Privateering?

[smith]

Hi everyone. Civ 3 is my first Civ game and I need a little help. I read the FAQ here and did a search, but didn't find the information I needed.

How useful are privateers? I made my first one last night (I had the game 3 days) and couldn't get it to do anything useful. Is there a way to configure who it will attack? I ended up using it as a spyship..... not very useful.

Any suggestions?

 

[andyo]

privateers can be very useful - you can use them to attack other civ's boats - but since the nationality flag on the privateer is hidden, the other civ won't get pissed at you - won't start a war - etc.
there has been an ongoing debate here whether they are useful or not - i think they are - because when you sink a transport, you sink the units in it too - so in the early game - a bunch of privateers can help plink down an enemy that you can't/don't want to have an all out war with - plus it slows down the ai growth, and forces them to rebuild the same units instead of working on something else - so i like them - plus, as you said, you can use them as spys too - so i like them - but some will disagree with me

 

[smith]

thx andyo, but here is the question: How do I actually use them? I didn't see a bombard button.....how do I target the ships I want to attack? Are enemy ships rammed?

 

[alver]

Just try to move on top of the enemy ship, and your privateer will attack. I don't remeber whether you'll get a warning.

 

[andyo]

yeah - you won't get a warning - and there is no bombard with privateers - so you can only attack other enemy ships with them -
they are pretty weak offensively too, so you may need a few - but i think it is worth it

 

[smith]

gotcha. thx.

 

[Zouave]

Privateers are a total waste of time - unless you've Edited up their attack and movement values. Even then, they aren't worth the effort.

The historic purpose of privateers (and subs) was to attack merchant shipping and trade, not enemy warships. But Firaxis doesn't understand that.

So, if you have them, ANY civ can attack them and will. Plus, the likelihood of them running into a galleon isn't good, and even then there is no assurance it will sink the galleon. Better you spend your shields on something else.

Privateers and helicopters are the most uselss units in the game and I long ago Edited them into other units. Go see the Completed Mods forum for ideas.

Oh, the only real use for them is to snoop around coastlines. But, again, the privateers can and will be attacked by any other civ, and you can buy maps if you really need to know.

 

[Random Passerby]

Privateer: 60 shields.

Galleon with four knights in it and a frigate escort: 400 shields.

If there ever actually is a pressing need for undeclared war in the age of sail, you can clearly afford to lose the 2-3 privateers you lose on average. Even if the galleon only carries longbowmen or muskets, you're still breaking even, which plays in your favor since you're not at war (and thus can be republic/democracy without any war weariness) and the enemy is (and thus can't).

The problem, of course, is that privateers are a niche unit with a very small niche. The big culprit here is a late magnetism and an early steam power; still, it often takes a while for the AI to roll out ironclads in enough numbers to shut down your privateering.

 

[BiatchGuy]

You can try blockades, but this generally results in a bigger badder ship blowing your dinky privateer out of the water.

I agree, they're pretty much useless. Or at least, I've never had any luck with them.

 

[D. Boon's Ghost]

I always thought the newer Axis and Allies (Europe and Pacific) rules concerning shipping lanes would be a nice idea in CivIII. It would answer alot of problems concerning the worthlessness of blockades and privateers, as well as making navies and coastal airforces an important factor.

 

[TheDS]

The thing about Privateers (and Subs, for those of us who know it's hard to read the registration of the fantail of a U-boat when it's submerged) that you need to remember is that they should NEVER be unescorted. The other Civs can destroy them with impunity, but if you accompany them with a POS Galleon or Caravel or Transport, you make your Privateer moves or attacks and then park the Galleon on top of it. The enemy will not attack them, because it would attack the Galleon instead.

However, Privateers are almost useless in this game. They need their speed bumped up to compete with other ships, and when was the last time you heard of them being paid anything? Quite the opposite; most had to give a percentage of the take back to the gov't that issued the letter of marquis.

I drop the cost to 40; they shouldn't be free or you'd be walking on them across all your oceans, but they're not as pricey as a real warship either.

 

[Apollo]

The last time I used privateers was in version 1.16, and although the countries I attacked with my privateers didn't declare war because of it, their attitude toward me immediately changed for the worse. Was this just coincidence, or has anybody else noticed that attacking with privateers makes those you attack angry with you? That suspicion put a stop to my use of privateers, but if this has been changed since 1.16 then I'd like to use them again.

 

[IDSmoker]

In my current Huge Pangea Conquest game I did notice that the civs I attacked with my privateers had an immediate rep hit towards me.

For my next game (I really wish I could make this change in my current game), I plan to change to privateers from 2.1.3/3 to 3.1.4/4. This should make them more effective against galleons and transports.

What do you think of making this change via the editor?

 

[Octavian X]

Once, I had a friend who had a line of privateers stretching from one ice cap to other...

Other than for funny stories, they're useless. Once the other nations have move advanced units, which usually isn't all that long, every privateer you have is a dead duck

 

[saintides]

So many anti privateers.

I always build 1 or 2 in most all my games. They are just kind of fun to have around. Sure, quite often I just lose them. I agree, they are not really historically correct. They are in the game though and I'm going to use them.

I have sunk quite a few of the ai ships now in my civ3 life without causing a war. Just a fun thing to do.

I never see the ai build them. Think I did a few times (or did I? can't remember)?

 

[HotDog Fish]

I privateer all the time, sure they become obsolete pretty fast but I still make'em, I once sunk 2 ironclads, 4 galleons, 1 caravel and 2 frigates with my massive privateer fleet.....
why the hell did I make so many privateers.....

 

[Lord Oden]

I find that pirateers are a must have in the late game.

In some of my games and on (world maps alot) the AI will put a ship in straights of water to block off passage.

The french had the med. sea blocked off and the babs had the red sea blocked in my last world game.

Being a true superpower i needed access to all shipping lanes.

the only way to move their ship with out starting a war was a massive pirate ship attack.

In the late game most of my coastal cities had no problem pumping out pirateers in 1 or 2 turns.

Depending on the other ship's defencive power a number of pirateers would be escorted by battleship to the blocked passage.

ex: Ironclad df.Pr. 4 = 4 pirate ships
Destroyer df.pr. 12 = 12 pirate ships

Even if the ship is not sunk it will limp bake to a near by harbor.

I have even brought down a battleship using and armada of 22 rickety pirateships to get to the black sea.

This gave my carrier battle group prime position to attack Russia.

After opening up the sea lane station a sub there to ensure that they stay open

Remember this tactic is only for the late game when pirate ships can be made in a turn or two.

Also make sure they have an escort sitting on top of them every turn or they will destroyed before they reach their target.

Therefore the pirate ship is a must have "specialty" tool for any modern navy.

They maybe underpowered but that have a unique trick that keeps them going well in to the year 2000


I have found the pirate ships do not make good spy ships, save that work for subs and carriers with long range aircraft.

 

[planetfall]

Also, do not change values of privateer in editor to activate ZOC, their defense is so low you will lose almost all battles.

As others mentioned, biggest value is in opening blocked sea lanes and slowing down initial settler push via galley or caravels.

 

[saintides]

Another good use for them:

The ai is constantly trolling around my land with there ships. I can ask them to leave until I'm in blue in the face. They won't do it .. and sometimes declare war.

It's kind of nice to have a pirate hanging out in a city or two, fortified. Activate them when the ai starts doing that. In many cases, it actually defuses a war because. The ai will not be tempted to unload a few guys next to some weak town and declare war etc.

 

[D9phoenix]

Just out of curiosity Lord Oden: Do you not use airports to shuttle your units around ? i know i just started using carrier groups again, but with a capacity of 4 unless moded carriers are very pointless to my methods of war. To defend a carrier i use 3 bombers 1 fighter on air superiority and atleast 3 defending ships. That is a huge investment for 3 bombard attacks. Id just rather use modern armor and artillery with transports and 1 defending battleship.