New complete guide for ships on POTC New Horizons

That's a bit surprising...
"Lugger1" was a stock game ship.

There was a "Lugger1" in the stock game. Whether it's the same "Lugger1" that is in NH is another matter. Or @CatalinaThePirate might simply have signed the wrong ship.

That one too?
I had that in memory for the "LuggerVML", which was custom-made by the Russian modders from Seaward.Ru.

Yes, both ships have the commands for tan sails in "Ships_init.c". Probably because, having gone to great lengths to get them into the game, I wanted to ensure they'd be seen. "LuggerVML", also known as "heavy lugger", is the most visible because that's the one you get at the start of "Tales of a Sea Hawk". "Lugger3" received them as well, as did the older-looking polacca and one of the tartanes.

Perhaps the reason was as simple as "testing if it works".
I can't see who added that code; but I do see I myself added a "unique" exception right next to it.
But that one does something slightly different.
(Or perhaps it does effectively do the same thing after all...? Just in a ruder way...?)

The odd thing is that "LuggerCT" is the only ship with the "noNatStatMod" attribute. "Unique" behaves differently; it blocks both national modifiers and randomisation, ensuring the ship retains exactly what's outlined in "Ships_init.c". "noNatStatMod" only prevents national modifiers but allows randomisation.

While I was reviewing my guide for mistakes and errors, I found that some ships seem to perform worse or, in some cases, too well for their class. I thought I would list the ships I believe need adjustments, potentially increasing or decreasing their capabilities. These changes aren’t necessary for the next patch; rather, they could be considered for future updates or releases.

Armed Schooner: Currently, it's not too bad, but I think it needs an increase in agility or cargo capacity to make it more interesting, considering it has almost no armament. For example, increase its HP and cargo capacity from 900, raise its "Arcade" speed from 14.5 to 15.0, and its turn rate from 38.0 to at least 40.0.
English Bark (vanilla model): Its speed requires improvement to at least match that of the European Barque. For example, increase it from 12.7 to 14.0. If its speed stays the same, I suggest increasing its cargo and HP as well.
Naval Ketch: Currently, it lacks competitiveness as a military ship. Important buffs are necessary for it to perform a role similar to the Naval Cutter, though still inferior. For example, increase its HP, speed from 10.0 to at least 13.5-14.0, and Max-Min crew from 38-8 to at least 45-9.
Caravela Redonda: It is presently in an inferior position relative to the other caravels, and improvements are warranted. For instance, increase its speed from 12.0 to 12.5; its turn rate from 30.0 to between 34.0-36.0; its cargo capacity and Max Crew from 70 to 80.
Pinnace (Dutch): Needs enhancements to compete with the other pinnaces. For example, increase its HP from... to at least...; and its cargo capacity from... to at least...higher than the medium pinnace, and its HP should be greater. If changes are made to this ship, then Medium Pinnace won't require any alterations.
Heavy Brig (NH model): It requires a nerf to its HP, as it’s not normal for a Brig to have more HP than heavy frigates. For instance, reduce its HP from... to a maximum of....
East Indiaman: This ship should receive a small agility buff; currently, it’s not bad. For example, increase its speed from 11.5 to at least 12.0; and its turn rate from 30.0 to 32.0-33.0.
American Brig (USS Enterprise): It should receive a caliber level increase for its guns at a minimum, from 4 to 6. Alternatively, it could be dropped to tier 6, lowering its crew and adjusting some of its stats to balance it within its new tier.
Light East Indiaman: Given its status now, it is more of a military ship rather than a merchant vessel. Modifications are needed. For example, reduce its HP, which feels excessive at present, from... to a maximum of...; decrease its maximum caliber from 18 to at least 12 or 9 to better suit its "light" classification; and reduce its crew from 200-54 to 160-38.
Treasure Galleon: Increase its speed from 8.0 to between 9.0-10.0 to ensure it remains competitive.

So while I was playing, I found around the coast of Nevis a 4th Rate Warship of the Royal Navy (the one based on the stock Fearless). As you might recall, in Ships_init.c, there is a Royal Navy model that has 52 cannons instead of the standard 44. I approached the ship's side and took a screenshot to see why it had more cannons. Here are the results.

View attachment

On the starboard side, I counted 23 cannons. With another 23 on port, 4 on the stern, and 2 on the bow, this gives a total of 52 cannons. It seems there are "artificial" cannons added to that model.

The trouble is, while the model may show cannons, it does not have firing locators. The firing locators that exist are not aligned with the cannons. Here is the hull model as seen in "GM Viewer":

It displays all locators irrespective of position. The firing locators start with "_". For example, "_29", "_88", "_89", and "_90" are the stern guns. "_77" and "_78" are misaligned, with no locators for the guns behind them. On the upper gun deck, "_81" to "_85" are nearly correct, but there are no firing locators behind "_85". ("_85" is obscured here by other locators for ropes and shrouds.) So regardless of what "Ships_init.c" states, this ship can only fire 40 guns because its firing locators align with those of "Lineship1", also known as "5th Rate Warship". This also applies to other variations of "4th Rate Warship", and the stock game "Fearless". Fixing this will not be easy.

There was a "Lugger1" in the stock game. Whether it's the same "Lugger1" that is in NH is another matter. Or @CatalinaThePirate might simply have signed the wrong ship.

Perhaps the lugger paint schemes were mixed during the Big Ship Texture Cleanup of the years.
We eliminated a fair number of redundant elements at one point.

Yes, both ships have the commands for tan sails in "Ships_init.c". Probably because, having gone to great lengths to get them into the game, I wanted to ensure they'd be seen.

And rightly so! They portray a distinct "Dutch brown fleet", which I support.

The odd thing is that "LuggerCT" is the only ship with the "noNatStatMod" attribute. "Unique" behaves differently; it blocks both national modifiers and randomisation, ensuring the ship retains exactly what's outlined in "Ships_init.c". "noNatStatMod" only prevents national modifiers but allows randomisation.

True.
And yes, odd indeed.
Maybe @Nathan Kell has some insights?
Or...
Was @Mad Jack Wolfe around during that time as well...?

And the firing locators do not align with the cannons.

EEEWWWW! That's some UGLY locator-work!!
For a model that’s already lacking aesthetics...

I recall @Nathan Kell implemented code ensuring if there are extra/not enough cannons for the number of locators, some refuse to fire or fire double. This setup guarantees the correct number of shots. This is relevant for the "cannons being damaged" mod, which was, I believe, @konradk's work. Perhaps he incorporated that altogether...

Armed Schooner: indeed, its arcade performance seems low compared to its realistic performance. Arcade speed could reach 15.5, turn rate to 50. The Corsair Schooner, a better-armed, pirate version of the same ship, also receives an arcade performance boost to match.

Caravela Redonda: I've almost looked at the wrong ship since that is also the realistic mode name for what arcade mode refers to as the "square-rigged caravel". It's also the name for a Portuguese ship which might be better labeled as "carrack". It's an older design compared to the other caravels with higher superstructure and is indeed a less effective design. Possibly reduce its period chance in "Spanish Main" so it doesn’t appear as frequently in the later period.

Dutch pinnace vs. medium pinnace: the Dutch pinnace loses some cargo capacity due to heavier armament. It is also slower in realistic mode but maintains the same speed in arcade mode, hence the Dutch pinnace will be slightly slower in arcade mode. HP can remain as is; this is a pinnace, not a frigate!

USS Enterprise: this was an earlier attempt to create a more realistic version of the Interceptor. The model includes a few more guns than the Interceptor but not enough to justify over double the crew size. Consider either increasing its speed and turn to match "US_Interceptor" and "RN_Interceptor" (American Brig), or reducing their performance to match "US_Enterprise"; at present, they're slightly slower than the fictional "HMS_Interceptor". In any case, "US_Enterprise" crew can drop to 65 compared to 57 for the other two.

Treasure Galleon: could indeed benefit from a speed boost in arcade mode, as other ships outperform it. Realistic speed should hold at 8, while arcade speed rises to 9.5.

Dutch Pinnace: If HP stays consistent, I suggest reducing HP for the vanilla model of the Pinnace, and also for the Merchant Pinnace, to maintain consistency within the Pinnace line.
Caravela Redonda: Your proposed solution seems optimal.
USS Enterprise: It would be ideal to lower it to Tier 6, balancing its stats for that tier. However, you are welcome to select what you deem best.

Further changes:
Armed Schooner (and Corsair Schooner, which is the same ship with heavier armament for pirates) will receive the arcade speed and turn rate enhancements suggested.
European Barque: the arcade speed will be decreased to align with realistic speed. The Barque Longue and Jackass Barque also require their arcade speeds to be reduced.
Fast Galleons: the arcade speed will be increased, as they currently match Fast War Galleons, whereas in realistic mode they're faster.
East Indiaman: should have a slightly better turn rate than Heavy East Indiaman, but its arcade turn rate matches theirs. So, its arcade turn rate can be minimally raised to be consistent with its realistic turn rate.

European Barque: So, are you planning to reduce their stats to be comparable to the English Bark? This could result in players favoring luggers due to their superior speed. What necessitates their speed reduction? (Aside from balancing with "Realistic" speed, of course).

If you’d like, I can incorporate all changes to the ships' stats you've mentioned. If you share the specific alterations with me, I'll include them for the next release.

Dutch Pinnace: If HP remains constant, I suggest lowering HP for the vanilla model of the Pinnace and for the Merchant Pinnace, to maintain consistency within the Pinnace line.
Caravela Redonda: Your solution appears to be the best.

Merchant Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 26 guns of 9lb, crew: 120, HP..., price..., speed: 8.5/12.6, turn: 60/29
Medium Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 18 guns of 9lb, crew: 117, HP..., price..., speed: 9.5/12.6, turn: 60/29
Vanilla Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 24 guns of 9lb, crew: 108, HP..., price..., speed: 9.0/12.6, turn: 60/29
Dutch Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 26 guns of 9lb, crew: 117, HP..., price..., speed: 9.0/12.6, turn: 60/29

The Merchant Pinnace boasts a couple more guns, a crew to man them, and is slightly slower. The Medium Pinnace is the fastest and lightly armed. The Dutch Pinnace is the most heavily armed, sacrificing some cargo capacity to accommodate the guns. Whoever added the new pinnaces neglected to adjust their arcade speeds to match realistic speed, so I'll make that correction - Merchant to 12.1, Medium to 13.1, while others will remain unchanged. Otherwise, not all ships are equal! If you're purchasing, you take whatever the shipyard has available or await the type of your choice. If capturing one for your use, the same applies—take what you can find or let it go and wait for your preferred ship.

By the way, the armament values don’t convey the complete story. The Medium Pinnace lacks broadside due to having four guns on the stern, while the Vanilla Pinnace features six stern guns, becoming a threat for anyone pursuing it! The Dutch Pinnace has the strongest broadside, but only two stern guns.

USS Enterprise: I think it is best to drop it to Tier 6, aligning its stats for that tier.

Tier assignment strictly follows the base crew number outlined in "Ships_init.c" without modifiers or randomisation, meaning a crew drop to 65 will indeed place it into tier 6 - just! Tier 6 comprises crews fewer than 100, but at least 60.

European Barque: So you're planning to align their stats to those of the English Bark? This might push players more towards luggers because of their enhanced speed. What necessitates the speed reduction? (Other than balancing with "Realistic" speed)?

The motive is to balance it with realistic speed so that ship comparisons are similar across settings. If ship A is faster than ship B in realistic mode, it should also hold that advantage in arcade mode. (There are likely others needing similar arcade speed adjustments, but I lack the time to check the entire list!)

Personally, I prefer the lugger for its speed, turn rate, and superior ability to sail across the wind. I leverage that agility to navigate around the stern of larger vessels, bombarding them with grapeshots until they concede. Barques? Forget those; I'm after something more substantial!

If you want, I can include all changes you plan for the ship stats as mentioned. If you share the specific alterations, I can include them for the next release.

European Barque: arcade speed adjusted from 14.9 to 11.9, Jackass Barque arcade speed adjusted from 15.3 to 13.3, English Barque (New Horizons) arcade speed adjusted from 14.9 to 12.7, Barque Longue arcade speed adjusted from 15.6 to 13.6.
Heavy Brig (New Horizons): HP adjusted from... to....
Dutch Pinnace: arcade speed adjusted from 12.6 to 12.0.
Fast Galleon: arcade speed adjusted from 12.5 to 13.5.
American Brig (USS Enterprise): crew adjusted from 144 to 65 (which lowers it from tier 5 to tier 6).
East Indiaman: arcade turn rate adjusted from 30 to 32.
Treasure Galleon: arcade speed adjusted from 8.0 to 9.5.
Armed Schooner arcade speed adjusted from 14.5 to 15.5, arcade turn rate adjusted from 38 to 50. Corsair Schooner arcade speed from 14.3 to 15.5, arcade turn rate from 35 to 50.
Caravela Redonda: Spanish Main period chance changed from 0.6 to 0.4. This likely won’t impact your guide; it simply implies this older vessel becomes less common in the early 17th century.

Merchant Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 26 guns of 9lb, crew: 120, HP..., price..., speed: 8.5/12.6, turn: 60/29
Medium Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 18 guns of 9lb, crew: 117, HP..., price..., speed: 9.5/12.6, turn: 60/29
Vanilla Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 24 guns of 9lb, crew: 108, HP..., price..., speed: 9.0/12.6, turn: 60/29
Dutch Pinnace: capacity..., armament: 26 guns of 9lb, crew: 117, HP..., price..., speed: 9.0/12.6, turn: 60/29

Hence, the Merchant Pinnace has a few more guns, a crew to manage them, and is slightly slower. The Medium Pinnace is the swiftest overall, and the most lightly armed. The Dutch Pinnace has the most formidable broadside, losing some cargo capacity to allocate for the guns. Whoever added the new pinnaces overlooked changing their arcade speeds to align with their realistic speed; I will correct that—Merchant to 12.1, Medium to 13.1, while the others stay as is. Otherwise, not all ships are created equal! If you’re purchasing, you take whatever shipyard offers, or wait to find your choice. In terms of capturing one for personal use, the same principle applies—take what you find or relinquish it in hopes of getting your desired vessel.

Incidentally, those armament values do not convey the complete story. The Medium Pinnace does not have much of a broadside since four of its guns are located at the stern, while the Vanilla Pinnace has six stern guns capable of inflicting significant damage to any pursuers! The Dutch Pinnace features the strongest broadside of the line, but only two guns at the stern.

Fair enough. You take what you can get, and there are at least slight distinctions among them without losing overall class stats.

Incidentally, those armament values do not convey the entire story. The Medium Pinnace lacks broadside capabilities since four of its guns sit on the stern, with the Vanilla Pinnace sporting six stern guns, quite a challenge for anyone attempting to chase it! The Dutch Pinnace boasts the heaviest broadside, yet has only two guns at the stern.

I had not observed that the Dutch Pinnace had a superior broadside relative to the other pinnaces. Makes me question whether I should include the armament layout for each ship... Do you know where to find the armament layout for each vessel?

The entire reason is to balance it with realistic speed so that comparisons between ships should be similar regardless of which setting you use—if ship A is faster than ship B in realistic mode, it should also be faster in arcade mode. (There are probably more ships needing their arcade speeds adjusted but I haven’t had the time to verify the entire collection!)

I understand. Eventually, I will have to experience realistic mode at least once, to grasp the distinctions. (Would you like me to check the arcade speeds of ships needing adjustments and help you with that?)

In any case, personally, I tend to favor the lugger due to its speed, turn rate, and proficiency for sailing diagonally to the wind. I exploit that agility to maneuver around larger vessels and bombard them with grapeshot until they yield. Forget barques; I'm in pursuit of something more formidable!

I wonder why you didn’t get your own side quest like Surgeon Peter Blood had. It would have been amusing to complete both parts of the side quest just to earn a pirate-designed Heavy Lugger, watching it fight against schooners. "I'm a pirate; I don't squander a single gold coin acquiring my own ship. I will commandeer someone else's ship, even if it's a bigger fish!"

European Barque: arcade speed changed from 14.9 to 11.9, Jackass Barque arcade speed changed from 15.3 to 13.3, English Barque (New Horizons) arcade speed changed from 14.9 to 12.7, Barque Longue arcade speed changed from 15.6 to 13.6.

That results in the entire barque line being nerfed, yet I believe it makes the game more intriguing, as these vessels now must often engage in combats against pirates and utilize chains against them, as opposed to simply fleeing without encountering naval battles.

American Brig (USS Enterprise): crew changed from 144 to 65 (which drops it from tier 5 to tier 6).

I presume the rest of its stats remain unchanged, right? This also applies to its price, which I believe should also decrease.

Caravela Redonda: Spanish Main period chance changed from 0.6 to 0.4. This probably doesn't affect your guide, it just means this antiquated ship becomes less visible in the early 17th century.

Yes, it won’t affect it. I didn’t include it because I felt it added too much unnecessary information.

Anatomy of a Pirate Ship: A Seafarer's Guide

Ahoy, mateys of the 21st century! Let's take a little jaunt back in time to the 17th and 18th centuries. A time when the world's oceans echoed with the thrilling cry of "Land ho!" and the dreaded black flag fluttered in the wind. So, anchor your modern notions at the door, and let's dive deep into the anatomy of those grand old pirate ships.

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'The sea, the snotgreen sea, the scrotumtightening sea.' While James Joyce might have aptly described the great briny deep, what about the ships that sailed it, especially those of the pirate variety?

1. The Crow's Nest:
Perched high above, like an eagle surveying its domain, the crow's nest was a lookout point. And contrary to popular belief, it wasn't filled with crows, but rather a lone pirate, eyes peeled for sails or land. From this vantage, a lookout could see danger or prize long before the deckhands below. A lonely job, but someone's got to do it, lest they end up sailing straight into the navy's clutches.

2. The Main Deck:
The heart of daily operations. By day, it was a flurry of swabbing, singing, and occasional brawling. But by night, illuminated by lanterns and moonlight, it was the stage for tales of ghostly ships and krakens, weaving a tapestry of myths and legends. In between? Well, perhaps an impromptu jig or two.

3. The Captain's Quarters:
No ordinary cabin, this was the room of the ship's VIP - the captain. Often lavish with plundered luxuries, it offered a respite from the rough sailor's life. As Captain Jack Sparrow might lament, it wasn't just about the rum; it was about the feathered beds, ornate maps, and the occasional stolen chandelier too.

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4. The Galley:
Food? On a pirate ship? The galley, while no Michelin star restaurant, was where the culinary 'magic' happened. Expecting fine dining? Think more hardtack and salt pork. But in the hands of a resourceful ship's cook, even these meager ingredients could be whipped into something... edible.

5. The Brig:
Let's be clear. This wasn't where pirates went for a timeout after refusing to share their toys. The brig was the ship's jail, a cramped, dank space reserved for unruly pirates, or more often, unlucky captives awaiting ransom. It was the sort of place that made even the hardiest buccaneer think twice about mutiny.

6. The Gun Deck:
Here lay the ship's artillery, cannons ready to rain iron on any who dared cross her path. A well-coordinated crew could unleash volley after volley, making their ship a floating fortress. Remember, a pirate's power wasn't just in their ability to swing a cutlass; it was in the deafening roar of their cannons.

7. The Bilge:
Down in the ship's belly, the bilge was its least glamorous part. A collection point for water seepage and, let's be candid, shipboard waste. This was where the bilge rats, real and the human slackers alike, would be found.

So, next time you find yourself daydreaming of life on the open waves, hat rakishly tilted, remember that a pirate ship wasn't just a vessel. It was a universe unto itself, each part playing a crucial role in the grand, swashbuckling ballet of pirate life. Just make sure you know your brig from your bilge before you set sail. Or at least, before you challenge anyone to a duel over it.