Basic Cutter spam, cooldown on free cutters?

[Captain Marell]

Hey folks, recently I've noticed people using the fact that cutters are free to some interesting ends.  With some people spamming massive fleets of cutters and attacking bigger ships, using chain shot to slow them and pretty much zerg swarming other players.  I'm kinda torn on this as I see the tactic as something that shouldn't be stopped but at the same time I'm a little against the mindset of " We can take our free ships and lose nothing and still beat you to death with it." 

 

I feel that even basic cutters should have some sort of cost to them, some sort of consequence for dying in it.  The lack of risk, causes players to do some unconventional tactics like ramming and other stuff. I don't really know what can be done to change it without players risking being unable to purchase a ship? Thoughts? Suggestions? 

 

The only thing I can think of is having a cooldown on the "Basic Cutter". 

[Vardin]

Remove the basic cutter in general. When a player has no other ships it spawns in a basic cutter, that cant have above 4lb cannons and no carronades. 

[Capt. Rice]

Some one said to make the free cutters far less effective so even in big number it would not be viable...  like 4 guns on each side kinda thing or even less...... but just enough to capture traders if you have lost everything...

 

Or make it where the more times you get a free cutter the less effective or less quality it gets.  unless it hasn't been redeemed for so long and then its back up to full quality

[admin]

Rifter swarm?

[Anne Wildcat]

I'm not defending cutters, but, if you are in a large ship, why are you sailing alone?

[Francis Tabernac]

Rifter swarm?

 

Hah, exactly. It's tricky because those free Cutters certainly do help when you need them, and they'll be invaluable after a material/gold wipe, but the ability to take them out to sea and swarm other players is ridiculous, as much fun as it is. Maybe there's a way to set them to be unable to enter into PvP situations.

[admin]

25 cutters is 300 cannons - why a solo renommee or cerberus should be able to fight them effectively?

All ships up to constitution are somewhat free too - you can capture them from players or NPCs for free and use them as free cutters

 

Cutters can't catch a square rigger if he did a proper defensive tag - and they cannot catch him on the open world if he sails his best point.

[Captain Marell]

All I'm saying is that anything that has no cost or consequences is bad mechanics.  Everything should have a cost/consequence for using and losing.  An example is if we kill 2 cutters in a fight, they simply respawn and continue by the time we finish the fight creating another fight.  A cooldown or something would fix this problem easy enough.  

[Francis Tabernac]

I wouldn't say it's a bad mechanic, I just think it should be a limited-use mechanic.

[ObiQuiet]

Available immediately if you have no other ships available to you within teleport range? Otherwise, available with cooldown... just an idea

[Slamz]

All I'm saying is that anything that has no cost or consequences is bad mechanics.  Everything should have a cost/consequence for using and losing.  An example is if we kill 2 cutters in a fight, they simply respawn and continue by the time we finish the fight creating another fight.  A cooldown or something would fix this problem easy enough.  

 

What are you doing that allows cutters to keep finding you and piling in on you?

 

I'm guessing the answer is "we are doing missions somewhere near an area where an enemy who really hates us has based a lot of players".

 

Option 1) Remove the enemy from the area.

Option 2) Give up on missions and start farming open sea NPCs. Those battles close in 5 minutes and fewer cutters can get in to annoy you and there are lot more places where you could be doing it that aren't known for being rich mission farming areas. At least they'd have to go spend more time looking for you.

Option 3) Call your team for help. People could be out there intercepting these cutters man to man.

Option 4) If nothing above works, you may have to move to another area.

[akd]

25 cutters is 300 cannons - why a solo renommee or cerberus should be able to fight them effectively?

If a solo Renommee fights 25 cutters and sinks 5 of them before dying, why should it be meaningless for one side? An even better question would be why should a low-level player in a brig that gets attacked by 4-5 upper level players in cutters be the only one to incur risk and cost?

[Captain Marell]

If a solo Renommee fights 25 cutters and sinks 5 of them before dying, why should it be meaningless for one side? An even better question would be why should a low-level player in a brig that gets attacked by 4-5 upper level players in cutters be the only one to incur risk and cost?

 

Pretty much what he said.

[akd]

The statement does not contain answers to either question.

[Captain Marell]

I honestly don't know how to fix the issue, but what you said is similar to my thoughts on the inherit problem.

[RURickJames]

perhaps the basic cutter should only free for LVL 1 players?  They need all the help they can get

[Sea Nettle]

Cutters are the coast guard of a nation and a threat to keep enemies from spamming high end ships without care. When you face the proposition of being swarmed by free craft you consider your options much more carefully. They are also a sound option for pirates operating out of free towns to attack enemy trade ships. With a very high death rate from reinforcements and players they need a readily available means of replacing their ships. The cutter is that means. In the case of complete financial ruin they are also a means of rebuilding.

 

So, no. Leave them as they are. You have no inherent right to equal risk. If you choose to try and outgun your enemy you face the potential consequences. Remember you have the option of bringing a cutter(s) as well.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Sea Nettle

[Captain Marell]

Who said anything about outgunning? A common argument I see people making in threads is taking one example and making it like it's the sole reason for the suggestion or complaint.  

 

It doesn't matter if I'm in a High End ship or my Privateer, there should be some sort of cost for everything in a game like this.  The reason for having free cutters is so that players are never stuck with not being able to use a ship.  The problem with that is some players are abusing the fact that the cutters are infinitely available.

 

I agree that they should be used to protect your home port so let them only be available free at your capital. That would solve the inherit problem that some people are facing.  You wouldn't be able to instantly respawn ready to attack someone right after the battle you just lost or won is over.  

[Vllad]

^{Cutters are the one way that a nation that is out numbered and lost the majority of it ports to still compete with large nations. Their are many counters to tactic.}

 

^{1. Get in small ships yourself}

^{2. Don't do PVE in an area with large amounts of Cutters.}

^{3. Start tackling and killing them to keep them separated.}

 

^{I see this as a valid tactic to make a nation get out of the big ships and start sailing small ships. We don't want everyone sailing around 1st Rates hunting each other. Small nations need catch up properties and the Basic Cutter is a key component for that.}

[Captain Marell]

I agree with the tactic, I just think they should cost something even if it's something small.  Nothing should have no cost or be free.

Basic Cutter = Capital Only thus able to get around if out of money and hunt local ships or defend your capital port should the need arise. 

 

Cutter: Available in supply and demand at a reasonable price at all ports.

 

You shouldn't be able to respawn and return to fight the moment someone comes out of battle. If I had things my way, when you lost a durability you are locked out of using that ship for X amount of time. 

Edited February 20, 2016 by Captain Marell

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Free Cutters:

 

1 durability.  Only available at your capital.  Only able to fit 4lb cannon (reduce difficulty of the first level missions).

[Mirones]

Basic Lynx 4 guns only 4lb like it allways were this way people will notice the quality's of the other "low" tier ships.

[Mr. Starbuck]

honestly, make the basic cutter only accessible to Rank 1 and enable repair costs for actual gold, albeit a small amount. Problem solved.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Mr. Starbuck

[Johan]

Why isn't he Lynx the starter-ship anymore? I think it was perfect.

[Pagan Pete]

Pagan Pete likes this +3!