Prelude: Drastic Measures

Not only in Oleon was the threat of pirates and privateers being noted...

And now, everyone with an eye for security and order on the seas (or for profits) has a place to turn! Read though the following and sign up your warship to keep the Sea Lanes safe!

__________________

In one of the many ministries of Bellson, the undersecretary was going through the correspondence from New Terra. Being undersecretary was an honourable position, but George Robertson found most of the correspondence wearisome. Someone had to go through it, though, and the secretary himself surely was not going to lower himself to such humble tasks.

Lately, a clear pattern was emerging: Pirates and privateers. The Brick Seas was no safe place to travel, and while hurricanes, reefs, and calms were to be expected, the amount of privateering activity was excessive. Complaints even talked of national ships preying on Corlander vessels!

It was time to do something, and Mr. Robertson had been tasked with setting up a charter for a joint task force to hunt the privateers down. The secretary himself hoped that Oleon and Eslandola would both join forces, as intelligence suggested they had similar challenges. Perhaps even private contractors would contribute, hoping to take part in the profits of such a venture.

____________________________________________

The Brick Seas Purge of 616

Royal Navies, Trade Companies, and Enterprising Individuals of all allegiances!

In recent months, the threat of Pirates and Privateers in the Brick Seas have skyrocketed, posing an extensive threat to honest traders, and complicating the growth and supply of our new settlements.

Therefore, we now call upon you to join us in our efforts of purging the seas of these villains, and ask that you contribute warships to a common task force to hunt them down. All contributions will be welcomed with open arms, and we hope to be able to form several powerful squadrons to patrol as many sea zones as possible. These squadrons will be formed as vessels are found available, and each squadron will have a commodore appointed amongst its captains.

Further, all participants will have their share of total profits.

The prizes will be pooled from all patrols and shared out relative to contribution to the joint task force. The total prize pool will consist of:

1. Gun-money
   15 dbs will be added to the prize pool per enemy gun-rating sunk. Up to a maximum of 300 dbs. This cost will be covered by the participating Nations.
   
2. Bounty from recaptures
   Vessels recaptured will be returned to former ownership against a 20 % bounty of license value.
   
3. Auction sales
   Remaining captures will be offered on auction with a minimum price of 50 % of license value.
   
4. Prizes
   Captures not sold on auction will be condemned as prizes, and all proceeds added to the prize pool.
   

The total prize pool will go towards the following:

1. Compensation for losses
   To encourage private enterprise, participating private vessels lost in this venture will be compensated with 50 % of license value. However, this compensation cannot surpass 50 % of the total sum of the prize pool.
   
2. Payout
   After compensation has been paid out, the remainder of the prize pool will be distributed amongst all participating vessels, private and national, regardless of whether they survived the action. The distribution will be relative to the contribution based on rating. (i.e. a 2A will get 2 shares, while a 5HA/5LA will get 5 shares. )
   

It is our hope that you will join us in our efforts towards purging the seas of this scourge.

Signed

George Robertson

Undersecretary of Trade

Bellson

OOC: This is a joint project between Oleon, Eslandola and Corrington to stop some of the pirate and privateer threat facing our warships. However, Sea Rats are also welcome to sign up as individual contractors.

The task force will not target Sea Rats, but instead the independent pirates and privateers of the Brick Seas.

We hope to see many national and private vessels signing up for this venture.

Edited May 24, 20168 yr by Bregir

Captain Daffyd "Splattersquawk" Prows of the Dark Narwhal (Class 2A) is at the ready to exercise his Letter of Marque upon the pirates and privateers who practice their predation on our good merchant fleets. As this is a joint venture, the good captain is promising to forego his customary "special shot" towards Oleon vessels.

Edited May 24, 20168 yr by gedren_y

I for one would never ever consider committing a crime on the high seas but... my friend wanted me to ask if this lynch mob fleet is limited solely to NPC targets or if he would be considered a target should he accidentally steal one of the main faction's ships while hunting seagulls.

Edited May 24, 20168 yr by Kwatchi

Sir Robinson,

I am pleased to hear about this enterprise as one of my vessels was reduced to timbers in last months trade run.

My other ship managed to capture one of those pesky pirate ships so I'd be happy to put it to good use.

However, as I'm still looking for a crew and the ship itself is being repaired it won't be able to join this months purge.

I hope this will be an ongoing operation and if so I will participate in future operations.

All the best,

Puvel

  On 5/24/2016 at 6:28 PM, Kwatchi said:

I for one would never ever consider committing a crime on the high seas but... my friend wanted me to ask if this lynch mob fleet is limited solely to NPC targets or if he would be considered a target should he accidentally steal one of the main faction's ships while hunting seagulls.

No Sea Rats will be harmed...

  On 5/24/2016 at 4:50 PM, Bregir said:

The task force will not target Sea Rats, but instead the independent pirates and privateers of the Brick Seas.

To George Robertson,

Undersecretary of State of Corrington,

I, Senor Felipe de la Manzana, am offering the service of the newly aquired Pineapple Revenge at the order of Captain Basil d'Eslandola, my former first officer, to help you on this dangerous task.

Our duty is to ensure the protection of our trade routes and, as an Eslandolan, I cannot let those infamous Privateers been unpunished ! L'Olius paid the price during our late action but many other pirates and mercenaries of all kinds are haunting our waters. We must show them who are the real masters of the Brick Seas.

That is why I am totally following you and I am sending you the Pineapple Revenge immediately.

Friendly yours,

Senor Felipe de la Manzana, Apple Master, Member of MAESTRO.

Edited May 24, 20168 yr by Faladrin

Great to see all the interest already

I'll sign up for the hunt asap, but first I need to get me a ship for this afloat. It'll be a 5A2 going by the name of Diligente.

Nice light effect in the build, Bregir. The poor undersecretary needs some fresh air... and a shave Good job setting this up

The Eslandian Crown is pleased to be able to contribute with:

The Charging Stallion - 5LA

The Sea Bulge - 4A

Little Tyke - 1A

__________________Guy K. Wyndzon

__________________Secretary of State

Captain Jack Mercker of Eslandola will sign up the Lady's Revenge (class 2A) to help rid the seas of these pirates.

Coyle Shipping Company pledges the Armina on condition she is paired with another 5HA in a three ship flotilla.

Mr. Secretary

The Montoya Estate pledges the Justicia (4A) under command of Lieutenant McLeod towards the task force. The vessel is at your disposal.

Sincerely

Don Isaac Montoya

______________

Great to see some interest, guys and gals! We are all hoping to form a powerful squadron, and it is already starting to build! Great work, guys.

So far:

1 x 1A

2 x 2A

1 x 3A

2 x 4A

1 x 5LA

1 x 5HA

Hopefully more will sign up, and we are expecting more from Oleon and Corrington in before the end of the month. So pirates and privateers, beware!

A few comments:

@Kwatchi:

Generally, the task force is not going to attack sea rats. However, a word of warning, trying to prey on vessels from Eslandola, Oleon, or Corrington will lead to retribution. And the convoys will not be unescorted.

@Puvel:

We expect this to continue for at least some time, so your warship will be very welcome!

@KB:

Thanks - glad you like the light effect! And a beard is highest fashion in Bellson right now, so no shave!

The build is actually a testing bed for some offset techniques, and I think it turned out reasonably well. I am looking forward to testing them on a large scale. (If not exactly Gideon-scale... )

Oleon's very own blackdeathgr himself will join the pirate hunt commanding Gladiateur (4A).

I proudly contribute the Le Protecteur (3A) to help eliminate the pirate scourge.

The Holder's Secret (2A) will participate in the Great Purge as well!

(I guess you will contact me about what I have to enter in the MCRA-form?)

Edited May 29, 20168 yr by Elostirion

Dear Captains,

The squadrons are starting to form, and we will announce them as they are ready. Each squadron will have appointed a commodore, who is responsible for managing the squadron, including which targets to attack. We suggest that you are not shy and attack at least vessels of a rating similar to the largest in your squadron.

Currently, the following Squadrons are formed:

Beta, Zone 6:

Charging Stallion (5LA) ESL (Kai)

HMS Publius (5HA) COR (Bregir)

Pineapples Revenge (3A) ESL, Commodore Faladrin

Gamma, Zone 9:

Armina (5HA) COR, Commodore Mike S

HMS Pandora (5HA), COR (Bregir)

Justicia (4A), COR, Bregir

Ypsilon, Zone 4:

Holders Secret (2A) ESL Elostirion

Dark Narwhal (2A) ESL, GedrenY

Ladys Revenge (2A) ESL, Commodore Capt Wolf

Heavy squadrons are forming for zones 2 and 14, and we might have another light squadron for zone 3.

Questions are welcome.

Sincerely

Mr. Robertson

Assistant Undersecretary of Trade

Further, the empires of Oleon, Eslandola and Corrington wishes to make the following announcement:

To all privateers of the Brick Seas,

In recent months, several privateers have attacked national fleets of Oleon, Eslandola, and Corrington in unprovoked aggression unfit for a state of peace. Even independent traders known as the Sea Rats have been attacked.

This is a clear transgression of the basic rules of diplomacy, and cannot be tolerated. Reports mention attacks by Mardierian, Namerian, Carnierian, and Garveyan and the coalition demands that these and similar aggressions cease immediately.

Should privateers still set sail to encroach upon our trade, they will be met by a powerful joint task force, which will not hesitate to attack privateers, national or independent.

We hereby consider all nations forewarned, and consider actions of the joint task force entirely justifiable.

Signed

Representatives of Oleon, Eslandola, and Corrington

Edited May 29, 20168 yr by Bregir

Nice build.

The Eslandian crown will also be sending:

Walrus (5HA)

La Salamandra (4A)

Dear all,

Three further squadrons have been formed.

Alfa, Zone 2:

Walrus (5HA), ESL, (Kai)

The Turgut (4A), OL, Phred

The Expedition (5HA), OL, Commodore Dukesc

Delta, Zone 14:

Diligente (5HA), OL, Commodore KB

Gladiateur (4A), OL, Blackdeathgr

Sea Bulge (4A), ESL, (Kai)

Zeta, Zone 3:

HRS Tigre (5HA), OL, (KB)

Salamandra (4A), ESL (Kai)

Le Protecteur (3A), OL, Commodore Genaro.

Currently, we have Mardiers Misfit (4A) of the Royal Navy (Cor) and the Little Tyke (1A) of the Eslandian Navy in reserve, should anyone else wish to sign up last minute.

Your servant,

Mr. Robertson

Assistant Undersecretary of Trade

EDIT:

"Independent contractors" (i.e. Sea Rats) are welcome too!

Early reports are in from the pirate hunting campaign,

Delta, Beta and Gamma Squadrons report multiple captures, a few close calls, and no losses.

Zeta reports no losses and only a few pirate sightings.

Alfa squadron reports mass losses to the infamous pirate Zublious Von Wreck

Ypsilon reports massive losses, with only the Dark Narwhal returning with a prize.

Shipping news to be reported over the weekend.

Great. I've lost my ship. Sad day.

Edited June 3, 20168 yr by Elostirion

Exciting!!!!!

Great ! Beta squadron is safe !

This results are quite good ! It seems we hit more pirate ships than we lost !

Sorry for the vessels we lost, Felipe will send flowers and apples to the Fontonajo family...

Wow, von Wreck really is a beast beating/damaging one of our strongest squadrons!

Captured ships might still be 'in the game' (not 100% sure about the game mechanics here), so a convoy escort might get lucky recapturing a ship... Or unlucky being captured by a 'turned' one.

In any case:

  On 6/3/2016 at 7:43 AM, Maxim I said:

Exciting!!!!!

Indeed!

  On 6/3/2016 at 6:37 AM, Elostirion said:

Great. I've lost my ship. Sad day.

Captain Prows will gladly take on any stranded fellows, and give them the honor of prize crew for our capture.

So much for my first command with Ypsilon squadron...