Experiment - Player generated content - Operation "Three Blind Mice"

[Kpt Lautenschlaeger]

What’s all this, then?
There are complaints about too little content, in a game which is essentially a sandbox. As I regularly GM tabletop role-playing and wargames, I cannot help but read this as a personal challenge. So, I propose this experiment:

I will get hold of 3 AI Les Gros Ventres from the OW. I will not kit them out in any fancy way, apart from fitting long cannons on them. They will get 30/30/50 Hull/Rig/Rum each (in case I have to switch), otherwise their holds will be empty.

These 3 (Prussian) LGVs will weigh anchor at St Nicloas, Haiti on [a precise time and date to be set, around 7pm GMT], hoist the Smuggler's flag and sail for Santa Cruz, Cuba. I challenge any and all captains to either escort me safely, in the interest of free trade, flourishing commerce and similar corporate claptrap (shorthand: escort); or to fire my ships, massacre the crew, harrass the remaining livestock, and generally send those hulls to the Davey Jones'es locker (shorthand: privateer).

If my Les Gros Ventres are unable to reach Santa Cruz after 4 hours have elapsed (I do have to go to bed at some point), we will consider this a win for the privateers. If they dock safely, the escorts take the day.

I consider myself a mediocre combat captain at best, so don’t expect the LGVs to put up much of a fight by themselves.

The rewards? Well, hopefully a couple of hours of fun OW shenanigans and PvPew-pew, for a start. Beyond that, fame and fortu… well, just fame, really. I will make honourable mentions of all participants in this thread. The captain who captures a trader shall henceforth be known as “Fierce Hawk of the Caribbean” (or some such). I will consult with the escort captains to subjectively (not arbitrarily) determine one to three most valuable players from amongst their number, to be titled “Stalwart Champion of Commerce” (ditto). To this end, I ask the captains to submit screenshots of the results of any related engagements, either by PM or in the thread below.

Ungentlemanly/unladylike behaviour such as uncouth language and obvious game-y exploits of this experimental endeavour will disqualify the offender from any title. This will be a low-stakes event without any RvR impact, so please, do behave. 😉 That should not stop anyone from well-intentioned role-playing banter, in the spirit of: http://www3.sympatico.ca/brooksdr/haddock/main.htm

I will set up a voice channel on my Discord instance, escort captains are strongly encouraged to join it. I would leave it to the privateer captains to organise something similar.

This is operation is code-named “Three Blind Mice” (because the LGVs are captained by me and bots ;o).

Please discuss in a civilised manner.

Edited June 13, 2018 by Kpt Lautenschlaeger