Of Freeports and Neutral ports

[Sir Lancelot Holland]

It has long been the case that in war ports that are run by nations not involved in an active war are safe havens for both warships and merchantmen of combatant nations to repair ships to a seaworthy state (provided such work does not improve the fighting efficiency of warships) or as a safe haven for belligerent merchant vessels.

 

By international treaty no belligerent warships were permitted to engage in combat within the waters of said ports, and merchant vessels were considered to be safe from hostile action. Further, 24 hours grace was allowed for belligerent merchant ships was permitted before such ships could be pursued by warships. within said ports.

 

Is there any intention by the Devs to implement such conditions within the game? Such conditions would improve the chances of traders survival in the vicinity of freeports and neutral ports while not prohibiting  interceptions in open waters?

 

[Hethwill]

Nor were Free Ports naval bases.

 

Ask and you shall receive, but have to give something up.

[Niagara]

Excellent idea.

 

The use of Free ports as staging areas for large fleets is somewhat a nuisance as you can teleport far behind enemy lines and do major actions with the speed of a click of a mouse button.

 

Some restrictions to the use of free ports would seem to be in order or the option would be to allow free ports to be conquered or blockaded with new ingame mechanics to counter this use.

 

Allowing players to donate ships to a blockade fleet would be a interesting way of allowing players to donate smaller ships captured in battle. Also limiting the fleet ofc as smaller ships should be able to break a blockade by using cover and fast ships but a large fleet would have to fight its way out.

 

Perhaps putting a limit on ships that can be docked in a Freeport, introduce a Safezone as is implemented around the capitals. I hope that when forts come in play they will protect the merchants ships near the ports from the dangerous pirates.

 

There are many ways of making the use of Freeports more balanced for all parties.

 

Also I think that the placement of Free ports needs to be revised and updated as some are VERY close to Capitals and others are not, meaning certain nations can be visited much easier by enemys/pirates and others are much more secure.

 

Adding smaller unoffical ports for the pirates that only they can enter and make use of would make the freeports more interesting.

 

If the pirates and smugglers had a smaller port they could use to hide there smaller ships from the prying eyes of the customs and pirate hunters they would not need to rely so much on the free ports and could do raids much more with surprise and give them the chance to get away without being forced into the few safe Free ports in the area.

 

Also if there where more areas of shallow water near land that would allow smaller ships to use to hide in from larger ships hunting them that would make the use of smaller ships more viable.

 

Many smaller traders preferred to sail near the coast knowing that they could head for the shore and try to outsail larger ships that would hunt them knowing that they could sail much closer then a 5th rate to the shore. We also could also use more saling lanes that allow smaller ships to pass and forces larger ships to take a detour as that gives players the option that learn the lanes to use that knowledge to sneak away or take a shortcut to catch that tempting trader...

 

I will try to make a Suggestion post when I get back from work

Edited August 25, 2016 by Niagara