Pirates!

[Grimsley]

Pirates aren't nearly as annoying any more and there's practically no micromanagement if you're doing trade. When protecting trade your light ships will patrol the applicable seas anyway, and so long as there's a good enough group of them they'll win. When protecting trade they'll even go back and temporarily repair automatically.

Also there's the patrol button even for non light ships.

They'll only be a problem if you don't have a fleet - which is a good punishment for having a coast but not maintaining even a token one.

 

[KaiserJohanHome]

I don't know what you guys are talking about. When you hover over a trade route, you clearly see information regarding when the last time this route was patrolled (90 days grace max). If you havnt patrolled in 90 days, pirates can appear. So just send your galleys, cogs or heavy ships to patrol all the lanes. Simple.

 

[Lessing]

When protecting trade your light ships will patrol the applicable seas anyway, and so long as there's a good enough group of them they'll win. When protecting trade they'll even go back and temporarily repair automatically.

Nonsense. You concentrate your light ships in the nodes where you collect (usually), and if you have any far-flung provinces or colonies, your light ships patrolling in the North Sea won't do crap.

 

[Werther]

In EU3 pirates were annoying (but it's realistic, pirates were annoying and were never a big threat for big navies). With my english Big Red Blob in Americas it took me 2 min to create the patrol for my fleets when i was in peace (just take 3 fleets, click on patrolling and shift the place you want to patrol: one for North American Coast, one for for South, one for Caribean sea: it's not a big micromanagement thing + you have to take care of your empire when you are at peace, and it give you something to do).

 

[Lessing]

In EU3 pirates were annoying (but it's realistic, pirates were annoying and were never a big threat for big navies). With my english Big Red Blob in Americas it took me 2 min to create the patrol for my fleets when i was in peace (just take 3 fleets, click on patrolling and shift the place you want to patrol: one for North American Coast, one for for South, one for Caribean sea: it's not a big micromanagement thing + you have to take care of your empire when you are at peace, and it give you something to do).

And if Spain declares war on you, the AI will pick off your fleet one by one unless you micromanage it.

Grats, game experience level "ew".

 

[Werther]

And if Spain declares war on you, the AI will pick off your fleet one by one unless you micromanage it.

Grats, game experience level "ew".

Yes, it's part of the game. I keep on eye on the threat and i want to micromanagement something.

"Just click on one button and everything is done for you", game experience level "ew".

 

[Grimsley]

Nonsense. You concentrate your light ships in the nodes where you collect (usually), and if you have any far-flung provinces or colonies, your light ships patrolling in the North Sea won't do crap.

And like I said, for those you can use the handy patrol feature. Pirates are much rarer in EU4 as they don't seem to appear much/at all in patrolled areas and even if they do with the new features there is little micro-management.

Again I don't see the issue.

If you're using a tiny token force to patrol a distant tariff colony and you can't even be bothered to put your fleet away at war or keep an eye on it, then maybe you would prefer if the AI played for you?

 

[Hootieleece]

The AI plays the same game you do. It has tiny trade fleets patrolling. You can pick off also. The only advantages AI has is knowing exactly where your fleets are, No Naval Attrition and faster reflexes. Which are major advantages, but everyone complains that AI is too easy or broken.

Maybe they should put an AI control feature like HOI3. If it is such an annoyance, seeing how well it works with major Human hand holding its almost like micromanaging anyway.

 

[Illanair]

Nonsense. You concentrate your light ships in the nodes where you collect (usually), and if you have any far-flung provinces or colonies, your light ships patrolling in the North Sea won't do crap.

Yes they will - They ensure that others don't take away the trade goods before they reach you. That's what trade power is all about - Who is the best at the "Tug of war" game.

 

[Lessing]

Yes, it's part of the game. I keep on eye on the threat and i want to micromanagement something.

"Just click on one button and everything is done for you", game experience level "ew".

Yea sure.

Except when you have provinces on all continents and enough on your hands already. The outcome of this game should not be determined by which player can do the best micromanaging and never forgets vulnerable fleets driving around.

 

[Hootieleece]

If you are steering trade away (towards your nodes) having a squadron of light ships will help you steer more trade.

 

[tapewormlondon]

Ah, I didnt realize the pirates showed up because of trade routes not being patrolled. Ithought it was the province. As Portugal mine showed up on that tiny little island you have to the right of the Gold coast. I think that is in the trade zone at the bottom of Africa rather than the one in the west. So thats why they showed up then? no one was patrolling the other Trade node?

 

[Lessing]

Yes, it's part of the game. I keep on eye on the threat and i want to micromanagement something.

"Just click on one button and everything is done for you", game experience level "ew".

Yea sure.

Except when you have provinces on all continents and enough on your hands already. The outcome of this game should not be determined by which player can do the best micromanaging and never forgets vulnerable fleets driving around.

And like I said, for those you can use the handy patrol feature. Pirates are much rarer in EU4 as they don't seem to appear much/at all in patrolled areas and even if they do with the new features there is little micro-management.

Again I don't see the issue.

If you're using a tiny token force to patrol a distant tariff colony and you can't even be bothered to put your fleet away at war or keep an eye on it, then maybe you would prefer if the AI played for you?

Not the pirates are the issue, the tariff penalty is the issue!

And I prefer that mindless micromanagement tasks should not decide the outcome of a game. Maybe YOU prefer to waste your time sending tiny fleets of ships around, but then again, you can waste your time in any horrible way you want.

Yes they will - They ensure that others don't take away the trade goods before they reach you. That's what trade power is all about - Who is the best at the "Tug of war" game.

But you still won't have a fleet of light ships around all of your colonies. That would be stupid.

Ah, I didnt realize the pirates showed up because of trade routes not being patrolled.

Nobody knows that. I didnt patrol my provinces, and they turned up on an ocean square. Was it because the trade route wasnt patrolled, or my province? Nobody knows.

 

[Grimsley]

And I prefer that mindless micromanagement tasks should not decide the outcome of a game. Maybe YOU prefer to waste your time sending tiny fleets of ships around, but then again, you can waste your time in any horrible way you want.

I wouldn't call clicking the patrol button for your 3 or so ship fleet once and then when in a dangerous naval war clicking to beeline for the nearest port once much micromanagement. That's 2 clicks and one thought in all for what would likely be an entire war. Keep in mind that these fleets patrol quite large areas. Pirates are usually only a single light ship or heavy ship from my experience, so it doesn't exactly cut into your naval force much either.

But you still won't have a fleet of light ships around all of your colonies. That would be stupid.

Not necessarily all of your colonies, but most of them. In general tariffs aren't that great - smart colonial choices take advantage of trade. Even being the first/only coloniser in a region you may still want at least a few light ships patrolling - take NA for example - you'll be competing with the natives and although comparatively poor there is no harm in improving your steering power sent home rather than eaten by them with a tiny amount of ships.

A single fleet will eliminate the problem of pirates from the entire coast in this case too. Two in one.

Furthermore you're forgetting that once AI nations get their colonies going, they'll be doing the same too - patrolling and wiping out pirates. So either you've got a situation where you and the AI are all competing for colonies and trade in a region, the waters are active and thus pirates are not an issue, or you have a monopoly on a region and are rolling in it but choosing to ignore your new vast new coasts entirely (and how is it unreasonable exactly to manage a fleet in the area if you control an entire region by yourself?).

 

[Werther]

Yea sure.

Except when you have provinces on all continents and enough on your hands already. The outcome of this game should not be determined by which player can do the best micromanaging and never forgets vulnerable fleets driving around.

I's not Starcraft 2, you don't need a lot of skill to pause the game at the start of a war to give orders to your 4 patrol fleets (just click on a port and they will be safe). You should be patient, but yeah, you need to be patient if you play EU.
Personnaly, if i have an empire on three or four continents, i like that the micromanagement is more difficult. A big empire should be more complex to rule than a european Portugal.

 

[Lessing]

Who in their right mind would use a vulnerable fleet to patrol his colonies when all you need to do is put a 15th century transport into every third colony?? Why expose yourself to such accidental danger?

And yes, putting a single ship there is silly. But its better than patrols.

I's not Starcraft 2, you don't need a lot of skill to pause the game at the start of a war to give orders to your 4 patrol fleets (just click on a port and they will be safe). You should be patient, but yeah, you need to be patient if you play EU.
Personnaly, if i have an empire on three or four continents, i like that the micromanagement is more difficult. A big empire should be more complex to rule than a european Portugal.

Except its not about hitting the space button, its about having a checklist of things to do when event XYZ happens. Aka war happens: 1. raise maintenances. 2. check for fleets. 3. ??? etc.

This is exactly why you have advisors and suchlike, so you dont drown in micromanagement.

Or would you like to pick the roads your troops march on for every move they make? Micromanagement should be optional.

 

[Werther]

Except its not about hitting the space button, its about having a checklist of things to do when event XYZ happens. Aka war happens: 1. raise maintenances. 2. check for fleets. 3. ??? etc.

This is exactly why you have advisors and suchlike, so you dont drown in micromanagement.

Or would you like to pick the roads your troops march on for every move they make? Micromanagement should be optional.

Yes, when you are at war, you have things to do, sorry, don't see a big issue. I prepare my war or i prepare myself to a war. When it begins, i check my 4 or 5 fleets (you don't need more to patrol, even if you're a world empire, and if you're a world empire, you should not be frightened by a war), keep them safe, raise my maintenance etc. It's a Paradox game, you have some things to do, and check 5 fleets is not a big deal.

And what's your solution: AI do everything ? No patrol ?
I do'nt understand your logic: "everything should be safe, because i don't want to loose a single ships in a war." Sorry, i like to play in a game where, if i want a well managed empire, i need to protect the roads with ships, even if it's dangerous during a war.

Yes i love planning some stuff for my empire. I like creating patrol roads, area for patrol fleets, have a port with a big fleet to protect the patrol fleet if a war begin etc... If i take my 3 fleets exemple for america, i have always my biggest navy on an Caribean Isle, so it can protect the patrol fleet in the first month of the war. I managed my empire during peace, so i can be safe when wars begins.

 

[unmerged(475475)]

I'm curious as to weather pirates could have their own bases like Tortuga or port royal in the Caribbean when those areas get colonised, also weather you could ally with privateers for a price to attack enemy vessels but anyway I plan on trying to mod this I already know the basics.

I don't know about Pirate bases but if you capture the Yemini Island Scotra as Portugal you can get a "enlist privateers to protect spice trade" event and a permanent +5 trade power in the Gulf of Aden.

 

[Lessing]

Yes, when you are at war, you have things to do, sorry, don't see a big issue.

And there is none if you use old transports to keep pirates away. Thats why the pirate system is lame and pointless.

Only when you want to be fancy and use patrols, you have to pay attention always.

 

[Ethan194]

I don't know about Pirate bases but if you capture the Yemini Island Scotra as Portugal you can get a "enlist privateers to protect spice trade" event and a permanent +5 trade power in the Gulf of Aden.

I would like small pirate nations that you could pay to help you in conflicts or help the enemy, I don't know how this could be implemented yet or how exactly yo mods it.