I know there is a poll about pirate nation so this is somewhat addition to that but if pirates could only raid other ports I have an idea for that. The pirate nation at least on the North American server is very well dead but an idea to play them would be pirates get "safe haven" ports across the map. Ports that can't be captured. The pirates get to raid and attack ports from these ports for resources and materials.
Now the pirates get free outposts at all these ports by default (costs a lot of money to make any in a free port). Now here's the interesting thing about them that could be fun. They can take captured ships and transform them into pirate versions. Pirate frigate (Which is in game) piriate constitution, pirate snow, ect. But in order to do so they take a captured ship and recraft it into a 5 durability pirate ship. Takes mats which are harder to get due to how the pirates work, but since they can raid, their flags for port raiding are cheaper. And a heavily PVP oriented like any pirate faction should be.
What do you all think? The multiple pirate havens would allow them to have a pirate threat anywhere which would be more "realistic" but also be fun game play.