Other Utility Ships (Non Combat)

[Grim DeGrim]

Has this been discussed? Eg, ships with no Cannons that serve other purposes?

As a comparative, Eve Online has purpose built ships, example, mining barge. It fulfills a (typically) non-compete role and makes money via mining (or collects ore for crafting purposes).

In Naval Action, there has been some discussion of hospital ships and merchants... To expand on other possible roles / ships:

- fishing vessels (large / small / medium), where players can collect resources of fishing belts.

- troop transports, could be used for meta games / missioning for local populace control

- Utility Ships. I don't know what it is called, but vessels such as those that facilities the raising of sunk ships. Presumably would have a crane of sorts. Role as a "wrecker".

- there must have been vessels that were used as repairers... Getting to a Brest or similar port of call would not always be possible... I assume support vessels were common?

- already noted, hospital ships

- already noted, merchant ships

- EDIT: Research vessels. Did such a thing exist? Or were these normal ships, with a different crew compliment... Again opportunity.

Any other opportunities from non combat stand point?

Edited March 12, 2015 by Grim DeGrim

[Arvenski]

Some of those, like the fishing ships, merchants, and troop transports, would be good for clans/guilds to have. They'd need an armed escort (to keep from getting blown clear out of the water) which could be provided by other clan members, and their missions (fishing, trading, transporting troops) could help the clan gain money or standing.  

Edited March 12, 2015 by Arvenski

[Brigand]

I think that almost any vessel can be jury rigged to carry one or more gun. The same goes the other way: if there is sufficient advantage to be gained by removing guns, people may fit out unarmed ships.

 

~Brigand

[Austrum]

Actually I like the idea of fishing vessels.  Whaling too.  Might be a pretty cool sub-profession to go along with the economy.

[Grim DeGrim]

@Brigand (clarification):

Essentially customizable..?

I removed all (or most) Cannons and install fishing gear as example...and maybe crew adjustment.

Have admin made that indication, or is that the recommendation?

Edited March 12, 2015 by Grim DeGrim

[Brigand]

This is just me, personally, thinking about how things would turn out if a there was enough freedom in fitting and equipping ships.

I don't think admin has, as of yet, mentioned anything about ship fitting.

 

~Brigand

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Has this been discussed? Eg, ships with no Cannons that serve other purposes?

As a comparative, Eve Online has purpose built ships, example, mining barge. It fulfills a (typically) non-compete role and makes money via mining (or collects ore for crafting purposes).

In Naval Action, there has been some discussion of hospital ships and merchants... To expand on other possible roles / ships:

- fishing vessels (large / small / medium), where players can collect resources of fishing belts.

- troop transports, could be used for meta games / missioning for local populace control

- Utility Ships. I don't know what it is called, but vessels such as those that facilities the raising of sunk ships. Presumably would have a crane of sorts. Role as a "wrecker".

- there must have been vessels that were used as repairers... Getting to a Brest or similar port of call would not always be possible... I assume support vessels were common?

- already noted, hospital ships

- already noted, merchant ships

- EDIT: Research vessels. Did such a thing exist? Or were these normal ships, with a different crew compliment... Again opportunity.

Any other opportunities from non combat stand point?

 

Not sure Hospital Ships existed at the time (they did exist, see Grim's post below), nor did research vessels as such.  A naturalist or Society might commission a merchant ship to take them somewhere to collect samples and specimens, but I'm not sure science at the time really required more than a table and space to work within to do "research".  Sometimes, it sounds like Captains, be they Navy or Civilian, might offer to collect certain data while out on a cruise or trip for a particular researcher (O'Brian's Captain Aubrey is discussed as taking samples of ocean temperature, salinity, etc. for a particular scientist during one or more of his voyages).

 

I think by utility ship you mean a "sheer hulk".  These were barges or vessels converted to help replace masts (here is a representation of a sheer hulk in 1829):

 

Outside of that, you made what repairs you could below the waterline by shifting ballast, or using the rigging to pull the ship over onto its side to reach the damaged section.  You could also potentially beach the ship to allow the carpenters to come at a problem.  That said, you were limited in your capabilities without a dedicated dry dock - the usual approach was to get the ship seaworthy enough to reach the nearest friendly dry dock.  In the 1850's, I've seen mention of "wrecking cutters" which were used in the Bahamas to help refloat ships that had grounded on the banks.  I don't think a dedicated "repair ship" was really a thing though.

 

Actually I like the idea of fishing vessels.  Whaling too.  Might be a pretty cool sub-profession to go along with the economy.

 

Admin has indicated that whaling is not currently planned to be in the game.  

Edited March 12, 2015 by Henry d'Esterre Darby
Removed erroneous statement.

[Grim DeGrim]

Thank you Mr Darby.

I believe hospital ships were present at the Battle of Koge in 1710 (Dannebroge was destroyed at this battle), but I'm going of memory and need to confirm later tonight.

In either event, admin had indicated they are "considering" the hospital ship for other game purposes.

[Mass]

Yes a fishing boat/ship really sounds intresting

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

I didn't realize there was the potential of having a Hospital Ship at that time!  If you find something, please post.  I'd love to learn about it.  

[Grim DeGrim]

I could not find the reference to 1710 Koge Bay. But wiki did provide the following :

It was only during the 17th century that it became customary for naval squadrons to be accompanied by special vessels with the job of taking in the wounded after each engagement. The first known such vessel was the HMS Goodwill, commissioned in 1608 for the Royal Navy. Hospital ships were also used for the treatment of wounded soldiers fighting on land. An early example of this was during an English operation to evacuate English Tangier in 1683. An account of this evacuation was written by Samuel Pepys, an eyewitness. One of the main concerns was the evacuation of sick soldiers "and the many families and their effects to be brought off". The hospital ship Unity and Welcome sailed for England on 18 October 1683 with 114 invalid soldiers and 104 women and children, arriving at The Downs on 14 December 1683.[2]

On 8 December 1798, unfit for service as a warship, HMS Victory was ordered to be converted to a hospital ship to hold wounded French and Spanish prisoners of war. According to Edward Hasted in 1798, two large hospital ships (also called lazarettos), (which were the surviving hulks of forty-four gun ships) were moored in Halstow Creek in Kent. The creek is an inlet from the River Medway and the River Thames. The hospital ships watched over ships coming to England which were forced to stay in the creek under quarantine to protect the country from infectious diseases including the plague.[3]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_ship

Edited March 12, 2015 by Grim DeGrim

[Don Alvarez]

I want an oyster boat - fishing for pearls baby! Yeah!

[Dagann]

I like the idea of non military boats, but as it was said, I hope not to see boats with role that never existed during the 18th or 19th century.

Hospital boats, repair boats ? Except the points brought by Henry, did they really existed or as they a game invention such as the mining ship ?

[Grim DeGrim]

Updated hospital ship. It is legitimate... I'll look for more references...

[Grim DeGrim]

I am to remember reading and seeing the hospital ships off the main line of battle, in secondary line as support. Drives me nuts when I can't remember the "where". If anyone comes across other references... Please post.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Thanks Grim, I updated my post.  

[ThePandanator2]

How about ferries? I don't know if they really had many of these back in the day, but if they did it might be interesting.

 

You could take a little boat, load it up with people wanting to, say, cross the English Channel, and ferry them from France to Britain. Or any other scenario. And you could make a little profit off of these boats, as a secondary source of income.