Post by pendell on Oct 15, 2013 20:26:50 GMT -5
So I'm trying to understand the different ship types. I've read the spreadsheet, and I think these are the general rules of thumb:
Starter: My First Ship. Supposed to give you minimal capability at the beginning of the game. 'Nuff said!
Merchant: Emphasizes moving high cargo volume at minimum cost. Big cargo holds but smaller crews (to keep down the fuel consumption), minimal guns and torpedoes. Very few fast/quick merchants. Designed to move high volumes of cargo in green space, and surrender when approached by other ships.
Military: These big bruisers are designed to engage and destroy any ship that dares to fight it. Large crews (for boarding), lots of guns and lots of torpedoes. Very few fast/quick military ships exist. Fuel economy is likewise nonexistent, because their job is dominance, not pursuit.
Pirate: A pirate ship is designed to be a little bit of everything. It needs to be fast enough to overhaul a merchant ship or outrun a warship but not at the expense of cargo space. It needs to have enough cargo space to make looting profitable but not so much as to make the ship wallow. It needs to be able to force a merchant to surrender or to drive off the occasional bounty hunter but not so overgunned as to destroy the ship. Torpedoes are minimal because you need a few to discourage pesky pursuers, but again, if you're using torpedoes on a merchant you're driving down the salvage value and risking destruction of the ship. Finally, fuel economy is at a premium because you may be on station for a long, long , time.
Smuggler: These ships are intended to deliver small, highly valuable cargoes in the face of opposition. Consequently, there are few smugglers that aren't fast. Maneuverability is medium or better, but it can be sacrificed because if a smuggler isn't running away from a fight, it's doing something wrong. Smugglers have some of the highest engines-to-hull ratio, and consequently the highest sails-to-hull ratio as well, to bring some measure of fuel economy to compensate for the many, many engines. Some torpedoes to drive off persistent pursuers, but guns are not critical. A middling-to-small cargo hold because you don't smuggle bulk. Run away from everyone, deliver the cargo, run away. Delivery in 30 minutes or it's free.
Bounty: Something needs to capture the smuggler, and that is what the bounty ship is designed for. The two purposes of a bounty ship are: To catch up to the quarry, and then disable or board it. Bounty ships and smuggler ships can be interchangeable. Middling to small cargo size, since bounty money comes from contracts, not from trade. Maximum speed to catch up with smugglers or pirates, lots of guns to sweep the decks or disable the engines. Crew is middling because you need boarders, but not so many as to sacrifice fuel economy. Thus, the bounty ship is the opposite of a warship in that it's job is pursuit, not dominance.
Of course, there are exceptions. There are fast merchants and small warships. Any ship can be used in any role, though some are much less suited to it than others. But I think this captures the design philosophy and intent behind the different ship types.
Is this fair and reasonably accurate?
Respectfully,
Brian P.
Starter: My First Ship. Supposed to give you minimal capability at the beginning of the game. 'Nuff said!
Merchant: Emphasizes moving high cargo volume at minimum cost. Big cargo holds but smaller crews (to keep down the fuel consumption), minimal guns and torpedoes. Very few fast/quick merchants. Designed to move high volumes of cargo in green space, and surrender when approached by other ships.
Military: These big bruisers are designed to engage and destroy any ship that dares to fight it. Large crews (for boarding), lots of guns and lots of torpedoes. Very few fast/quick military ships exist. Fuel economy is likewise nonexistent, because their job is dominance, not pursuit.
Pirate: A pirate ship is designed to be a little bit of everything. It needs to be fast enough to overhaul a merchant ship or outrun a warship but not at the expense of cargo space. It needs to have enough cargo space to make looting profitable but not so much as to make the ship wallow. It needs to be able to force a merchant to surrender or to drive off the occasional bounty hunter but not so overgunned as to destroy the ship. Torpedoes are minimal because you need a few to discourage pesky pursuers, but again, if you're using torpedoes on a merchant you're driving down the salvage value and risking destruction of the ship. Finally, fuel economy is at a premium because you may be on station for a long, long , time.
Smuggler: These ships are intended to deliver small, highly valuable cargoes in the face of opposition. Consequently, there are few smugglers that aren't fast. Maneuverability is medium or better, but it can be sacrificed because if a smuggler isn't running away from a fight, it's doing something wrong. Smugglers have some of the highest engines-to-hull ratio, and consequently the highest sails-to-hull ratio as well, to bring some measure of fuel economy to compensate for the many, many engines. Some torpedoes to drive off persistent pursuers, but guns are not critical. A middling-to-small cargo hold because you don't smuggle bulk. Run away from everyone, deliver the cargo, run away. Delivery in 30 minutes or it's free.
Bounty: Something needs to capture the smuggler, and that is what the bounty ship is designed for. The two purposes of a bounty ship are: To catch up to the quarry, and then disable or board it. Bounty ships and smuggler ships can be interchangeable. Middling to small cargo size, since bounty money comes from contracts, not from trade. Maximum speed to catch up with smugglers or pirates, lots of guns to sweep the decks or disable the engines. Crew is middling because you need boarders, but not so many as to sacrifice fuel economy. Thus, the bounty ship is the opposite of a warship in that it's job is pursuit, not dominance.
Of course, there are exceptions. There are fast merchants and small warships. Any ship can be used in any role, though some are much less suited to it than others. But I think this captures the design philosophy and intent behind the different ship types.
Is this fair and reasonably accurate?
Respectfully,
Brian P.