Naval Ship Upgrades — Assassin's Creed III Guide

Naval Ship Upgrades

The Aquila, your formidable naval vessel, is essential for completing Naval Missions, engaging in exhilarating ship-to-ship combat, and exploring the vast Atlantic Ocean. To truly dominate the seas, you'll need to invest in a comprehensive upgrade strategy. This section details every available upgrade, how to acquire them, and strategic considerations for their use.

Acquiring Upgrades

All naval upgrades for the Aquila are purchased from the Shipwright located at the Homestead. Access the Shipwright's services by interacting with him when he is present at the docks. Upgrades are unlocked progressively as you advance through the main story and complete specific Naval Missions.

Hull & Defense Upgrades

These upgrades directly impact the Aquila's survivability in combat, allowing it to withstand more damage from enemy cannon fire and ramming attacks.

• Reinforced Hull:
  • Effect: Significantly increases the Aquila's health pool, making it more resilient to damage.
  • Strategy: Prioritize this early on. A stronger hull allows you to endure longer engagements and make more mistakes without sinking. Essential for tougher Naval Missions like "The Chase" or "The Giant & The Storm."
• Improved Hull Plating:
  • Effect: Further enhances the Aquila's durability, providing an additional layer of protection.
  • Strategy: A mid-to-late game upgrade that complements the Reinforced Hull. Consider this once your offensive capabilities are satisfactory.

Weaponry Upgrades

These upgrades enhance your offensive capabilities, allowing you to deal more damage to enemy ships and sink them more efficiently.

• Heavy Cannon Shot:
  • Effect: Increases the damage dealt by your broadside cannons.
  • Strategy: A fundamental upgrade. More damage means quicker kills and less time exposed to enemy fire. Purchase this as soon as it's available.
• Improved Cannon Reload Speed:
  • Effect: Reduces the time it takes for your broadside cannons to reload, allowing for a higher rate of fire.
  • Strategy: Crucial for maintaining offensive pressure. Combine with Heavy Cannon Shot for devastating broadsides. This is particularly useful in missions where you face multiple enemies, such as "The Fortress."
• Swivel Guns:
  • Effect: Unlocks the ability to use Swivel Guns, smaller cannons that can target specific weak points on enemy ships (e.g., masts, gunports) after a successful broadside. They are aimed manually.
  • Strategy: Mastering Swivel Guns is key to efficient combat. After a successful broadside, look for the highlighted weak points and quickly switch to Swivel Guns to deal critical damage. This is vital for quickly disabling or sinking smaller vessels and damaging larger ones.
• Grapeshot:
  • Effect: Replaces standard cannonballs with Grapeshot, which is highly effective against enemy crew members, making ships easier to board.
  • Strategy: Essential for boarding actions. Use Grapeshot to thin out enemy numbers before grappling. This is invaluable when completing optional objectives that require boarding or when you want to capture enemy ships for resources.
• Burning Oil:
  • Effect: Deploys a trail of burning oil behind the Aquila, damaging and slowing pursuing enemy ships.
  • Strategy: A defensive and offensive tool. Use it to deter ships chasing you, or to inflict damage on ships that are slow to maneuver. Particularly effective against smaller, faster vessels that try to flank you.

Speed & Maneuverability Upgrades

These upgrades improve the Aquila's speed and agility, allowing for better positioning in combat and faster travel across the Atlantic.

• Improved Sails:
  • Effect: Increases the Aquila's top speed.
  • Strategy: Faster travel between mission objectives and better evasion in combat. Prioritize this if you find yourself struggling to outmaneuver enemy ships or want to traverse the map more quickly.
• Reinforced Rudder:
  • Effect: Improves the Aquila's turning speed and responsiveness.
  • Strategy: Crucial for tight maneuvers, especially in stormy weather or when navigating treacherous waters. A more agile ship can line up broadsides more effectively and avoid incoming fire.

Strategic Considerations

While it's tempting to buy every upgrade as soon as it's available, consider your playstyle and current challenges. If you're struggling with survivability, prioritize hull upgrades. If you find yourself unable to sink enemies quickly, focus on cannon power and reload speed. Don't forget the utility of Swivel Guns and Grapeshot for specific combat scenarios. A balanced approach, however, will serve you best in the long run, preparing the Aquila for any challenge the Atlantic throws your way.