Neutral Status and Players using status to Influence results of Port Battles

[neon pecan]

To the Developers, Moderators, and Administrators of World of Sea Battles, and
Thera Interactive.

The Combined Leadership of Pirate factions across the EU server have come to that the systems meant to make it harder for Pirates in general are now being used as an exploit by factions in RvR and in gameplay in general at least within the EU server. What shall be discussed below is the issues, and the solutions proposed but ultimately something needs to happen.

The Issue is that in port Battles massive fleets of Trade faction, and neutral factionless players numbering 50+ are undocking during port battles and attacking pirate faction while being ignored and not having issues with Faction fleets. This also goes to them camping lighthouses during non-port battle periods of having fleets specifically designed to prevent pirate players and guilds from even having content and prevent them from playing the game. This is not done by faction fleets but by Trading guild and or Flotilla fleets. This has become a problem where making the game as a pirate has gone from difficult to toxic and cancerous gameplay, often encompassed with highly hostile language and rage ensuing from both sides of the altercations. The Port battle itself was Spanish versus Pirates and somehow Spanish players were seen coming out of the port itself as well which additionally drew Confusion.

Regardless of how it has gone in the past as of today 12/8/2025 at San Martinas Port Battle the interaction was cranked up to a significant point where it cannot be ignored anymore. Something must be done and it cannot be handled by the players anymore. As such we the Leadership teams amongst the pirate Guilds recommend amendments to the freedom upon non-pirate factions. In the Least having total immunity in war locations should be revoked if a port is going into a war-timer the entire area should become an active pvp zone for all ships and players within. Only ships of the Faction belonging to the port may dock at the port for a fee and those allied to the owners for free, during this period. Even Flotilla, Factionless, and Trade guild ships cannot dock within the port during the battle. Trade guild penalty for going PVP needs to be more severe. And PVP for anyone not Pirate needs to have a more severe repercussion as well, more severe the closer to a port location.

Video Footage To Follow

[neon stone]

1+

[neon pecan]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2638904159
28 min mark

[golden oasis]

Unfortunately, locking out peaceful players off especially neutrals will not sounds good when all they want is trading.

Plus trade union description said: welcomed by any port, but I'd agree that military shouldn't allowed to respawn in pirates.

Maybe this game should implement blacklist system where you can personally blacklist guilds docking to the said port, or maybe the game to enforce peaceflag for NON trusted parties whenever a large scale war detected to prevent "holding rigged port battles" as they said, but locking the gate to peaceful players won't do any good

[warped nacelle]

I think this is a matter of tactics. Recruiting neutral and trade alliance players, and making effective use of player positioning, is also part of the gameplay experience. Pirates can be set as allies or enemies, and under different strategies, it is possible to form teams with different factions.

For trade alliances, pirate ports do not require additional docking fees, which is itself a game mechanic. Therefore, making effective use of factions in faction wars is also a valid and strategic way to play.

Also, some ports need to have factions for buildship, it will effect neutral and trade union players help which faction

[glossy arrow]

I think just during the tension phase it would be okay for them to get shot tbh. Its not that frequent

[glossy arrow]

A defacto attacker should get shot by the defenses provided by the game. We can not even put enough guilds as trusted to stop them from shooting all the pirates (due to the scale of the conflict)

I wouldnt go as far as saying its exploiting or anything, but it is an unfortunate mechanic. Likely due to the devs not intending tension battles to get that big to be honest

in the end of the day it would not have mattered as much, but sadly one side of this conflict is seeking to make their victory trivial by increasing their number of allies as much as they can guess they do not like a good fight

tldr: more control over who our towers shoot during tension pls
tldr²: many small men on the other side trying to compensate, but so is life

[golden oasis]

nah, its not gonna be good for the game

Forcing non trusted into forced peacemode would be better (as any extra members joining the fight will rig that fight anwyay)

[glossy arrow]

I dont know. That would stop them from getting involved in any tension pvp. Perhaps that would be good, but i havent thought enough about it yet

[golden oasis]

i mean currently ppl rig battles like joining attacks

I believe attack and defense should done by "Trusted guild"

[glossy arrow]

I mean, we were fighting 3 different factions teaming up 😅 that exceeded the scope of "trusted guilds" by far

[nimble owl]

This really isn't a pirate only issue, the flotillas and trade union can do the same to factions if they so wished. However the game does reward killing pirates.

Ofc pirates could also interfere with Kai and Espanol and be rewarded by the pirate token system.

This really only affects the tension building.

[golden oasis]

yep
what i believe is that a port battle should just fight one guild with their trusted guilds at a time that build tension

but then again ppl can abuse it like phx did

so i can expect this implementation isn't gonna be quick due to loopholes, but yeah, ideally its trusted vs trusted attack and defense only.

[glossy arrow]

I mean all we are asking is that our defenses shoot the people actively fighting us. Yes they could kinda do it to military, but rep system would punish them & militaries dont need to trust guilds to save them from their towers, allowing them to have more players defending that area

[glossy arrow]

I guess that is moving to a different topic and vision entirely. We just want our defenses to work for us

[golden oasis]

which would make sense
well i'll leave this suggestion as be but i dont think ppl should be shot on sight unless they attacked (or blacklisted)

[warped nacelle]

So, I think pirates need group together for port's wars, I know pirates have Discord for all pirates guilds, I think pirates guilds need active in Discord group

[nimble owl]

Pirates in NA are 90% on the same team 80% of the time.

[glossy arrow]

I think the point is misunderstood.

For pirate other pirate are red unless they are trusted. Trusted slots are limited. In our fights both sides have many guilds, but towers will only protect 4 pirate guilds.
We are outnumbered as a whole and half of us get shot by the towers.
The enemy brings unaffilieted allies who do not get shot by the towers.

Half of our team gets shot by OUR defenses.
Half of the enemy does not get shot by OUR defenses

This can not be intended

I think when the devs made this they though trusted slots were enough. They did not anticipate 3 factions attacking one port together

They have voiced that the game was not designed for the current population

[golden oasis]

yep

this is why i said, anyone not in the trusted of the one creating tension MUST be peaceflagged

[warped nacelle]

I believe that in the future, joint alliances will often appear, and even different national alliances may emerge.

[warped nacelle]

But, I look back Pirate's details, they can PVP with Trade Union, Trade Union Protect is except Pirate🤔

[warped nacelle]

I think Pirate's Guild current population is less than other faction is true, I'm pirate guild member before when our guild was kick off in faction at last season.

Active members is important in pirate's guild, sometimes guilds need to merge in order to pursue active players.

[stone pasture]

I wouldn't say I'm 100% in tune with the mechanics for a neutral or trader in these scenarios, but I'm assuming they can attack us with little consequences from port defences, and then spawn back up in that port doing it over and over - correct me if I'm wrong.
Surely a simple solution would be if they act aggressively like that (attacking a guild during an active port defence) then they should get a "flag" equivalent to pirates getting a black flag. Removing their immunity to defences, and revoking their right to spawn inside the port, treating them like the entire attacking force that they're clearly a part of.

This would allow those genuine traders/neutrals to carry on with their normal gameplay, without being dragged into it by force.

[warped nacelle]

Neutral Status have PVP flag, until they change to faction flag or trade union flag, it will be replaced

[sick spoke]

• Spanish ships (Attackers) were mostly respawning at trade outposts within the vicinity of the port, (at least from what I saw). I myself was sunk, and respawned once via a trade outpost.
• Neutral players engaged both sides (Defenders/Attackers) at different points throughout the battle. I recall being attacked myself by a group of neutral ships with their names hidden, sneaking into our battlelines without being targeted as they were ignored due to being neutrals, and then them sailing alongside and boarding some of our ships to sink them when no one was looking. This resulted in an order for Spanish ships to shoot and sink any "name hidden" neutrals on sight after multiple losses.
• Defenders also pushed, blocked, and rammed their own ports' patrol boats to prevent attackers from gaining access to them and prevent tension building.
• I think the nature of the pirate faction, what it entails, and how it’s played will naturally make it a focal point for a server to push back against. Pirates fight, sink, and steal from everyone. That's their purpose. They are the PvP faction, and unlike others, they cannot disable PvP with peace flags. Choosing that faction means knowingly choosing a fight or be fought, combat-focused banner.

I was one of the Spanish Hurrican's during this battle. It was a lot of fun, and congratulations on the successful defense. The scale of the fight was enormous. One of the largest, if not the largest, I’ve seen in-game.

[warped nacelle]

I don’t think this is a matter of who is right or wrong. I believe that the pirate faction, whether in the game or in reality, is made up of people who enjoy combat. It comes down to whether players truly enjoy the process of the game. Perhaps they have not yet adapted to the playstyle of this faction. To fight freely, to grow stronger by facing overwhelming odds, to arm themselves, and to expand their crew—that is what it means to be a true pirate.

[waxen edge]

Flotilla and Trade Faction neutral status being used to advantage for PvP has occurred on NA server as well.

There was a guild that deliberately stayed a Flotilla instead of going Pirate so they could camp ports without being attacked by defenses. You also had to deal with the rep loss that inevitably came with fighting 10+ neutrals.

Similar thing is happening with port defense. Large fleets of trade guilds show up to fight with no real repercussions.

I don't know how you would go about solving their interactions with pirates, but for military factions, a Trade Guild member sinking someone from a military faction needs to have actual punishment. Something like locking them out of buying and selling anything in the related factions ports temporarily as a punishment, with multiple infractions causing longer lockouts.

Until something changes, Trade Unions that are just Military or Pirate using the cover of Trade Union is going to continue to be a problem.

[stone pasture]

I personally have no objection to fighting overwhelming odds, our group has always been the guys to go in for every fight regardless of the odds. The specific issue I have is the large group of trade guilds that are effectively operating under the Spanish faction, without dealing with the military restrictions during those occasions.

Send as many as you want at us, create more epic gameplay win or lose. But remove this bubble wrap from the fake trade guilds.

[wraith pollen]

What about assigning the "hide flag" mechanic to neutrals who participate? According to the description, it hides name/guild, enables pvp and makes you an eligible target for towers if I remember correctly.

[stone pasture]

Also that was an incredible fight last night, we love those moments. GG to all your side also.

(aside from the trade unions) lol

[sick spoke]

No objection from my side regarding military restrictions. I think it would be fair to apply a condition where, the moment you sink another player within the vicinity of a port under an active port battle, you are considered an active participant and are PVP (red bar) flagged for all other faction players.

[woven burrow]

Let's talk about patrols too. The pirates shouldn't be allowed to pull aggro from patrols and move them away constantly or be able to sink their own patrols

[warm blade]

Yeeha

[neon stone]

It was kinda unfun to having Neutrals appearing behind you with a huracan, Apostolovs and suicide Vessels from your own port whiöe.being sunk by the freaking BRP Mortars when trying to go out of the port to help the fight.

[glossy arrow]

I think it's a separate topic, so if you care a bunch, I think you should make a new thread.

Personally, I didn't see strategic mass sinking of them. I sunk two of them because they were either ramming into me or being a nuisance otherwise. I saw similar with some other people who just got fed up the ai of those things

[neon pecan]

names being hidden doesnt make someone nuetral thats called ambush flags and its likely those were pirates

[warped nacelle]

This flag isn't show players location on the map, it show the ship's name only

[wraith pollen]

I meant something similar to the mechanism. Going into a PB as neutral should flag you as hostile to towers.

[neon pecan]

oh my bad misunderstood the meaning

[neon pecan]

I have a feeling this issue will only get worse if not addressed.

[upbeat lodge]

trade union need higher repurcutions for sinking people veing able to sit with a fleet with hurican on your harbour dorrstep sinking whoever they want an our towers dont have no use agaist them. some things need to be reworked as people are now starting to abuse trade union to fight in enemy ports

[nimble owl]

100% the issue lies with the towers but the question is how should they work. Idk if something like: towers target all opposing flagged factions (how it works now) AND ALSO anyone not allied with the port guild who happens to have a black mark, would be enough.

I don't think merchants get black marks for sinking pirates (maybe if the rate difference is enough?).

Having towers open fire on everyone not allied or not peace flagged is an extreme but simple solution ig.

[warped nacelle]

By design, a Trade Union does not have to be purely a merchant role; they can also be an armed merchant. They only need to maintain a positive reputation with three national factions.

However, when it comes to fighting against the Pirate faction, they are allowed to participate and attack. The Pirate faction is considered hostile (red) to all other factions.