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Visual Aid / Reference Image: http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l800/pict/162562823657_1.jpg
New Ship Name: Ketch
Alternative Name: Brigantine
Size: 2-3 Players
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Clearly, meant for 3 people to crew. Can be crewed by as few as 2, but will be harder like with a 3-man Galleon. This concept aims to eliminate the difficulty of 3-manning a Galleon by proposing a middle-ground. 2-manning a Sloop remains viable due to it being easier than 2-manning a Ketch.
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The Ketch is narrower than a Galleon but around 3/4 as long, though it is only a bit taller than a Sloop. Compared to a sloop the Ketch is probably 1.5x wider and around almost twice as long, with the main deck sitting at about the same height as a Sloop's p**p deck.
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Has two masts located on the main deck, the larger foremast being positioned towards the front of the ship while the mainmast sits further back, after the metal grate in the deck and before 3 sets of stairs (1 leading below deck, and 2 leading up to the p**p deck where the wheel is found).
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The crows nest will sit atop the foremast, complete with an alarm bell and flag.
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The adjustment ropes for the foremast are located between the second and third cannons on each side, and are closer to the third cannon. The adjustment ropes for the mainmast can be found up on the rails of the p**p deck.
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Armed with 6 guns located towards the bow, in lines of 3 on either side. These guns will favor forward-angled attacks a little more than those on a Sloop or Galleon, leaving the rear side less protected. These cannons will be spread along the sides at wider intervals to provide extended angles of firing in comparison to other ships.
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Two medium-length sets of stairs will raise up from the main deck to the p**p deck where the Steering Wheel and Compass are located. The steering wheel will turn up to a maximum of 2 full rotations, like a Galleon, though the turn radius of the Ketch itself will be tighter. It still won't turn as fast nor as sharp as a Sloop though, so keep that in mind.
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The cabin area rests under the p**p deck and is accessible from the main deck via a doorway and smaller set of stairs, as the cabin isn't level with the main deck and actually sits a bit lower. Entirely enclosed unlike the Sloop's cabin, and without an exterior balcony like the Galleon, the Ketch cabin should feel colder yet sturdier and more protective. The rear face and sides of the cabin will have a series of small-panel windows, allowing for an unfortunately somewhat obscured view of the sea.
The Voyage Table can be found just inside the cabin to the right of the doorway when entering, and looks like a smaller desk with a simple chair. Opposite the Voyage Table, to the left of the doorway when entering, will be a less defined doorway with a longer set of stairs leading down into the main hold. At the back of the cabin will be the Map Table, with enough space around it that players can interact with it from any side (obviously, same as other ships).
The Ketch's cabin should also look more like it belongs to the crew than the captain, with an assortment of less prestigious and less fancy decorations. The strange purple shelf (Legends Trophy Rack maybe?) present on both the Sloop and Galleon will be mounted to the wall a little ways from the top of the stairs leading further below deck, with the Grog Barrel placed right below it. The Armory and Ammo Box will be placed along the wall opposite from the stairs below deck and near the Voyage Table. -
The main hold, being the majority of space below deck, will extend from the cabin area to the bow of the ship with access to the cabin via a longer set of stairs. The Brig is in the corner left of the stairs when entering the main hold, along with a few decorative barrels and/or supports.
The 2 Cannonball Barrels, the Wood Planks Barrel, and the Food Barrel will all be placed in the area around the mainmast's internal support column and may be placed as far away as the wall behind the foremast's support column. The Clothing, Equipment, and Vanity chests will be found in the same area as the storage barrels, but will obviously all be located close together rather than spread apart like the different kinds of marked storage containers. The Ketch's main hold needs to be spacious like the Galleon's lower decks, but feel somewhat cramped or perhaps fully stocked like the Sloop's hold. -
Holes can appear lower on the walls in the cabin room (so as to be under the windows) and will occasionally spray in seawater like in a Sloop's cabin. Holes made in the main deck can be both lower and higher up on the walls, though never directly on top of one another and never high enough to be difficult to reach.
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The Capstan will be positioned on the main deck in the middle of the ship between the foremast and the metal grate, and will be much closer to the foremast than the grate. It will have 2 pegs like a Sloop's Capstan though it will function slower, yet it certainly still turns quicker than a Galleon's Capstan. It could be adjusted in such a way that a single person would find the Ketch's capstan rather difficult to move, while two people make the endeavor much easier.
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Lanterns will be placed on the prow before the first cannon on each side, another set of lights will be placed between the first and second pairs of cannons, and the last Lantern on deck will be positioned to left of the wheel and opposite of the compass. The first Lantern in the cabin will be just inside the doorway to the left when entering, while the second will be hanging over the map table. Lastly, the main hold will have a Lantern mounted to the foremast's internal support column and another Lantern on the mainmast's internal support column, both of which will be facing back towards the cabin stairs.
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The Ketch design thus far seems to support sort of hit-and-run or tactics, with its spaced out and slightly forward aiming cannons allowing for longer and more angled strafing runs as opposed to the typical parallel strafing. However, the broadsiding power of a Galleon or the agility of a Sloop will still prove an easy match for the Ketch, especially if and when the Ketch's rear is exposed to cannon fire. The cannons of a Ketch could also be spread out over longer distances along each side, effectively reducing firing density while increasing the angles of attack (albeit weaker than if the cannons were closer together).
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Most things here are debatable and subject to change, such as the position and number of cannons and the like. If you have any suggestions or concerns, please voice them with some detail in the comments below.
