Patch 9.97 Hot fix ... fact Q&A only, please?

[HardyKnox]

The new fix to 9.97 is very controversial, and I get it.  However the detailed explanation in the Patch Notes has been buried in editorial comments, and I can't find factual Q&A in the noise of 209 replies and counting.

Could we focus in this thread on the actuality (good or bad) of the latest Hot Fix to Patch 9.97?

Let me start with a simple question to which I'd appreciate a explanation, without any editorials on whether the function is good or bad.   Perhaps others have similar needs and we can focus on Q&A rather than opinion.  

Here's my first factual question:   In the new Port Battle set up, the introductory thread says that "Entry to Port Battles" will depend on position, with "two large circles around the port." It goes on to say that Defenders enter in the small circle, Attackers enter anywhere in the large circle.   However, the image accompanying the post shows THREE, not two circles, each of the same size, one near the port, the two others separate, looking like a Mickey Mouse hat. 

1. Is the image one of the three "Capture Zones" rather than the Entry Circles?
2. If the former, will the Entry Circles be concentric circles, centered on the "Enter (Port Name) space?  Perhaps a Dev could post an image of the aerial view of the two Battle Entry Circles.
3. If two concentric circles with the same focus, may Defenders emerge from Port within "Enter Battle" range of the focus of the concentric circles, while Attackers emerging from inside the Port must sail a bit to reach the "Enter Battle" spot?
4. If Attackers sail to the Battle Port from Open World, will they encounter the Attacker Entry Circle first, before reaching the "Defenders Enter Battle" , and be able to enter before reaching the center of the concentric circles?  
5. If Defenders are showing up late (bad captain) and travelling to Battle Port in OW, must they fight their way through Screeners to reach the "Defender Enter Battle" point?
6. Will the two Entry Circles be visible to all in OW until the battle closes for whatever reason?

Thanks in advance for sticking to factual responses rather than editorials on the wisdom of the current reality.  Let's play the hand we've been dealt before debating the rules of the game.

~ HK ~

Edited December 21, 2016 by HardyKnox

[Sir Texas Sir]

When you click on the crossed swords you will see the circles per that map.  We had a port battle this morning and here is some helpful hints.   What you see in the screen shot forom the devs is what you actually see on the OW.

http://imgur.com/et1ZlMU

If you are attacking you come form any where out side the big light circle. you have to click on the cross swords and you can pick any where along that arch to enter into the port battle.

If you are defending you can click on the cross sword and any area inside the second smaller big zone you can enter the port battle.  To effect you can start out on one zone and start getting points straight off.   The three smaller circles are the cap zones.   

As long as you have one more circle cap zone than the other team you begin to gain points.  This means that the defenders cans start in the cap zone in front of the Port and begin to grind up points.  I didn't pay attation to see if we could as attackes start at any where but the edge of that out bigger circle.  The first time to get to 1000 points win.  We came in all SOL cause we thought it was going to be a Lineship port battle and they out raced us to the cap cicles and beat us in defending.  So you will have to bring a mxi of ships and make sure you enter with good wind at good points.  

The attackers might have to deal with screeners if the screeners are far enough way from the port to tag them.  This was a pretty big area, but it took us some time to get from the front of the port to the outer circle to enter the battle as attackers.  

http://imgur.com/qZhdZVo

Inside the battle this is what it looks like from the view of a mortar brig looking at the cap zone.  This was one of the out side zones that they raced and beat us to.  The battle ended with very little damge to either side so prety much our SOL's where useless as they where able to out cap us.  Would of been nice if we had an heads up about the patch. That and we where all ready 20 mins withing the port battle start time when the servers came back up that we had only an hour to fight and most of that was spent just moving to the circles and the time didn't even come close to running out.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Sir Texas Sir

[Vernon Merrill]

You have to enlarge the pic, but there are 2 VERY large circles more offshore from those smaller circles...   

[Prater]

1.  The circles the devs are taking about are the dashed circles around the port (defenders behind green, red is the line for attackers).  The circles you are talking about are the VP capture zones.

 

Edited December 21, 2016 by Prater

[Vernon Merrill]

LOL.... Your Microsoft Paint skills are on point, Prater!

[Sir Texas Sir]

6 minutes ago, Vernon Merrill said:

LOL.... Your Microsoft Paint skills are on point, Prater!

fast then my own...lol