Some questions about Pirates - in the game and IRL.

[Agenor]

Does the game create them at a steady rate, eg. a certain number each year, or is there always a certain minimum number around? In the first case, it makes sense to send a fleet after them and clear the seas. In the second case it's pointless, because the AI would just create more straight away.

It's also a pity that they don't stay in their historical areas. In my last campaign they were actaully blockading New England and were also hanging around off the coast of Greenland. Was there ever much piracy outside the Caribbean?

 

[th3freakie]

Can't say I know what you asked - what I do know is that keeping ships in a sea province stops pirates from apearing there, if you'r having any big problem with them.

 

[Agenor]

I guess I'm asking whether the game generates, eg 2 pirates per year, regardless of how many there are, or whether it generates them up to a certain numer, eg 20, in total, and will create more if the number falls below 20, to get it back up to 20? In the first case it makes sense to sink them, in the second, there doesn't seem much point chasing after them.

 

[unmerged(62118)]

As far as the Carribean goes, the MOST pirates that ever show up are from around 1600-1715 because that was around the Golden Age of Piracy in the Carribean. Around Asia, pirates stay around for a while because thats what REALLY happened. As far as New England goes, yes pirates DID travel up there, but not often. And Greenland, thats VERY unhistorical, its a joke, lol.

 

[Agenor]

And Greenland, thats VERY unhistorical, its a joke, lol.

They just love hanging around up there off my Danish colonies! And in the Gulf of St Lawrence.

 

[unmerged(5165)]

Maybe they tend to retreat there after they had to flee from the eastern seaboard.

 

[Polarforscher]

Does the game create them at a steady rate, eg. a certain number each year, or is there always a certain minimum number around? In the first case, it makes sense to send a fleet after them and clear the seas. In the second case it's pointless, because the AI would just create more straight away.

It's also a pity that they don't stay in their historical areas. In my last campaign they were actaully blockading New England and were also hanging around off the coast of Greenland. Was there ever much piracy outside the Caribbean?

maybe also the AI sends pirates? As far as I have seen there is no regular pirate supply, sometimes more sometimes less. They tend to hang around my most valuable colonies in the Carribean.
BTW. Pirates still exist near the Phillipines until today (!)

 

[unmerged(33767)]

maybe also the AI sends pirates? As far as I have seen there is no regular pirate supply, sometimes more sometimes less. They tend to hang around my most valuable colonies in the Carribean.
BTW. Pirates still exist near the Phillipines until today (!)

There is actually a very large amount of pirates all around the world, seen a program about that a few months ago. They sail around in old ships that have no flags or names and then when they get close to a cargo ship they send out fast motor boats and board the ship, taking the cargo, money, valuables - well everything they can carry.

 

[unmerged(1047)]

Historically there were few pirates in the Eastern Pacific and the farther northern and southern reaches of the Atlantic - but those mostly because the weather was bad or there were not a lot of targets. Elsewhere, there were piracy booms (epidemics?) in just about every navigable sea at one time or another.

However, privateers (not well modelled in EU games unfortunately) would often range along the enemy coast and trade routes, wherever that might be.