Boarding is a profitable but a difficult and risky business. No one knows how his/her luck will turn during hard sword fighting. So even after you've boarded ships a lot and you know how to handle your cutlass, save the game before boarding just to be sure. Who knows what will happen to you? Do not change you nation too often. This will lower your reputation and your purse will suffer greatly because of it. And only few quests require you to change your master. So if any national service looks disgusting to you, you can always become a pirate. If you still think that payment for your services is too low, that governor doesn't show you any respect, and that you have to change your master, sail to Skullshores. After you have taken any Letter of Marque for the first time, agents of all the European powers will appear on Skullshores. With their help you'll be able to become a corsair of another nation. However, it will cost you 5000 gold coins and you reputation will suffer greatly. When buying a new ship, don't forget that heavy and sturdy ships are usually slow and awkward, but they also have a lot of cannons onboard. Ships that are fast and maneuverable have more fragile hulls and carry fewer cannons. You must choose your ship according to the tactics you're going to use in combat. At the beginning of the game Nicholas Sharpe's skills are low and this makes playing more difficult. You can raise these skills buy hiring different officers. For example, a good Master Gunner will correct some errors that Nicolas makes when aiming his guns. And an experienced Master Purser will save you some gold, which is so valuable for a player at the beginning of the game. Don't try to sail to far away islands right from the beginning. First, you should try to obtain a better ship than the Pink type that you start with. The Pink ship is not too usable against larger or faster ships so you should obtain a faster 6th class ship - a sloop for example. At least you'll have a better chance to steer your way out of trouble. Don't forget that you have 3 skill points to distribute right from the start. If you want to try your chance with the Pink ship you begin with - set your skill points to Boarding skill to increase your chance of success while boarding bigger ships. Try to make your course between English islands - Highrock and Tendales. There are some quests you can do for England, so with a little effort you'll achieve the 11th rank. Sooner or later, you'll need to obtain a new ship. Easiest way to do this is to plunder one of smaller merchant ships. This is a risky task, anyway - so you better save your game before you'll engage in the first combat. Merchant ships of other nations can be met near Granda Avilla, the nearest Spanish Colony from Highrock. Sail there, and board a merchant ship. It may cost more than the Pink type so with appropriate Rank you can switch ships and sell the new one right after.