[GUIDE] How to choose a Faction

[Smooth Trooper]

Without a doubt, the most important choice you make in this game is the faction you choose to align with at character creation. This single, apparently minor choice can make an enormous difference on whether you love or hate your experience playing Naval Action. Here's what you need to know:

(1) Factions can not be changed.

Changing your faction is impossible, and will most likely remain impossible for metagaming reasons about preserving the in-game economy (more information is available on the GameLabs forums, if you are looking for more information).

Except for Pirates. Any player can become a Pirate, flipping to the Pirate Faction, by attacking a ship affiliated with their own faction. That means, if you are Spanish and you attack a Spanish Trader, you will become a Pirate. There has been some talk of maybe allowing Pirates to become affiliated with another Faction (e.g. Letters of Marque) but nothing is for sure in the works.

(2) Faction choice determines you starting location.

All players will initially start in their Faction's Capital. This means that you could spawn in initially in a protected coastline, or you could spawn into an area regularly patrolled by enemy AI fleets and players. This makes some factions harder than others.

For reference:

• The Dutch (Verenigde Provinciën) start at Curaçao in the southern Lesser Antilles, far to the south and away from most other Faction's Capitals.
  
• The French (France) start in Martinique, a more nothern Island in the Lesser Antilles, but in the extreme eastern side of the Map.
  
• The Swedish (Sverige) start in Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts), a small island in the north east part of the Lesser Antilles near the Virgin Islands.
  
• The Danes (Danmark-Norge) start in St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands, in the east-center part of the map.
  
• The British (Great Britain) start in Jamaica, south of Cuba and in the center of the map.
  
• The Spanish (Spain) start in La Habana (known in English as Havana) on the north coast of Cuba, and near the center of the map.
  
• New Pirates (Pirate) will start in Inagua, in the southern Bahamas, also near the center of the Map.
  
• The Americans (United States) start in Charleston on the Carolina Coast, at the far north of the map.

Because the map takes a very long time to traverse (intentional), your initial starting location affects whether or not enemy players will be more common or less common. The Dutch begin surrounded by Spanish ports but far from the Spanish capital, which leaves those Spanish ports open to Dutch raiding. While the Swedish start surrounded by Neutral ports, but very close to Danish and French capitals making the Swedish position a more Player-vs-Player oriented faction by nature of their geography. The United States and Verenigde Provinciën have more protected initial spawn areas, while factions like the Pirates and the Swedish will have no problem finding fights with enemy players and AI patrols (both a blessing and a curse). The Spanish begin with the greatest number of ports, so merchantile and trade-oriented players may choose to align with them, although the trading and crafting systems currently are Works-in-Progress and are more than viable for all Factions (except Pirates) so don't let your choice of playstyle affect your choice of faction.

(3) Faction choice determines the community you play with.

Naval Action is a global game and has players from around the world. Not everyone speaks English. Many Faction chats are in the language of the Faction, expect to see French in the France Nation chat, for example.

If your nationality is represented in game, chances are that many of your countrymen are already playing for your national pride (or as close as they can find). French players play French characters , American players play American characters, Russian players play Danish or Swedish characters. Not only does this help communication, but it means that your active times will generally sync up, so instead of playing on a Faction that might not be active during your time of day, you would be playing while the Faction is lively and full.

(4) There are no bad Faction choices.

Despite the importance of your Faction alignment, there really is no wrong choice. Every nation has a viable playstyle, even though, some playstyles don't work well with some Factions (Pirate Traders would be exceptionally difficulty, but not impossible, for example). As long as you choose a faction that you're happy with your playstyle and chosen community, there will always be opportunites for fun fights and satisfying trade runs.

[saliddry]

biggest german community is on the swedish nation.. just ask for HRE in national chatt

[Obim Sol]

I want to be a pirate.. But then again I want to be US... Is it possible to create two different characters? For example, maybe one day I want to be a pirate.. But then I want to try something new.. Can I create a new character to play a different faction? Or is it only allowed 1 character?

[Smooth Trooper]

Knom Eulb původně napsal:

I want to be a pirate.. But then again I want to be US... Is it possible to create two different characters? For example, maybe one day I want to be a pirate.. But then I want to try something new.. Can I create a new character to play a different faction? Or is it only allowed 1 character?

You are currently only allowed to make one character. The character carries over between the two servers (PvP and PvE). Previously there was the ability to make upto three characters of any faction, but they changed it due to economic and strategic reasons. This was an intentional change and it may be unlikely to ever be reversed.

[Quineloe]

I'm thinking about learning French, so I'll probably pick France.

[Hogwie]

As a Spaniard, plus the fact that I'm sort of a economy nerd in MMO's...I know where to go.

[Bromel]

Just a curious question if you start as Spanish and attack one of your own countrymen and flip to pirate... can you ever flip back to Spanish or once you got Pirate you never go back ?... giggity

[Smooth Trooper]

Bromel původně napsal:

Just a curious question if you start as Spanish and attack one of your own countrymen and flip to pirate... can you ever flip back to Spanish or once you got Pirate you never go back ?... giggity

As of right now, there is no way to switch back from the Pirate Faction (although it may be implemented at a later date). Once you go Pirate, you can never go back.

[-ST-m34t]

brome , you can make the mistake once to attack your own nation ,but you will be instant pirate ,to get rid off pirate status you can claim your mistake on the forums only ONCE.So look twice before you attack :D

[Bromel]

Thank you

[Khuros]

Do pirates get bonuses to raiding and boarding/loot?

[Smooth Trooper]

No.

As of right now, Pirates are treated as just another nation with no innate bonuses or disadvantages (the debates about this topic on the Game-Labs forums rival, if not eclipse, the actual in-game battles in scope and ferocity, and I'm not keen to repeat them here).

[Tex]

Well for obvious reasons, MURICA

[Czar Salad]

I don't like to play as America in these sort of games because they kinda stayed out of european affairs at this time, so, having English, Norwegian, and Prussian roots, which nation should I play as? Denmark-Norway or England?

[Smooth Trooper]

Henronicus původně napsal:

I don't like to play as America in these sort of games because they kinda stayed out of european affairs at this time, so, having English, Norwegian, and Prussian roots, which nation should I play as? Denmark-Norway or England?

Given the information you've provided and based on how you're describing yourself, America. But between those choices, Danmark-Norway if you're interested in PvP, PvE or Trading. Britain if your preferred playstyle is dying for your faction so your Faction members can profit off your death.

[Sunny]

very nice writeup - ty!
a question: how was the spread of players in the past - were there nations that were underrepresented? i heard about few swedes, russians playing danes. how populated were the Netherlands?