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A Twilight of Empires
Lords of the Earth, Campaign 13
Non-Player Piracy and Trade
While there is an extant leader action of Piracy (7.2.4.26), it does not deal with non-player commerce raiding. Uncontrolled port cities and port areas historically were used by pirates, many of whom arose from, and coordinated with, the local power structure. This of course is a more extreme example of lower-level piracy conducted out of ports as small-scale criminal acts, which is already factored into international trade income.In Lords of the Earth, this is most simply represented as counting all trade through affected sea zones as being of Blockaded Sea Trade route status. As a player, then, your main question is: What can be done to get back to Normal Sea Trade? The following is what we will try in A Twilight of Empires.
Independent coastal regions with GPv of at least one (1) and Revolt Value of at least three (3) - that is, at least a (1/3) region - have an inherent piracy capacity. Trade through a sea zone bordering two (2) or more such regions will suffer from piracy unless at least one (1) warship unit of any type is assigned to that route. Capturing all such regions will end the piracy more resolutely.
Independent port cities and port areas have an inherent piracy capacity. Trade through a sea zone bordering any such cities (or areas) will suffer piracy unless a number of warship units greater than five (5) times the city GPv size (or three (3) units if a port area) is assigned to the afflicted trade route. Again, capturing such a port city or port area - aka "a haven of sin and depravity" - will also end the piracy.
Regions judged by the above criteria and the GM as afflicted by piracy are denoted on the maps with the symbol:
Units assigned to anti-piracy patrol may over time be lost to hostile action, weather, or desertion: a pirate's life for me!
