One area that is in need of a boost is the Brig class ships - the Brig, Brigantine and the Brig of War.

Only the Brig currently has the perk of voodoo with the Royal Auxillary and Emergency Call.

As the flagship comes into play, I see ship perks benefitting the entire naval operations of the player. We have traits that are also added to each ship.

Perhaps the Brig class can be engineered to enhance the fleet itself, but only when activated by voodoo, such as the two brig curses that already exist...

For the Brig:

Focus: Damage Repairs

Royal Auxillary (see definition)
Emergency Call (see definition)

Here are some ideas to consider:

For the Brig of War:

Focus: Battle Augmentation

These curses represent the English style of naval combat, where destroying the enemy fleet was the necessary to continue the mission.

Raking Fire from the Bow
Common
Turns: 8
Duration: 72 hours
When in a fleet, the BoW lends her guns to the ships in front, raking the enemy's deck thus increasing firepower when in battle. (Adding BoW guns to the ship engaged in battle).

Crossing the T
Common
Turns: 8
Duration 72 hours
When engaged in battle, the BoW crosses the T of her enemy in the first round only, receiving only 10% damage on fire from the enemy

Hulled Between Wind and Water
Common
Turns 8
Duration 24 hours

Brig of War has a 20% chance of double damage. An additional 5% chance of sinking enemy on volley if BoW has Durable Sails Trait.

Brigantine:

Focus: Escape Strategy

These ideas and strategies follow more the French naval tactic to continue the mission by disabling the enemy rather than capture or destroy enemy vessels.

Holding The Weather Gage
Common
Turns 8
Stackable 2x
Duration: 72 hours

For fleets with a Brigantine, ships gain 10% chance to escape a skirmish(additional) or Plunder attack.

Bow and Quarterline
Common
Turns 8
Duration 72 hours

When Brigantine is in fleet, 25% chance no bounty will be awarded to either fleet, and no cargo lost. A 1% chance winner will recieve double bounty and capture the tail ship.

These are simply ideas, mates - with the new flag ship and traits on line, diverse strategies are needed to create interest, and here are some ideas to bring the Brig class into the field.

Ideas and suggestions welcome -

I did play with the idea of including the brig in my fishing tweak proposals : as I suggested a continuing damage % gained by fishing fleets of Doggers on each port entry thus causing inefficiency until repaired : naturally the use of Brig and RFA to auto-repair occured to me. But I also thought what if we made the Brig the only vessel that could fleet with Doggers as a guardship. Then it would fill two functions. As a guard its not over powerful but enough to discourage using too small ships to capture them : being unarmed I suppose even a lvl 1 howker could clean out a dogger fleet.

Anyhows... was an idea to maybe push the brig up the popularity charts...

I have always sailed a fleet or two of brigs because the cards available.

This brings up another option for Flagships though. Ship specific traits.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...... why couldnt we have a customized Brig class ship as a flagship hat was, in some specific way, as strong as any other ship.

We could - as much difficulty as we currently have ironing out flag ships, I see a much longer in depth discussion in front of that.

Currently, big warships should be flag ships - especially when acquiring experience thru combat.

The RA and EC were created to give Brigs a role in the game. By simply adding additional cards for the other Brig class ships will also provide them a role, particularly as escort and support ships - affordable ships for new players and old players alike.

Not bad for pirates and privateers - Throw a Brigantine that is Holding the Wind Gage in the Large Frigate flagship fleet will help when a fleet of level 10 MoWs decide to engage in battle, and you slip away without a shot fired.

A Brig of War under Crossing the T or Raking Fire curse teamed up behind a Frigate Flagship might just have enough umph to take out the Scorpion Fleet of 3 SotL with 2 cutter tails....

I think there may be role with voodoo curses aimed to enhance the Brig class, for trader and fighter alike.

This would also make naval combat messy - a raid would be a risk on both ends, instead of a string of 20-30 straight wins of a trader's fleet.

Brigs would become as Jokers in a deck of cards -