Ahoy everyone,

In light of the forthcoming implementation of the Gold resource (Gold bars production - trading will soon be possible!), we are going to slightly tweak the looting earnings when you win a battle.
Right now, what a ship carries only plays a role if the defender cannot pay the ransom. In this case, the loot is transformed to gold coins automatically and it pays the attacker.

This, besided being illogical and not self-exlanatory (as it should be), it happens rarely in battles. This was expected to start taking place with the forthcoming Gold Resource but after all, it seems we are going to retire this mechanism.

We are looking to both simplify it and also make it more interesting for all parties involved. The idea is to enable the winner to always loot the ship cargo of the defender.

To further enhance this, we are going to let the engine (AI) to determine how to use the total fleet cargo space for both defender and attacker. This also means that not only the cargo of the last ship will be looted, but the cargo of the entire fleet. As long as there is enough space to the attacker.

Taking in mind that losing fleets are mostly merchant ships losing to war ships, it means that a single merchant fleet will still have some cargo loot left on board after one or even two attacks. This,or crafty pirates will create more interesting fleets that will also take in mind this variable.

Eventually, the plunder rules will become:

Plunder Help File wrote:-What I earn from plunder ?

*You earn gold coins and fame.

In detail:
*Loser has 10% of his total fame removed (Note: When initial fame amount exceeds 1 Million points, it becomes 5%) - Winner takes the half of this fame added on.
*Loser loses all cargo that the winner can carry. Total fleet cargo is taken in calculation, not only last ship's cargo.
*The loser must pay a ransom equal to the 10% value of the base ship price that lost the battle (last ship matters) + 1~5% of his gold. (There is a limit of 250 000 max gold coins per plunder).

If the loser does not have enough ransom gold in his treasury, then he loses the ship to the winner. (only if loser has more than 1 ships AND ship was not sunk in battle)

Much more straighforward and self-explanatory too, right? This system will also allow us to implement technologies (researchable in Hideout's Academy) that will affect cargo loot plunder percentages for both attack (when you win) and defence (when you lose).

Your thoughts are of great interest for us.

I like this update a lot : it will certainly make plundering trade-fleets more interesting, as its potential cargo gains importance : this would make cards like Trade Master far more useful in planning hits.

As for the war-fleet aspect, I suspect we may see a few Flag Galleons joining the usual suspects in raiding fleets...

one question... does this mean that a raiding fleet can carry it's own cargo in case of defeat to stave off some of the gold loss?

Nope : plunder will be two separate events : 'cargo' is now always lost when you lose a fight, however much the winner can carry away. : Gold will be lost the same way it is now, as ransom : ships will be lost (captured or sunk) if you don't have enough gold to cover the ransom.

So, if the winner already has full ships they wont get any cargo from a win but they could still capture or sink a ship if the losers purse is low enough. Conversely, they may not get much ransom from a howker tail, but they could take a whole fleets cargo, if that's tools, iron or rum, then it makes the raid more worthwhile.

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Throw in the gold bars resources which we estimate it will cost on average about 2000 gold each. (That's 1,2m on a 5-ship large merchantman fleet, full with gold bars). And in gold bars! (effectively, more precious)

I like these changes. It also makes it more realistic in terms of what winning a battle would be like (taking the treasure).

I love this, and all historically accurate too.. the Spanish Treasure fleets sailing from the New World were always the prime target for privateers... er, hang on... I'm Spanish... running treasure fleets... Nooooooooooooooooooo!

so... the cash stays the same, but now looting happens? cool. what happens with the gold?

No other changes. Cargo loot was a feature in effect that was used conditionally. This now changes and cargo loot will always happen.

+5