the quest tells me to sink a navy ferret but when I try to shoot with cannon balls, another one starts shooting at me trying to protect the navy ferret ship. That ship was lvl 9? and my ship is like lvl 1. (I went in looking for sinking navy ferret around tortuga, but I found one near port royal but almost got destroyed by high lvl navy ship than navy ferret) it was given from Jack Sparrow's crewmate at tortuga where I had to meet Jack Sparrow again. So I don't know how it works when there is a group of ships surrounding another ship.
Hi Shirouluffy. Welcome to the game and the tlopo forums. Concerning the ships. There's an area around the ships that is it's 'eyeball' zone where they would naturally take note of you and go on the offensive. Other nearby ships will of course join in if within this zone.
One thing you can try if you can get to the outside of the ferret, where the other ships are opposite and further away, you can go close by and 'taunt' them into following you away from a mob. But you need to find one that has a open port or starboard side away from others.
If you set off multi ships anyhow, run away run away, er sail away and they will eventually drop off.
As you gain experience, sometimes it's just better to do a circle around and take some time to sink the group. One word of piratey advice, stay away from Corsairs. They're just nuts powerful. And try to keep your distance as many ships have explosives and if too close they'll wipe you out as well. Also, I've noticed more often than not, when a quest giver gives a sailing job, the location of the quest giver will be a better chance to find the target. Unless they actually tell you to go to a specific spot.
I'm sure there are others more experienced that may chime in.
And everything is in beta, so don't let strange things get to you.
Fair winds.