Naval Game

[Iñaki Harrizabalagatar]

I read there are frigates in the game, I imagine the main warship will be the ship of the line, right? I was wondering, Naval building was one of the few "industrial" activities of the time, and there were important technical differences among ships and navies, for example in 1805 4 British frigates defeated 4 Spanish frigates that transported the silver treasure from Spanish colonies, they were 4 vs 4, but just the British leading frigate had a larger broadside than the combined total of the 4 Spanish frigates. Another example, a 44gun 2 decker and Victory were both ships of the line, but the former was no match not only for the Victory, but even for a large frigate. Would those technical questions be somehow represented in the game?

[steveh11Matrix]

Given that the Naval Game is to be abstracted I'd have thought that Transports, Frigates and Sail-of-the-Line would be adequate differentiation.

Any warship can catch, and beat, any Transport unless there's an escort.
Any SOL can beat a frigate, but any frigate can run away from a SOL.

But Crew makes the crucial difference between otherwise similar ships.

Comments, Eric?

[Pippin]

One of the biggest factors is the wind. Great ships don't help very much when the luck just does not favour you.

[ericbabe]

ORIGINAL: Iñaki Harrizabalagatar

I read there are frigates in the game, I imagine the main warship will be the ship of the line, right? I was wondering, Naval building was one of the few "industrial" activities of the time, and there were important technical differences among ships and navies, for example in 1805 4 British frigates defeated 4 Spanish frigates that transported the silver treasure from Spanish colonies, they were 4 vs 4, but just the British leading frigate had a larger broadside than the combined total of the 4 Spanish frigates. Another example, a 44gun 2 decker and Victory were both ships of the line, but the former was no match not only for the Victory, but even for a large frigate. Would those technical questions be somehow represented in the game?

There are several upgrades associated with naval capabilities that attempt to model factors such as these.

The main warship is indeed ship-of-the-line (to which, for reasons of space, the engine refers as "ship.")

We tried to model frigates' role as support vessels by allowing them to cover, partially protecting, the more expensive, SOTL's. They also have a special role in pursuit after naval combat. Frigates also help fleets intercept enemy fleets attempting to pass through their sea zone.


Eric