Small Home Defense Fleet - requirements

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

The 'small' Home Defense Fleet is already in game. Cerberus, Surprise, Cerberus, Prince de Neufchatel and Requin is the composition if I recall correctly.

Don't know if same will also appear in patrol zone, I think it was announced for the future once.

No matter where, I think those small Home Defense Fleets need a condition about who is allowed to attack them, particularly when they will be carrying wooden chests (like big HDF does), which is desirable.

That requirement should be; you need to be in a frigate below certain BR for attacking them at all (or joining a fight). Why? Because with unlimited access, people will only come as usual in big ships and sealclub small HDF to their pleasure as they promise easy access to wooden chests. Technically possible as we have a BR regulation also for big HDF.

Now if you could do that only in frigates that would be much more of a challenge; second and third advantage is, lovers of 5th rates gain a new reason for sailing them, and lower rank captains get a chance to get wooden chests while they can't compete for the big HDF yet.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Cetric de Cornusiac

[Isaac J Smith]

I believe the reason they don't drop wood chests yet is because they need to "run away" from bigger ships. As they have boosted speed, you would need some very fast wind boosted frigates to catch them. At least that's how I understood the patch notes when they were added:

Quote

They do not drop wood chests yet (until we teach them to run away). Only home defense fleets with skull symbol drop wood chests.

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Isaac J Smith

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

With a mechanism which prevents bigger ships to target them at all, I guess they would not need to be taught to run away. What we definitely need is to avoid the invitation to sealclub those small fleets. They are pure frigate captain content, in my opinion. Or should be.

The 'problem' of boosted speed we already see with big HDF. So people often depend on them turning against the wind to catch them. Would be same with small HDF.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

180 BR sounds like a good limit to me. Belle-Poule and alikes. Not the strong frigates of 18 + 24 pd.

[Isaac J Smith]

No limit. If you can be fast enough to not only get in, but to tag them (When they're running away), fight them off, and then run away from the bigger fleets, then you deserve the rewards.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Isaac J Smith

[BoatyMcBoatFace]

limits to fight bots? are you guys ok???? 

[Jan van Santen]

You automatically would get that "Only certain rank can attack them"  feature...if these "mini HDF"  ships were put in a patrol zone. The new zone near La Tortue comes to mind.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

3 hours ago, BoatyMcBoatFace said:

limits to fight bots? are you guys ok???? 

And what are you after? Inflation for wooden chests, because too easy farmable for big ships? What about explicit frigate content? Elsewhere I read people demand more content for frigates, so here is some!

[Cathal Brugha]

If a limit is put, 4th rate or 5th rate, not br. By limiting the br so much you have also cut out most of the frigates, there by once again limiting 5th rate content. I would like 4th rate to be allowed, so I can use ships like the Wappen for something.