Privateers?

[TeeAhr1]

2-If it takes multiple privateers to sink a fully loaded galley, wouldn't it be cheaper just to build the frigates instead. You would need less of them then you would privateers. Plus, since when does the AI send a galley without 3 frigates protecting her? This means you would need to get rid of the 3 frigates before getting a chance to take out the galley. (emphasis mine - TR)

1. Wouldn't it be cheaper to build frigates? Yes, of course, but let's assume two AI powers are at war with each other, you're not at war with anyone, but you have a vested interest in making sure that transport does not make it to shore. If you're already at war, the privateer is undoubtedly not your weapon.

2. "This means you would need to get rid of the frigates..." Not so. You just need to take off enough HP to bring the galleon to the top of the stack. I do like your idea about allowing privateers to choose their targets like a sub, though.

 

[TeeAhr1]

4) Because, even if you attacked England with a privateer, England knows it was you and their attitude with you will decrease.

This seems to be the consensus opinion, but I'm really not sure that's true. Hear me out.

IIRC (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong), in Vanilla, the AI didn't know it was you (or rather, knew it was you, but pretended it didn't - you didn't suffer an attitude hit). As we learned in Bamspeedy's indisensable article AI Attitude Exposed, when you enslave an AI's workers, it's attitude toward you gets worse, and this penalty remains as long as those workers exist. I haven't done any experimentation, but I propose the possibility that it's the enslavement of enemy ships that causes the attitude hit, as opposed to simply attacking with one of your privateers. A minor point, but important if true. Can anyone confirm/deny?

 

[sealman]

This seems to be the consensus opinion, but I'm really not sure that's true. Hear me out.

IIRC (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong), in Vanilla, the AI didn't know it was you (or rather, knew it was you, but pretended it didn't - you didn't suffer an attitude hit). As we learned in Bamspeedy's indisensable article AI Attitude Exposed, when you enslave an AI's workers, it's attitude toward you gets worse, and this penalty remains as long as those workers exist. I haven't done any experimentation, but I propose the possibility that it's the enslavement of enemy ships that causes the attitude hit, as opposed to simply attacking with one of your privateers. A minor point, but important if true. Can anyone confirm/deny?

Interesting point and worth looking into. However, I have not really used privateers since the inception of the enslavement ability and when I did, I still recall a attitude shift when I attacked with privateers. Granted, this could also be because of other actions on my part that are not tied with the use of privateers.

1. Wouldn't it be cheaper to build frigates? Yes, of course, but let's assume two AI powers are at war with each other, you're not at war with anyone, but you have a vested interest in making sure that transport does not make it to shore. If you're already at war, the privateer is undoubtedly not your weapon.

2. "This means you would need to get rid of the frigates..." Not so. You just need to take off enough HP to bring the galleon to the top of the stack. I do like your idea about allowing privateers to choose their targets like a sub, though.

True, you would not always have to get rid of all 3 frigates. However, if you are able to damage them enough that the galley gets listed first, you would need to sink the galley on the first try or else have to fight the frigates all over again. Thus, you most likely need 8 privateers to sinke the 3 frigates and 1 galley. Figure the galley is loaded with 3 units, you are swapping 8 units for 7. Not good numbers on the surface.

I don't know the shield cost off hand, but based on what someone else said earlier: Privateers=50 shields, frigates = 60.
50 shields * 8 privateers = 400 Shields Lost to sink
(60 shields * 3 frigates) + one galley + 3 units = unkown shields sunk.

I will try to come back and throw in some shield numbers for the galley and estimates for the units later. Unless someone wants to toss them in. I was going to assume, 3 cavs for the best possible senario (however, we all know that teh AI tens to only send 1 unit ).

 

[ybbor]

plus galley's only carry 2 units

 

[YNCS]

When I'm playing archapaelgo, I use privateers to keep those pesty AI settler ships from invading my islands.