DeRuyter

Seems that we agree after all then. I think others have posted how they use melee cavalry to make it viable. One of those was chasing off skirmishers in the open. So I think you are right that skirmishers in open should not be standing up to formed infantry or any cavalry for that matter. I am going to take a look at the book on US Cavalry posted by @A. P. Hill to learn more about cavalry doctrine in the ACW. It has always been my understanding that cavalry use in the US was, with few exceptions, not used like traditional "shock" cavalry in Europe for a number of reasons, terrain being one of them. Reflecting the historical doctrine or usage of different unit types should also be part of good game design.

Thank you for providing sources. You are right those two exploded - Christian VIII after being bombarded by the fort and surrendering as I noted previously. I still stick with my assertion that when you aggregate all the battles and number of ships vs. explosions it was not common. We'll have to disagree and do as @Syler suggested and get back on topic.

No I fully realize this is a game, maybe you missed my point. In some types of games what you suggest may work or be accepted, but this is a historical wargame and I for one expect unit types to act as they did historically. In other words the player should be rewarded for using historical tactics. You want something to counter skirmishers in the woods fine I have your solution: Skirmishers. That is what happened in the ACW and what should happen in the game.

At the risk of continuing OT - Can you link your sources on those two battles. As for Christian VIII that fire was set by heated shot from a fort which was don't have in game. You sure you aren't translating on fire as blowing up in these battles? Usually when a ship blows up 900 men don't survive so there is that. Again it won't do to have multiple ships blowing up in every OW battle because it is cool. Think on it from the other players perspective and all those ships around him if it happened too easily.

I saw this happen in a PB. I was bombing the fort in my mortar brig, when the scale seemed to change. I F-11'd it at the time. What it seemed like was that the fort reverted to it's OW state while still in the instance but an a larger size. Oddly enough I had trouble placing rounds on it even though it was much bigger.

The point of a historical wargame, or the campaign in your example, is to change history whilst using the weapons, troops and tactics available in the time period you are recreating. So no, we are not too pretentious too ask for historic and accurate unit capabilities within the confines of the game mechanics. I would expect balancing for gameplay in a FPS shooter or other MOBA game, but not in a historical wargame. I should certainly hope that most people in this discussion would be interested in the historical aspect of the game, including having accurate unit capabilities. Back to the OP - even in eras with dominant shock cavalry it would have problems fighting infantry in the woods. It would not be ideal to send heavy cavalry like cuirassiers into woods to root out riflemen, you'd send in a unit of light infantry instead. A player should be free to do it in the game, but with the expected consequences - lots of empty saddles.

Okay first explosions are represented In the game and it is spectacular when it happens. Second the combat model should reflect how often this happened. Eckernforde - Christian VIII set on fire by heated shot from fort but surrendered not blown up. Lyngor - Danish frigate set on fire by British 64 - surrendered, not "one in three ships blew up". Setting a ship on fire is not the same or burning it after the battle is not the same as a ship exploding during battle. Glorious 1st of June - no explosions but most of the ships lost surrendered because they were dismasted and unable to maneuver. Trafalgar 1 of 70 ships, Battle of the Saints - 1 out of 60+ ships (after being boarded). I can also come up with lists of battles with no exploding ships as well. Cape St. Vincent, Glorious 1st of June, etc. It is rarer with single or small squadron actions. So again you are not looking at the big picture - take all these battles together and you have an uncommon occurrence. I know you want exciting and spectacular battles as you have posted, but some people do want a reasonably realistic combat model not something out of POTC. We can certainly leave it at that and agree to disagree on game play.

The occurrence of magazine explosions was still relatively rare when you consider the number of battles and the number of ships involved in each battle. So at the Nile - one ship blew up L'Orient out of approximately 30 ships fighting over many hours. Same at Copenhagen and at Koge it was 1 out of 50+ ships. At Oland the ship that exploded had nothing to do with enemy gun fire. My point is that take these battles and all the other where no ships exploded and it is not common. It is fine as is in the game. (We should however have sails catching fire when players sail around at full sail all the time but that's another issue). I think you have this backwards. @Angus McGregor was in favor of a morale bar precisely because officers and crews did not fight to the bitter end, especially if their ship caught fire and it could not be controlled.

Well I like the idea that a bot can suddenly get taken over by a player - surprise! I agree with @Sharpe that there should be some warning for players to jump into the defense, otherwise you might have all PVE. Overall I like it and let's test it out. For the loot there should be a way to load everything on an Indiaman and have the players divide up the spoils back at home port.

I put this on my wish list for things to be fixed in 2017. At least the numbers should be fixed - 16 1st rates, seriously!? Maybe 2-3 1st rates, 2-3 2nd rates and 15 3rd rates and even then that size fleet should be few and far between.

@SteelSandwich Fireships were also mostly smaller vessels like brigs and snows with all guns removed as part of the fire ship prep.

Which shows the sad state of fireship mechanics in the game.

They closed it for now, which may mean a patch is in the works, or maybe not. http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/18684-test-server-branch-opens-today/&do=findComment&comment=367173

Also a bit late but I read through the Q&A and didn't see these: Are you still working on adding a system for ship drafts to put variable depths in PB? You answered question about rain and storm battles but are you considering adding dynamic wind effects with damage to sails?

Doesn't really answer my question though. I think everyone on this forum knows what you want. Battle open for 10 mins. No BR restrictions for late joiners. You spawn in based on OW direction and at a distance relative to the time delay on the OW as @koltes proposed. Would you support that type of ROE?

So do you agree with @koltes proposal in the OP then?

Here are my proposals. Just a quick list as there are multiple threads on some of these topics. Important Problems to be solved Fix issues with RvR and Port Battles which include; solving night/work flips, increase emphasis on PVP for generating PB (events, raids, multiday points accrual), and simplify Alliance system allowing for neutral status. Fix PB mono ship meta (see below). Mechanics for proper Pirate role(s). Tweak thickness, rigging damage (more to upper masts) and leaks. Features to Add Variable or dynamic Wind & weather conditions. Proper OW speed difference. Add a ship draft system and proper shallows in particular for port battles. (Fix for PB ship meta) Add content like Raids and different pvp event types. Make missions more dynamic. OW sailing content. Add daily content/activities that tie in to RvR and PB. Features to Cut or Change Drastically Make Area Control a mechanic not a perk, Nerf effects of perks and regional bonus on ships to reduce stacking effects and their influence on combat. Maybe requires crafting changes as proposed by admin. (modules and bonus set by shipbuilder, etc.). Remove or limit player AI fleets to 5th rate and below or only for trader escorts. Remove massive AI fleets (a fleet of 20+ SoL should only appear in limited circumstances). Remove or limit traders destroying cargo.

This type of ROE has been proposed before, while it would be great to spawn in at a relative distance I believe the devs have already said it can't be done because of land in battles. Too bad really because it would solve a lot of issues. Keep in mind that someone joining at 10 mins would be so far away the battle would be over the horizon and sailing to the sound of the guns or muzzle flashes probably wouldn't get you there before time expired.

For all those players disappointed in the lack of exploration game play in NA......... Looks like the KS has a long way to go.

+1 Sounds like a good feature for final release. I like the mouse hover idea instead of always having the text on the map.

+1 awesome - at work atm

Sigh - Please don't nerf or buff ships to fit the PB mechanics - fix the mechanics. And yes lots of threads on this subject already with good ideas to try.

You have a valid point. All the nations in game should have a selection of ships eventually. Unfortunately the Dutch are underrepresented atm. Looking at the EU - we just got the Wapen in game - a ship owned by German merchants!

+1 Another yes vote for ship packs whether by Nationality or by ship type/class. @Lord Vicious I agree that the pirates could use a historic ship like QAR. Would certainly be better than generic pirate frigate. QAR with several smaller sloops and schooners would be nice. Maybe even well known privateers too. On the Connie rebuild - cash grab it may be, but it is not like they are spending everyone's cash for it - just the players that really want to see it done. It does not have to be tied to US ship pack - just make it one level of support on KS or a separate KS - someone could choose Dutch ship pack or Connie rebuild or both, etc.

+1 Add this to the Raids which are planned - you could have Raids on smaller ports generate hostility for the big regional PB. Now you have to be lucky to find the group grinding hostility in missions that close in 5 minutes. The PVP event that pops open could be like a blockade - the enemy sails in opens a hostility mission the PVP event opens on the map, defenders have to sail out to break the blockade or have points continue to accrue. You could even translate this into events over several days leading up to the regional PB or a successful breaking of the blockade.