Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!crackers!cpoint!frog!jcc
From: jcc@frog.UUCP (Jim Chagnon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games
Subject: Re: Pirates! How do you score?
Message-ID: <25014@frog.UUCP>
Date: 5 Apr 91 01:26:00 GMT
References: <24535@frog.UUCP> <2558@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk> <24805@frog.UUCP> <2661@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk>
Reply-To: jcc@frog.UUCP (Jim Chagnon)
Organization: CRDS
Lines: 58

In article <2661@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk> adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt) writes:

>Your crew's response time depends on their morale.  At the beginning, they're
>"happy".  As the game progresses, they go to "pleased", then "unhappy", then
>"angry".  The less happy they are, the slower they work.  Even so, if you
>have full sails and the enemy ship has full sails, and you're both the same
>sort of ship, then both ships will go at the same speed.  The same applies
>if both have battle sails.  Assuming, that is, that neither ship has been
>damaged.  I hadn't noticed the accuracy of the guns deteriorate, but it's
>probably the same problem - your crews morale is waning.

 Perhaps there's a differance in versions distributed in the US and UK,
because at the begining in my game, bark against bark, full sails all
around, neither damaged, and exact same bearing, I get 1-2 knots more speed. 
 I can also take on a pirate Duke with only ~46 guys, and expect to win.
This continues at *least* thru the first entire cruise, happy or not.  Also,
on the 1st trip, I can leave town about 4 times with an unhappy crew before
desertions start.  After approx. 2 game years, all this stops.
 Someone posted about pressing the fire button as the screen changes to
the combat screen, that this would make your guns fire at the enemy ship
(no matter what direction your ship is facing) guaranteeing a "first
strike".  This doesn't work in my game.

>The most annoying thing is when a little pinnace comes up, turns round,
>fires a broadside and runs away.  Mind you, if I can get my ship round in
>time and fire my own broadside, the pinnace is in big trouble.  I once
>actually managed to hit a pinnace with a galleon's guns, just for sheer
>sadism! ;->

 And you *haven't* tried to assault a town by ship 24 times in row? ;)
The usual scenario: Ship on the horizon! Investigate.  It's a Pinnace!
Sail away.  Arghh. Its that cowardly pirate Captain L'Mayonaise! He's
chasing us, Captain! Fight (I know, you can usually still sail away).
Choose: Merchantman. Bang. Hull damage. Bang. "He sinks slowly....".

 Ok, so I'm spiteful :) Unless I need crew.

>Villa Hermosa
>is rarely of interest unless I'm chasing a noble that way, and is never
>strong enough to resist a serious raid anyway; and Gran Granada I have never
>paid any attention to.

 About 5 years into the game, Gran Granada usually has 50-70K gold, if other
pirates have left it alone. And you get all of it. I think that's worth the
trip after a run down the Spanish Main, especially because you usually get
to keep the town.  I usually don't go west of the Yucatan until very late
in the game.  Take on the 3 towns and retire.

>Oh well, never mind.  I did get them both once, but I can't remember where.
>I suspect the reason the treasure fleet never goes to Panama is that in the
>game, you can't sail from the Caribbean to Panama.  Which is why no other
>pirates ever attack it; which is why it just gets richer, and gets richer,
>and gets attacked by me.

 Other pirates DO attack it (in my game at least), but it recovers quickly
so it's worth attacking more than once per game (unlike other inland towns).

jcc