I would like to see the pirates have a proper economy. They get money from the black market and bounties and just because they are pirates. Then with that money they have to build ships (probably cheep ones). This would mean they would have to think about losing ships! They wouldn’t just hit a target knowing they would lose. It could also get rid of the pirate attack count down. As they would be constantly scouting, looking for the best way to make a buck. It wouldn’t mater if that person has the highest bounty or not, if you give them an easy mark, they will attack! Also, the more you use the black market, the more you would enable their fleets. It may even be important form time to time to go pirate hunting, where you go looking for the pirate fleet simply to cut them back a notch. Of course the devs would have to work out some details so that the pirate’s don’t get to powerful. But in my opinion this is a MUST, not to improve the pirate feature, but to complete it.
Interesting idea! I like the way it works now, but it sure has some potential for optimization.
I really like the neutral extractors and would appreciate more diversity for neutral structures. So how about neutral tradeports, frigate factories and research stations? Located in grav wells without a colonizable planet. All these 'freelance' structures could belong to pirates initially. Players can capture them thus competing with the pirates and each other.
The neutral structures would have to be very valuable creating the goal to defend them. The extractors now don't really matter in mid- or late-game, right. But what if neutral frigate factories would allow players to build pirate ships equivalent to the units that would otherwise have to be researched by the players? Or special research in neutral labs? Here comes a nice use for starbases in the Entrenchment expansion
Problems: Strong pirates in the beginning (because they start into the game with this 'empire' of capturable structures) might be a problem.
Your idea of pirates scouting around for targets is also cool. And having them getting stronger if the black market is used extensively is also nice. Though they would stomp me every game
This is a great idea
in fact, those capturable frigate factories could well be able to produce pirate ships. then you could use those as privateers. like attacking another empire without declaring war and them not knowing who it would be. in a very diplomacy sensitive game that could prove useful.
and since its a pirate structure, give the factory a few more hp (if it should be destroyable) and maybe a light turret or something.
nevertheless, I do not want to see pirate trade ports. they don't trade, they steal, they plunder, they kill, they .. yaaarrrr. but you could give those neutral planets some more structures.
I like how you think Shadowhal. I totally agree that if there is a neutral frigate factories they should be able to crank out pirate like units that I could use to raid my opponents worlds and economy and that he will think its the pirates.
This is just an add on. But so that it's fairer for the pirates the pirate ships you use to attack should give the pirates 25% of the loot you get. this way it's a very nice ship attack going on but pirates will still get stronger with each kill you make. So it'll have risk to it.
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