Port Raids vs. Port Battles (An Economy of War)

[Bjerg Bjergsson]

Port Raids

Where a Port Battle is a large scale PvP engagement aiming at conquest of land, a Port Raid can be something that smaller groups can do to further the metagame and maybe trigger some PvP combat along the way.  Ideally this will have the dual function of providing opportunities for those not yet capable of a Port Battle, or those operating in the off peak hours to affect the metagame, while also providing an economic "toll" for nations who have expanded perhaps beyond their means to supply and defend their territory. 

 

What is a Port Raid?

A Port Raid is an attack aimed at reducing enemy defenses and installations. Local property and facilities are damaged or eventually destroyed, reducing production and increasing demand. This can have the effect of softening up a port for an ensuing Port Battle by reducing fortifications, AI defense ships or just damaging the economy of the port. Port Raids can be instanced much like Fleet Orders or Events (with AI defenders) but can be open for a period of time for player defenders to reinforce. 

 

The Economics of Port Raids

The level of Port defense can be increased with investment (constructing production buildings) and supply by player tradeships (fulfilling Port contracts enables rebuilding or expanding of harbor defenses) or by escorting AI convoys in ranked admiralty missions. Raided Ports will require tradeships and investment to rebuild and failing that should eventually revert to a Neutral status (reflecting the lack of administration). A Raided Port that is then captured in a Port Battle will require considerable investment before defenses have recovered.  

 

An additional perk to Port Raids for the attacker is a higher damage to gold reward ratio - reflecting the pillaging aspect of the attack (encouraging lower ranked players to raid for gold). Also for Pirate faction there may be a captured ship reward as well (again reflecting the grab and go nature of the attack). 

 

After a raid a simple cool down timer is initiated wherein one cannot re-raid (though buying a flag to attack should still be possible). 

 

Additional: Some of the other topics in this forum have touched on a variety of ideas that would fit pretty well with Port Raids (town morale, pirate mechanics etc)

[William the Drake]

It's definitely an interesting concept: play it patient and fight a war of attrition rather than gamble on full fledged Port battle on a heavily defended position. The direct affect of destroying player facilities may be a bit much. Having a port that has recently or constantly attacked in this way have higher costs to use these structures instead may be a better way about it. 

 

But I think a raid should be much more, as should the security level of each port. Personally speaking, I would believe raiding was something mostly unique to Pirates: As a national, if you intend to capture a port yourself and use it, why would you destroy valuable industry? Destroying and raiding goods would directly affect you once the port came under your control, and thus lessen the payoff of capturing a port

• Port Raid: The Pirate End-game

The idea that ports can affect and dictate their level of defense is definitely something that should be present, however it should also reflect the level of productivity of a port, not simply a well supplied Lord-protector who can throw money at defense spending.

• Pirate Havens, Port Security, and Trade Regulations

Edited April 14, 2016 by William the Drake