How do you "Pirate" with Privateers...?

[NankingDan]

Hello everybody. A few days ago I was playing a hotseat game with my girlfriend. During my turn
I moved one of my privateers near a caravel of hers. When her turn came around, my privateer had
contacted her (without revealing it's nationality, as if she didn't know) and she was in the diplomacy screen! I assume the function is for extorting money out other civs under the threat of violence, a tactic I would love to implement if only I knew how to do it again! Please help, and thanks for the tip!

 

[Sim_One]

Privateers have "hidden nationality", meaning that you can attack ships of other civs without declaring war or without even the victim knowing that the privateer belongs to you. On the other hand, other ships can also freely attack your privateer without any hard feelings.

Another thing you could do with the privateers is to park them on tiles with fish or whales next to your opponent's cities, and this effectively prevents your opponent from using those two resources. Although beware though that those privateers will get attacked very soon.

 

[redhulkz]

privateeer looks exact like a pirate ship cousre of its skull logo on it

 

[Dart]

Originally posted by NankingDan
When her turn came around, my privateer had
contacted her (without revealing it's nationality, as if she didn't know) and she was in the diplomacy screen! I assume the function is for extorting money out other civs under the threat of violence, a tactic I would love to implement if only I knew how to do it again!

That's interesting We all know they can attack without know nationality, but extort? I've never seen or heard such a thing. Would it be possible to do it again and take a screen shot?

 

[Willem]

Originally posted by Sim_One
Privateers have "hidden nationality", meaning that you can attack ships of other civs without declaring war or without even the victim knowing that the privateer belongs to you.

That's not entirely true. The other civ knows who the ship belongs to, they just can't do anything about it. But it will affect your reputation. Using them is a quick way to get them Furious with you.

Try a land unit with hidden nationality and raze a city or two. They'll be good and angry in no time!

 

[Dart]

I think you guys are missing the real question here. Has anyone ever seen a pirate ship try to extort anyone?

 

[sealman]

Originally posted by Dart
I think you guys are missing the real question here. Has anyone ever seen a pirate ship try to extort anyone?

nope. don't think it can. Only sink shipping, bombard, and resource denial.

 

[satchel]

Originally posted by NankingDan
Hello everybody. A few days ago I was playing a hotseat game with my girlfriend.

sorry, I don't know the answer to your question as I've never used privateers. I just thought the above was funny.

 

[Bismarck]

You can't "pirate" with Privateers.

You know, I don't think I've ever built a Privateer. Heck, I almost never build Frigates or Galleons. The age of sail just doesn't last long enough. It's much easier just waiting for the vastly superior Transports.

 

[DaDrunkenFish]

Resource blocking is effective, but using them to destroy galleys et al. with settlers in is useful, explorers and privateers bith have just found a use!

 

[MummyMan]

I find that privateers are fun to use when you got nothin else to do and war is not really an intelligent option. But i upped the speed and offense, because they are worthless otherwise

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Whenever I have an island to myself and I don't want anyone to settle on it I use a small fleet of privateers to destroy any ship that comes near the shore. They always have settlers on board that build cities on the first available tile they walk on.

 

[myst]

Originally posted by Willem

Try a land unit with hidden nationality and raze a city or two. They'll be good and angry in no time!

Is there a land unit with hidden nationality? I don't think I have come across one...

 

[warpstorm]

Evil use of privateers - when you have an ROP, put a privateer and one of your units on all the special sea tiles (whales) of your 'friend'. This will deprive him of use of the tile.

 

[Yzman]

If a unit with hidden nationality captures a city, who does the city belong too?

 

[Sim_One]

Originally posted by warpstorm
Evil use of privateers - when you have an ROP, put a privateer and one of your units on all the special sea tiles (whales) of your 'friend'. This will deprive him of use of the tile.

Even more evil use - have Rights of Passage, then fortify enough privateers and your own units on the same tiles that can completely navally blockade a city connected to the capital only through harbors.

 

[CiviLord]

You can extort, actually. You need a large fleet of Privateers lining the opposing civ's coast. If they feel threatened by your power, they will cave in to any outrageous demand you make. I once demanded 10000 gold per turn from Persia this way; it worked!

 

[CiviLord]

Also, attacking your girlfriend's caravel with a Privateer is not a good way to get closer to her. (snicker)

 

[CiviLord]

As to Yzman, if you capture a city with a hidden nationality unit, it belongs to you. The opposing civ will NOT declare war on you, so you can actually kill them "peacefully", but they will become furious.

 

[CiviLord]

Also, to get a land unit with hidden nationality, you have to use CivEdit.