DeRuyter

The key is whether you are able to open the range and sail out of his chasers range or make him miss a couple of shots allowing escape. To your situation the LGV should be faster than a frigate close hauled, generally speaking). If the chasing ship is faster and hitting you I am not sure we want to limit that scenario.

Excellent post Cragger. I don't think people remember to subtract the idlers who have nothing to do with sailing or gunnery. While a number of crew were not trained gun crew, much if not all of the gun crews were able seamen or topmen with assigned sailing stations. So turning off gunnery in game represents sending gun crews to their sailing stations. I am not sure whether the crew numbers for sailing with both modes on already represents the minimum sailing crew for maneuvers under battle sail. The game already allows for much more sail changes than was done IRL in close action.

Exactly. Somewhere admin said that a complete height map with a detailed collision model would be a lot of coding and may effect performance. But it does not have to be that detailed to have an effect on different ships and PB. One of the other threads on depths and draft had some good suggestions on how to add it technically. So for game play you don't have to have a detailed running around with damage model, just what we have now. Simply add in layers to the ports preventing an SOL from sailing right up under the forts guns for example. Some good suggestions in this thread: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/12929-keel-depth-system-expanding-the-water-depth-system/?hl=draft#entry235468

Ah Marechal Lannes much like Napoleon you are thinking too much of land battles! Most battalions and squadrons were only at "paper strength" upon leaving the depot. However an infantry battalion could perform its' maneuvers at 80% strength the same as if it were 100% strength. The numbers given for crew represent the historical full complement or "paper strength". What we are saying is that even at full complement or "paper strength" a ship would not be able to handle sails at 100% and man the guns at 100% during a battle. Do not think of the total numbers listed on the sailing and gunnery tabs as the number needed for full crew. Ships were often not at full complement for various reasons (prize crews, sickness, etc) but this is not represented in the game. Yes you can increase the numbers with hammocks - sometimes ships did have additional crew (French ships often had higher crew numbers) or were transporting an infantry battalion for a landing (marines or muskets modules). Also you can adjust the numbers in the gunnery tab based on which cannons you have mounted on the ship. Carronades require less crew per gun for example. Here is a great reference for the manning and crew management on ships in the Royal Navy: http://www.amazon.com/Nelsons-Navy-Ships-Organization-1793-1815/dp/0870212583 Yes we do. But he is referring to the use of battle sails to free up more crew to man the guns, which the game does not do automatically, you have to turn sailing mode off completely.

This type of selection would come naturally if ship draft and multiple harbor depths are added when land and proper forts get in to PB.

I'd be happy just to see variable depths have some effect in PB and battle instances near the shore. If running around is properly modeled you'd not only see leaks but masts going over board as well. Many times once around a ship was out of the battle, ie; Copenhagan, The Nile. You wouldn't want that for game play reasons of course. On the OW I was chasing a player trader towards the Bahamas in a deep water ship - just after I hit the attack button my ship was stopped dead by the shallows. In the battle instance the trader was so far away that he got away. There's a nice effect for shallows in the OW.

Keep in mind that this is just the first part or patch to series of developments. The dynamic will change once land gets in to PB and again with the RvR system. So we may see all Connie/Inger fleets for regular deep PB - that will change as the system evolves. Looking forward to testing the Cap zone system (a bit like a WT battle - will there be giant letters hovering over the sea!?!).

Here are some quick points without turning to reference material: 1. Easier to sail and more maneuverable. Less crew required to sail than ship rig. 2. Brig rig disadvantaged in combat because it is easier to damage and thus reduce the maneuvering capability. For example the gaff on the main mast gets taken out and ship loses a lot of driving force This happened I battle of Wasp v Frolic I believe (US ship-sloop vs. GB brig). 3. Size limited by rig. Smaller sail area overall. Several of the small US cruisers were converted from brigs to ship rigs (Wasp). Need to research why this was done or which rig the crews/captains preferred.

Here is the forum website for Sails of Glory: www.sailsofglory.org I have run some squadron actions at miniatures wargame conventions with it. I would point out that it is more of a miniatures game than board game as is Close Action and Fighting Sail from Osprey. Sea of Glory is a strategy or operational level game. The author does have a set of rules for tactical fleet battles called "Fire As She Bears", again a miniatures game. Good Luck with your search! If you need funds for your collection of age of sail boardgames you could always sell your copy of "Napoleon's Triumph"!

Actually your question brings up a good point - Square rigged ships going into the wind accidentally or by tacking in strong winds could suffer significant damage to their rigging as their sails are taken aback. Consider also that high winds are often accompanied by high seas so if a ship slams into a wave and loses forward momentum you have even more stress on the rig. So you could be sailing backwards (making sternway) in strong winds but that should be balanced against the damage to your rigging and the motion from the waves. Another problem is the threat of broaching - turning sideways to the waves and heeling over to the point of capsizing. That's why ships will sail with at least a storm job to take forward momentum and to keep your bow into the waves.

I would go with that no problem, but I suggested making the current wind speed on the OW a baseline because of concerns like this and others posting in any wind speed thread: To those concerned with slow OW travel I believe admin has said that ships won't be becalmed! Others have posted that this adds nothing to gameplay but indeed it does - It adds variation to the ships in game in addition to sailing tactics and skill.

The Burning Sail map functions pretty much like those navigation tools - gives me course and estimated time over open sea to my destination. I know that these player made aids are not in game - imagine what OW was like before the in game map, but I think the devs have bigger issues to deal with presently. Just look at the RvR, ROE and Port Battle announcements. I would like to see an OW telescope but I'll wait while more major game content is developed.

+1 - A definite thumbs up on this one!! Suggestions: 1. Make current wind condition the baseline strength, ie; the lightest wind. In other words do not slow down OW travel. Otherwise they'll be a lot of opposition to wind speed/variability. Maybe only one level lighter wind for the small ships advantage. 2. Add damage to sails/rigging from carrying too much sail for the wind in high wind conditions (storm from Sea Trials). Smaller ships would be forced to reduce sail sooner than larger ships - reducing their speed. 3. High wind allows line ships to catch frigate yes but they cannot use lower gunports when in a leeward position due to heeling. Also increased heeling forces a ship to reduce sail to fire effectively. 4. Lighter winds it is much harder for larger ships to maneuver/tack than small ships. Also speed sailing close hauled for heavy ships would be reduced compared to lighter and fore and aft rigged ships. I have sailed in a square rigger close hauled in light winds (<=5 knts) and it is slooow.)

You are describing the 74 gun 3rd rate and the 5th rate 38 gun 18 lb frigate (Trinc) towards the end of our time period. RN found those types to be as you described.

Here are some suggestions on the PB proposals, in particular those highlighted above. 1. Land in PB should include areas of shallow water in all ports. At least implement triple layer system mentioned by admin. This will give variety to fleets in PB. Eliminate separation between shallow and deep PB - any ship can enter (okay maybe not basic cutter to stop trolling). Suggestion for depth system*: a. shallows near shore/beach = no ship enters b. shallow water out of main channel, near fort or shallow water port = small ships 7th rate, current shallow water ships inc. Niagara. c. medium depth - frigates 5th-6th rate. Cerberus up to Trinc. d. Deep - all ships 2. Variety of water depths will stop attacker bringing 25 1st rates to destroy enemy fleet for victory. 3. Some Zones could be placed in shallow area for capture only by small ships. See #2 also. 4. Forts should offer victory points or be a capture zone - otherwise Mortar brig has little use! 5. Raiding port before capture gives intelligence on fort placement and areas of shallow water. *Hoping for height map and individual ship draft system eventually!

Fixed. See notes for Hotfix 9.73. Haven't tested it though.

Probably your piece of the map. I logged on briefly this morning and found plenty of traders in the gulf. Not sure the hotfix had anything to do with traders though.

I would love to see variable wind strength and its effects on sail states. I think the biggest concern or point against wind variability is the light winds. I think a floor of the current wind has been suggested. Then the wind speed would work up from there. The other issue that high wind brings up is the inability to fire from lower deck gun ports (you could just have them X - out like now when you are sinking).

+1 Loot should be different from a warship than from a trader. For example capture a warship and it is carrying gold/silver coins vs. raw materials that a trader would be carrying. Not sure I get why loot drops would be related to gear grind though?

They have using l'Hermione - regatta just started today. Sail from Yorktown to Brest and they have added supply management. Of course you don't get all sail settings for free! http://www.virtualregatta.com/en/index_brest2016.php

+1 I say wait until after the land/forts patch to see how that influences PB before adding BR cap.

I believe he is saying that many engagements would be over by the time reinforcements arrived when you account for the passage of time in the battle instance. Most engagements I have read about, especially frigate engagements were over in several hours. I'll admit though I am trying to think of all the multi-day naval engagements in the Napoleonic wars, and I can only think of one or two. The Glorious 1st of June or maybe the Nile because that was overnight. Perhaps several port battles occurred over the course of several days. Maybe you can tell me which famous engagements you have in mind? The point is that the battle timer is there is solve the time distortion problem. Others have suggested no timers and spawn at a distance equivalent to the time it took to get there in battle instance time. This has been addressed already. Here is a thread about the 5 minute join timer: http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/7652-battles-now-remain-open-for-only-5-minutes/?hl=battle timers You are correct that there are other ways to balance battles, such as BR, if that is your goal. However I think there are a lot of people who equate "balanced" battles with one of the arena games vs. an open world sandbox game. As to the timers and ganking, I'll just leave this here:

Certainly treasures to keep - preserved and framed. May I ask if your father ever built the model of HMS Sophie?

This happened to a number of US players in a shallow water PB a few days ago. We were trying to run out the clock and on the lookout for the collapsing circle - visually well inside circle but same effect armor gone and filling with water. Did file an F11 at the time.

Gajin has released a War Thunder Age of Sail game: http://warthunder.com/en/news/3666-development-sailing-fleet-in-war-thunder-en Just pay close attention to the date