Minor patch today - Important port battle changes

[Remo]

With the Laser accurat cannons ?

 

That's what happens when you're not firing from a ship. People do realize that forts don't move with the water right?

 

100% stable firing platform.

[Powderhorn]

Excellent thought, akd! I wasn't sure how to implement using marines as landing parties, but using the boarding window with a command similar to the X key (capture vessel) would really give lighter vessels an important role in PBs.

Further, Vader might be conscripted to coordinate (within the game code) multiple companies of marines controlled by multiple captains in a sort of "battle front"

[SirLeitet]

Thanks for the changes.

[Excelsior718]

 

One of the best solutions is to just eliminate the BR completely but it might prolong the battles much longer. 

The main goal of the BR difference win condition was to help resolve the battles faster if attacker has a huge ship difference.

 

Not sure why eliminating the towers within the time limit isn't a good enough measure for victory.  

 

If the attackers can destroy all of the towers before time runs out, they win.  If the attackers can't destroy all the towers before time runs out, they lose.  

 

What's wrong with this simple solution?  

[maturin]

Not sure why eliminating the towers within the time limit isn't a good enough measure for victory.  

 

If the attackers can destroy all of the towers before time runs out, they win.  If the attackers can't destroy all the towers before time runs out, they lose.  

 

What's wrong with this simple solution?  

I bet 20 SoLs can destroy 5 towers before being sunk themselves, no matter the size of the defending fleet. Just because there are towers doesn't mean PBs should turn into literal Tower Defense.

[Ghroznak]

You know you can board the towers right ? They will cease to fire until combat is done. Be ready to face 70 marines and 140 muskets.

Wait, marines can dual wield muskets?

[MaliceA4Thought]

Mortar brigs for the win

 

From game labs forums....

 

 

M

[Ayamo]

You know you can board the towers right ? They will cease to fire until combat is done. Be ready to face 70 marines and 140 muskets.

 

Doesn't work, we tried. The tower will still shoot as you're boarding it. You can beat the tower and knock it out though via boarding.

[Bleakbeard]

Not sure why eliminating the towers within the time limit isn't a good enough measure for victory.  

 

If the attackers can destroy all of the towers before time runs out, they win.  If the attackers can't destroy all the towers before time runs out, they lose.  

 

What's wrong with this simple solution?  

 

The problem is all you need is a fleet of 3rd rates capturable off of AI fleets.  Doesn't matter what rank you are because all that is required are the two broadsides that come pre-loaded.  Unload on the towers.  Instant win in well under 10 minutes due to BR difference.

 

So to sum up.  Changed BR win condition to favor undercrewing large alpha-strike ships because that might be solved in the big update.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Bleakbeard

[Booyaah]

Make the port battle victory based on 2 conditions:

 

- Achieve a 2:1 BR difference.

- Destroy 2/3 of the enemy's total # the ships (no matter what the BR difference is).

 

Once BOTH these happen, the n you can declare the winner.  And keep the 15 minute shrinking circle as propsed.

[Justme]

Why do I have the feeling that no matter what they do large portions of the player base will never be satisfied with PB's?

[Woody051]

Mortar brigs for the win

 

From game labs forums....

 

 

M

 

 

@ The Admins Where does the game stand currently with the implementation of Mortar type vessels? Will there be various hull types other than the "Brig"? Is there an estimated battle rating number established? Crew Level? Do we have any additional information on timing of when they will be coming to the game and/or how players use/aim them?

 

Thank You.

[Lefort]

That is a problem with third rate crafting then. I don't understand why 3rd rates only have 3 dura when they can be captured? Shouldn't the advantage of built over capped be 5 durabs?

Either make 3rd rate uncaptureable or make built ones 5 dura.

But then again, how far are we from mass producing third rates? I cant eve craft surprises and renommees due to piss poor luck on mercury and cerberi crafts. And I can almost craft frigates now. Most ships people ask for now I cant build.

What about that issue? Major patch #1?

5 for such a powerful ship is too much, ship durability should be determined by ship rates as to raise the risk factor of sailing such powerful ships.

[Hethwill]

Doesn't work, we tried. The tower will still shoot as you're boarding it. You can beat the tower and knock it out though via boarding.

 

Roger that. Old trials dog dies hard. Had the impression it stopped shooting but it might have been the fog of war.

[Lord Vicious]

br will be adjusted in the future to include the upgrades power and crew size. but not now.

omfg thank you i push for this since months

[Hethwill]

Wait, marines can dual wield muskets?

 

IIRC it is 240 men in the tower. 70 of them are marines and 140 of them have muskets. The other 30 might be just kitchen petty officers and personnel.

[Slamz]

Make the port battle victory based on 2 conditions:

 

- Achieve a 2:1 BR difference.

- Destroy 2/3 of the enemy's total # the ships (no matter what the BR difference is).

 

Once BOTH these happen, the n you can declare the winner.  And keep the 15 minute shrinking circle as propsed.

 

BR difference is better than # of ships destroyed.

 

25 attackers vs 25 defenders

Attackers kill all towers and 2/3rd of defenders, leaving 8 ships left.

Defenders kill almost all attackers, leaving 1 ship left.

 

According to your rule, attackers would win now even though there is only 1 attacker vs 8 defenders.

 

With the BR rule, defenders would win because they out-BR the sole surviving attacker.

 

 

 

I wonder if, in the future, it might be interesting to have some concept like troops ships that are trying to land.

Defenders have 1001 troops.

Attackers get 4000 troops in NPC troop ships that will appear, sail in and park near land. Parking "offloads troops" and destroys defender troops at a 1:1 ratio.

Defenders therefore must kill at least 3/4ths of the troop ships to survive.

Attackers must kill towers and kill or push back defenders in order to make it safe for their troop ships to reach the target.

 

Might be something like troop ships start appearing at the 30 minute mark. Battle ends when the defender is out of troops or the attacker does not have enough remaining troop ships to finish the job.

[Quineloe]

New Ship BP - Troop transport - merchant level armament - BR 10 - carries a set number of marines depending on size

1 durability

gets added to a players FLEET ships.

Player adds ship to his fleet when the fleet with the conquest flag is setting up and sails it to the PB.
in the PB, the troop ship can receive orders - Follow, sail N NE E and so forth. Or "Attack port".

 

Only if a sufficient number of troops make it into the port and the port battle is won, the port actually changes hands. If not, the port is only raided or whatever, still a win but the port doesn't change hands.

e.g. taking a minor port producing double digit amounts of cargo can be done with 500 troops, e.g. five brig sized troop transports or two large indiamen sized transports.

Taking a major port with hundreds of tons of production takes at least 3000 troops, ie everyone has to bring a troop brig or six large indiamen.

 

Attacker has the choice of winging it by bringing the bare minimum to capture (and fail if the enemy takes out even one ship) or playing it save by forcing it with a huge number of troops (and still fail if they lose the ship battle over microing their armada).

 

Since these ships will be prime targets during the PB and to the open sea engagements leading up to the PB, this introduces ship loss without taking away the ships players actually want to play in, therefore creating more jobs for shipwrights without putting people into the position of needing to obtain a new combat ship to play the game.

[Gregos]

all these suggestions to basically massively overhaul port battles, yet we all know a large patch is coming up that will effect these port battles a lot anyway. all the undercrewing complaints are about to go out the window, for one of two reasons, either undercrewing is now heavily peanalised or those that are griding hard from the start are already high enough level to play the large ships.

I would suggest everyone waits for the large patch to come give it a few days and see how it has effected the port battles and then consider what needs to be changed. If you change too much at once its just a recipee for disaster.

[Grimbeard]

I'm looking forward to them implementing a Max ship style cap. Thus preventing 25 3rd rates from even being an option on one side. Makes usage of different classes viable.

[KrakkenSmacken]

BR 1-2X difference favors the attacker

BR 4X+ favors the defender

We will find the right balance

 

One of the best solutions is to just eliminate the BR completely but it might prolong the battles much longer. 

The main goal of the BR difference win condition was to help resolve the battles faster if attacker has a huge ship difference.

 

 

Could you shrink the circle based on remaining BR or crew, rather than waiting until near the end of the fight to prevent the prolonging of battles?

 

Then you could strip the BR condition completely.

Edited February 24, 2016 by KrakkenSmacken

[Pokerjoker]

after a few port battles under the belt with this new update.. I think its safe to apologize for first minute reactions.

it actually work very well. Good Change

[Internetbaron]

after a few port battles under the belt with this new update.. I think its safe to apologize for first minute reactions.

it actually work very well. Good Change

 

fighting in bigger ships against smaller opponents , yes the upgrde favours the attacker as admin said .

 

To a certain point it is realistic that the bigger fleet wins , however it is in a game unsatisfing to play smaller nations.

 

Looking foward to the big summer patch that small nations have an stratical advance ind defending with the new land .

 

Another interesting aspect would be the ticket systeme someone suggested.

 

 

But this is future stuff the patch was fine becaue sailing 90min in ciricle should not win PB

Edited February 27, 2016 by Internetbaron

[VictusB]

Why not simply allow defenders to assume control of the NPC batteries to focus fire and/or fire past the magical 'aggro line'.   Its already the new thing when attacking to just run a 3rd rate at one of the towers and capture it without damage, then turn the towers guns on other towers or on player defenders.  This can be done without damage to the 3rd rate as well as he just plants bow first into the tower blocking LOS from the other towers.

 

If attackers can do it rather simply, why not allow defenders to assume control from start of battle?

[Capt. Rice]

Why not simply allow defenders to assume control of the NPC batteries to focus fire and/or fire past the magical 'aggro line'.   Its already the new thing when attacking to just run a 3rd rate at one of the towers and capture it without damage, then turn the towers guns on other towers or on player defenders.  This can be done without damage to the 3rd rate as well as he just plants bow first into the tower blocking LOS from the other towers.

 

If attackers can do it rather simply, why not allow defenders to assume control from start of battle?

true but once he takes a tower the closest tower does start shooting at him.

 

i think it should be where you if you take out the crew of a tower its  disable and neither side can use it...