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22 Naval Tactics I: Ambush is one of five Naval Tactics combat orders you can equip in a ship's tactics slot. An extended discussion of surprise at sea. One line, underlined and re-underlined by a former captain, cautions that a single well-timed volley is worth more than any number fired in haste.
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44 Now, gentlemen.
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66 Overview
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88 PropertyValueCategoryShip Combat OrderRarityRareStack Size1Order IndexNaval Tactics I (tactic 1 of 5)VendorSmugglers of Port Royal ProvisionerFaction RankLevel 3PricePiastre x500Fits HullsAll 9 hull classes (every Brig, Frigate, Ketch variant)
99 In-Game Effect
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1111 If you neither deal nor take Damage for 2 minutes, the next volley deals 130% increased Damage.
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1313 Tactic Comparison
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1515 All five Naval Tactics share the same Rare rarity, Level 3 reputation gate, and 500 Piastre price, so they compete purely on effect. Ambush is the pure burst option; the others trade that opening spike for sustain or enemy debuffs.
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1717 TacticEffectRoleNaval Tactics I: AmbushAfter 2 minutes with no damage dealt or taken, the next volley deals +130% damage.Opening burstNaval Tactics II: No QuarterDestroying an enemy ship within 50 meters restores 30% Ship Health over 10 seconds.Fleet sustainNaval Tactics III: Stretch the SupplyExtends the value of each Grog and Repair Kit carried, stretching limited consumables.Consumable economyNaval Tactics IV: ShipshapeWhile out of combat, restores 3% Ship Health every 3 seconds.Between-fight repairNaval Tactics V: Silence the GunsHits apply Broken Rhythm, cutting enemy reload speed and damage by 20% for 30 seconds.Sustained debuff
1818 Fits Ships
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2020 Every ship class accepts Naval Tactics, and this tactic specifically fits all nine Brig, Frigate, and Ketch hull variants in the game, so the choice of tactic never restricts which hull you can equip it on.
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2222 Blackbeard BrigBlackbeard FrigateBlackbeard KetchBrethren BrigBrethren FrigateBrethren KetchBrigFrigateKetch
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2424 How to Acquire
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2626 Buy Naval Tactics I: Ambush from the Smugglers of Port Royal Provisioner at Level 3 reputation with the Smugglers of Port Royal faction. The purchase costs Piastre x500 per copy, and a single copy unlocks the tactic permanently for that character.
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2828 Reaching Smuggler reputation Level 3 typically goes through the Smugglers of Port Royal faction quest chain and ongoing Bounty Agent turn-ins. See the Faction Reputation article for the full reputation-per-activity breakdown. Each of the five Naval Tactics carries the same Level 3 requirement and the same 500 Piastre price, so order of purchase is a budgeting and playstyle question rather than a progression gate.
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3030 When to Use
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3232 Ambush rewards patient first strikes. Best when you intend to scout and maneuver into position before engaging, and open with a single decisive volley. The 2-minute idle timer resets every time you take or deal any damage, so it fits hit-and-run playstyles and ambush routes against patrolling fleets, not chaotic skirmishes.
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3434 Treat it as a one-shot alpha-strike tool, not a sustained-fight buff. The bonus is consumed by your first volley and the timer is broken the instant you take a single hit, so it does not refresh in the middle of a brawl. Paired with high-damage cannons it can stagger or even sink a lighter ship before it returns fire, which is why it shines on patient solo hunts and opening engagements rather than prolonged fleet battles.
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3636 Equipping and Swapping
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3838 Combat orders slot into a dedicated ship Naval Tactics slot at the Wharf. Only one tactic is active at a time, so swapping tactics requires docking and entering the Wharf equipment screen. Tactics stay equipped across logouts, zone transitions, and death; you do not have to re-slot them after each session.
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4040 See Also
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4242 Naval Tactics: five-tactic roster with comparison tableSmugglers of Port Royal: vendor faction that sells every tacticNaval Combat: how tactics interact with broadsides, reload, and hull damageShip Customization: full ship loadout (cannons, tactics, hull mods)Naval Tactics II: No Quarter: Naval Tactics IINaval Tactics III: Stretch the Supply: Naval Tactics IIINaval Tactics IV: Shipshape: Naval Tactics IVNaval Tactics V: Silence the Guns: Naval Tactics V
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4444 Details
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4646 Crafted By
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4848 Crafted at: Shipwright's Workshop
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5050 IngredientQuantityWoodx1
5151 Fits Ships
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5353 ShipBlackbeard BrigBlackbeard FrigateBlackbeard KetchBrethren BrigBrethren FrigateBrethren KetchBrigFrigateKetch