merchantmen get attacked but do not get any reward for escaping?

[Destraex]

A friend of mine was saying that he was sick of being constantly attacked and losing ships as a merchant but when he does escape or puts up a good fight or successfully escapes getting very little reward for the lopsided contest. I was wondering what would make it worth while being a merchant with basically no hope without a very heavy escort, which is too boring for most players. Let alone a lot. Would hiring and loading AI merchants and escorting them in your own warships make more sense? Perhaps in convoy.

[OlavDeng2]

Honestly, i think escaping with your hold intact is the reward. I think giving extra rewards for running away while is wrong imho, especially if run away in the sake of keeping your hold and succeed.

[Hethwill]

And opens a exploit pandora box, pretty much the opposite of farm damage

[Ledinis]

.... A trader asking for an extra reward for successfully getting away with its good is something similar to a warship requesting extra reward for missing the target and shooting the water constantly. You earn money by trading with the sole risk of privateers.

[Ned Loe]

I can't stress this issue enough. We need reward system and loot. People feel they waste time and will eventually leave the game if Developers do not reward their actions. 

[OlavDeng2]

I can't stress this issue enough. We need reward system and loot. People feel they waste time and will eventually leave the game if Developers do not reward their actions. 

On the other hand we cant reward people for every single thing, i agree with more loot, but running away should not give you anything, no matter the reason for running away(and in some cases like when running away with full expensive cargo hold against a difficult situation, that is its own reward)

[Bach]

I don't think we need to start handing out participation trophies for almost being in a pvp battle. It becomes a slippery slope. If I get an LVG full of coal into La Habana my reward is selling that coal at double the price it cost to get.

Now I haul cargo all the time. Its not that hard to escape and the playing field between merchant prey and privateer preditor generally favors the merchant. If your friend is actually losing ship after ship I would have to say he must be doing something wrong in the methods he is using. I would be willing to help him with this in hopes of increasing his enjoyment of the game.

The convoy of loaded "fleet" merchant ships sounds interesting though.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Bach

[Destraex]

I was just putting it out there as I only do a few runs to contribute to the clan storage. Where my other clan mate is a hard core trader (for ship building mind you) and keeps venting his frustration at how dishonourable attacking merchants is and how he gets nothing out of the attacks even if he does escape. He does NOT sell his goods, he like most people I think in game simply pays and pays to collect and use the raw materials to craft. I don't recall the last time I spoke to somebody that actually had spare goods to trade. Most have their limited factories dedicated to crafting resources that are never enough.

[CaptVonGunn]

.... A trader asking for an extra reward for successfully getting away with its good is something similar to a warship requesting extra reward for missing the target and shooting the water constantly. You earn money by trading with the sole risk of privateers.

They are also already talking about XP for Trading successfully along the lines of the xp for sailing/exploring

[EdWatchmaker]

I think that XP for successful trading is a good idea, it rewards a very riskily voyage. I also like the idea of being able to put your goods on AI vessels and escorting them in your warship. Could be an interesting new dynamic in trading and pvp.    

[Hethwill]

Define very riskily voyage