Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Guide | How to Sink Portuguese Ships

Here’s a guide on how to sink Portuguese Ships in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Jul 18, 2026

During the main story of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, you will take on the mission "Trust Is Earned." This quest forces you into a chaotic naval battle where you must sink a fleet of Portuguese ships.

The game throws five enemy vessels at you all at once. If you try to fight them without a plan, your hull will get ripped apart within minutes. The trick to surviving this encounter is focusing on the right targets and using a mid-battle boarding tactic to patch up your own hull.

Preparation: Upgrade the Jackdaw

Before you even sail into the mission area, you need to prepare your ship. Trying to take on this fleet with a stock vessel is incredibly difficult. Make sure the Jackdaw is upgraded to at least tier two in all major categories.

The most needed upgrades for this particular fight are the Mortar Strike, a Reinforced Hull, and a Battering Ram in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.

The mortar is key to doing heavy damage from long distance, while the upgraded armor helps absorb the massive broadside volleys from the fleet. Having an upgraded Ram also lets you deal massive chunk damage if you end up colliding with the enemy.

The Battle Strategy: Focus the Flagship First

The moment the mission kicks off, five Portuguese ships will immediately hunt you down. Do not panic and do not try to wipe out the small boats first. Instead, guide the Jackdaw on a straight course, and look for the largest enemy flagship in the fleet.

This ship is the biggest threat, thanks to its superior firepower. Point your guns at it and focus all your primary damage here in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

If you have the mortar upgrade, fire your shells at the flagship. You only have a limited number of mortar rounds, so do not waste them on the tiny escort boats.

Expect to take a lot of damage from the smaller vessels while doing this. As long as you keep moving along your trajectory, your upgraded armor should hold out just long enough to disable the main target.

Mid-Combat Repairs: How to Heal Your Hull

You do not want to completely destroy the large flagship. You only want to incapacitate it. Once the big ship is disabled and sitting dead in the water, sail right up alongside it and choose the option to board in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

Clear out the enemy crew on deck to take control of the vessel. The moment you win the boarding sequence, the game will present a menu with choices on what to do with the captured prize.

You must select the Repair the Jackdaw option immediately. Choosing this fix instantly restores a massive portion of your ship's health bar, wiping away all the damage you took during the opening minutes of the fight.

Cleaning Up the Remaining Fleet

Now that the largest threat is gone and your health is completely replenished, the rest of the battle is straightforward. The remaining small boats rely heavily on ramming attacks to damage you in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

You can counter them easily by dropping Fire Barrels out of the back of the Jackdaw if they try to tail you, or you can drive straight into them using your upgraded bow to crush their hulls. Use any remaining mortar rounds to soften up the final targets from a distance.

Once you disable the final required ship, pull up alongside it to board it one last time, which will officially complete the naval objective.

FAQ

Q. What upgrades are absolutely necessary for the Trust Is Earned quest?

A. You need at least tier two hull armor and the mortar upgrade. Without these, the combined firepower of the five enemy ships will desynchronize you before you can disable the flagship.

Q. Can I just sink the flagship instead of boarding it?

A. You can, but it is not recommended. Boarding the flagship is the only way to trigger the mid-battle repair mechanic, which gives you the health boost needed to easily finish off the remaining small boats.

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