Rank and the ability to buy a flag

[Qwolf]

Just a quick note to the developers,

 

I can't find it in the patch notes, but my understanding and experience in game is that only the top rank of officers (Admirals) can buy port capture flags.  I get why you did this.  I don't even disagree with the logic behind it.  But..... here's the thing.  I'm in a small nation with very few active admirals.  So we can't buy flags most of the time. 

 

A couple of us have been playing fairly regularly for many months.  We know generally what we are doing, run our own clans, and have fought many port battles.  But we haven't exactly focused on the XP grind.  So nobody is an Admiral.  Maybe the Admiral's only rule thing was overkill?  Maybe allow the top 2 or 3 ranks to buy flags?  Perhaps the new politics system is really going to change the port flag dynamic, but for now, the smaller nations might have some problems buying flags, even when they have guys ready and willing to jump into the fight. 

 

And that's a kinda crappy experience.  For example, and this has happened, the whole nation wants a PVP port battle, but the lone admiral is having a date night, so nothing can happen.  Not super awesome.   I think you can accomplish your objectives with a lower, more reasonable bar to buying flags.  Thanks!

[Cpt Blackthorne]

Bingo, yes please, +1, ^vote, DO THIS NOW!!!! I expect this will be changed in a hot patch like as of yesterday.

[Prater]

Admiral is the wrong rank to do this at.  Perhaps Captain(Post Captain) or Flag Captain?

[Skully]

Yeah, and the alts are nearing Rear Admiral anyway.

If it doesn't take away time from the port battle patch, please make it so.

(Should only be a template tweak, right?)

[Cpt Blackthorne]

^ HAHAHA SO TRUE!

[Cutch]

Some simple ideas:

 

• Rank (or overall xp) modifies the price of the flag significantly, instead of being the absolute limiting factor. If alts want to burn flags, it'll at least cost them dearly until they rank up, while still letting other high-rank-but-not-admiral ranks do stuff.
   
• You must be in a fleet with at least <insert number> other players docked in the same port to purchase a flag. Say 2 for shallow, 4 for deep, 6 for capitals? This makes it harder to solo a port at odd hours, but I honestly dont have a problem with that.
   
• Make flag abuse a banable offense via tribunal, not only for the alt, but also for the main if discoverable (by admins using server logs, not via accusation - that just gets ugly).

[Skully]

Please stop with new ideas based on the current/old flag mechanic. It is (soon to be) dead.

Look to what is coming and see if that poses exploits or opportunities:

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/14816-update-on-the-port-battle-set-up/