Repair kits and conditions for using them

[la Touche-Treville]

Hi,

I find it pretty ennoying and unatural that a ship can go through 5 or more repairs while in battle with very little penalty.

Actually this really applies to the rigging repairs.

I would like a ship to be able to launch repairs only when sails are lowered to 40% (battle sails) or less.

Damn it, taking down broken masts, cutting out the old rigging, putting in place new sails all while the ship is going full sails seams unbalanced and unrealistic.

This would also solve the issue of capped 15kts ships pursuing each other for ever.

[Sir Lancelot Holland]

3 hours ago, la Touche-Treville said:

Hi,

I find it pretty ennoying and unatural that a ship can go through 5 or more repairs while in battle with very little penalty.

Actually this really applies to the rigging repairs.

I would like a ship to be able to launch repairs only when sails are lowered to 40% (battle sails) or less.

Damn it, taking down broken masts, cutting out the old rigging, putting in place new sails all while the ship is going full sails seams unbalanced and unrealistic.

This would also solve the issue of capped 15kts ships pursuing each other for ever.

In reality re-stepping masts requires stability, it could not be done at sea. Replacing yards, spars and jury rigging was possible but involved large amounts of manpower and was an open invitation to be boarded in action.

From a gaming perspective reality sometimes takes a back seat, rigging repairs in game  currently allows re-stepping masts, if it did not, then unless you were fortunate and were on the outer fringes of the battle and could get far enough from the main combat to run down the escape clock you would be dead.

Historically the French relied heavily on disablement of their opponents, it gave  them the choice of flight or fight where the British tended more toward hull shooting to reduce crew numbers and board their opponents, both tactics were viable, both had their pro's and con's, even if dismasted a Captain had a good chance of repelling boarders or even taking his opponents ship and returning to the fight, it was all down to the skill of the captain, his officers and the morale of the men under command, now and again of course it came down to blind luck. 

[mikawa]

The strategic moment of repair should be *when* to use it not how *much* you use of them. I found the 1 repair system way better, too. Mulitple repairs prolong battles unnecessarily. And it's unrealistic too.