Ahoy! This is NikosPiratis and here is my detailed guide on how to be a good bilge. It’s a long article, so stay with me for the next minutes.
Cannons
As a bilge, you have 2 options when to comes to cannons. You can either choose the second or the third cannon. The first cannon is usually occupied by the Main Cannoneer and the fourth is the one closest to the wheel, so the helmsman uses it.
The third cannon has an advantage compared to the others. You get to load a cannonball without being on top of the deck. This allows you to reload without dying from incoming cannonballs. But most of the bilges use the second cannon for two reasons.
When the opponent ship is shooting, the bilge will probably be in the lower deck repairing. There is no need to reserve the third cannon since you probably won’t be using it.
The support and the main cannoneer are the two people that are shooting the most during a fight. It’s important to keep a distance between their cannons so that they won’t get interrupted by the same incoming cannonball.
Which bucket to use
All bucket skins are the same. But prefer to use a skin with strong contrast that will make the water easily visible. So, use the white Sea Dog Bucket instead of the Triumphant Sea Dog Bucket.
How to bucket
When your ship is moving at low speed (against the wind or with 2/3 sails), you can bucket from the grate above the map table. Choose the opposite corner from the one your allies are on. This will help you avoid backsplashes on them. There are two points you should pay attention to; How to throw the water out and how to grab water again from the lower deck. Cancelling the animation using the X button will not provide you with any speed advantage. It will only cause more bucket regs instead. The fastest way of bucketing is by throwing the water while you jump and then instantly jump again to the lower deck.
When your ship is moving at high speed, bucketing from the grate can be risky, because the water will not always get out of the ship. There are two ways to bucket in this situation.
You can move to the side of the map table and throw the water out. It’s not as fast as the previous method, but it’s still faster than going on top of the deck.
You can start a fire on your ship, grab water on your bucket, get yourself on fire and extinguish your fire. Be careful not to put out the fire when you throw the bucket on yourself. The most effective spot to place your fire is behind the map table.
Finally, when the water reaches the middle deck, you must be extra careful. If the water level is high enough and it reaches your bucket, you must move on the top deck before throwing it out.
Food
As a bilge, you don’t have high requirements of food. Bananas are usually more than enough. But make sure to always have a pomegranate with you, because there are times that you must regain your hp quickly without having the luxury of time.
Repairing
A bilge should prioritize repairing over bucketing. It’s your job to repair the ship, but at the same time you should avoid calling for help as much as possible. It all depends on your current situation, but a middle solution is to call your support teammate for help when your ship has 4-5 holes. You can use my calculator to see exactly how much time you have left depending on the amount of damage your ship has.
Weapons
A bilge usually prefers the sword, because it allows him/her to move more freely while in the water. I have made a YouTube video that shows you this advantage in seconds. If you are not good with the sword, it’s not the end of the world. You can still play as a bilge with two guns, but you must be more careful while repairing and call for help 1 second earlier than necessary.
As for your second weapon, you can choose anything you feel more comfortable with. A blunderbuss will help you defend the lower deck in case a boarder arrives there, but a sniper will help you shoot opponents from a far distance. I usually play with a sniper, because it allows me to shoot the other cannoneers before I go to repairs and in case someone boards us, I get to hit once and keep bucketing.
How to practice
There are 4 major skills a bilge needs.
You must be good in the cannons. Don’t think that a bilge doesn’t have to shoot well. In fact, all crewmembers must be insanely good on the cannons. If you make one more kill or cause one extra hole to the opponents, you can lead your team to victory. Always think that you are the Main Cannoneer when to comes to cannons and keep practicing. A good way to practice your shots is with the Tall Tale Lords of the Sea. There is an infinite number of cannonballs from the storage crates and unlimited ships to shoot at. When you practice, don’t spam shoot. Always wait, evaluate your previous shots, think, and shoot again. You are not in a hurry, so take your time and think before you shoot.
You must know your current ship’s state all the time. You must be an expert when it comes to giving calls and asking for help. You can find all the information you need using this tool.
You must be able to move freely in the lower deck. Grab your sword, move to your lower deck, and memorize every part of it. There are many obstacles that you should avoid while you move.
You must be good in defending your lower deck and killing enemies when they board your ship. You can practice this by asking your friends to join another ship and try to board you while you are bucketing. Otherwise, you can always participate in TDMs.
Other tips and tricks
Prioritize repairing holes in the front of the ship when you have enough time. These holes are harder to repair since they are far away from you.
When your support player is bucketing, always throw your bucket on the floor so he/she can throw it out for you. It’s important to have an empty bucket while repairing in case you need it.
Like every player on a galleon, when you are on the top deck always pay attention to the opponents. Avoid all incoming cannonballs and check what they are doing. When you are moving, try to have your camera pointed at the opponents.
Always have five planks on you. The moment you move up from the lower deck, restock your planks from the barrel.
Be sure to always know how many planks and cannonballs you have. You can do this easily by pressing the Q button while you are repairing a hole.
Don’t do more than necessary. Avoid any extra click if it doesn’t provide any advantage. Don’t x-bucket, don’t just sword jump for no reason, etc. Do your best with the minimum required effort. The less you click, the fewer the mistakes and the bugs you will encounter.
Always be sure that the lower deck is clear from holes. Sometimes, you could have a hole in front of the ship that you didn’t pay attention to. Clear the lower deck of water just to be extra sure that there are no holes remaining.
Always make sure that each action you do is finished successfully. Each time you repair a hole and each time you eat some food, make sure that it’s completed before moving to your next action. Most of the reg problems are just hasty actions caused by the user.
Inform your team about your ship’s status. It’s important for them to know because it affects their decisions.
Change your key bindings to your preference. Find an easy way to put out your planks, your bucket, and your sword.
Only speak when necessary and keep your voice clear. When you speak, everyone must listen.
If your bucket isn’t full of water, throw it and grab water again. This will save you from doing one extra bucket.
Try to record all your games and watch them afterwards. This will help you find your mistakes and improve.
Never feel bad about a loss. Try to understand why you lost and keep practicing.
Thank you for reading my guide. I will create a YouTube video in the future when I have more time. Feel free to contact me for any questions or to point out any mistakes. I hope I didn’t forget to mention anything.
