Caveat for the following: This assumes there will be mechanics for privateers in a future (likely Trade) expansion to Stellaris.
During wartime, an independent state can fund privateers, allocating a flexible amount of energy towards this enterprise. This energy represents investment by the state into the private sector, which then produces privateer ships. The more energy invested, the more privateers will enter service, New Privateers are built at any shipyard that has an open production queue, with the same build time as a naval vessel of similar size, probably no larger than destroyer. Commissioned privateers do not count towards the naval force limit, nor do they add to maintenance upkeep, as once they are commissioned, the responsibility for upkeep lies with the private owner of the ship.
The design and specifications of privateer ships are not under the player's control, but it is assumed that privateer ships are small and fast, able to strike slower, unescorted merchants, and will attempt to flee as soon as equivalent or superior hostile naval forces arrive in system. Privateers will generally have the same tech levels as their sponsor as far as armament and modules are concerned - perhaps slightly less.
Control of privateers is also handled by the AI, as the ships are under private control, and will ALWAYS operate independently of state naval forces. They will usually operate solo, but can group into small squadrons as well, reflecting the cooperation between the different privateer vessel commanders for mutual profit. They will generally seek to cause trade disruption in the most sparsely defended systems (usually those systems located as far from the main engagement zones as possible), and hit targets of opportunity as they arise, such as raiding (but not capturing) unarmed or lightly defended mining, research, or observation stations.
A Privateer's function is NOT to destroy enemy vessels outright, but to seize cargo. This is where the privateers make their profit. Destroying a vessel and it's cargo results in no payoff for the crew. Merchant vessels can also be seized, and then sold to prize agents of the sponsoring state, again for a huge profit. Several seized merchant vessels with intact cargo can cover the cost of outfitting the privateer many times over.
Should peace be declared, all privateers are immediately disbanded/removed from the game, as the crews and ship owners return to their peacetime pursuits. There should be a tiny (<5%)l chance that one or several of the previously employed privateers will go rogue at the conclusion of the war, and continue unsanctioned operations. If this happens, the previously sponsoring state should take a relations hit as a penalty, and the rogue privateer becomes a pirate.
If war is later declared, a small number of privateer vessels will immediately become available for operations, to reflect the few vessels that were not decommissioned during the last peace.
As privateers are state sponsored, and only engage in operations against states at war with the sponsor, employing them should not damage relations with other states, unless the rogue situation described above occurs.
This is really as far as I can go with this idea, as I have no clue what the trade mechanics will look like. I did make several assumptions, such as the presence of privately owned merchant vessels in the game, similar to DWU. If this is not the case, and private merchants are not individually represented, then a privateer can operate at points along a trade route, draining trade income from the affected state the longer it remains on that trade route.
Most of my idea is gleaned from the historical employment of privateers, from the late 16th century, and through the mid to late 19th century.
Just thought I'd put it out there for perusal.
I'd like to hear comments, criticisms and suggestions!
During wartime, an independent state can fund privateers, allocating a flexible amount of energy towards this enterprise. This energy represents investment by the state into the private sector, which then produces privateer ships. The more energy invested, the more privateers will enter service, New Privateers are built at any shipyard that has an open production queue, with the same build time as a naval vessel of similar size, probably no larger than destroyer. Commissioned privateers do not count towards the naval force limit, nor do they add to maintenance upkeep, as once they are commissioned, the responsibility for upkeep lies with the private owner of the ship.
The design and specifications of privateer ships are not under the player's control, but it is assumed that privateer ships are small and fast, able to strike slower, unescorted merchants, and will attempt to flee as soon as equivalent or superior hostile naval forces arrive in system. Privateers will generally have the same tech levels as their sponsor as far as armament and modules are concerned - perhaps slightly less.
Control of privateers is also handled by the AI, as the ships are under private control, and will ALWAYS operate independently of state naval forces. They will usually operate solo, but can group into small squadrons as well, reflecting the cooperation between the different privateer vessel commanders for mutual profit. They will generally seek to cause trade disruption in the most sparsely defended systems (usually those systems located as far from the main engagement zones as possible), and hit targets of opportunity as they arise, such as raiding (but not capturing) unarmed or lightly defended mining, research, or observation stations.
A Privateer's function is NOT to destroy enemy vessels outright, but to seize cargo. This is where the privateers make their profit. Destroying a vessel and it's cargo results in no payoff for the crew. Merchant vessels can also be seized, and then sold to prize agents of the sponsoring state, again for a huge profit. Several seized merchant vessels with intact cargo can cover the cost of outfitting the privateer many times over.
Should peace be declared, all privateers are immediately disbanded/removed from the game, as the crews and ship owners return to their peacetime pursuits. There should be a tiny (<5%)l chance that one or several of the previously employed privateers will go rogue at the conclusion of the war, and continue unsanctioned operations. If this happens, the previously sponsoring state should take a relations hit as a penalty, and the rogue privateer becomes a pirate.
If war is later declared, a small number of privateer vessels will immediately become available for operations, to reflect the few vessels that were not decommissioned during the last peace.
As privateers are state sponsored, and only engage in operations against states at war with the sponsor, employing them should not damage relations with other states, unless the rogue situation described above occurs.
This is really as far as I can go with this idea, as I have no clue what the trade mechanics will look like. I did make several assumptions, such as the presence of privately owned merchant vessels in the game, similar to DWU. If this is not the case, and private merchants are not individually represented, then a privateer can operate at points along a trade route, draining trade income from the affected state the longer it remains on that trade route.
Most of my idea is gleaned from the historical employment of privateers, from the late 16th century, and through the mid to late 19th century.
Just thought I'd put it out there for perusal.
I'd like to hear comments, criticisms and suggestions!
- 2
