What do the different ship stats do?

[BattleFate]

For example what's the difference between hull and masts and sails? What do they affect?

What does keel do?

[khearn]

Hull seems to be how much damage a ship can take in combat. When its hull reaches zero, it sinks.
Keel seems to be added in with hull somehow. When you take hull damage in combat, sometimes you need to do keel repairs when you get to port.

Masts and sails are also reduced in combat. I think when a ship loses all of its masts in combat, it surrenders. I think I've seen ships with no sails, but still having masts, continue to fight. I suspect sails has more effect on speed. I think that if you have more sails that your opponent, you have a better chance of controlling the range. So you can escape if you want to, or prevent your opponent from escaping. I'd also assume that the number of sails your ship has will affect it's speed when travelling as well, but I haven't tested this.

[grävling]

I've lost all my masts and died, told that a lucky shot brought the mast down.

In real life if you lose a mast -- in a single masted ship -- you stop dead in the water. But they still have to board you if they want to capture your ship. Of course if they managed to set the sails on fire, and the mast comes down, you have to put the fire out, as well, before the whole ship is a-blaze.

[khearn]

On sailing ships which only have cannon on the sides (generally all of them in the age of sail), once you've taken down your opponent's masts you can sail past his bow or stern where he can't return firs and blast away with impunity. This was known as "crossing his T". So once a ship's masts are down, it really has no choice but to surrender.

[Tenebrous Pirate]

I second this question. I have been making comparissons to ST RPG but some of it obviously can't translate. Is this info up on another thread already?

[Cory Trese]

Definitely check out the game Guide, available from the main menu in Age of Pirates.

[Tenebrous Pirate]

That was the first place I looked Cory. I just checked again and the guide doesn't display any info on ship stats.

[Cory Trese]

Ok I'll work on that.

[Tenebrous Pirate]

Thank you sir. You rock, as always. Now that I am finding some relaxation time to game again, it is a blast re-discovering all of the games you and fallen make. This one is definitely tertiary compared to all your other work, but I will always have a soft spot for carribean-esque pirate games.