Pirate Rankings and Bonuses

[Grimrock Litless]

That wasn't just directed to you... it was more to Guluere who gave no reason as to downvoting the suggestion.

I think a few of the players here already given the cons of why this is a bad suggestion, they are still stuck on -1 or +1. That's why I give it a -1.

[Sir Henry Morgan]

I thank everyone who has commented on this proposal - I hope that more readers of it will think about it and add their thoughts as well.

When I put this together, I saw (my opinion) two areas that needed some improvement: Pirate ranking and bonuses and The Skirmish Feature. I don't think Pirate rankings and bonuses have changed since the feature started. Skirmish still feels like it is in beta, and it is not quite complete.

Like Danik, I didn't particularly like skirmish, but we have it. At first, it was slow, because the rewards financially were not worth it because of the DR points putting one on the plunder screen was not justified by the reward, so the hideout created a tech to improve that, by "creating" gold coin from the game, just as the coin is created by the game for trading goods. Seemed to work as those who had it to do it with, upgraded their hideouts and skirmishes became active.

Skirmish was designed to "take gold at the expense of the merchant" without the need to use voodoo to plunder. Well, this was negated when skirmish insurance came to be. 7 of the top 8 nations in Avonmora have Skirmish insurance. So, it reduced the need for retaliation again as the nation's treasury soaked up the losses that the merchant would normally suffer. (It is the reason that Haron has mentioned in another post about delaying the paying of skirmish insurance.)

And it should, as those with a nation's flag pays ship taxes and worked hard to attain his rank. if a nation doesn't meet his needs or he doesn't like something, he changes nations. His goal is to make lots of gold.

Pirates on the other hand prefer the excitement and challenge of plunder - not only to win gold, but to build and design a fleet of ships that fit the job. I've seen many, many skirmish and plunder fleets that are excellent in their design. Some work, some don't. They keep trying.

Now the typical trader set-up hasn't changed for some time. I believe there are fleets consisting of 4 Large merchantman and a howker tail that have been sailing since the downfall of Barbados...and that was a few years ago in real time! The goal has always been to move the most cargo for the most profit between the most profitable ports.

By allowing a pirate to skirmish without using turns, he is still limited on how much he can skirmish. His challenge will be to find soft targets so he can use a light fleet to hit them as he gathers DR points. Merchants will be only losing cargo if their nation has skirmish insurance.

Now there have been many comments that have simply shot down this plan, primarily because of the extra turns afforded to the pirate. There have been some of have said there is nothing wrong with it, and others who have not commented on it as of yet. No solutions to the extra turn problems were addressed except to say it isn't right.

I propose one solution - As has been mentioned, pirates have decided to abandon the rules of law, so I may I suggest a law to be implemented for nations to adopt:

No bank in this nation may do business of any kind with those flying the Jolly Roger. No deposits and no loans. All accounts of such at the time of this law will be confiscated by the state.

This will force the pirate to find another means to store his swag!

I am certain there are more ideas and suggestions that could be put into play. It is simply looking at the whole mechanism of the game and finding them.

My hope is to provide more challenge for everyone: Traders, Pirates and for all those in between.

[Ziggfried]

If skirmishes become free for pirates then the danger for ea attack should be increased to 18 per hit.

[Haron]

No bank in this nation may do business of any kind with those flying the Jolly Roger. No deposits and no loans. All accounts of such at the time of this law will be confiscated by the state.

I do not like this. Bankers are already able to freeze the assets of their customers. Doing this automatically is not a good idea, in my opinion. Better that our remains a manual option, so the bankers can be held accountable for their freezing of accounts.

Also, why give pirates one benefit and then try to balance it with a disadvantage? If things are already balanced, then it's fine as if it's, and if pirates need more advantages, then such an advantage should be given, with no disadvantage needed in addition.

[Most Lee Harmless]

No bank in this nation may do business of any kind with those flying the Jolly Roger. No deposits and no loans. All accounts of such at the time of this law will be confiscated by the state.

I do not like this. Bankers are already able to freeze the assets of their customers. Doing this automatically is not a good idea, in my opinion. Better that our remains a manual option, so the bankers can be held accountable for their freezing of accounts.

Also, why give pirates one benefit and then try to balance it with a disadvantage? If things are already balanced, then it's fine as if it's, and if pirates need more advantages, then such an advantage should be given, with no disadvantage needed in addition.

Its a proposal to create a law, not a game-wide mechanism : nations may, if they wish, vote to enact this law to ban pirates from using their banking system : Some may choose to adopt a more 'off-shore' view and take the money wherever it comes from, 'no-questions-asked', in the hope of becoming a favored destination for pirate funds : Its distressingly close to real life, both then and now. Criminals have always struggled to find secure means to launder their ill-gotten gains.

It does open the door to some interesting nation strategies and responses to them : Will a nation who has this law draw more fire from pirates? Will an 'accessable' nation get an easier ride to avoid such a law being passed? Will bankers switch nations to find one with a law that suits their own preferences? Or create their own nations with banking laws to suit? Cayman Islands, anyone?

[Vane]

I do not use banks for the simple fact I pirate. A law like this is not a bad idea and any pirate worth his salt isn't using banks anyhow. We already can not use our own, why be allowed to use another. This will also bring about more buried treasure .

100% on board with that regardless of where this skirmish effort goes.

[Sir Henry Morgan]

The national dyynamic could change if a law as such was added.

The option is already available for individuals to freeze such accounts with or without such laws.

Another idea would be to add a new bounty by adding a reward for someone finding a pirate's buried treasure. This would encourage more treasure hunting.

[Admiral Nelson]

The idea of banning Pirates out of banks is a bit 'iffy' however as people have stated; thats what would happen in real life.

As long as pirates can still join a nation to put there booty in, I believe it should be fine.

[Lod]

With only one fleet you do not even risk losing levels on your ships. You cn run with 2 sows and attack traders all day long, or as long as the turns allows anyways. They can then keep gold on hand at a minimum to avoid losing almost anything if someone decides to attack them back. I for one would lose a lot more from attacking back and raise my danger than I could possibly gain from such an attack. That is unfair I belive. Pirates have free hits, that's the reallity.

[Maha]

With only one fleet you do not even risk losing levels on your ships. You cn run with 2 sows and attack traders all day long, or as long as the turns allows anyways. They can then keep gold on hand at a minimum to avoid losing almost anything if someone decides to attack them back. I for one would lose a lot more from attacking back and raise my danger than I could possibly gain from such an attack. That is unfair I belive. Pirates have free hits, that's the reallity.

skirmishers have 2 restrictions to do their trade: skirmish points and turns. turns can be bought or gotten by means of voodoo. Skirmish points are not to be bought or voodoo'd. with tech you can get lots more daily, but never more than 23 a day. a hard cap.

the discussion is about the possibilty that skirmish should not cost turns.
If we forget that for a moment and think how more skirmish points can be earned. (not bought, but earned)
*) Fear of the black flag makes trade fleets lower their flag; let those who sail the black earn 5 extra points a day. that's attractive for new pirates who lack the tech.
*) Fear comes from fighting; X (10?) attacks on the plunder board generates 1 skirmish point.
*) ships captured or sunk provide skirmish points based on the ships baseprice (each 100kgc = 1 point)
*) other options

by allowing more points to be earned while the turn restriction stays intact, the skirmishers have to earn the right to skirmish.