Capt Wolf

I'm no expert, but I'll take a shot at this. Top of the food chain was of course the captain. Next was the first mate, essentially a second in command -- although on a pirate ship this role was typically filled by the quartermaster. The quartermaster (who was elected by the crew on a pirate ship and expected to look out for their interests) was in charge of food and water supplies, kept the books, and could also discipline crewmembers. Sailing master was in charge of navigation, sailing, and piloting. Boatswains were junior officers that supervised the crew's work and reported to the quartermaster or captain. The carpenter was in charge of maintenance and repair of the hull, masts, and yards. The master gunner was typically the most experienced gunner; he was responsible for the ammunition and powder, and led the gun crews. Mates were apprentices to the various masters. A gunner would lead a gun crew and typically aim the gun himself. Riggers were sailors assigned to work the rigging and furl/unfurl the sails. The bulk of the crew were common sailors; less skilled ones might be known as swabbies. I'm sure someone else will chime in with better or more accurate info, but I hope this helps.

A dock scene (medium commerce) ...

With the Weelond regiment eliminated in group play from the Soccer Cup, Governor Willem Guilder was finally able to attend to other matters. A short trip from Trador to Hojaroja on Otoño was in order. The island was known for the fall-like coloration of the foliage of its trees, apparently due to the mineral composition of the soil. Colonel Dirk Allcock of Corrington had made some generous gifts to the settlement in the wake of Operation Pax Corlandia, and the effort to patch relations between Corrington and Eslandola deserved recognition. Guilder knew Allcock had expressed interest in studying Otoño's unique flora, so Guilder had his men dig up two saplings and pack their roots in barrels filled with local soil. "Captain Merker, please see to it that these saplings are delivered to Colonel Dirk Allcock, along with this letter expressing my gratitude for his gesture of friendship. He may be on Trador at the moment, as his team was still alive in the Soccer Cup. If he is not there, perhaps his cousin, Commander Matthew Allcock, is still there and can arrange to forward them to him. And please pass along my regrets that I am not able to deliver them personally." With that, Governor Guilder was off to attend to other matters. ----- The full build: I was happy with the effect I achieved with the uneven dock, and I think the shore and hill turned out OK as well. I'm still working on my trees; more leaf pieces would help. All C&C welcome.

FWIW, I use Brickshelf and have been happy with it, save one time when they were going through upgrades. And welcome to BoBS!

Thanks to everyone for the comments! This royal build was a fun collab. Thanks. Regarding the base, I had to give it some character. Just a rectangular 16 x whatever would have been boring. And I thought about doing more detail with the niches, but I was running out of time and pieces! And that last picture was something I wanted to do from the moment I started this build. I had some grander plans for connecting them, but in the end I just did a quick mock-up. Thanks. And of course there will be plenty of large crowds flocking to the royal park! Thanks. The statues had to be high enough to indicate the entrance from a distance, and to convey the size of the entire park. Thanks! The pedestrian archways are one of my favorite details of this gate. Thanks. I thought a royal build should be clean. The carriage is from a previous build, but it makes appearances in my builds now and then. Thanks. Only the best for the Brickwalls! Thanks ! Yeah, the inspiration image really helped. As for minimalistic, I did want to do a little more, but just ran out of time and pieces. Thanks! Real life inspiration always helps.

Thanks! Credit for the color scheme goes to Sir Stig. The challenge for the tower itself was to create some texture and interest, so the wheel fenders really helped. They also helped carry over the design from the building to the tower. I also made sure each level of the tower was different. As for the recess, I used the same design in the bell tower for the church I built last year.

Thanks to all for the comments on my soccer cup build. The team didn't go through to the quarter finals, but it was still fun. Thank you! Also, I'm worried about you. Thanks! It appears the goalkeeper was the one who succumbed to too many pineapples. And the pants were a must for this build! Thanks. I was sure someone would be familiar with that. Thanks! The bottles are from Brickforge, I believe. Thanks! I had been looking for something to use those support pieces in, so this was a good opportunity. As for the pineapple, this mini-challenge demanded something fun!

Yes, as I understand it. You could plot a course from a port out to a specific zone and back to the original port.

You're right. I meant '90s. The decades all just run together for me at some point.

A few of the recent new settlements aren't on the map yet, but they will be available in the MRCA. When we announce the signup deadline for the MRCA, we'll include a chart with all the settlements listed, including their map zone and their trade value.

Trade MRCA form The old Monthly Raiding and Commerce Action (MRCA) from Era I is now called the Trade MRCA in Era II. It enables you to sail the seas -- alone or in groups -- to trade at various ports of call, escort friendly traders, patrol the seas for your enemies, or go prey on the innocent! THE BASICS Movement The Era II Trade MRCA map has some slight changes from Era I. This is the map as of November 617. See the current MRCA sign-up thread for an up-to-date map and table of settlement locations and trade values. In Era I a vessel had unlimited range. Now in Era II, with the new ship stats, a vessel may only travel through a number of zones up to its range rating + 1 (including starting and ending zones). So, for example, a ship with a range of 3 could travel from Nova Terelli (in zone 2) to Breshaun (in zone 10), but it could not reach ports in Corrington (in zone 9). A vessel with a range of 6 could sail from ports in Oleon (zone 14) all the way to Astrapi (zone 23), but could not reach Lavalette (zone 28). A ship with a range of 1 in Kings Port (zone 3) could only sail to Prinport (zone 4) or one of the settlements on the island of Nelissa, such as Nova Terreli or Pontelli (in zone 2). A ship with a range of 0 could only travel to ports in its own sea zone. NEW: Patrol/predator routes: When a trade ship enters its route in the web form, it is pretty straightforward. For example, a ship travelling from Arlinsport to Nova Terelli (with a range rating of at least 3) would enter "8,7,3,2" for the four zones it will travel through. A ship on a patrol or predator mission may want to end its trip at the same port it started. So, for example, a ship based in Bastion with a range rating of 4 that wants to hunt for prey near Astrapi and return home would enter "38,1,23,1,38". Note that it lists zones 1 and 38 twice because it passes through them twice. Furthermore, if that same ship wanted to hunt near Puerto Alijo, it could enter "38,1,1,1,38". The shorter distance to its target zone allows it to spend more time in the target zone rather than moving through other zones, and thus gives it a better chance of intercepting prey there. Starting and Stopping In the Era II Trade MRCA, a ship must start the next MRCA from the port it ended the previous MRCA. So, if a vessel sails from Breshaun to Astrapi in October, it must begin the November MRCA from Astrapi. For the first Trade MRCA we run with the new rules, ships can start anywhere. But after that first MRCA, the new starting location rules will apply. Ports of Call In Era I, the number of ports a ship could visit in a single MRCA were determined by its speed, and visiting 3 or even 4 ports was possible. Now a ship can only travel to one port each MRCA. Ships with a greater range stat will be able to reach ports farther away from their starting point than ships with a shorter range, but each ship will only be able to stop at one port. Dangers There are dangers to traveling across several sea zones. For each zone a ship enters, there is a small chance it will “sink.” If this occurs in a zone with settlements, the ship will try to head to the settlement. If there are multiple settlements, the ship will first attempt to arrive at a friendly, then neutral, and finally hostile settlement. If there are multiple settlements fitting the criteria, it will then arrive at the settlement with the largest trade value. If a ship sinks in a zone with no settlements, it will be lost. Convoys Trade ships and escorts may sail together in groups as before, as can pirate-hunting groups and faction navies, but now there are considerations for managing such large fleets. Ships may travel together in packs of up to 5 ships without restrictions. For larger fleets, specialized leaders are required. These leaders cost DBs and PIPs to employ for each MCRA they are active. -A commodore may command a group of 6-9 ships at a cost of 100 DBs and 100 PIPs per MRCA. -An admiral may command a group of 10-15 ships at a cost of 200 DBs and 200 PIPs per MRCA. -A national hero may command a fleet of 16-25 ships at a cost of 500 DBs and 500 PIPs per MRCA. NEW: Please post the name of the commander in this thread, along with a picture. Additionally, if you want to add a link to a vignette that tells us more about the commander or how he gained this assignment, even better! TRADE VALUES Trade values for settlements in the Brick Seas as of September 28, 617 (see the current MRCA sign-up thread for an up-to-date list): Settlement Faction Zone Trade value Acropolis OL 22 18 Aden CAR 5 54 Alexport PRI 29 32 Arlinsport COR 8 209 Astrapi OL 23 115 Bardo ESL 13 151 Baskers Island MAR 8 31 Bastion SR 38 163 Belson COR 9 272 Breshaun OL 10 487 Cecropia OL 24 41 Charlatan Bay SR 22 174 Dragonstone OL 1 18 Elizabethville COR 24 114 Eltina OL 10 166 Elysabethtown ESL 1 115 Fatu Hiva OL 35 80 Fortaleza Victoria ESL 32 5 Fuerte Unido ESL 32 148 Granoleon OL 14 272 Haven SR 21 23 Hojaroja ESL 32 33 Hussar’s Isle COR 22 9 Jameston COR 35 66 Kieg GAR 6 181 King’s Harbour COR 22 199 Kings Port TER 3 171 La Puebloto ESL 32 5 Lavalette OL 28 108 Londa MAR 5 181 Mehit ESL 32 5 Mesabi Landing COR 35 32 Montario ESL 2 92 Mooreton Bay COR 22 177 Moray’s Den SR 21 18 Myzectlan COR 35 52 New Haven COR 22 48 Nova Malto ESL 32 86 Nova Terreli ESL 2 448 Pontelli ESL 2 169 Port Raleigh COR 1 66 Port Woodhouse COR 35 44 Prinport GAR 4 204 Puerto Alijo ESL 1 5 Puerto Desafio ESL 32 96 Quinnsville COR 22 113 Rassilon SR 38 116 Salida Este ESL 23 99 Stedor ESL 6 91 Stormhaven COR 24 44 Takashii SR 38 18 Terreli ESL 6 272 Tortuga SR 32 63 Trador ESL 32 214 Weelond ESL 13 275 Westface TER 3 114 Windfall Island OL 28 9 TRADE SPECIFICS Various factors can now influence the payoff for a trade run. Oversupply A port can support cargo equal to 10% of its trade value. A port with a trade value of 300 can support a total of 30 incoming cargo points. For each cargo point over the port's limit, the trade value falls by a small amount. If enough cargo is delivered to a port in a given MRCA, the port’s effective trade value can be drastically reduced. Undersupply If the total cargo entering a port is less than 5% of its trade value, the port’s effective trade value is doubled. This mechanism is designed to reward smaller ships visiting smaller ports. Origin Rarity If the total cargo leaving a port is less than 10% of the port's trade value, the port of origin's effective trade value is increased for departing ships. For arriving ships, the trade value is unaffected. This is independent of over- or undersupply. Trade Earnings For calculating how many DBs a ship earns on a trade run, both its port of origin and its destination port are considered. Distance Modifier For each zone traveled, the ship’s MCRA trade income increases by a small amount. A ship that travels through four zones gets a bonus of twice that of a ship that travels through two zones. Arrival Modifier The first ship to arrive at a port each month gets a bonus to its trade run earnings. For each subsequent arrival the bonus is reduced. The modifier can go negative for ships arriving later than several other ships, but the effective trade value of the port will not dip below 75% of the port’s listed trade value. COMBAT Combat essentially happens as before. For those of you interested in some of the mechanics, and what effect your ship stats will have, see below. Interception As in Era I, players are required to specify which factions their ship will attack as well as how much stronger of an opponent they are willing to engage. The gamemaster will review which zones vessels travel through and will establish which fleets will attempt to engage one another. Weather Gauge Once an interception occurs, a D6 is rolled and added to the maneuver rating of the least maneuverable ship in a squadron. It is then compared to the results for the opposing squadron. The victor determines the battle method and, if their victory is sufficient, gets a slight bonus to their combat rolls. In case of a tie, the weather gauge goes to the defender. Battle Method There are three battle methods, line of battle (based on hull rating), guns (based on gun rating), and boarding (based on crew rating). The winner of the weather gauge uses the battle method most advantageous to them. Combat is comprised of three ranged engagements and up to two boarding actions. Boarding actions are based strictly on crew rating regardless of the original battle method. The first side to win three engagements is the victor. For each engagement, the applicable battle method rating (hull, gun, or crew) is summed for each ship in the squadron. A D10 is then added to the sum and compared against the result for the opposing squadron. The victor is the side with the higher value, and ties go to the defender. Results After the combat’s victor is determined, the fate of each individual ship is established. In most cases the victor’s ships are unharmed, although there is a small chance of damage requiring DBs to repair, or of a ship sinking even in victory. For the loser of the engagement, results include sinking, escape, damage, or capture.

Lovely build! For some reason the word "quaint" comes to mind. The essence of a small colonial factory, and it has a classic '80s Lego feel to it. I love the little details throughout the build and the various activities illustrated. But I really have to question the bagpipe as a traditional Eslandolan instrument!

Faction changes are possible, and costs depend on the details. A player who wants to change factions should PM their faction leadership to discuss details. Skill trees are among the features to be unveiled in the coming months. Getting the MRCAs up and running again was the priority. But the skill trees are in the works.

The year is 617 AE (After Empire) and this is the dawn of the second era of colonialism. After two years of the factions discovering new lands beyond the Sea of Storms, they have started to consolidate their holdings. But there is more to discover, and adventure awaits! In game terms, Era II introduces the following: - New ship stats (which you've already seen here), allowing players to customize their ships. - A revamped MRCA (now called the Trade MRCA), in which ships have a limited range, can only stop at one port each month, and start the next month from the port they end at the previous month. Also, convoys of 6 or more ships need special leaders (such as a commodore or admiral) that will cost DBs and PIPs to employ each month. Additionally, ports being overserved or underserved will impact the revenue for ships calling on those ports. - A NEW Adventure MRCA, in which players can go forth into the unknown to be the first to discover new lands -- and exploit them! Additionally, a new BoBS Intro thread and updated faction threads have been posted to the front page of the BoBS forum (although the old threads are still accessible for reference, just no longer pinned to the front page). The new faction threads have updated histories for what happened in Era I and their current relations with the other factions as we head into Era II. Full rules for the Trade MRCA and Adventure MRCA should be posted in the next few days. Other new features will be unveiled in the coming months, but the above items are the big news for now. It’s time to sail into the brave new seas of BoBS Era II.

Nope, no need to re-signup. The old faction page is still out there. But there's no harm done in re-introducing prominent characters if you feel like it.

Very nice! Just a few main elements, but still a good amount of detail. Interesting approach to building the vanilla plants -- I like it! Your attention to subtle details, like the undulating ground and the not-completely-pushed-down tiles on the shack roof, really add to the realism of the build. And the minifig posing helps bring it all to life.

Ach! The Weelond offense scored 22 goals in three games, but gave up 21. Perhaps the goaltender faced too many pineapples in practice. Congrats to @SilentWolf's WETEC squad! As long as they're not facing one of the Eslandola teams, I'll root for them to win the cup.

I guess I'm fuzzy on the concept of a license expiring, but yes, ESL is assuming control and upkeep of the fort. Thanks.

Yes it was! The soccer cup is turning out to be far more interesting than I expected. Kudos to @Maxim I for this mini-challenge!

I love this build! Both the design and the execution are superb. It really looks like a greenhouse. And the trees and detail within are excellent as well. Will we ever get to see the larger one?

A fine addition to Brickwall Memorial Park! And I'm glad you got in on this. I always thought it odd that you weren't involved in this royal build. Perhaps we need to rethink how we handle the PMs on projects like this in the future.

Those Brickarms bayonets are sweet. I have some as well, but haven't had a good chance to use them yet, as I've focused my military builds on a slightly earlier time period. You've got a great little build here to show them off. Nice work on the ground, and overall well done!

Thanks! I really liked the color scheme you had for your courthouse, so I wanted to use that to tie our builds together. Without your inspiration, my build wouldn't have looked nearly as good. Thanks. I look forward to seeing what you do with the bell tower! Thanks both of you! Credit for the color scheme goes to Sir Stig. Thanks. Those windows were fun to build, so I'm glad that paid off; I look forward to seeing them in one of your future builds. And I was happy with how the bell turned out; I experimented with a coupe different designs. And thank you also for the praise for the collab in general. It was a fun concept, and I think we kept things fairly connected.

The Weelond squad is finally ready, even if they are practicing with a pineapple instead of a soccer ball...

Willem Guilder had hoped to return to Weelond after the Malto peace talks were concluded, but he found that activity on Isla de Victoria and the surrounding islands kept requiring his attention. Among those activities was the inaugural New Terra Soccer Cup on Trador. Guilder recruited the best soccer players he could find from the ranks of the Weelond regiment stationed on Isla de Victoria, and he sent word back to Weelond for legendary coach Patch Verlander to meet him in Trador. When Patch finally arrived (and Guilder was fortunate that the entry deadline had been delayed, or else Patch wouldn't have made it), Guilder gathered the team in the Green Door Pub and introduced them to their coach. Ol' Patch had some interesting coaching theories, including practicing with a pineapple instead of a soccer ball ("If you can kick a pineapple, you can kick a soccer ball!") and throwing broken bottles at players to keep them on their toes. The team doesn't look so sure about their coach's methods, but they're ready to compete in the Soccer Cup! --- Will be licensed as a small artisan. All C&C welcome.