Home defense fleet are a joke

[The Comedian]

now I have just returned to the game after a long time off but WTF is the purpose of the Home Defense fleets attacking you in open waters miles away from a "Capital Port" and the fact that you can be run down by a 1st rate I was in a 5th rate and these 1st rates caught me like they were speed boats.  I understand the original reason was to keep the losers who like to farm the noobs in Capital waters but you have made it impossible to attack some one in capitals waters so why the need for these fleets?  And WTF is the reason behind having them range so far I was attacked by the keys by a havana HD fleet its a joke. its like the Devs sit around at their meetings and go hmmm I know the game has a shrinking population but what could we do to make the game even more unplayable Wait I have it Super terror fleets that will chase you down miles from the ports they are supposed to defend AND are faster than ship a player could hope to have. FFS guys this game is enough of a grind without extra layers of BS like this. Why do you guys always have to go to extremes when you try to fix a problem? How do these HD fleets make the game better 

Thanks for letting me vent I will take my Ban now 

Edited June 24, 2020 by The Comedian

[Nixolai]

22 minutes ago, The Comedian said:

now I have just returned to the game after a long time off but WTF is the purpose of the Home Defense fleets attacking you in open waters miles away from a "Capital Port" and the fact that you can be run down by a 1st rate I was in a 5th rate and these 1st rates caught me like they were speed boats.  I understand the original reason was to keep the losers who like to farm the noobs in Capital waters but you have made it impossible to attack some one in capitals waters so why the need for these fleets?  And WTF is the reason behind having them range so far I was attacked by the keys by a havana HD fleet its a joke. its like the Devs sit around at their meetings and go hmmm I know the game has a shrinking population but what could we do to make the game even more unplayable Wait I have it Super terror fleets that will chase you down miles from the ports they are supposed to defend AND are faster than ship a player could hope to have. FFS guys this game is enough of a grind without extra layers of BS like this. Why do you guys always have to go to extremes when you try to fix a problem? How do these HD fleets make the game better 

Thanks for letting me vent I will take my Ban now 

If you look at Christiansted its an island, and the circle where the HDF roam is nice.

Now if you then take a look at Havana, you see half the circle is embedded in north cuba, ergo they moved the circle more north.

But this is a well known fact for most players.

[Despe]

im member of the Official Associaton of HDF Haters. Inscription is for free if you interested

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

8 hours ago, The Comedian said:

I understand the original reason was to keep the losers who like to farm the noobs in Capital waters but you have made it impossible to attack some one in capitals waters

Read that phrase ... several times... and making as much pause as necessary to understand the full meaning of it.

[The Comedian]

right Hethwill I wasnt sailing near a capital and I never farmed noobs you know what never mind you guys keep telling yourself the game is great and doing fine and all 600 of you enjoy playing it 07

 

[Macjimm]

The Capitol Defense Fleets sound great.

Can someone post up the specs please.

The large CDFs seem to attack any foreign player with over 100 BR, and this includes the BR of the player's fleet ships.  Will CDFs attack Traders? and ships without cannon?

What is the BR limit that will trigger the small CDFs?

This sounds like a wonderful improvement to the game.  More choice now.  Gankers can avoid CDFs by choosing to hunt in CDF free areas.   New players can be safe near capitals, or they can choose to venture out in to dangerous waters.  Win Win for everyone. 

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Macjimm

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

2 minutes ago, Comrade Question said:

The logic here is to help new players not get hunted and killed in capital waters by veterans in big ships. Then, the devs put many useful items in the game as rewards for attacking these fleets, forcing vets to form large fleets in big ships to kill those fleets and subsequently, players. Some of these useful items, the HDF is the ONLY WAY to obtain it. Logic.

Comrade... the vets will go with SOL fleets with one purpose in mind. To get flags and chest and then get back to base as soon as possible.

Further, they are within reach of an entire nation, all clans, that can go and sink them with overwhelming force...

Is very logical but you insist on something that you don't say. Be clear. Be honest.

Say: I want to be able to go to capital zones and not be hunted by HDF.

Is better.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

2 minutes ago, Macjimm said:

The Capitol Defense Fleets sound great.

Can someone post up the specs please.

The large CDFs seem to attack any foreign player with over 100 BR, and this includes the BR of the player's fleet ships.  Will CDFs attack Traders? and ships without cannon?

What is the BR limit that will trigger the small CDFs?

This sounds like a wonderful improvement to the game.  More choice now.  Gankers can avoid CDFs by choosing to hunt in CDF free areas.   New players can be safe near capitals, or they can choose to venture out in to dangerous waters.  Win Win for everyone. 

 

Large - 100BR and above. From today they are made of 13 ships including 4 1st rates. All of them epic grade.

Small - 30 BR and above up to 99BR. Cerberus, Surprise, Princes, Xebecs.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

42 minutes ago, Comrade Question said:

If the goal is to lock port battles and PvP behind PvE, fine. It just seems like a band-aid on a bullet hole since a non-exploitable PvP solution cannot be found.

A better idea would be to have these large fleets (but non aggressive) roaming around in areas close to free ports but out of the way. So north of Tumbado, south of La Mona, southwest of Aves. Less traveled areas and now you aren't forcing large player fleets to the docks of capital ports which in turn will intimidate new players as they have no idea what is going on.

 

Comrade...Stay on target...

You have hidden motives. Be clear.

I tell you comrade... You want flag ? You go into dangerous area and fight dangerous AI. Oh and you might see a lot of PvP on the way out if you don't get PvP on the way in... Win win situation comrade. Very much combat. Lots of action.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Hethwill

[Macjimm]

45 minutes ago, Hethwill said:

Large - 100BR and above. From today they are made of 13 ships including 4 1st rates. All of them epic grade.

Small - 30 BR and above up to 99BR. Cerberus, Surprise, Princes, Xebecs.

Does the BR limit include the sum of my main and fleet? Example: Traders Lynx with Traders Lynx in fleet = 50BR?

This mechanic is quite brilliant.  No more immunity to gank using a smaller ship.  Groups of players can co-ordinate and harvest chests from big  CDFs.  And yet all ports are still accessible in a small trade ship.  Good for everyone.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

2 minutes ago, Macjimm said:

Does the BR limit include the sum of my main and fleet? Example: Traders Lynx with Traders Lynx in fleet = 50BR?

Highest unique BR in your ships. So a 25 plus a 25 is 25BR for detection.

All small traders are 25BR.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Hethwill

[Macjimm]

1 minute ago, Hethwill said:

Highest unique BR in your ships. So a 25 plus a 25 is 25BR for detection.

All small traders are 25BR.

Fantastic.  So versatile.  👏 

NA's industrious Dev knocked this one out of the park.

[Malcolm3]

19 minutes ago, Hethwill said:

All small traders are 25BR.

Except Trader Snow with its 45 BR

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

58 minutes ago, Malcolm3 said:

Except Trader Snow with its 45 BR

Nasty bugger with those carros. A true Q-Ship. Can't remember the last time i came across a player in one  

Good dev decision to keep it that BR... IMO

Edited June 25, 2020 by Hethwill

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

We shall test it and we shall like it and it will work great.

The status quo cannot be kept forever.

Let war begin.

[mikawa]

Have home defense fleets special armour? I did not see that many bullets bounce off the sides of ships as in my HDF battle 2 days ago.

[Raf Van Boom]

Just try and board one of those even after removing most of its crew, it's hilarious.

[Nixolai]

just take marines or barricades when going out for home defense fleets... I have survived some boardings with them long enough so my mates could push me off.

[Suppenkelle]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:27 PM, Hethwill said:

Large - 100BR and above. From today they are made of 13 ships including 4 1st rates. All of them epic grade.

Small - 30 BR and above up to 99BR. Cerberus, Surprise, Princes, Xebecs.

Not really relevant anymore but just so that you know exactly which one is coming for you:

large is 101(!) and above

small is 31(!) and up to 100

afaik

Xebec is BR 100

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

No.

Privateer is 30BR and will get chased by Small.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Hethwill

[Suppenkelle]

So, 30 to 100 chased by small fleets, 101 and above chased by the big juicy ones.

[PG Monkey]

16 hours ago, Suppenkelle said:

So, 30 to 100 chased by small fleets, 101 and above chased by the big juicy ones.

I think so

 

Edited July 5, 2020 by PG Monkey

[Macjimm]

On 6/25/2020 at 7:27 AM, Hethwill said:

Large - 100BR and above. From today they are made of 13 ships including 4 1st rates. All of them epic grade.

Small - 30 BR and above up to 99BR. Cerberus, Surprise, Princes, Xebecs.

That seems clear.  Any ship that is 100BR, or more, will be attacked by large Capital Defence Fleets (CDFs), and small Capital Defence Fleets attack any ship of 30BR to 99BR.  Seems like a great way to protect Capitals. 

One more question Hethwill.  Will an aggregate Group BR attract CDFs, or is is sufficient that each member have individual ships that are less than 30BR?  Example: Can my Group of 6 players avoid the attention of all CDFs if we all sail Lynx?

[Aquillas]

40 minutes ago, Macjimm said:

That seems clear.  Any ship that is 100BR, or more, will be attacked by large Capital Defence Fleets (CDFs), and small Capital Defence Fleets attack any ship of 30BR to 99BR.  Seems like a great way to protect Capitals. 

One more question Hethwill.  Will an aggregate Group BR attract CDFs, or is is sufficient that each member have individual ships that are less than 30BR?  Example: Can my Group of 6 players avoid the attention of all CDFs if we all sail Lynx?

Light Fleets will attack all players between and including BR30 and BR100.A group in which all ships are out of this range won't be attacked. If a single ship has BR in this range, she will be attacked. What is important is the BR of each ship.

A group including a Privateer and an Hercules will be attacked by Light Fleets and by Home Defense Fleets.