SHIP-CONTRACT

Description

SHIP CONTRACT [] When you are anchored at a pier with a shipwright, you may hire crewmembers to staff your ship. Crew members are required for use of weapons as well as making your vessel go as fast as it possibly can. Different ships require and can support varying amounts of crew members. Ships can sail at full speed with up to 75% of their maximum crew members.

When crew members are hired, they accept a base fee for their services as well as a share of any spoils from plunder.

Keeping the crew members happy is the Captain's job - SHIP INFO will show the current morale rating of the crew. If the morale rating falls below a certain amount, crew members may start deserting you. Morale can also affect the top speed at which your ship can sail, and how fast your ship's weapons can be reloaded when they are fired. Morale will definitely drop if crew members are killed during combat, if the crew becomes overly bored, if they aren't making enough money from plunder, or if they have been at sea for excessively long periods of time without docking.

To boost morale, be sure to dock at ports as often as you can (to give the crew members time to stretch their legs and visit the local taverns and houses of ill repute). Morale can also be raised by plundering treasure gained from defeating other ships or sea monsters, as your crew members receive a cut of that.

If the number of crew members is not specified, it will default to hiring enough crewmembers to fully man the ship.

Ship Maintain

When you are anchored at a pier with a shipwright, this command will issue shipwright commands to take care of the most banal maintenance duties: contracting new seamen, repairing the ship and recharging its shields as necessary, and refueling when appropriate.