Initiating combat, boat chases, preventing enemy from fleein

[Sitting_Bill]

Hi,

I have been chasing a griefer all day. He has killed 2 newbies near my village, and also caused my death yesterday (by calling in 6 of his dhelmed friends). I'm pretty sure I could beat him in a straight up fight, but the problem is getting there... I even hopped in his boat, but then I could not seem to punch him, no matter what i tried. I think I should be able to - right? And yes, I do have rage, and yes, criminal acts were on... I noticed that eventually i could initiate combat using thunder, but only by clicking halfway down the boat, and not on his character. I tried to punch by clicking in the same spot, but it didn't work*. Is this normal?

Another time, I was trying to thunder him when he was carrying his boat and had not noticed me yet, but for some reason I could not start combat... Where on his character's animation should I click to start combat most reliably? I guess this could just be lag however.

Also, any tips on tactics to prevent someone from fleeing when I am pursuing them by myself would be much appreciated... For example, he abandoned his boat, I followed him, but then normally there is some major lag and he somehow beats me back to the boats, and climbs in his, and picks up mine...

*I guess here I should have clicked on his portrait in the top right of the screen?

[Radenk]

I'm interested in this too. Always had trouble clicking people who were carrying boats or were in a boat.

[painhertz]

This click spot is different. You just have to hammer clicking until you find it.

[bmjclark]

Click his portrait if u managed to thunder him =s

[Sitting_Bill]

Click his portrait if u managed to thunder him =s

yep, should have thought of that :S

[MightySheep]

The clicking people is not the problem, at least not for me, getting into their boat is success afaik

The main problem is the boat chase, it is seriously flawed, I don't really know how to respond to someone running away in boat so I'll usually just give up straight away

You can't attack them with close combat from your boat. Boarding is extremely difficult and every new path they make resets your avast command so as soon as you leave boat they can spam click and you'll have no chance and ofcourse it only works if you somehow get ahead of them (assuming they won't just turn around and go in opposite direction). Attempting to break their boat is also extremely difficult because it requires them to be perfectly still for about a second and again, every new path they make resets your command so when they spam click, (as people usually do in panic when you're next to them trying to break their boat) it will make this sort of attack impossible. Lastly, bows are useless in boats, too difficult to get any aim

So boat chases are just a game of who has more time, because they really can go on forever and generally it will be the attacker who gives up first because to them it's just a kill but to the victim it his account on the line which he probably doesn't want to lose. So always have a boat nearby for escaping and never abandon it (I see so many noobs automatically dock and try to run away on foot when you engage them, it is a terrible mistake)

I've only ever had a raft encounter once but it was even more screwed up than boats ! it is impossible to attack with close combat from your boat, it is impossible to destroy their raft, and not possible to board them either... so it seems using ranged weapons is the only thing you can do here (although I didn't try combat from swimming, which however is pretty risky and they could try to ninja your boat or attack you back) and I have no MM