Moving Soldiers with Ships

[William one eye]

I think you should be able to hire soldiers like you would hire crewman or officers, so as to allow more piratical players to raid plantations.

I think soldiers (hired like crew) are just hired at set rates,
Possible diferrent rates in different ports, maybe based on nation laws.

But in keeping with jacks suggesstion here.

Perhaphs you need generals, colonels, commanding officers.
That are hired like our current naval officers. To build armies.

[DezNutz]

Where/how would these soldiers be spawned ?

The initial thought is that soldiers would be trained via plantations. However, down the line, they could be trained via a port building or possibly even a hideout building (pirates only).

I expect regardless where they are created, to be effective they will need to be transported.

Not necessarily, one could employ soldiers within the same port against other plantations, but transportation leads to the ability to attack plantations in other ports and possibly further along, port buildings/nations.

For instance, is a plantation required to make soldiers ?

Initially, yes, but that is open for discussion and alternative ideas, and may as said above allow alternate locations to train soldiers.

Can a plant make it's own defence militia? You cannot just fish for them or perhaps they will be a percentage of a ports pops without any player intervention ?

The initial idea is that soldiers would could be used for defined roles, offense and defense. While militia wasn't the term utilized, there was discussion that a plantation holder could employ workers as temporary conscripts to defend the plantation, beyond quantitative limits for soldiers. I believe militia is a better term, thanks for providing that.

[DezNutz]

I agree with Stan. Details are needed before any semblance of legitimate discussion can be had.

I also agree we are putting the cart before the horse here. Why not finish several unfinished mechanics first.

1. Plantation Guardhouse. Could this not be used in some way for this, or is it a dead mechanic?
2. Blockades. I thought this was going to be part of the plantation attack/defense mechanic.
3. Natural disasters. I believe this was also an approved plantation mechanic yet to be implemented.

I am sure I am forgetting a few. It has been so very long since any serious game development discussions have been had in the forums, forgive me if I am a bit confused, but these were all approved at one time or another. Shouldn't these be the priority?

How do we move soldiers????? This should be discussed after we know the things Stan asked about first. Why do we need them, How do we create them, How many will we need to do the things they are supposed to do? This is important because moving 1000 versus moving millions, creating 1000 vs creating millions would have a huge impact on the types of suggestions you will get.

To answer your questions:

1. Yes, the Plantation Guardhouse will come into play with this.
2. Not within the initial buildout, but yes, blockades could come into play with further expansions into Port Building and Port "Land Battles" and would involve soldiers.
3. This was discussed and will likely be implemented to coincide with or just prior to Plantation/Land Battles.

[Jack Teach]

With regards to the training of soldiers, perhaps they could be trained by others and then hired by non-plantation owning players like workers are hired for the plantations themselves? Regardless, I'd just like this to be something that more combat focused players like myself could actually feasibly participate in without owning a plantation.

[Argo]

Yea.. so kidnapping them is an option.

[DezNutz]

Yea.. so kidnapping them is an option.

By kidnapping, I assume you mean can soldiers be captured and forced to work in your army?

[Jack Teach]

Yea.. so kidnapping them is an option.

By kidnapping, I assume you mean can soldiers be captured and forced to work in your army?

Doesn't make a lot of sense unless you've got more soldiers loyal to you, which would imply you got them voluntarily.

[Argo]

Yea.. was thinking if you cast a Kidnap card (and plunder xxx or something) you can take a % of the crew according to your tech .. (min crew stays on board)
and also how we 'loot' cargo now only for crew ..
Training could be xx hours in tech?
Tech enabling kidnap and soldier training?

Hiring soldiers of different capabilities and capacities is good idea too

[William one eye]

Yea.. so kidnapping them is an option.

By kidnapping, I assume you mean can soldiers be captured and forced to work in your army?

In theory the captured soildiers may need to be converted to plant workers. But you will gain their equipment that can be used to arm your own loyal soldiers. If you reach your hideout before unloading the soldiers. The captured soldiers leave, loyal enlusted soldiers board. No cost is incurred as they will be armed with the captured equipment.

Function wise
If you reach your hideout with captured soldiers the soldiers will refresh as your own and be usable for attack or to deploy as guards.

[Jack Teach]

plant workers?