DeRuyter

This morning about 375 @ 8 am EDT. Last night primetime in the east - roughly 200. Sunday night is not exactly a prime night either.

You don't know Pagan Pete!?! He is a pirate generally sailing solo and often on the US coast hunting traders. Relevant because you were concerned about gank fleets using the extra free towns. My point being that the free towns make privateering play styles possible, which is a good thing.

Actually "Las Tortugas" was made up of several small islands or Keys - The fort was built in the 1850s so after our period. The whole area was used by pirates and privateers to raid shipping.

Hopefully you have read in the support section that there was a problem with the Steam servers today, so nothing to do with NA. From the looks of it Steam has resolved the problem. Please give it another try!

Great work - kudos for compiling all this information. Looking forward to final map and changes!

Proper manual sail control on the fore & aft rigged ships so you can trim the sails in the way you described.

Interesting Three decks has her armed with 24 lb cannon on the gundeck from 1797: http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=4106 I thought that the British felt that 24 lb long guns were too heavy for a 5th rate until they encountered the Humphreys' 44s.

Last night Pirates pulled the flag on Deadman's Cay. One night a couple of weeks ago there were multiple flag pulls and PB in the Bahamas. Not may ports changed hands because they were all defended. Some people myself included find the shallow water PB to be more fun than deep water PB. I know that's all changing, but there are players in the Bahamas. Lots of good trade routes for US players as well, another reason it is an important area for conquest. Just wanted to point that out, I am not against the zone in general. I just think it is an important area for those of us who like to sail smaller ships. We all have to see how the new conquest mechanics play out anyway.

Taking the optimistic view the US population will be concentrated in this area when the ports reset so the raiders will have less of an opportunity to hit traders. Notice I use the term raider not "gank squad" because raiding shipping lanes is a legitimate tactic for pirates, privateers and even national warships. Is Pagan Pete on his privateer a "gank squad"? Even the recent Swedish invasion fleet (4 ships) can be dealt with by players in the area. One may even get more pvp rather than less as you suggest.

Love to participate but 18:00 UTC Mon - Fri not good for 9-5 work schedule in US time. Typing from work right now . Maybe run some 21:00 UTC for to bring in some US players - I know that is a late battle for CET or Russian players.

Here is a famous example of a port battle that pretty much follows Steel's example. The water near the forts and city was too shallow for the 1st rates so Nelson shifted his command into a 74 to lead the line into battle, even then several 74s ran aground. The largest ship in the assault fleet was a 74 and it had a mix of ships including frigates, bomb ships (mortars) and even fireships: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1801) I also think Steel's idea will provide the best solution all around. Ship drafts have been discussed here is another thread by Steel: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12020-redefining-deepshallow-ports/ While I believe admin did comment that a full underwater topography with colliders for running around etc would be very difficult to code. I think a simplified layer system with ships given a draft or depth class could work. (Imagine the rage if players took damage from running around ir were stuck aground anyway!) We shouldn't fall back too quickly on the old BR limit solution because it would be the easiest to code. It is only a temporary fix IMO.

I think the BR limit ideas in the other PB threads are similar to yours. Frankly if they could code in varying port depths and ship draft that would take care of it. Can't sail a 1st rate right up to a fort on shore then - so you need motor brigs and smaller ships, etc. Treating a PB like a mission has drawbacks - like no OW strategy, limiting RvR. It would also limit the use of TS to organize the PB. The new mechanics will emphasize collective operations on the OW so there is that as well.

Definitely the schooner IMO. Her history fits well with NA: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(1799)

Judging by the responses (kneejerk reactions in some cases) not many people look at these changes long term. So let's put the 1st rate changes and elimination of the social perk in context of the upcoming major patches: 1st Rates and National Goods Pro: Advantage for certain nations, Less 1st rates, more traders on the sea. Promotes ship diversity. More 1st rates in game soon. Con: Disadvantage to certain nations w/o national ship or easy access to resources. Disadvantage in Regional PB. Okay so with the incoming PB rework patch will it be necessary to have 25 1st rates in a regional PB? in fact what will a regional PB look like after the patch with land and (hopefully) proper forts? The answer to these questions really has a bearing on how much of a disadvantage not having national resource for 1st rates will be. The answer should be that a diverse fleet lead by a few 1st/2nd rates would be the ideal for most PB. So let's see what they have in mind for the upcoming conquest and PB mechanics before judging the 1st changes. Also please don't balance ships just because well balance - stick to historic ship characteristics! Social Perk Pro/Con - Hashed out multiple times all mostly opinions based on how people play, OW time compression, etc. New ROE mechanics are being developed (see threads on 2 circle tag and pull mechanics). In other words I believe the devs are working on a different way to address this issue, which again is different depending on your pov. Can't wait for September patch and port reset.

+1 ^^ We need ship drafts! Even if the bathymetry was simplified in some way. I like your perks ideas - but first perks should be toned down to avoid "gear check" fight. Some modules as well. Marines as crew to be purchased. Pirates acting as well pirates not a nation - Hethwill I think your ironman mode is too much we want to have some pirates to fight after all

Regions and their capitols are supposed to play a bigger role in the new conquest mechanics. Your outposts won't change with the September port reset. If you have an OP in another nations region then you may want to move it prior to the end of September. Keep in mind that the map posted here is only a draft with the exception of the regional boundaries and Freetowns which stay the same for this patch. Hope this helps.

Actually it was used by US troops in WWII so not just Aussies m8

The wipe is coming.......

+1 nice suggestion adds depth for the shipbuilders.

Look at it this way - the PVE server was not initially considered in the design of the game and enough players expressed interest in playing without worrying about PVP so the devs added the PVE server. So maybe just consider the fact that there is a PVE server at all and be happy. That way when a feature is added specifically targeted at PVP you won't feel left out. Something will come along for you - AI treasure fleets maybe....

Admin stated in post #7 that free town will stay where they are until the October patch. So the only ports affected by the September patch are National ports and Pittstown, Therefore you can stay in freetowns. The risk is that they will be on the edges of national territory so risky to use - kind of like now.

Gunboat duel anyone?

Hmm - storms in battle. Weather damage effects maybe?

Well has anyone sailed in a small boat (little freeboard - low to the water)? Sailing with full sails in the ocean with even 4 foot swells and you can certainly capsize!! Been there. This type of ship was designed to stay close to the coast or sail in lakes and didn't have much draft to help with stability. They were designed to be a stable gun platform in calm waters. Having said that seems that it will need testing and tuning. How about some oars?

Well it is the gunboat redeemable for one. Also I think some hold sizes were adjusted.