Pre-motorized boats are extremely hard to turn quickly or sharply. If you set a decoy boat on fire - at the last second such as with a flaming arrow, or a madman with a torch and good swimming skills (optional for success, non-optional for the madman’s survival) - the enemy will find it very hard to adjust from “This enemy ship needs to be boarded” to “Holy shit TURN LEFT TURN LEFT”
Anyone know what’s with the flaming boats that aren’t carrying anyone?
A tactic, in various forms, known as fireships!
Pre-motorized boats are extremely hard to turn quickly or sharply. If you set a decoy boat on fire - at the last second such as with a flaming arrow, or a madman with a torch and good swimming skills (optional for success, non-optional for the madman’s survival) - the enemy will find it very hard to adjust from “This enemy ship needs to be boarded” to “Holy shit TURN LEFT TURN LEFT”