Suggestion to reduce Kiting in PBs

[Anolytic]

As I’ve written about before the problem I have with PBs ever since Land in (Port) Battles and the 3 circle system is that not enough people actually sink in most PBs. A gamey tactic that has come from this fact is that superior fleets sometimes will actively avoid taking circles to delay accumulation of points so they will have the ability to sink more enemies before hitting the 1000 points that ends the battle.

 

Another function of this trend of less people sinking in fights is the ability of small, fast ships to tie up circles against heavier ships, despite having no ability to fight for the circle. By simply being in the circle, they prevent the enemy from accumulating points, even when the circle is owned my the enemy and the enemy has a numerical and/or BR advantage in the circle. 

 

A Prince or Le Requin or other small ship can easily kite in and out of a circle to prevent it from gaining any substantial amount of points with little risk. This allows defenders to avoid going into close fights to defend circles, while simply running down the clock against attackers who have to bring a heavier fleet in order to be able to fight a close fight, and have to use at least some of their BR reserved for smaller vessels on mortar brigs in order to knock down the forts. 

 

We are thus back to defenders kiting to run down the clock, exactly what we wanted to get away from when we abandoned the old system of towers, a circle of death, and getting to twice the BR.

 

And yes, some will say attackers just have to bring small ships of their own, but it is not always that simple. Especially so with the current low numbers and struggling even to fill some PBs. And also because you never know if this is going to be the tactic that defenders are going for, and if they don't and you bring too light a setup, then you have less of a chance in the engagement.

 

The proposal is this:

To make controlling a circle not simply a matter of having it without enemies being inside it, which allows any enemy in any ship to disrupt control of a circle. 

Instead, to control the circle, and get points from it, you should have to have at least twice the BR of the enemy in it. And conversely, to block a circle from gaining points you would need at least half the BR of the enemy inside it. So an essex could not block 2 bucentaurs (or even one) from gaining points for a circle, but if the enemy controls a circle with just a bucentaur, then a 3rd rate would be enough to block points accumulation from the circle until one of the sides is either chased out or sunken.

 

That way tiny ships cannot kite to contest circles, instead you would need to send a ship or ships big enough to fight for it.

[Hethwill]

Take&Hold. Yep, been suggested before, and it never gets old and totally worth to bring back.

 

[Guest]

@admin comment on the topic?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Anolytic said:

As I’ve written about before the problem I have with PBs ever since Land in (Port) Battles and the 3 circle system is that not enough people actually sink in most PBs. A gamey tactic that has come from this fact is that superior fleets sometimes will actively avoid taking circles to delay accumulation of points so they will have the ability to sink more enemies before hitting the 1000 points that ends the battle.

 

Another function of this trend of less people sinking in fights is the ability of small, fast ships to tie up circles against heavier ships, despite having no ability to fight for the circle. By simply being in the circle, they prevent the enemy from accumulating points, even when the circle is owned my the enemy and the enemy has a numerical and/or BR advantage in the circle. 

 

A Prince or Le Requin or other small ship can easily kite in and out of a circle to prevent it from gaining any substantial amount of points with little risk. This allows defenders to avoid going into close fights to defend circles, while simply running down the clock against attackers who have to bring a heavier fleet in order to be able to fight a close fight, and have to use at least some of their BR reserved for smaller vessels on mortar brigs in order to knock down the forts. 

 

We are thus back to defenders kiting to run down the clock, exactly what we wanted to get away from when we abandoned the old system of towers, a circle of death, and getting to twice the BR.

 

And yes, some will say attackers just have to bring small ships of their own, but it is not always that simple. Especially so with the current low numbers and struggling even to fill some PBs. And also because you never know if this is going to be the tactic that defenders are going for, and if they don't and you bring too light a setup, then you have less of a chance in the engagement.

 

The proposal is this:

To make controlling a circle not simply a matter of having it without enemies being inside it, which allows any enemy in any ship to disrupt control of a circle. 

Instead, to control the circle, and get points from it, you should have to have at least twice the BR of the enemy in it. And conversely, to block a circle from gaining points you would need at least half the BR of the enemy inside it. So an essex could not block 2 bucentaurs (or even one) from gaining points for a circle, but if the enemy controls a circle with just a bucentaur, then a 3rd rate would be enough to block points accumulation from the circle until one of the sides is either chased out or sunken.

 

That way tiny ships cannot kite to contest circles, instead you would need to send a ship or ships big enough to fight for it.

Agreed. In principle I don't really mind the tactical choice of taking light ships, but they are disruptive in terms of denial of points.

[Christendom]

In the PB for KW a couple evenings ago Spain tried to play the kite game with us.  We delayed and even let them have 2 circles while our big ships caught up and sunk most of their fleet.  We also use similar tactics against the US and GB fleets when they attack our ports.  The 3 circle system ticks up points far too quickly sometimes.  Values of ships sunk relative to their BR needs to also be re-evaluated.  Sinking a MB should not be the same points as sinking an ocean.

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by Christendom

[staun]

I think we can change pb as often as we want. Think over time a couple of different pb mechanic have been tried. I personally are not sure it will make much different. Yes different ways will make different ways to fight, But is that the goal we have with Pb’s? As it is now I am pretty sure that it will be the same guyes we see in PB’s. But is that the goal we have with RvR. 

Do we want a RvR as it is now, that only motivate the few ore do we want RvR that turns in to a national event, that all captains united in a common goal in the nation. 

[staun]

3 hours ago, Intrepido said:

Port battles, as they are now, are more an investment than anything else. That's why only the few who can afford it play them.

It is not appealing to the majority because only the ones inside get the reward (VM, a bit poor imo).

People need something to motivate them to participate. Perhaps devs could code a mission "help in there to take/defend the port. Make 3 assists".

Motivate? You think ppl don’t do it because the reward is to poor? 

I can ofc only speak for my self, but reward have never be an issue for me, neither in PvP ore RvR. I liked the fights, never did it for a reward. 

[Tiedemann]

On 1/17/2019 at 2:07 PM, Anolytic said:

 

That way tiny ships cannot kite to contest circles, instead you would need to send a ship or ships big enough to fight for it.

Yes please!