Merchant ship

[ulysse77]

I know ship that would vb more classified as merchant would be useless in the sea trial we have now but i think it would ve nice to a least try them out. Are any models done? Which ones are planned? indianman? Fluyt?

[Mirones]

there are some in teh player poll amsterdam gothbörg and some other

[spadde]

Whats the difference between merchant ships and warships?

Less guns?

[Captain_Chis]

Whats the difference between merchant ships and warships?

Less guns?

Different hull design as well.

 

Tax on merchants was based on the length and width of a ship assuming it followed a certain shape (that of the normal frigate hull etc.) so merchants used boats that were wide at the bottom of the hull as well (flat bottom) giving them an effective capacity over the estimated capacity (which assumes the lower hull width is a fraction of the maximum width of the boat).

 

Atleast this is what i think based on the bm equation Tonnage = (length -(beam*3/5)*beam*beam/2)/94

[Mirones]

straith hull walls like on the Consti vs the more round shape on i.e Surprise.

its not easy to explain what is an merchant or not specialy on Indiaman's 

the large ones are build like a normal 2decker 4th or 3rd rate but with gunports not added on the lower decks.

imagine the Bellona without the lowest gundeck. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_(VOC_ship)

 

then you have the bulky Flute of the dutch.

and if you want to see it directly ingame: compare the Brig to the Ontario/Snow 

[Destraex]

I need to research the below more but from what I have just been reading in my osprey book about pirate ships to 1720;

 

Generally merchantmen were very much smaller than warships. Most only a few hundred tonnes compared to most average frigates being 800 tonnes or more. Then there were slavers and indiamen that were as big as warships but carried less crew and less guns.

It should be noted that most merchantmen had crews numbering in the 20s. It did not take much to overpower them at all if boarded.

A little like merchantmen today they carried as little crew as possible.

 

They would be fast and sea worthy enough but not as good at seamanship or gunnery of course. They would also carry smaller guns for their size. I would say most pirates would just have to come alongside to stop a merchant. No point offering resistance with 20-40 men vs 100 or more.

 

During times of war there would often be convoys escorted by warships if enemy privateers or naval units were known to be in the area.

 

So main difference would be crew numbers, perhaps speed compared to warships especially if fully loaded with cargo and smaller size in general than warships. Although as above merchants could be as big as small warships.