I wrote a thread about ports a while ago that unfortunately was not saved due to the forum upgrade, and which I posted in the wrong section anyways, but here it is again, together with other suggestions about naval mechanics. Perhaps they are already planning to do something along these lines in the next expansion, but I'll share it anyways.
The problem with current naval mechanics is that it requires way to much micromanagement. My suggestion thus aims to greatly reduce micromanagement. Paradox has already made some great steps in the right direction in this regard, such as when they remade exploration. Taking that, and the upcomming changes to forts, as inspiration, here's what I suggest.
And the suggestion about ports really does add another interesting layer of strategic planning. A strong naval presence in a region requires a developed port infrastructure to be present. This naturally limits the naval power of europeans outside of europe, simply because they don't have advanced ports there. And I just find it silly that you can have an armada of a thousand galleons port in some god-forgotten fishing village in iceland.
I probably missed something..
The problem with current naval mechanics is that it requires way to much micromanagement. My suggestion thus aims to greatly reduce micromanagement. Paradox has already made some great steps in the right direction in this regard, such as when they remade exploration. Taking that, and the upcomming changes to forts, as inspiration, here's what I suggest.
- All coastal provinces no longer have ports automatically. Instead, ports need to be built by the player, and they require gold in maintainence, like forts will. Ports have a maximum capacity for how many ships can be based there, with higher level ports having a higher capacity, and higher maintainence.
- All fleets must be have a port as their base of operations, and they can only operate within range of it. For those who have played Civ5, I want fleets to function kind of like airplanes do in civ.
- Fleets can no longer be controlled directly, but can be given missions, which I will describe below. After the mission is completed, canceled, or non-valid (like a war mission after you've made peace), the fleet will return to their port. A fleet will never simply sit in the ocean and wait for you to give orders, like it can do currently. They ONLY rest in port, and they're only ouside of port when on missions.
- Interception mission: The fleet will be set to guard particular sea provinces that the player (or AI) chooses, and will intercept any hostile fleet that passes through. E.g. as England I set one fleet to defend "straits of dover, the english channel, and land's end". An option can be set if it should avoid engaging superior forces.
- Interception is not guaranteed. How effectively a fleet can protect certain sea provinces depends on how many provinces there are in relation to number of ships. Light ships are important as scouts, and to catch enemy ships. If an enemy fleet with only light ships passes through an area protect by only heavy ships, the light ships should likely avoid being intercepted. It would thus be important to have both light and heavy ships in a fleet.
- Examples of other missions: Send your fleet to blockade certain sea provinces; send your fleet to privateer; have your fleet change their home port..
And the suggestion about ports really does add another interesting layer of strategic planning. A strong naval presence in a region requires a developed port infrastructure to be present. This naturally limits the naval power of europeans outside of europe, simply because they don't have advanced ports there. And I just find it silly that you can have an armada of a thousand galleons port in some god-forgotten fishing village in iceland.
I probably missed something..
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