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In conjunction with the universal message board every port would have (a public section and a section only visible to nationals) according to my earlier suggestion... ...here... ... by help of such message board I imagine our traders could hire compatriots for escorting them from port A to port B. The longer the distance, the higher the price. It does not stop at this: Not only could they offer their escorts money as payment, but the game will reward the escorting players with PvP marks for every merchantman which came through and arrived safely. Plus the PvP marks and combat marks escorts will regularly make when they fence off any interceptors and sink those. Merchant will not get marks, because his objective is met by his cargos having arrived at destination. So in this mission our fighters and our traders have to do something together which satisfies both (and maybe a successful enemy as well). So this is a more positive use of the PvP mark system, not only destructive. Gratifications for helping some guys bringing their valuables where they want them. I think they could even hire several escort captains if their cargo justifies the extra expense. Like it is an Indiaman full of upgrade modules, or a clan shifts its warehouse from one place to another, or transports full of copper ingots, cartagena tars or white oak. Ships loaded with gold and silver coins like a Spanish treasure fleet. Contracting merchant appoints a convoy commander (could be himself or one of the escort captains he trusts the most) which determines the route. If group is attacked on the journey it behaves like a battle group, so all ships get pulled into battle instance. However, convoy commander can decide to detach one of his escort captains (if they are several) and have him encounter sighted enemies, so the rest of the fleet can proceed without delay by the starting battle, leaving the unit behind which is busy with the enemy. I think it is best to give every participant of such merchant fleet escort mission his reward in PvP marks/combat marks, if he sailed only half way and went into battle (even lost it), or stayed until destination port was reached. So they won't quarrel who is doing what on the journey and facing disadvantages. Because priority task is, the merchant ships make it to port and the mission is accomplished. I imagine a thrilling hide-and-seek adventure for such merchant escort missions to happen. Spies in ports may get a wink what's scheduled and inform their nations where and when to strike. How many marks? Think of a multiplier distance + number surviving traders. If no trader arrives, no marks (except those individually won in combat): mission failed.