May be a different Game play option is needed

[Malice_s]

Proposal

 

This is only a proposal.

I know that there will be haters and supporters to this – let the chips fall where they may.

 

I propose to change the pirate in a fundamental way to make them a more historically correct force and to offer a completely different game play option to Naval Action than the other nations. Making the Pirates uniquely different.

 

To do this these are the following proposed changes;

 

• Historically Pirates were the only faction that would attack traders even the major nations did not treat traders as military targets. I propose that the pirates are the only faction that can attack traders both AI and Player traders.

   

• Pirates can cap the trader ships (including AI) and flag it to their cause, sell it or break it down to supplement their crafting of new ships. (teak possibly needed on the materials a broken down ship supply)

 

• They can while wearing the black never sail more than a fourth rate.

 

• They can hold a letter of marque off any of the other nations and once they have this they can participate in the line-ship port battles and all game play that the other nations have.

 

• They can raid any shallow water port (not capital and do not capture a region by doing this) and turn this into a forward operating base (FOB) at any time with no notification to the targeted nation until the next down time – at which time this port will be clearly marked on the world map as pirate controlled. This town will be marked in open world as captains sail to it as contested prior to downtime (so traders and other players have to pay attention). This port will then follow normal port battle proceedings, the pirate nation may possibly hold a limited number of these FOB's (number could be determined by community). But supporting a large number of these may be a logistical challenge for the pirate community so maybe a number is not needed therefore making every shallow water port susceptible (this would be more historically correct). This way they can affect all nations equally.

 

• Pirates like the rest cannot have outposts in free ports,

 

• This proposal may change the loot requirements off traders so that the pirates can sustain a ship building and trading market to make gold.

 

• With a letter of marque a pirate can play as that nation. He cannot attack same nation traders but can attack any other nations traders.

   

• In open world a Pirate under letter of marque is only designated by the word privateer in his title (like a contraband title).

 

• This means pirates can have arrangements with nations to cripple production of other nations with with a mercenary flavour. (they may even find a way to play both sides for a profit – Pirates remember)

 

• Attacking a trader does not drag in same nation ships, or opposing nation ships. Though when a trader battle forms either nation can join the battle as per normal, this can remain the same even if the pirate is wearing black or the colours he has under with a letter of marque.

 

• Pirates can attack any war ships and normal BR counts take affect, even when under a letter of marque.(though not the same nation when under letter of marque).

 

• All shallow water ship blueprints are available to the pirate nation, marks system to remain the same.

 

• The pirates can establish outposts in any pirate controlled port (after downtime for any port captured by a raid.)

 

• They cannot farm but can have workshops and shipyards. (same mechanics and pricing as current game play), their supplies being determined buy raiding traders. (as mentioned earlier this may mean the loot of traders has to be tweaked). They can sell any of the loot at any port either with a smugglers tag while wearing the black or under a letter of marque as per normal trader function currently in game.

 

• Trader loot tweak to include modules to do with speed and sails modifications to be a random drop on AI and a possibility to drop if a player has them installed (low chance). Loot to include same current chances to books and ship knowledges off AI.

 

• Rank progression for pirates – they can still mission up to fourth rates as per current game play to gain experience (XP). After this they have a choice the faster option being under a letter of marque to then mission as per a other nations or slower option while wearing the black by continuing with missions at fourth rate being the highest available, this caters to those pirates that never want to wear the colours of another nation under marque. All other streams of XP gain to remain available to those wearing black. Raids can then also offer an XP increase for these players as well.

   

While I may not have covered all the challenges that this game offers and if there are further additions let the community decide, this is meant as an opportunity to make a completely different gaming style for those wearing black.

 

I believe with these changes it will offer an alternative and a more historical and challenging role to the Pirate style and how they can control the game balances.

 

While the Pirates will never own great tracts of ports, this will offer more than enough challenge and chance to influence the game through an alternative game play option to the other nations.

 

This is only an idea and may have merit or it may not as said before let the chips fall where they may.

[Hodo]

While this is the wrong section for this suggestion and I only read the first half of it so far, I already have problems with part of it.

Pirates were not the only people who attacked trade ships.  Navy ships often attacked merchant ships of hostile and sometimes neutral (but complacent) nations.   Sir Pellew was famous for his exploits as a frigate captain and had some of the richest prize hauls of all known frigate commanders in the Royal Navy.  He had one voyage that brought in roughly 15 years pay to each man on his crew after prize split.  His list of captures was almost entirely trade ships.  

 

Pirates shouldnt be treated as a nation in any aspect.  They should not be able to capture or hold ports, that would imply they have a system of government and a military to hold those assets.  Which they have or had neither.  Pirates biggest problem was finding ships, crew was not often an issue.  Ships was, you cant as a pirate just go and buy a frigate.  99% of all pirates used 7th and 6th rate vessels, aside from Blackbeard who had the one corvette 5th rate, the Queen Anne's Revenge, which didnt even have its full gun load due to cost and weight.   

Nationals need a change also.  There should be two paths for them, Navy, or Civilian.  If you are Navy, you have access to combat 5th rates and larger, crew will be cheap but you will be limited on what you can do to your ship.  1 perm slot open for your ship, 5 knowledge slots, crew half price.  But any lost ship will result in a loss of XP along with the loss of the ship.   Guns will also be half priced as the Crown pays for most of the outfitting of your vessel.  But in turn 1/4 of all prize money goes to the crown and not to you.  Can capture and keep any vessel. Cannot run the Smuggler flag EVER.

Merchants, have access to only "civilian" level ships, this means the Indiaman is the biggest ship they can sail.  No combat vessels.   So your biggest combat vessel will be a Mercury or Niagara and Heavy Rattlesnake.   You have to pay for your crew, full price, but you have access to 3 perm slots, and 5 knowledge slots on your ships.   You keep ALL prize money, but cannot keep any combat vessel captured, (5th rate frigates and such.)  Can run the Smuggler flag on their trade ships.  

 

[Duncan McFail]

4 hours ago, Hodo said:

 If you are Navy, you have access to combat 5th rates and larger, crew will be cheap but you will be limited on what you can do to your ship. Can capture and keep any vessel.

Why would you be able to capture and keep any ship in the navy. Navy captains didn't have docks full of capped ships. Ships that were capped were turned in for prize money and then broken down or distributed to another captain in need. The decision on commanding a captured ship was not up to the captain.

[Hodo]

53 minutes ago, Duncan McFail said:

Why would you be able to capture and keep any ship in the navy. Navy captains didn't have docks full of capped ships. Ships that were capped were turned in for prize money and then broken down or distributed to another captain in need. The decision on commanding a captured ship was not up to the captain.

To represent it being pressed into Naval service.  Civilians werent often aloud to keep their prize vessels they were bought by the crown and sold to "friendly" merchant companies or just broken up for parts.  

 

[Duncan McFail]

19 hours ago, Hodo said:

To represent it being pressed into Naval service.  Civilians werent often aloud to keep their prize vessels they were bought by the crown and sold to "friendly" merchant companies or just broken up for parts.  

 

This is kind of my point. Naval captains also weren't able to keep their capped ships in a similar fashion. That is unless that captain lost their ship while gaining their prize. If you want to put a line between pirates and nats not being able to keep capped ships is a good one. POTBS had it right with that call. It made pirates special. Which is what these guys need if they ever decide to make pirates into a non-nation.

Btw I'll let you slide on aloud if you give Tex a break next time he messes up his wording.

[Hethwill]

Moved to General Discussions.