Nation vs. Nation 
The war for dominance of the Burning Sea is fought on every front. British Navy warships intercept and destroy Spanish frigates. French Privateers flout the might of England and loot its merchants of their cargo. Spanish Merchants smuggle gunpowder into French ports to supply the rebels there. And wherever chaos reigns, the first to feast are the Brethren of the Coast, sailing into battle beneath the black flag.
Most ports in the game can be conquered by enemy nations. Players generate Unrest points for an enemy port through economic warfare, defeating nearby NPCs of that nation, and completing missions. Defenders of that town can reduce Unrest for their town the same way.
If enough Unrest is earned, the Open Sea around that port goes into a lawless state that allows Pirate PvP. Pirate players can attack any player near that port and vice versa. If Unrest continues to accumulate, a Nation vs. Nation PvP area will appear and any player can attack any other player of a different nation.
Players cause these PvP hotspots to appear and when they do, red circles on the map show you clearly where the danger areas are. Sail into them if you dare – avoid them if you must.
Two days later, a Final Battle for that port is held. 25 players are chosen by lottery from the attacking nation and another 25 from the defending nation, although those players who have generated Unrest points have a better chance of being chosen. This massive 25 vs. 25 battle is itself influenced by player activity during those two days. Each side racks up Conquest points that get them advantages in the Final Battle: additional starting locations to choose from, spies who will blow up the defender’s fortifications, and more.
The winner of the Final Battle takes control of that port and now that nation occupies its soil. Since ports generate the resources that used in the player-run economy, control of ports is of vital strategic importance to all nations. The only exception is Pirate ports, which can be Suppressed but not captured.
The real victory comes when one nation is declared the overall winner for that server. Every player on the winning side receives a reward, a head start is provided for the underdogs, and treaties are signed in Europe that restore ownership of the ports. Then the war begins anew!