No Peace Below the line, being a thread on the possiblity of open warfare expansion

[Michael O'Dwyer]

There is no peace below the line.

This is an old saying that was popular in the 1660 time period. What it means is that once you pass the equator your in a sea of open warfare and anyone can and would attack anyone. This was one of the pretexts given for the English attack on the Dutch colonies in West Africa that led to the second Anglo-Dutch war.

The idea is that there are some foolish players that want to make the game an open pvp game, or get an open pvp server. So far no dice. I can't say I agree with them, but I do think the idea has some merits if done correctly. The problem is the pve crowd would just leave, if it was there server. A pvp stand alone server would be an economic waste land, so to keep the pve economy safe from the pvp server, we need an open link, via a mission, that allows players to sail off to another map.

The cape Verde Islands and the west coast of Africa, which are all owned by the Portuguese (for game purposes). The line on the map is 500 miles long, just for reference purposes.

You would enter at a random point in the grey shaded area on the north, west or south edges. You would exit in these same zones and return to your national capital.

The resources would be new, and could possibly be used for player housing or other new unknown features.

There should be a few new pirate gangs, the barbery raiders, the Portuguese, the Dutch VIC.

Possible items to add to the econ mix

Ivory
Ebony
Whale Oil
Bananas (for AC)
Diamonds

[Grottski]

This idea I love.

/two thumbs up

[Blackbeard the Pirate]

Great idea! Cant say anything else but that .

/three thumbs up

[Grutte Pier]

I like it!

[Ravenau deLusan]

Originally Posted by Michael O'Dwyer There is no peace below the line. This is an old saying that was popular in the 1660 time period. What it means is that once you pass the equator your in a sea of open warfare and anyone can and would attack anyone. This was one of the pretexts given for the English attack on the Dutch colonies in West Africa that led to the second Anglo-Dutch war. ...

Generally, I like the idea. Here are a few questions.

So if a nation captured a Portuguese port in Africa they would keep it until captured by another or would it be reset every war phase? Would those ports count toward victory?

Right now a given port has to belong to someone. Obviously, it could be an NPC, hence St. Eutatius. That one can't be attacked so the devs would have to allow the attacking of some neutral ports, but how? A port battle with NPCs seems kind of silly. Would 10,000 contention be enough? 20,000?

Would it be easier if each nation start with one or more ports the same as the rest of the map and go from there with entire area being PvP flagged to any who enter? No neutral ports except maybe one RAH. The usual contention system would be in effect tho the zones wouldn't really matter if everyone must go flagged.

[Michael O'Dwyer]

I figured the Portuguese ports would all be unconquerable, like the Dutch. Your idea certainly makes a big difference so I can't say I am sure.

If you make them Unconquerable, then you have to work with the Portuguese to get good enough rep to build structures and not pay out the wazoo in taxes.

If you can conquer them then I would say reset them with the map.

[Ravenau deLusan]

Ok, I see what your aiming at - one or more valuable resources that require sailing through a red zone in order to be used in the Caribbean. To make that attractive at least one resource must be important to the general production of other products. I don't know how many will set up shop in a constant PvP zone to get mahogany to make furniture to decorate future housing.

Historically, we all know what one resource should logically be, but for sensitivity, business, legal, fun, and a host of other reasons we don't have that resource in game.

It could be ivory or any other resource that you named. It could be that more than one is required as well. So if many recipes required some small amount of ivory & ebony and structures required a larger amount of both to be constructed at all, we'd have those vital resources.

What if the devs moved teak or ironwood to the new region? Would that be enough to cause players to set up there? Would gold & silver work? If all the oak or iron were moved to the proposed region we'd have a hotbed of activity alright, but it might lead to hegemony by the most populous nation so the resource can't be that vital.

[CannonballAlex]

I find the origonal idea great.
a new map or a section that if you keep sailing east you go off into the other map "coast of africa, or spain perhaps, or the Mediterainain (I bucherd that name)
But the idea is a great step forward for an expansion ayyyeee

-Cannonball Apollo