General Are the ancillary vehicles standard on new ships ?

[sabredog]

THat works, too. But if you are the pirate hunter rather than commerce raider, then what kind of ships do pirates usually have in your universe? What kind of tactics do they use?

[CaptRet]

I think the most common type of pirate ships would be Free Traders and Far Traders that "went on the account" (as the 18th century term was) and were either captured by pirates or whose crews decided to turn pirate. Next most likely would be Vargr Corsairs.

[Condottiere]

With the Vargr it's more cultural, pushed by societal and economic pressures.

Essentially, corsairs rather than pirates. Privateer implies that some interstellar polity is authorizing them.

[CaptRet]

Originally Posted by Condottiere

With the Vargr it's more cultural, pushed by societal and economic pressures.

Essentially, corsairs rather than pirates. Privateer implies that some interstellar polity is authorizing them.

I understand, but I'm sure that fine distinction is lost on shipping lines, insurers and Sector administrators trying to assure safe commerce. The sole difference probably would be how captured individuals would be treated (piracy is a capital crime; captured privateers with letters of marque from a legitimate state, operating during a time of war, would be prisoners of war. Vargr corsairs would be pirates if a state of war didn't exist).

[sabredog]

"Corsairs"....LOL That always had such a romantic dash implied that I always imagined it came with the bad French pirate accent of some comic opera - as spoken by a large dog on its hind legs in a puffy shirt, big boots, and floppy hat.

I agree that those sorts of verbal niceties are just personal taste, but a pirate is a pirate.

Privateers are at least, depending on the totality of the circumstances, legal and normally afforded the same protections as a mercenary company would be. Usually....as Kidd found out, legal protections can get a bit ragged out on the gray margins. But that's all just part of the adventure.

I think the OP's yacht/safari ship pirate hunter would do pretty well against regular ships operated by the average pirate crew looking for a fat target, but a Vargr Corsair might be a tough bit to chew. For those I'd definitely want my Launch hanging off in the dark ready with a triple missile salvo to surprise the bad guys as they came on to what they thought would be easy meat.

I also think after firing a salvo, closing fast to force a boarding with the Launch (and maybe even the yacht) might be a good way to handle that larger threat.

[Sir Brad]

That's why you want a March or Petty class with upgraded Drives & Plant, put on a pair of turrets that only show one laser each, but have concealed secondary & Turcuary weapons, Concealed Missile Barbquets and a pair of Assault Boats.

[Condottiere]

Privateers require letters of marque, and tend to have specific restrictions on the way they operate.

Corsairs have a permissive State, and while I suspect there would be various kickbacks above and below board, the intent is more strategic compared to privateering operational interdiction.

Corsairs can also act as the de facto naval arm of the State, or at least as a well trained maritime militia.

This would be a distinctive difference from Vikings, since their organizations seem more decentralized, and require a certain consensus to cooperate beyond the parish level.