitting out the schooner.

[snoogibear 3]

please please please tell me you named your next ship " For Salt and Glory "

[Caldrin 55]

Great story go back with another ship and salvage her

[Vhalkyrie 38]

Inspired by your thread, I decided to share my sunken ship stories too:

 

[Olthoi 65]

1 hour ago, snoogibear said:

please please please tell me you named your next ship " For Salt and Glory "

I must tell you I was tempted.  WHEN The Falcon rests at the bottom the ocean (the new schooner), Ill replace it with a Brigantine named that

[Olthoi 65]

New Strategy:

I've built a new schooner to replace The Patriot named "The Falcon" (because she is so fast).  But After spending a day or so reflecting and a bit of sailing, I'm going to try my Salt run again....... on a new SLOOP.   Light, fast, and purpose built.  Minimal kit, minimal risk.  And of course, the new sloop will be named "For Salt And Glory"!

Ill be sure to update here as my quest for salt continues (new word on the street is there is some one block over!)

See you on the water.

 

Olthoi

Edited January 15, 2019 by Olthoi