Captured ships, morale impact?

[Monk]

This hit me a while ago when I was reading that you can capture special forces ships such as USS Constitution and HMS Victory.

If you capture an enemy vessel, especially one so famous, does it have a morale impact if you use it on ships from its nation of origin? I know I, as a player, would have a very "Aw man!" moment if Constitution's guns got turned against me!

[Mailman653]

Don't forget the tech implications, if the ship you captured has a higher tech level than what you have, you'll acquire it without having to invest in it.:yes:

[peacemaker]

I dunno if it would be in the game, but I imagine if that happened you would have lots of people trying to take that so those special ships essentially become bait when people try to capture it.

[Monk]

I dunno if it would be in the game, but I imagine if that happened you would have lots of people trying to take that so those special ships essentially become bait when people try to capture it.

Hey I'd be fine with that! It would add another layer of strategy to an already new system. :yes:


Don't forget the tech implications, if the ship you captured has a higher tech level than what you have, you'll acquire it without having to invest in it.

Seriously? I hadn't thought about that. Maybe I shouldn't be my normal TW genocidal self and blow everything up when it comes to ETW. :laugh4:

[knoddy]

ahhh captureing tech just reminds me of when my housemate stole the dark matter beam plan off the antari's in Masters of Orion 3

[hoom]

How about guns? Capturing field guns was pretty important in land battles.
Anyone know if you can capture them?

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Hopefully a no to capturing cannon in order to make use off them. Given the AI tendency to get in to trouble and canon being the hardest to extricate, I'd be swimming in cannon.
Besides, historically there was only marginal use of captured cannon. Gunners don't grow on trees and the logistics of dragging around different calibers of cannon would be a bother. Besides, while you may capture a cannon, chances are the caissons (ammo waggons) were able to get away, since they are kept well back.
Frankly, captured cannon were a way of keeping score and to decorate the regimental HQ entrance back home. Actual use was relatively rare.

As to ships, as pointed out by peacemaker, a captured ship might have very well served to motivate the enemy crews in order to retake it. And in ETW, I don't think youll be able to use ships right away in the same battle you took that ship. Atleast, I vaguely recall reading something along those lines. A victorious ship's crew would have it's hands full with prisoners and handling their own ship, effectively crewing a second ship would be unlikely.


In short, capturing anything for immediate use on the tactical map is such a marginal occurance that including it in ETW would be gamey overmodelling of something that hardly ever happened.

[Polemists]

i'm pretty sure you can capture a enemy ship, but if you can use it right away or not remains a mystery.

Though I wouldn't mind if you captured a higher tech ship that now you had a blue print for how to build those.

I mean I plan to steal my naval designs from the English, whether that be with gentlemen or war is up to the english....i'm willing to be a ally...sort of :laugh4:

[Sir Beane]

i'm pretty sure you can capture a enemy ship, but if you can use it right away or not remains a mystery.

Though I wouldn't mind if you captured a higher tech ship that now you had a blue print for how to build those.

I mean I plan to steal my naval designs from the English, whether that be with gentlemen or war is up to the english....i'm willing to be a ally...sort of :laugh4:

It seems very likely that by capturing a high tech ship you could reverse-engineer it and then be able to build it :2thumbsup:.

Capturing ships seems to have been made really worthwhile, which should add an extra element to naval battles. It is far weasier to kill than capture.

[KozaK13]

Something tells me that when an enemy ship that is more advanced than yours appears, there will be a mad dash for the bording planks...

Will you be able to gain the technology of enemy ships by attacking them as privateers? So that you could gain the ship designs without going to war?

[Sir Beane]

Something tells me that when an enemy ship that is more advanced than yours appears, there will be a mad dash for the bording planks...

Will you be able to gain the technology of enemy ships by attacking them as privateers? So that you could gain the ship designs without going to war?

That would be an interesting option, which may or may not happen. Privateers are definitely in thw game, but there has been no word yet as to how they will be represented and what control the player will have over them.

It will be a lot of fun playing as the Pirate faction and stealing ships and tech! Arrr!

[scipiosgoblin]

And in ETW, I don't think youll be able to use ships right away in the same battle you took that ship. Atleast, I vaguely recall reading something along those lines. A victorious ship's crew would have it's hands full with prisoners and handling their own ship, effectively crewing a second ship would be unlikely.


In reality the captured ship had to make it back to a friendly port, be examined by the Admiralty representative and have a determination as to whether it would be sold, broken-up or purchased into the fleet. Sometimes disagreements had to be settled in Prize Courts.

I hope CA does not model that last bit. New battle environment COURTROOM: TOTAL WAR.

The prize crew would be seriously outnumbered, working a ship that was meant for a crew of hundreds. All the time guarding a hostile crew that would be waiting for a chance to retake their ship.

I think CA will probably either make you sail the ship back to a friendly port or it will magically appear at the closest friendly port or your capital.

[Sir Beane]

In reality the captured ship had to make it back to a friendly port, be examined by the Admiralty representative and have a determination as to whether it would be sold, broken-up or purchased into the fleet. Sometimes disagreements had to be settled in Prize Courts.

I hope CA does not model that last bit. New battle environment COURTROOM: TOTAL WAR.

The prize crew would be seriously outnumbered, working a ship that was meant for a crew of hundreds. All the time guarding a hostile crew that would be waiting for a chance to retake their ship.

I think CA will probably either make you sail the ship back to a friendly port or it will magically appear at the closest friendly port or your capital.

Very good info :2thumbsup:. In addition to this it was sometimes the case that the crew of the captured ship were press ganged into sailing it back into port. This was a very frequent occurance with piracy, less frequent with merchants, and even less frequent between warships.

I guess while you colud trust the crew of a merchant vessel to be intimidated into serving you, the same couldn't be said of professional sailors and marines. :laugh4:

[KozaK13]

I hope that is isn't always a fight to the death to capture an enemy ship.


Also, Is there any famous instances of a captured ship going on to have a combat history in the capturers navy?

[Sir Beane]

I hope that is isn't always a fight to the death to capture an enemy ship.


Also, Is there any famous instances of a captured ship going on to have a combat history in the capturers navy?

In a video preview is shows a ship striking its colors and surrendering without having to be boarded. It's a matter of lowering their morale I think.

[anders]

maybe some form of prestige( prestige being one of the ways to win the game afaik) loss will occur when a faction loses a "special" flagship to enemy capture?

I mean, if the pride and joy of the royal navy suddenly found itself in french hands, sinking british ships, that should be the source of quite some national shame..