New Special trait SoL/MoW

[Jessy's Dream]

I personally am only worried about why it should be impossible to defend a great fleet when you sleep.

OK, historically a small cutter (well,smaller than a cutter even) could blow up a single Man o War. A single Man o War though. Not 1000 Ships.
If we forwarded repair suggestion, this would not even be a discussion now.

If we look for weak spots, one weak spot is that the more ships a player owns, the weaker he becomes. I do not really like this. I find it weird.

If I can have 10000 MoWs then no one should stand a chance! Ok, they can burn 1 or 2 ( these pesky Pirates ) but I will still have 9998 to hunt them down to the edge of the World.

[Haron]

Yes, sure. But skirmishing every day is just too easy. No challenge. There will be hardly any thrill left. These raids are what keep some of our players in the game. By making too many things too safe, it becomes just one more "idle" game. We need MORE risk, not less. And, yes, this suggestion is reducing the risk, not increasing it.

Also, those keeping 10-20 SoLs can sleep safely, because they know how to use their SoLs. Using them actually requires a minimum of thinking, which I think is a good thing. Basic trading and skirmishing does not. It becomes pure routine.

[Vane]

Wrong, it reduces nothing and "increases" the risk for pirates. Making their job harder, more fun, require more planning, and new strategies.

[Admiral Nelson]

Or they can become Merchants themselves...

[Haron]

Jessy: In real life, nations would always beat pirates. Let's focus on GAME mechanics, though, not real world comparison. Or else we can always say that a Pirate's strength was their possibility to hide. And that NO trade vessel could Ever be safe (without an escort) - "danger" was not needed to hit them.

Bottom line, though, in the real world, the fight was very unbalanced, and there was very little reason to be a pirate unless forced to. Hardly what we want in the game?

[Captain Jack]

We want many things for the game. One of this is more defense options. Note, options.

[Malachi Constant]

From a trader perspective on the more uses issue, I would suggest a trading bonus for "Secure Shipping Lanes"

Gain points for attacking players or npc or both flying the pirate flag. X amount of points means % bonus to trade for 3 days.

Fleets Trade Bonus

3+ Large Frigates 5%

3+ SoL 15%

3+ MoW 40%

If I put 70-100 million in ships out there gaining danger I want a reason for it.

If there was something like this I think it may be worth it.

More large ships sailing, more combat.

I am loose and fast with the numbers but just throwing something out for consideration.

[Valar Morghulis]

There may be an easy solution. If there were an insurance company in business
where players may insure their prized vessels.

An insurance that may be bought so a player may
sleep without fear off loosing the prized ships.

May be solved by buying a voodoo directly from the witch hut
that may be valid for 8 hours. Only valid for one vessel and
perhaps a cooldown time on 24 hours?

[Maha]

Let me discuss about something else though, how about battling with each other? Why all battles need to be of the hit and run style?

battling each other heads on is futile when one has the larger ships out. battling would become a scary thing when your not the alpha fleet owner. imo battling will lead to a play to win situation where money buys the toughest ships and end of story.

voodoo gives this game a twist. it's allowing the dog to take on a wolf. but the dog knows it's a dog and cannot linger unhindered for the wolf to come back with his pack. it's inherent to the weaker party to do hit and run, guerrilla style.

As has already been written, it takes a lot of preparation to execute a good hit and run with some profit as a result. sometimes a mistake is made which provide a window of opportunity that results in ships changing hands.

i am afraid that the 12 to 24 our delay will result in an initial sinking or lvl lowering of the SOL/MoW's which will result in even less battles fought. when there is no profit to be made, why doing it? this again will result in less gc carried by the merchants cause they have different, more proficient, means to protect their capital ships. the final result is that only trough high tech levels profit can be made while plundering/skirmishing. something that newer players will not be able to get to through being a pirate.

but the above has all been said in this discussion already.
battling only is like playing the board game 'stratego' without a spy; the marshal can beat all that moves. get enough marshals (MOW/SOL's) and it's game over.

the 24 hour delay is a 95% guarantee that a 60 credit profit becomes a 350 credit loss. i will not argue with the reasoning behind this proposal (SOL/MOW's should be used more in the game (if i understand correctly)) but i ask to consider alternatives.

this is how i see this dilemma: 1) voodoo enables small ships to steal top ships. 2) top ships sell well and boost the pirates ego, so they are desired targets 3) there is no real reason to employ these ships since voodoo is an equalizer anyway. 4) SOL/MoW's are not largely used.

this proposal focuses on point 2 only; top ships will be hard to get on the auction.

this proposal will not result in pirates using more SOL/MoW's; they still have no need for them and they still will be targets of retaliation. only merchants will employ them to prevent attacks on their trade fleets; discouraging pirates to attack those. stifling attacks on these fleets as well.

most players will adjust though. a favored exciting game element has been removed, and there always will be opportunities to find noobs who bought these ships while they lack the voodoo to protect them!

i think that point 3 is the key to get those top ships sailing again. great spoils at a high risk.

however, if this proposal goes forward, the ship stealing pirate should also get some protection, e.g. the fleet the stolen ship is somewhat resistant to certain voodoo (levis +..+..) which forces a hunt for the fleet and a fleet(s) to fleet battle. at least this will give the pirate a change to make a profit.

[Captain Jack]

It's a nice big mess.