Windrose Naval Tactics are ship-passive unlocks sold exclusively by the Smugglers of Port Royal Provisioner at Rank 3 reputation. They slot into a ship's dedicated Naval Tactics inventory slot (each ship has a fixed number of slots) and provide persistent naval-combat effects that no other faction offers.
How They Unlock
Reach Rank 3 reputation with the Smugglers of Port Royal via the hidden-base Bounty Agent after completing the Underground Network quest line
Each tactic is a one-time purchase and a permanent unlock on the purchasing character
Tactics are priced in Guineas, not Piastres; expect several hundred Guineas per tactic
In-Game Naming Convention
Naval Tactics in Windrose are numbered with Roman numerals and subtitled. Two of the tactics have been documented in public community databases:
In-Game Name | Effect | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape | While out of combat, restore 3% ship hull health every 3 seconds | Long exploration runs between battles |
Naval Tactics V: Silence the Guns | Hitting an enemy ship reduces their reload speed by 20% for 30 seconds | 1v2 and 1v3 engagements where you want to suppress one ship while focusing another |
Additional tactics exist in the game's Rank 3 Smuggler inventory (the Roman-numeral sequence implies at least V tactics, suggesting tactics I, II, and III are also in the inventory rotation). Their in-game names and effects have not been fully published in community databases; verify at the Smuggler Provisioner interface when you reach Rank 3.
Community Descriptive Names
In-community discussion, players sometimes refer to tactics by descriptive nicknames based on what the tactic does. Three commonly used community names:
"Out-of-Combat Chip Heal" refers to Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape
"Broken Rhythm" is a descriptive name used for a reload-debuff tactic; appears to correspond to Naval Tactics V: Silence the Guns based on effect overlap
"Stored Volley" references a tactic where standing outside combat for 2 minutes grants a +130% damage volley; the numbered in-game name for this effect has not been documented in primary sources. The effect is confirmed in community playthroughs, but the authoritative numbered name to use in wiki content should be verified in-game before being written here
Why They Are Worth the Grind
These passives are strong enough that Smuggler Rank 3 is often treated as the most important mid-game reputation unlock in the entire faction system. Naval Tactics V: Silence the Guns in particular swings 1v2 ship fights from risky to winnable, and Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape removes the need to sail back to a Wharf between engagements for minor hull repairs.
Currency and Grind Path
Each tactic costs several hundred Guineas. The only reliable sources of Guineas in the launch build are the Smuggler archipelago buyer (who pays Guineas for Ancient Chalices, Ancient Incense Burners, Pots with Golden Horns, Gold Masks of the Priest, Gold Temple Jugs, and Gold Vases of the Chief), Buried Treasure chests, and the unfavorable Smuggler Piastre-to-Guinea exchange. Most players alternate between the buyer turn-ins and the exchange until they can afford the two or three tactics their build actually uses.
Planning Around Slot Counts
Each ship class has a fixed number of Naval Tactics slots. The Ketch gets fewer slots than the Brigantine, and the Frigate gets more. Plan which two or three tactics matter most for your preferred ship before converting Piastres to Guineas; the Smugglers do not refund or reset tactic unlocks, so buying a tactic you cannot slot is a sunk cost.
See Also
Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape — regen tactic
Naval Tactics V: Silence the Guns — suppression tactic
Smugglers of Port Royal — the vendor faction
Naval Combat — how tactics fit into ship fights
Ship Types — slot counts per hull
Ship Customization — the broader ship loadout system
Faction Reputation — how to reach Rank 3