Port Blockades (Large)

[sXs]

CJ has already stated that if the initiator wins they can keep blockade going with out pause. Making your argument not valid anymore dez. Will that work for you?

Aye.... he posted mechanics for extension of blockades.

[sXs]

Meliva, blockade extension will be possible. It will simply require a new cycle. I noticed that this is not clearly mentioned at the first post so I rephrased:

A new blockade may not be attempted at the same port for 48hours (Version 1.0 Metric) after the Blockade Resolution.

If the blockade is successful, only the initiator will be able to attempt a new blockade at the port.
In this case, the Blockade (if battle is successful for the attacker) will be extended (Extension will play a role in statistics and might be used to generate more perks later).

It still looks messy but I hope it clears out everything.

• In short, if the initiator wishes to extend the Blockade and not lose even 1 second, he will have a 24hours window to register the extended blockade.
• During the next 24hours window, he will still be the only one that will be able to register a new blockade but for every second lost, this means that the port will be free for this second.
• At the final 24hours window before the Blockade expires, everyone will be able to create a new blockade on the port.

No matter when a blockade is initiated, all phases will be carried out normally.
On the case the initiator starts the blockade within the first 24hours window, only then, the grace preparation window will not begin until the second 24h window of the blockade starts.

Here is an overview:

• Tortuga Enjoys it's Freedom
• Vicious Shadowood initiates a Blockade on Tortuga
• First 24 Hours begin immediately -> Preparation Grace Period
• 24 hours pass, the Battle for Tortuga starts
• 24 hours pass, the Blockade Resolves
• Shadowood and his crew win! A Blockade is established at Tortuga
• Blockade Starts: First 24hours Window
Only Shadowood (the initiator) might create a new Blockade at Tortuga

• Blockade still active: Second 24 hours Window
If Shadowood initiated a Blockade Extension at previous window, the Preparation Grace Period starts here

• Blockade still active: Third 24 hours Window
if Shadowood initiated a Blockade Extension at first window, at the start of this phase, the Battle will be fought
If no Blockade attempts are active, anyone may attempt a new Blockade from now on

• Blockade End
If Extension Blockade battle is successful, the Blockade is extended for 72h

[sXs]

So if it were reversed and a nations income came mainly from trade and not population, would that justify defense?

This is a hypothetical question.

[DezNutz]

Spoiler: show

Meliva, blockade extension will be possible. It will simply require a new cycle. I noticed that this is not clearly mentioned at the first post so I rephrased:

A new blockade may not be attempted at the same port for 48hours (Version 1.0 Metric) after the Blockade Resolution.

If the blockade is successful, only the initiator will be able to attempt a new blockade at the port.
In this case, the Blockade (if battle is successful for the attacker) will be extended (Extension will play a role in statistics and might be used to generate more perks later).

It still looks messy but I hope it clears out everything.

• In short, if the initiator wishes to extend the Blockade and not lose even 1 second, he will have a 24hours window to register the extended blockade.
• During the next 24hours window, he will still be the only one that will be able to register a new blockade but for every second lost, this means that the port will be free for this second.
• At the final 24hours window before the Blockade expires, everyone will be able to create a new blockade on the port.

No matter when a blockade is initiated, all phases will be carried out normally.
On the case the initiator starts the blockade within the first 24hours window, only then, the grace preparation window will not begin until the second 24h window of the blockade starts.

Here is an overview:

• Tortuga Enjoys it's Freedom
• Vicious Shadowood initiates a Blockade on Tortuga
• First 24 Hours begin immediately -> Preparation Grace Period
• 24 hours pass, the Battle for Tortuga starts
• 24 hours pass, the Blockade Resolves
• Shadowood and his crew win! A Blockade is established at Tortuga
• Blockade Starts: First 24hours Window
Only Shadowood (the initiator) might create a new Blockade at Tortuga

• Blockade still active: Second 24 hours Window
If Shadowood initiated a Blockade Extension at previous window, the Preparation Grace Period starts here

• Blockade still active: Third 24 hours Window
if Shadowood initiated a Blockade Extension at first window, at the start of this phase, the Battle will be fought
If no Blockade attempts are active, anyone may attempt a new Blockade from now on

• Blockade End
If Extension Blockade battle is successful, the Blockade is extended for 72h

OK. That should be added to the first post. The only part listed in the first post is that the initiator can extend the blockade.

Additionally I found what I see as a fundamental flaw in the setup, how do you blockade when there are no ships in the blockade. The Resolution Phase removes all ships before the blockade actually occurs. What's blockading, your imagination?

So if it were reversed and a nations income came mainly from trade and not population, would that justify defense?

This is a hypothetical question.

No, because trade income would not be more than tax income from population.

Hypothetical. My nation owns port X. I on behalf of and with approval by the nation initiates blockade on port X. What motivates defense?

[sXs]

You misunderstand. Lets say the two are completely reversed.

Lets say trade income in St Martins for a is 6 million/ nation share of revenue.

And lets say population tax income is only 200k.

Reverse the two. now a blockade would prevent that trade income from coming in on a daily basis. port/nation loses 6 million a day if initiator chooses plunder option.

A successful blockade removes that income from the nation for a minimum of 72 hours.

Actually the more I think about this, the more I like it...lol. It would be a huge incentive once plantations come into play, which CJ has stated will tie into blockades and other upgrades. It solves the problem of simply casting a few cards for population and boosts in tax revenue.

Tie it into contract shipping port buildings, forts.

There is the incentive Danik is looking for.

[DezNutz]

So for a small nation that only holds 1 or 2 ports, there may be an incentive. However, that is only a nation's treasury that would be effected. Not necessarily a major incentive. For nations that hold multiple ports, a single port being blockaded isn't going to make a a huge difference. The incentive to defend must be across the board.

[sXs]

Example

Yesterday Akrotiri trade 6.23 million crates of goods. for ease of math lets say every crate was tobacco and sells to market for 10gc. That is 60.23 mill gc of trade. Again for ease of math only let's say nation generates a 10% tax revenue from all goods sold in market that is 6.23 mill income per day by trade activity.

Blockade could, if the initiator is successful and chooses full plunder with no free passes, deprive the nation of all or part of that income. 72 hours minimum if blockade is successful. 18.69 mill.

To compensate for this admin could simply move the decimal point on population tax revenue. Instead of 5 gc per tax paying citizens make it .5

Akrotiri 909 million citizens

909 X .7 = 636.3 million
636.3 X .5 = 318.5 million
318.5 / 365 = 871,643 tax revenue per day based on population

871,643 + 6,230,000 = 7.1 mill a day in revenue which is probably real close to what that port generates now SKN.

[sXs]

So for a small nation that only holds 1 or 2 ports, there may be an incentive. However, that is only a nation's treasury that would be effected. Not necessarily a major incentive. For nations that hold multiple ports, a single port being blockaded isn't going to make a a huge difference. The incentive to defend must be across the board.

In some cases you are correct but if both ends of the trade route are ports of the same nation, 1 blockade could affect more than one port in this scenario. Traders will re route their fleets. In a lot of cases that means finding an entirely different route not involving either port.

Bigger nations can cope better yes.

Size does matter after all........

[sXs]

May not be perfect but that gives more incentive than is built in now. Plus it would make plantation upgrade more powerful along with the other approved upgrades.

[sXs]

May not be perfect but that gives more incentive than is built in now. Plus it would make plantation upgrade more powerful along with the other approved upgrades.

And before it is posted that we can't look to things that are not included to base judgment I give you this.

There are multiple indirect gains out of the proposed format. Some of them are gold coin based. But not all gains are gold related. I understand that your piratey (deep-down) heart desires more shiny coins and I can only blame this.

We also need to put on the table the preliminary part of the feature. It is too early to add anything too significant on the table. Actually, controlling the port traffic on a fee is quite big already for my piece of cake. If I also include in the deal the dynamic type of the whole process, then we should not even care about any rewards. It's a free market again and the two sides will dictate what is worth of it every time.

If we ever need to add more things on the table, there is nothing easier. Here are a couple of ideas without even pushing my own creativity:
-Add extra danger penalty to whoever does not pay the toll.
-Add extra influence penalties (to winner and loser)
-Add further honor/hostility penalties (you failed to defend your port eh? The country officials are not at all happy... )
-Add control to exports too (with the proposed system, goldsmiths on port can work....)
-Add toll fee to every attack done at the port

But again, it's too early to make this feature this significant. There is plenty of time later. As someone else noted, there are features like Plantation that will also play a role. More are coming (Port Buildings anyone?).] If we rush so early on, there will be greater trouble later - does anyone remember ( our perhaps single) the debuff - commonly called wimping - on fishing? Many were disheartened over this - many might still be while some others might still be waiting for the special ship (which is a future possibility after all). Although the fishing feature is still important and useful, despite the wimping. However, it left a bad taste. In the contrary, Skirmish started with low expectations. Building it stone by stone (more stones are surely needed) we have improved it in the right time and way, succeeding our "schemmy" plans to manipulate the game in the way we believe it will be more enjoyable (a lot more fleets with danger than before in this case).

Similarly, there are "schemmy" plans here. For instance, getting some bigger ships out. Sooner or later, this will be done. Or persuading the big players to raise multiple big war fleets AND enter the current fight on current disadvantageous (for them) game factors. I think the first part is almost done. Now we mostly need to push them to use them. Such players do not really care for gold. They more care for fame (I find this healthy btw) so I think that current Blockade plan will work anyway.

For the record, these "schemmy" plans are not that schemmy to those that constantly follow my posts in the forums. For example Shadowood who does, is well aware of them. As everyone who just read this post, is now also aware. Well done! I am talking to you!