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Rethinking ships in POTC: new project?

Faaaantastic! Will we eventually have a tutorial so we all know what to do with this? (after the new build, natch, no rush now) <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="8)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />
 
<!--`QuoteBegin-NathanKell`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NathanKell)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->1. Do you store 'em in an array, or in an attribute tree?
If the latter, you can just copyattributes(&destination, char.ship.stats) and that'll take care of it.[/quote]

in an attrib tree. yep, that should do it, thanks <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/happy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="^_^" border="0" alt="happy.gif" />


<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->2. Yeah, that's a better way than a separate object, you bet. Thanks! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<i>de res</i> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
*)(@&% I missed these posts. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":eek:ops2" border="0" alt="oops3.gif" />
Sorry.

Went ahead and added the code to the `ship-berthing`, actually. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":eek:ops2" border="0" alt="oops3.gif" />
Hope that's OK with you.
It seems to work fine; I'm still trying to get *_window.c to call it (for crew and capacity on the `details-of`-`berthed-ship` page), but the _stats_ themselves are stored fine and recover fine.

As far as I know (and I just fixed another lingering bug, so that's not _so_ far, but it _plays_ ok), it's now stable.

Once I can upload to CVS I'll plop it there; until then, give me an email holler and I'll send it over to whoever wants it.
{The problem of course is that in fact it's tied into so many other mods that it's of the `replace-your`-`program-folder` style...but I _think_ I'm running a current install with 'bout all released mods.}

Cat: It almost doesn't need a tut; just a slight addendum to PRS2.
First, I took out the NK/HFM stat modding (except accel, which is an arcade thingy). So now stats will be, well, what they say they are. Rigtype and CP/BP are still assigned if you want though.

The main change is that there are now only about 1/5 as many entries in ships_init; just one entry for each model (excepting the `same-model`-`different-stats` ships like my super frigate).

Now, when you add a new model, you have to decide whether it will:
Be available to all nations or just one nation <i>or all but _some_ nations</i> (i.e. the skipnatX property).
{assign no nation; or assign refShip.nation = X; or assign refShip.skipnatX = true for each nation you want to skip where X is the nation number}
Have stats never modded (i.e. the ship is unique), have stats randomly modded but use the same "base" for all nations, or have the stats modded for each nation and then randomly modded a little further (the default).
{refShip.unique = true; or refShip.NoNatStatMod = true; or neither}

Note that you can customize the Nation Stat Multipliers (they are assigned in ships_init).

Note that you can still use PRS2 attributes to override modelname, i.e. refship.all = "lugger1".

Which brings me to a note: Since nation no longer has anything to do with most ship _templates_, most ship IDs no longer have _NATION attached. I.e. start ship id is now "lugger1" and is set up based on the player character's nation. Start with ch.nation = FRANCE; and you get a French lugger.

{So if you're using lugger1 as a base ship for PRS2 purposes, use refShip.all - "lugger1"; not refShip.all = "lugger1_X";}

Note that you still _can_ assign nations to ships...but please don't set their stats accordingly, set their stats at the base stats (unless you also assign NoNatStatMod, so nation won't modify stats).
 
<!--`QuoteBegin-NathanKell`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NathanKell)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Which brings me to a note: Since nation no longer has anything to do with most ship _templates_, most ship IDs no longer have _NATION attached. I.e. start ship id is now "lugger1" and is set up based on the player character's nation. Start with ch.nation = FRANCE; and you get a French lugger.[/quote]

hmph. we need STARTING_CHARACTER_NATION and STARTING_SHIP_NATION in buildsettings.h <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
Ooh, that's even better.
<img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bookish.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":mm" border="0" alt="bookish.gif" />

You know, we really need a (starts typing) PA smilie... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/diomed.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":dio" border="0" alt="diomed.gif" />
 
My housing situation seems to be reaching a conclusion. Not the best solution, but I can stand another year in the dorms.

As such, I will be posting the information needed to make this mod historically accurate this afternoon. Last night I completed most of the notes on the ships, and I'm working through a brief political history of the age of sail now.

Sorry for the lateness of the post. I said I would have this done a few days ago.

Best,

JMV
 
Okay, I'm nearly through. I've run into a problem though. Its 14 pages long, and I've still got about another 2 to write. What is the best way to post this?
 
<!--`QuoteBegin-NathanKell`+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NathanKell)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You know, we really need a (starts typing) PA smilie...  :dio[/quote]You mean a pirate typing at a computer terminal? I could probably do that, Nathan. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />

(not important, I know, but just as an aside) <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />
 
First Some Basics
While writing the below descriptions I found myself `re-explaining` the same thing over and over again, so I'd like to set them up at the beginning to make it easier for the reader understand the general trajectory of ship design. It also will assist in understanding the progression in sailing technology, and sailing theory.
Basically, the more `square-rigged` the vessel is, the better it performs before the wind, while the more `fore-and`-aft rigged the vessel is, the closer it can point to the wind. However, `fore-and`-aft rigged vessels lose out when sailing before the wind. Fore this reason, all things being equal, a `square-rigged` vessel will always catch a `fore-and`-aft rigged vessel running before the wind. With the advances in `ship-building` theory, vessels became more and more complex in their rigging configuration. A number of combinations of square and `fore-and`-aft sails were developed; each combination, a different rig. For example, a schooner is at its simplest a `two-masted` vessel with `fore-and`-aft sails, while a brig is at its simplest a `two-masted` vessel with square sails. A `two-masted` vessel with `square-sails` on the `fore-mast` and `fore-and`-aft sails on the `main-mast` is called a Hermaphrodite Brig. Many different combinations were tried in the period between 1400 and 1900, and each one met with varying degrees of success depending on region and function.
The nature of war at sea influenced ship design. The earliest wars at sea were fought in ancient times. Galleys, vessels powered and steered by banks of oars, full of soldiers would row out at each other until the soldiers could leap onto the enemy vessels and engage in melee combat. The Phoenicians, a Levantine culture of `sea-farers`, developed special galleys with a large and pointed battering ram on the bow along with a single square sail on a single `pole-mast`. These ramming vessels were called Triremes. A Greek fleet of Triremes defeated the much larger Persian fleet of galleys at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC in the first major naval engagement in recorded history. Galley warfare, from that period on, was marked by a combination of ramming and boarding.
In the medieval period, naval warfare continued in this manner, but with the addition of `fire-ships`. Byzantine alchemists developed a chemical that could be stored in leather bladders and sprayed at enemy vessels. When the chemical was lit by a flame at the end of the bladder, the spray became a deadly spray of flames. This early napalm today is known as "Greek Fire" due to its heavy usage in the Aegean Sea. In any form of wooden construction, regardless of its use, fire is the greatest foes. As such, these `fire-ships` were devastating against the wooden galleys packed full with heavily armored soldiers. As the dark ages gave way to the Renaissance, war vessels began to add more and more masts (sometimes upwards of five) with sails to harness the power of the wind. The obvious result was a reduction in oars, and more speed before the wind.
With the addition of `gun-powder` into European land warfare, so came the addition of cannons to war galleys. Cannon equipped galleys had an obvious advantage over less advanced adversaries, yet `gun-powder` did not revolutionize naval warfare until 1588 in the naval campaign known as the Spanish Armada.
In 1588 the Spanish King, Philip II, was poised to invade England. As the bastion of Catholic power, Spain and Phillip II vehemently opposed the protestant Anglican Church. As such, Philip desired to reassert Catholic dominance over the English Island and likewise gain another province in his ongoing war against the Dutch.
The Spanish Armada consisted mainly of war galleys full of soldiers, but also of larger sailing vessels called Carracks and Galleases. Galleases were a hybrid between war galleys and sailing vessels. The Spanish Admiral, the Duke of `Midina-Sidonia`, planned for the traditional grapple and board warfare of the past. As such, he planned to call out the English warships and overwhelm them with soldiers. Following the destruction of the English fleet, the invasion could easily be carried out and supported by sea.
Grapple and boarding warfare directed the design of naval vessels. Since the crucial point in the battle was just as the enemy was coming over the rail and on to the ship, shipwrights designed two raised platforms at either end of the vessel, from which the sailors and soldiers could repel the boarders. These two platforms were called fore and after castles due to their defensive nature and similarity to castles of medieval siege warfare.
While these castles gave the defenders a position from which to rally and defend themselves, they were also `counter-productive` to the sailing and operating of the ship. First, the castles made the ships heavier and bulkier restricting their speed and handling. More importantly however, the castles acted as sails themselves, catching the wind. When the wind would blow over the decks, the ship would drift to the side of the direction the wind was blowing, or to leeward. This tendency to drift to the leeward direction was called "leeway."
The English, however, had developed new fast sailing vessels with low `fore-castles`, reducing their leeway, and increasing their running capabilities. These "`race-built`" ships were armed with heavy caliber cannons that could be fired rapidly by their highly trained crews. The English vessels were also better sailors and could take advantage of the prevailing `south-west` wind better than the Spaniards. Therefore, the English could remain out boarding range, and pepper the Spanish ships with deadly and accurate cannon fire.
After many days of battle, with the Spanish fleet being chased down the English Channel and around Dover, the English had succeeded. From that period onward naval vessels would focus on gunnery, not boarding. As `ship-building` technology and sailing theory advanced over the next 200 years, the fore and aft castles would become smaller and smaller, until by 1800, nearly the entire deck of the vessel was level. The progression from "castled" decks to "flush" decks is crucial to the understanding of ship development between 1400 and 1800.

I have gone through each ship type in Pirates of the Caribbean. My attempt has been for clarity, but at times brevity has taken precedence. I could, for example, write more on the Tartane, but it was my opinion that the history of that particular vessel was less important than the history of the line of battle ship. At times it may seem like I am repeating myself from ship type to ship type. Understand that this is due to the similarities in certain rigs. In some cases, different vessels can be very similar and differ only the type of a single sail , the bluff of the bow, or the number of guns. The Corvette, for instance, is a small frigate of 20 guns or less. Instead of explaining what a frigate is twice, I simply distinguish the corvette from the frigate, and direct the reader back toward the frigate's description.

The Vessels

Barque
A barque is a `three-masted` vessel with the fore and `main-masts` `square-rigged`, and the mizzen, `fore-and`-aft rigged. The term also applied to small Eastern Mediterranean sailing vessels.
During the late 17th century, Pirates built `deep-draught` fast barques for use crossing the Atlantic. These `fast-barques` were very common in the Indian Ocean and off the islands of Madagascar and Mauritius. The `fast-barque` was adapted for use as a packet in the `mid-18th` century.
The `in-game` barque is a good representation of a standard 16th and 17th century light merchantman. This should be the most common vessel of the Caribbean, used by all nations for nearly every purpose.

Battleship
The word battleship comes from the phrase "Line of Battle Ship." At the debacle of the Spanish Armada in 1588 the world witnessed the beginning of a new age in naval warfare. Before 1588 large naval engagements were characterized by huge fleets of vessels loaded with soldiers maneuvering into boarding positions. Sea battles, like land battles, would be decided by swordplay and close combat. The English pursuit of the Spanish Armada up the English Channel was the first major bench mark in naval warfare. The Spanish had planned for the traditional boarding style of combat. Likewise, their vessels were divided into Masters for the ships, and Captains for the soldiers. The Master would sail the ship so that the Captain could lead the boarding and battle. The Spanish ships were equipped with cannons, but their crews were not trained the usage of artillery. For this, the Spanish employed German mercenary artillery officers to oversee the operation of the guns. The Spaniards had expected traditional galley warfare involving grappling and boarding.
The English prepared for a different type of battle. Remarkable advances in ship building during Henry VIII's and Elizabeth I reigns had given England a small fleet of what were called "race built galleons" (see Galleon for definition and explanation of the ship type). These race galleons were equipped with more cannon than their Spanish counterparts, but the crew of the English vessels were heavily trained in naval gunnery. The better sailing capabilities of the English ships allowed them to remain far away from the Spanish Armada, but bombard them with heavy, rapid, and accurate gun fire. After days of pursuing the Spanish fleet, bombarding them all the way, the English fleet under Hawkins, Howard, and Drake engaged the Spanish armada in a tactic that would eventually be known as "yardarm to yardarm." It was the first use of a naval tactic that would become the basis for all Royal Navy fleet engagements in the future. Opposite their Spanish adversaries, the English had planned for a long range artillery duel.
From this period onward, the development of warships was characterized by an interest in placing as many guns as possible on the warships, and by reinforcing the hull with as much hard oak as possible. The desire was to have a ship that could lie next to an enemy ship for hours on end, exchanging devastating gunfire, but remaining afloat while protecting the crew.
Over the next two hundred years ships would be built with stronger hulls and more guns. Maneuverability and speed were important, but strength of the hull and the weight of the broadside were crucial. The decks became more flush and the stern and forecastle were lowered granting finer running capabilities.
The `in-game` battleship represents the type of Line of battleship constructed during the mid 17th century by all the nations with an interest in Maritime supremacy. This was the king of battle in the 17th and early 18th century.

Blackpearl
The Blackpearl is a fairly good model of a large 17th Dutch man of war. The rigging is that of an early frigate/ or standard 17th century to mid 18th century `man-of`-war. At forty guns this is a heavily armed ship. In the 17th century it would be a ship of the line, but in the 18th century, it would be much too small to ever lie in the line of battle. The large hull would hinder its running capabilities making it an obsolete vessel by 1750.

Brig/ Brigantine
The brigantine (shortened to brig) is a `two-masted` `square-rigged` naval vessel. Although there were more mercantile versions such as the English collier brig, the general tendancy of brig usage was that of a small naval raider. Functionally, brigs were small frigates. They were armed anywhere from eight guns to the heavy `twenty-gun` brigs like the American Niagara however, most naval brigs carried 12 to 16 light guns.
In the late 17th century the term "brig" referred to any `two-masted` vessel square rigged on both masts. In the 18th century the term referred not only to a ship type, but a rigging type as well. A brig/ brigantine has a square rigged `fore-mast`, divided into atleast three sections: course, top, and topgallant. The brigantine `main-mast` consists of a large triangular staysail on a boom for the main, and `square-sails` on the maintop, and maintopgallant.
There are two variations of the brigantine rigging: the Snow, and the Hermaphrodite Brig. A snow consists of the regular brigantine's rigging but with the addition of a square `main-course` as well as the standard `main-course` staysail. An hermaphrodite brig is `square-rigged` on the `fore-mast`, and `fore-and`-aft rigged like a schooner for the main mast. The hermaphrodite brig can point closer to windward, but sacrifices speed running before the wind. All of the three variations on the brig were used as light naval cruisers, packets, and convoy escorts.
The `in-game` brig represents the earliest of brig variations, `square-rigged` on both masts with no staysails. At 24 guns the vessel is much too heavily armed. Sixteen or fourteen would be more realistic. The hull is also too broad at the beam for a proper naval vessel of the 18th century.

Caravel
The caravel rig was the standard Mediterranean merchant of the 15th and 16th centuries. By the beginning of the 18th century, most merchants had abandoned the caravel design for the more efficient fleut design. The most famous of caravels are Colombus' Nina and Pinta. Caravels were developed by the Portuguese to explore the African coasts. The combination of square sails and lateen sails allowed the caravel to point well to windward, sailing closer to the wind than its contemporaries.
The rigging was not standard. Most Caravels were rigged with square sails on the `fore-mast`, and `lateen-rigged` on the main and mizzen. However, the Nina had lateens on all three of her masts.
Caravels were only about 65 feet long, but were very broad beamed and could carry upwards of 150 tonnes. Caravels operated in the seas frequented by the early Barbary Corsairs. As such, they were relatively heavily armed merchant vessels of the day. Likewise, the hull followed in the traditions of the period, with high fore and after castles to assist in repelling boarders.
The `in-game` model is a very good representation of the hull of a 15th and 16th century ship. The rigging is wrong and is more like a carrack than a caravel.
The switch from a `square-rigged` main to a `lateen-rigged` main would better represent the fast Portuguese caravels of the day.

Corvette
Corvette is the French term for a small frigate with less than 20 guns (See FRIGATE below). The British referred to a ship of this size as a "`Sloop-of`-War." These vessels developed around the same time as the frigates in the late 17th century. They were used as light cruisers, packets, and as convoy escorts.
The `in-game` corvette is not a corvette, but really a mid 18th century frigate.

Fearless
(See BLACKPEARL). The vessel is similar to the Blackpearl, however the large gallery gives the impression of 17th Century Spanish and Portuguese shipbuilding. The `fore-and`-aft rigged mizzen course temporally places this vessel at the earliest in the late 17th century.

Fleut / Flyute
The Fleut is a large but inexpensive Dutch merchant ship designed for trade over long distances. In the early 17th century the Dutch East India Company, strong long before the more famous English East India Company, employed a large fleet of fleut's for the journey from Zeeland, around Africa, and up to India, and then back again. Indeed, the fleut was so successful as a merchant ship, that it became the prototype for all merchant ships thereafter.
The fleut was both inexpensive and easy to construct; the perfect formula for investors and merchants. Fleuts were generally armed up to twelve guns, however, the standard crew compliment for these large ships was only 12 itself, meaning one gun per sailor. With an average weight of 300 tonnes, the fleut was three times as large as most sloops, and nearly as large as the first frigates. A `ship-rigged` vessel with a lateen `mizzen-course`, the most characterizing of the fleut's features was the nature of its hull. It was surprisingly `flat-bottomed`, granting the fleut clearance into the shallow waters of the Dutch coastal rivers as well as travel across the Atlantic. The hull was rounded and wide, with a bluff bow and raised poop and quarterdeck.
The profile of the `in-game` fleut seems acceptable; however the hull is much too narrow. The advantage of the fleut was sheer size and cargo space. The narrow `in-game` hull is `counter-productive`. A long narrow hull like this, with a flat bottom, and only 12 sailors would be a disaster in a storm. The first wave to cross her beam would probably roll her over, especially with such tall masts. Every sail apart from the stays and the `fore-course` would have to come down if she were to survive anything approaching the monsoons in the Indian Ocean; not to mention the terrible blows off the Cape of Good Hope.

Frigate
The frigate is a `ship-rigged` man of war with three masts with less than 50 guns on a single gun deck. The masts of the frigate must be divided into at least three: course, top, and topgallant. Frigates are used in convoy escorts, single repeaters, packets, and as cruisers. Lord Nelson said, "Frigates are the eyes of the fleet." Prior to the Battle of the Nile Nelson said, "Was I to die at this moment, want of frigates would be stamped on my heart."
Frigates are perhaps one of the simplest ships to understand because they are defined so strictly. To paraphrase the definition above, a frigate is a large man of war that is too small to lie in the line of battle.
Frigates developed towards the end of the 17th century. In the beginning of the century, the frigate role was carried out by `race-built` galleons. Soon, the desire for special ships designed particularly for cruising purposes created a special warship design. The vessel needed to be a fast sailor but to also carry the punch of a true warship. The initial result was a long narrow vessel, deep draught, and a raised poop deck, but low `fore-castle`. Time demonstrated the need for a more stable firing platform and the hull became sharper below the water, and wider above.
As the 18th century progressed, the after castle retreated from the frigate. Some frigates retained a small poop, but most did not. The frigate was generally characterized by flush decks with a clean sweep `fore-and`-aft to assist in minimizing the chaos of battle. The mizzen course changed from the `lateen-rig` to a `for-and`-aft sail on a boom allowing the frigate to point closer into the wind.
Frigates of `thirty-six` guns or more were generally considered heavy frigates. Those with `twenty-eight` guns or less were referred to as light frigates, or affectionately as "jackass frigates."
The `in-game` frigate, at 44 guns, is a clearly a heavy frigate. The `lateen-rigged` mizzen course and the bluff stern and raised poop deck make this representative of early 18th century frigates.

Galleon
The galleon is perhaps the most famous sailing ship in history. Although in popular memory the galleon is remembered as the large treasure ships of Spain, in fact, the galleon began as a fast war vessel in the early 16th century. The concept of the galleon is a hybrid between the galleas, a `three-masted` `lateen-rigged` galley with a large and heavily armed forcastle, and the carrack, a heavy `three-masted` warship. The large fo'c'sle of the carrack and galleas were cut down while extending the length of the entire hull making the galleon a more weatherly sailor, with a much less tendency to drift to leeward. Galleon's retained the large ram of the galley and galleas as a bowsprit. Additionally, the galleon incorporated the heavy stern and bow guns of the galleas and carrack with large caliber side facing cannon. The better sailing capabilities allowed the Galleon to fire her bow guns, and swing around presenting her broadside and stern chasers in turn. The design was a revolution in naval warfare (See BATTLESHIP for details on the `race-built` galleon and the campaign of the Spanish Armada).
The `race-built` galleon became the ship around which the next twenty years of naval warfare centered. The Spanish, the Dutch, the French, and the English all amassed fleets of these fast and heavily armed warships. Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind was a `race-built` galleon. Heavily armed Spanish war galleons escorted the famoust Spanish Treasure Fleets in its `trans-Atlantic` journey from the Spansh Main to the ports of Seville and Cadiz.
Known not only as warships, however, Manilla Galleons made the journey from the Spanish colonial possessions in the Pacific, to the Caribbean, joining the Treasure Fleets as trade galleons for crossing of the Atlantic to Spain. Manilla Galleons were the richest ships afloat, and the greatest prize (apart from the entire treasure fleet itself) that a pirate or privateer could imagine. Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria, and the Mayflower of the English Pilgrims were both galleons.
The earliest of galleons had four masts, `square-rigged` on the forward two, and `lateen-rigged` on the after two masts. With time, the third and fourth were combined into either a single `lateen-rigged` mizzen, or a `lateen-rigged` mizzen, with a `square-rigged` topmast.
The `in-game` model of the Galleon is a fairly good representation of the 17th century Spanish Manilla Galleons. The `fore-castle` is a little too large for a 17th century war galleon, and much too large for the `race-built` galleons. The poop and quarterdeck would need to be lowered as well.

Galeoth / Galliot
The Galliot was a medium sized 18th century Dutch trading vessel with one or two masts with lugsails and leeboards, used both for coastal trading and as a small ocean crossing merchantman. The hold capacity ranged anything from 50 to 300 tonnes. The rig could also be fitted with guns and used as a small unrated naval vessel, the lugsails granting the vessel better running conditions with the wind on the quarter to across the beam. The most recognizable feature of the galliot is its chubby hull with a bluff and rounded bow, flat sides, and a rounded stern.
The `in-game` galeoth is almost an exact replica of a `medium-sized` galliot.

Lugger
The `three-masted` lugger is an adaption of the traditional `two-masted` lugg sailed French "bisquet." Bisquets were used as small coastal traders and fishers. The three masted version was known as the "French `Chasse-Mar`ée" or "English Lugger" and used as a small but very fast privateering vessel chiefly off the coasts of Europe. The `Chasse-Mar`ée had more steeply raked masts and a bluffer bow than the English version. Luggers and `Chasse-Mar`ées were used so commonly as privateers and smugglers that the rig was very commonly referred to as the "privateer" rig. The vast majority of luggers and `chasse-mar`ées were employed by the French during the `mid-late18th` century and throughout the Napoleonic wars.
The ingame model is more inline with the `Chasse-Mar`ée than the English lugger and is much too heavily armed. Usually a `Chasse-Mar`ée or Lugger would carry no more than four small guns.

Manowar
The term manowar is not as restrictive as the game represents. Technically, a Man of War is an armed vessel of a national navy carrying over 20 guns. The category "Man of War" is broken down by rigging and by number of guns. The American 20 gun Niagara, the French 74 gun Genereux, and the Spanish 120 gun San Josef were all men of war.
The in game model is that of a 100 gun 1st rate ship of the line. That means that like the 90 gun battleship, this ship is designed to lie in the line of battle for hours and even days bombarding the enemy with a ruthless reign of destructive metal. The model is a good representation of the `three-deckers` built in the `mid-late` 18th century.
These should only be used in games occurring after the first quarter of the 18th century. Prior to that date, the quarter deck and poop deck would be much higher than they are in this model. Every Navy of the world desired to build these behemoths, and many did. Yet, they should be nearly unencounterable. `Three-deckers` would be either confined to guarding precious harbors and ports, or blockading the enemy.

Pinnace
A pinnace is either a small boat used for transportation between the coast and anchored ships at sea, or a small `one-masted` vessels with six or eight oars used for repeating signals up and down the early line of battle. These signal pinnaces were used heavily by the English during the campaign known as the Spanish Armada.
The `in-game` pinnace is obviously not historically accurate. She is supposed to be a large merchant vessel. The shear size and hold capacity places a merchant like this late in the 18th century, probably an Indiaman, while the rounded and tubby hull resonates with the traditional Dutch Fleut. Yet the hull design (the raised quarterdeck and raised poop, along with the low `fore-castle` and bluff bow) is that more of a 17th century large French or British Man of War like the 100 gun Royal Sovereign. These ships included spacious galleries with large windows and decorated facings. However, at 24 guns, the `in-game` pinnace is under gunned for a large warship; certainly not a ship of the line. If the galleon model is accepted to be a 16th century galleon, the pinnace model could be said to be a 17th century fast galleon.

Schooner
A schooner is traditionally a `two-masted` `for-and`-aft rigged vessel generally with a `square-rigged` sail in the foretop, however by the mid 19th century, schooners were known as `fore-and`-aft rigged vessel with more than one mast.
The schooner was an American rig, having developed in the ports of North America during the `early-mid` 18th century. The shallow draught and sleek running capabilities gave the schooner excellent performance in the shallow creeks and bays on the American coast.
Schooners were used mainly as fishers off the New England Coast and Nova Scotia. In Baltimore, the privateering capital of North America, local shipwrights lead in the development of the faster, sleeker, and more weatherly schooners used as raiders and pirates.
Schooners were light vessels with flush decked hulls. The small carrying capacity of the vessel restricted schooners to coastal areas and short voyages for lack of stores. Even the heavily armed privateers rarely carried more than eight guns.
Special heavy schooners with larger holds became the chief slave ship of the 18th century, making the journey from Guinea and the Slave Coast to Barbados, Jamaica, and Charleston.
The `in-game` schooner's rigging is wrong, but can be corrected. The hull is properly flush, although the raised poop over the aft cabin is not accurate for most schooners of 18th century. At 20 guns she is much too heavily armed.

Sloop
A sloop is a `single-masted` `fore-and`-aft rigged vessel with the main course rigged on a boom. The sloop in this form developed surprisingly late in the game, around the end of the 17th century, becoming more common throughout the 18th century. Before this period, the term sloop was used for any small sailing vessel. Sloops in their modern form were developed by the French as blockade runners to escape the line of blockading British ships so often off French harbors and ports.
Sloops were used for everything imaginable. They were fishers, merchants, packets, transports, pleasure boats, privateers, pirates, and small warships. It would not be a mistake to call the sloop the `work-horse` of the maritime world. Sloops were found in every region of the world; however, they received special attention in the Caribbean Sea and off the North American Coast.
The most active period of `Anglo-American` piracy began around 1690 and ended around 1725. It should be noted that these dates coincide with the development and explosion of the Sloop. Sloops were deep draughted vessels giving them a surprisingly large hold for a vessel of this size. Storage capactity allowed the crew of 75 to stay at sea for months at a time granting greater freedom and range in cruising ground.
Officially any `single-masted` `fore-and`-aft rigged vessel is a sloop, however, naval versions were known as cutters. Cutters had generally better running characteristics and even at six to eight guns, they were more heavily armed than their civilian counterparts.
The `in-game` model is a rather accurate representation of a large late 17th century sloop. The raised poop and bluff bow distinguish it from the later sloops. The model also sits too high in the water and should be lowered. The sloop is much too heavily armed for a realistic representation of a sloop's fighting capabilities.

Tartane
Tartanes or Tartanas are small single masted trading vessels used in the Mediterranean Sea from the 15th century to the present day. They are used as merchantmen or fishers. They are lateen rigged.

Xebec
The Xebec is perhaps the easiest ship in the game to place both geographically and chronologically due to its famous employment under the hands of the skilled Algernine sailors. While Europe called these Barbary sailors pirates, they were in fact members of the elite Navy of the Dey of Algiers. The classification of the Barbers as pirates, privateers, and corsairs was nothing more then European ethnocentrism and Religious discrimination.
The Xebec was the frigate of the Corsairs. The sleek hull with its sharp beak and overhanging poop is immediately recognizable as both exotic and dangerous. The raked back mast design along with the large lateen sails offers a glimpse of a different and more ancient theory in sailing technology. The speed of the vessel with the wind one or two points abaft the quarter gave any `lateen-rig` superb raiding capabilities. The small amount of sail along with a crude but very efficient system of reefing allowed the Xebec to perform well in almost any situation. Indeed Xebec performed the worst when running before the wind. In any race with a proper and well handed `square-rig`, the Xebec would lose. To compensate for this discrepancy two variations of the basic Xebec evolved.
The first variation is hardly surprising given the history of Mediterranean and naval warfare: the Xebec galley. The galley version included all the benefits of the lateen rig's running capabilities, along with the advantage of having hundreds of galley slaves rowing the Xebec out in a calm. Many a becalmed convoy in the Western Mediterranean was raided by small Xebec galleys rowing out to wreak havoc on the immobilized merchants. However, a disadvantage of the Xebec galley was the space requirement of the galley slaves and oars. Arranged in the same area the cannons would normally be operated from, the Xebec lost much of its fighting capabilities and threw a very low broadside weight. Yet, as with all galleys, what the Xebec galley lost in broadside weight, it gained in the size and number of guns in her bows. The greater freedom of the oars allowed the galley to turn on a dime and perform maneuvers unimaginable in a true sailing ship. Therefore, the Xebec galleys, as with all traditional galleys, were fought more like `dog-fighting` airplanes, pointing their nose at the adversary, not their sides.
The second variation is the Xebec frigate, sometimes called the Spanish Xebec. Simply, a Xebec frigate is a Xebec hull with the normal `lateen-rigging`, but also the yards of a `square-rigged` vessel which can be raised into the fore or main masts giving the Xebec much better capabilities before the wind. Xebec frigate captains would alter their rigging rapidly as the wind situation changed.
Xebecs were in themselves very simple to sail and required few hands on deck at any one time. However, both Xebec galleys and Xebec frigates were very crew heavy and contained nearly twice the number of hands that a similarly sized European ship would employ. In the case of Xebec galleys, the men chained together in the slave deck were often African Christians, captured European sailors, or slaves taken from the interior of Africa. Xebecs were used heavily by the Algernines, Spanish, and French.
Whether the Xebec in question is the traditional form, the Frigate variation, or a Xebec Galley, Xebecs were dangerous adversaries in the hands of good crews and captains, and utter terrors under the watch of a good seamanlike captain.

Yacht
In its earliest usage in the 17th century, yachts were small, light, naval vessels used for patrolling coastlines. The speed of the yachts when compared to the larger 17th century `men-of`-war allowed them to be used as packets, and small transports for royalty and ambassadors as well. A number of yachts were built specifically as royal transports. These royal yachts were highly decorated in the baroque style of the period. In the 18th century and afterward, the term yacht began to apply to any vessel intended for pleasure.
The `in-game` yacht is a good representation of the royal transports of the 17th and 18th centuries. Yachts should be encountered more as transports than merchants. Due to the expensive nature of royal yachts, they should be rare as well.
The armament is much too heavy, and would better represent that of a `sloop-of`-war or corvette, not a light transport.


A Brief Maritime History of the 17th Century
Over the last year or so, there have been a lot of questions about what really was going on in the Maritime world during the 17th century, especially in regards to wars. Needless to say, if there is one thing the Europeans like to do, its make war with one another. The 17th century was no exception. I have prepared a brief glimpse of the 17th century in Europe.

The Fall of Spain, The Rise of the Dutch, and the Beginning of the 17th Century
First off, during what is affectionately known as the age of sail, Holland was known as The United Provinces. There has been some discussion concerning that Holland did not exist, and was really Spanish in the 17th century. There are of course elements of truth in such a claim, but I hope that in the brief history to follow, a real understanding of the Dutch political standing in the period, as well as its role in the Maritime balance of power can be understood.
In 1588, (everything in Maritime history seems to start in 1588) Philip II of Spain was in a war to remake the Protestant world Catholic, as well as to remove "that heretic woman" from the English throne. While he was preparing his great Spanish Armada, he likewise dispatched more troops to Spanish Holland.
Spanish Holland is in the area of Europe we would now refer to as Belgium. This Spanish Holland claimed dominance over the remaining regions of the `low-countries`. These regions grouped themselves together to oppose Spanish Aggression in a loose alliance called the United Provinces.
Like Venice, the United Provinces became one of the main mercantile nations of Europe. Situated on the coast of the North Sea, the United Provinces controlled access to many of the rivers slicing down through Central Europe, but also sat at the strategic juncture between the Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. As a natural `stop-off` point to any trading ship running out of the Baltic, the United Provinces were able to quickly take control of the precious Baltic lumber trade; a trade absolutely essential to all the lumber greedy navies of Europe.
Following the Spanish Armada Debacle, Spain was unable to properly oppose the growing strength of the United Provinces. As such, Dutch merchants began to tread the entire breadth of the world. Additionally, despite being on a war footing with Spain, Dutch merchants were not averse to trading with the enemy. Some Dutch merchants even hired privateers to take out contracts against Dutch shipping. The quest for greater profit margins drove the United Provinces to financial domination over the rest of Europe.
The creation of two independent companies assisted in this global domination. Acting as a sovereign nation in the east was the Dutch East India Company, or VOC. The VOC was the first major European attempt at breaking into the rich East Indies. Investing millions into military expeditions, the VOC eventually gained control of key Indian ports forcing the Grand Mogul to accept Dutch Indiamen and trade.
In the west, the Dutch West Indies Company, or WIC, was created. The WIC warred with the Portuguese for control of Brazil and the rich sugar plantations in the Caribbean, eventually taking the island of Curacao, the best natural harbor in the region.
By the 1621's Philip II's son, Philip III now sat on the throne. Determined to regain the role lost after 1588, Philip III financed the construction of another larger invasion fleet. Philip III's goals were similar to his father's: destroy the English Navy, and bring the United Provinces under Spanish control. In 1639, the construction of the fleet was completed and set sail. The mission was to sail to Holland, destroying the Dutch Navy if encountered.
Off the coast of Dover, a vastly inferior Dutch fleet under Maartin van Tromp spotted the Spanish fleet under Don Antonio Oquendo, son of a Spanish commander from 1588. Contrary to everything the Spanish and indeed the world saw in the Channel in 1588, the Spanish strategy was to close with the Dutch ships, grapple, and board. Likewise, the Dutch were prepared for a long range artillery duel. Just as in 1588, the Spanish Invasion fleet was forced to turn back after great losses in vessels and men. Casualties were listed as 7000 to the Spanish, against 100 Dutchmen. The Battle of the Downs, as it would be known, signified the end of Spanish Imperial dominance. Shortly thereafter, Portugal and Catalonia broke away. Portugal would never return.
In the hundred years that followed the United Provinces would strengthen their positions around the world, to become the first modern maritime power. The Dutch freedoms at sea translated well into the Dutch Calvanist ideals. The United Provinces became the model of twentieth century western republicanism. The only major differences were in the lack of a voting populace, the United Provinces were a Republic in the strictest sense, and the strict adherence to moral ideals due to the strength of Calvanism and Dutch Humanism. Even then, the United Provinces were a very tolerant and happy region of the world. Women walked the streets unchecked and engaged in learning just as their male counterparts. The lifestyle of the poor was different in quality, not in content. They always had enough to eat, and always received their nutritional value, only the food differed in quality. The case was similar in fashion and housing. Overall, the 17th century United Provinces would be a very familiar place to any modern westerner.
Despite the freedoms for the Dutchmen, the successes of their maritime empire were supported by the suffering of countless peoples deemed `sub-species` of Dutch perfection. While they practiced freedom at home, interest in profits convinced the United Provinces to conquer the Portuguese slaving ports and take over the slave trade. As Padfield writes, "At the bottom their wealth was built on the subjugation of materially weaker peoples and the exploitation of every defenseless species encountered in every quarter of the globe." The Dutch are to be praised for the promotion of freedom of the seas, and for their religious toleration in an age of persecution, and for their progressive equality for women, but no student of history can ignore the abuses that their system of cold, thoughtless, and profitable trade wreaked on the world.

England and France Strike Back: The Middle of the 17th Century
In the 1650's Oliver Cromwell tried desperately to unite the United Provinces and England into a Protestant alliance against Spain. In so doing, Cromwell wanted certain guarantees that the Orangists would never try to restore the Stuarts to the English throne, as well as guarantee that the Dutch would not enter into treaties against England. The United Provinces could not agree to such a demand, since they were already allied with France and Poland to contain Sweden. As such, Cromwell's dream faded from reality and he turned his powerful navy to the Caribbean and the French and Spanish possessions there. With death of Cromwell, and the restoration of the Stuarts, England began territorial expansions against Dutch interests. The French, at this time had already begun massive privateering operations against the Dutch in the English Channel and eastern Atlantic. The English began similar privateering operations in the Channel and the North Sea, seriously hampering the crucial Dutch fishing industry and its ability to trade with both the WIC and the VOC. Additionally, the Duke of York led an expedition into Africa to seize the Dutch slaving posts. The Dutch responded by closing the Baltic shipping and trades from the English, seriously hurting the English ship building capabilities for want of timber. The English were able to capture New Amsterdam, the North American Dutch capital, and renamed it New York, for the King's brother. However, English gains in Africa and the Mediterranean were lost when the Dutch recaptured the slaving posts. In 1667 the Dutch put an end to the English opposition. A small squadron under Admiral de Ruyter sailed up the Thames river and raided Chatham. One of the greatest failures of the English Navy, the Dutch succeeded in burning the `three-deck` Royal Charles at anchor. The immediate result was the ending of the war with the Peace of Breda.
Within five years of the peace, however, France under Louis XIV had succeeded in building a new navy, and amassed the largest army in Europe. By 1672 the French Navy listed 120 warships, displacing upwards of 115,000 tonnes. The Dutch fleet, composed mainly of light cruisers totaled 102,000 tonnes; while the English fleet, worn down by the constant fighting with the United Provinces, weighed in at 85,000 tonnes. The Spanish were of no consequence; having expended huge resources in failed attempts to regain Portugal. Both Iberian powers had smaller navies than Sweden and Denmark at 30,000 tonnes.
Louis XIV attacked everywhere. He began to make huge gains in the Caribbean and the East Indies. Charles in England recognized the French superiority and had already in 1669 begun secret negotiations with Louis to convert to Catholicism and unite in an alliance against the Dutch. In 1670, the English king secretly became a puppet of Louis XIV. In 1672 the `Anglo-French` powers declared war on the United Provinces. The Dutch were prepared for the naval onslaught, but were at the mercy of the French land army. Due to his unpreparedness and civil unrest, the Grand Pensionary, de Witt, was forced to appoint one of his long enemies, the Orangists, as `Captain-General`. The 21 year old Prince of Orange took command with the guarantee that he would be named `Admiral-general` when he was a mere 22 years old.
Admiral de Ruyter, at the age of 68, was chosen to again command the Dutch fleet in the war that was surely going to come. De Witt and de Ruyter amassed the smaller Dutch fleet of cruisers and sailed into the Channel to meet the combined `Anglo-French` fleet. Off of Sole Bay, de Ruyter and de Witt broke into two squadrons and bore down up on their enemies in the first major usage of the fleet line of battle. The size of the battle is incomprehensible. The truly amazing fact of the battle, however, is not the size, but of the outcome. Despite being outnumbered nearly 2:1, de Ruyter succeeded in pulling ahead in a decisive victory. The number of ships burnt and captured were not high, although the heavy English flagship Royal James was burnt to the water line. The truly decisive outcome of the battle was the forcing of the French fleet back down the Channel and the English fleet to port to repair and refit. The cost of the repairs and of the war forced Charles to quit the war.
Early in the war Louis' land forces made great successes. Yet, he mistakenly decided to stop at the many forts along the way in Spanish Holland to lay them to siege. The time lost allowed the Dutch to break their dikes, and flood the southern regions with water, immobilizing the French Army long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The failure of the English fleet to support the invasion by laying off the Dutch coast added to the numerous stresses on the French army.
Despite the victory, De Witt's return from the Battle of Sole Bay was not a welcome one. The poor readiness of the army, and the need to resort to flooding the southern country created an outrage within the Republic. Both de Witt and his brother another Regent were forced to abdicate when the provinces of Zeeland and Friesland both elected William, the Prince of Orange, `Admiral-General`, and `Captain-General` for life. The 22 year old Prince then forced Louis to sign a treaty and end the war.
In England, Charles' backing of Louis met with great distress and protest. Both houses of parliament had voted to quit the war and equated an alliance with France to be an alliance with popery and the antichrist. For Charles, all he gained in the war was enormous debt and dissent within the country.
In the United Provinces the de Witt brothers became `scape-goats` for everything negative in the country. Eventually, upon meeting with a mob of Orangist sympathizers, the two were tortured, hanged from the ankles, disembowled and fed their own intestines. Considering the great social freedoms following the battle of the Downs, the treatment of the de Witts emphasizes the changed nature of the United Provinces. The Dutch Golden Age was over.

1688: Rule, Britannia
The last major event to occur in the political world in the 17th century changed the face of the world forever and completely shifted the trajectory of the period. William of Orange, despite his youth, was now the undisputed leader of the United Provinces. Still reeling after their near destruction under the combined strength of England and France, the future of the United Provinces looked grim; especially considering that war with France again loomed on the horizon.
In 1688 Prince William achieved something that had only been successful twice before, first by Julius Caesar, and again in 1066 by William the Bastard: the Invasion of England. The Dutch Prince knew that France would soon declare war, and with Charles still on the English throne, England would again support Louis XIV. William knew full well that the Dutch military could not again defend against a combined `Anglo-French` force. Acting on intelligence that England was divided in its support of Charles and his Francophile policies, William dispatched agents to the British Isles to instill uprest and asses the political situation. These spies informed him that the situation was better than he had ever hoped. Indeed, he was able to enlist the support of a sizeable number of parliament members and military officers. There help was absolutely essential if his plan was to succeed. He would invade England, depose Charles, and as the new English king, throw her Navy into a war with France.
William, from a young age, felt that destiny had ordained that he lead the forces of Protestantism, and indeed God, against the evils of Catholicism. He believed very strongly in predestination, and knew that if God's will was to defeat Catholicism, then the invasion would succeed.
After making all the necessary arrangements and feeding false information to England that he was preparing to invade France, William led his fleet across the Channel to England. For the most part Charles was deceived. However, a directive from Louis warned him of a Dutch attempt to depose him. Charles took measures to prepare for invasion, but they were too late. The same storms that kept Charles' fleet in the Thames blew William to Yorkshire.
Having landed, William met with a mass of English supporters, country gentlemen, and military officers. Having brought the necessary supplies, he armed the supporters and marched on London. The defection of the Earl of Churchill along with his army to the army of William sealed the fate of Charles. He fled to France. Having signed a proposed Bill of Rights and creating a Parliamentary Monarchy were an absolutist one had stood before him, he garnered the support of the Protestant populace. England was his.
`Sixteen-eighty`-eight, known as the Glorious Revolution, brought England into the modern age. From 1688 onward England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom would each in turn wage war on France. William had achieved his desire and united the two great protestant nations against Catholicism. Britain and France would be nominally at war until 1815. Only with the First World War would the two nations ever join a realistic alliance. The combination of the natural defensibility of the British Isles, combined with Economic lessons of the United Provinces would foster the tiny Island nation into the greatest Empire the world has ever seen. `Fifty-seven` years after William conquered England, a poet wrote the tune that would cover the globe:

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves;
Britons, never, never, never, shall be slaves!
 
That's fantastic, JMV, you should submit it as a historical research paper for the main site. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":yes" border="0" alt="yes.gif" /> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
I second Cat; that's one great treatise! Clear, engaging, and informative. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="onya.gif" /> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bookish.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":mm" border="0" alt="bookish.gif" />

Re: brig; I think I had brig and snow confused. Thanks for the clearup!

And regarding the rigs: As your and Mith's work shows, looks like we can correct a lot of that. And with Inez's tool even fix the locators to get the ropes to line up.

One quick nit: James II who succeeded Charles II before the GR.

Also, my rosy memories of youth (hah) may be deceiving me, but IIRC the Pirates! Gold manual had a nice historical precis as well (though only through ~1700); if you haven't seen that yet you might like to. {And though I never had P! the original I believe that has a good section too}
Though Replacementdocs was down last I checked, and it's no longer offered here. But a google should turn it up.
 
NK thanks for the correction. You are right. Charles II was out in 1685, and his brother took over. The Whigs and Tories rebelled against James II's rule and greeted William III in 1688. James II is so minor I thought to pass him over, since Charles II really made all the mistakes that lead to the revolution.

Despite the length I can't but think that I didn't clear up the issue at hand. Please tell me what other things you need and I'll type it up right away.
 
No worries. My view of the Glorious Revolution has been corrupted for life by watching "Captain Blood" too many times at an impressionable age. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that you didn't cover enough; I just meant that, I seemed to recall that the P!G history of the 17th century was worth reading, not that it had anything you didn't.
Sorry about that. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":eek:ops2" border="0" alt="oops3.gif" />

Did you get the ships_init file I sent, btw?
I think the next question, if you're up for it, is how do we translate all that into POTC?
I.e. what stats _should_ the various ship types have as baselines, and how should the stats be modified for the various nations? And should some ships, as you suggested before, be available only to certain nations?

And the other half, the visual models. We _should_ be able to correct the fleut using Inez's tool; export the GM to OBJ, pull it into something and rescale it, then export to VRML and "overwrite" the old fleut mesh in the fleut GM with her tool, keeping the locators; then just rescale the locators to match the new dimensions.

In terms of waterline, you _can_ set ships' waterline via code (changing property refShip.WaterLine changes how high the ship sits in the water).

And in terms of rigging changes, should we begin trying to bring the rigging in line with what you outlined above, by reusing existing pieces?
 
Oh, and we probably should start separating the ships list into eras, not least because even if the same ship is in multiple eras, the stats may change.
 
No worries, I never got the implication (obviously, since you didn't imply it).

I didn't get any sort of ships_init file. Did you email it to me?

I'll get the info on the different nation base attributes up later tonight.

Regardling the physical models, if Inez's tool can add locators, then an upgunned Pinnace and Fleut would make good mid 17th century `men-of`-war. Also, a smaller flat bottomed fleut would be great.

I've played around quite a bit with the rigging in the game. I've noticed that one of the problems comes in when you put a mast in the wrong order. Although, I think most of the fixes can be done just with replacements. The lateen masts cause problems though. Every attempt I made at either putitng the xebec's masts on another hull, or putting a `square-rigged` `fore-mast` on the xebec resulted in a CTD.

If we can add locators, would it be possible to add more sheets and staysails on the 18th century vessels? The Brig needs a large mainstays'l too.
 
Yes, and change locator names so ropes point to the correct place (and add locators so if you add say brig's bowsprit to corvette, you can have sheets for all three jibs).
Or even just go ahead and change sailtype, to for example correct the gaff tops'l so it's trapezoidal as it should be, without the boom.

Hmm, an addon project: a true staysail with boom?

Re: file. Damn and blast!
Actually, you can just download the whole shebang from the CVS if you prefer, that's even more `up-to`-date. But I'll email the ships_init file too.

Feel free to reorganize it by the way; I never moved the `add-on` ships to where they're supposed to be in the array, and now it's small enough that such `cut-and`-pasting is possible.

By the way, if the nation multipliers aren't flexible enough, you _can_ add extra entries to the array and `hand-tune` the values for different nations.

And lastly, it _is_ possible to switch out nation stat arrays based on era, so if we add a define to BuildSettings to determine era, we can skip `non-appropriate` ships (brig in `16-17th` cent, caravel in 18th?) as well as change multipliers (i.e. so Britain can be better shipwrights compared to others in era X, but worse in era Y, as well as to simulate increases in stats as time went on without adding whole new ships).
 
Nevermind, Nathan. I got the ships_init file. I'll take a look now.


*** Dang, too late. Got it anyway.
 
Now you have it again, plus more notes. Which should have gone the first time.

Plus it sat in the outbox for two days because Outlook was playing weird or something. So it's Not You.

Forgot, re: staysails.
I _believe_ that sails are simply created by adding sail1 through sail4 locators to a mast_Xn or rey_Xn mesh.
(Checks) Dang, it's more complicated. Because, frex, brig1_mast1 has more than one sail, with the _same_ locator names.
So there must be a hierarchy involved, or prefix or something, to distinguish between different sails.
 
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