Making ships

Olympia: The Age of Gods PBEM (Oct 4 2000)

### 4.3.1: Making ships

Building a ship takes several steps. First the shipbuilder lays down a hull, which determines the size and carrying capacity of the ship. Then he adds sails, rowing ports, a keel and fortifications, mixing and matching these features to create a ship with precisely the speed, capacity, and combat characteristics he desires.

Laying a hull requires a noble to have the Build Hull [1002] skill, a subskill of Shipcraft [1000]. To begin construction of a ship, the shipbuilder should unstack from beneath other nobles and issue the following `build` order:

      build ship name hull-size

The `build ship` order takes two arguments. The first is the name of the ship to be built. The second is the size of the hull. Each unit of hull has a capacity of 2500 units of weight, and requires 10 wood and 100 worker-days to build. So the command:

      build ship "HMS Bounty" 3

would begin construction of a ship hull named "HMS Bounty" with a capacity of 7500 units weight, requiring 30 wood and 300 worker days to build.

There is no limit to the size of hull that may be built.

One-fifth of the lumber required will immediately be deducted from the shipbuilder's inventory and put to use building the new ship. The shipbuilder and his workers will be placed inside the new ship.

At least three workers are needed to begin construction of a ship.

Until the ship is completed, it will be shown as ``in progress`':

      Ships docked at port:
         HMS Pinafore [ih39], ship-in-progress, 28% completed, owner:
            Osswid the Constructor [5499], with five workers

The remaining construction materials are deducted from the builder's inventory as work on the ship progresses. A second fifth of the lumber is required when the ship becomes 20% complete, a third fifth when the ship becomes 40% complete, etc. Construction halts if the builder runs out of materials

For example, a noble who wanted to build a ship hull of size 2 would need to know Build Hull [1002], have at least three workers, and start with at least 4 wood [77]. (16 more wood is required to bring the hull to completion).

To resume construction of a partially completed ship, first enter the ship, then issue `build ship`.

Once the laying of a hull has begun, the size of the hull cannot be changed.

Ships may only be built in locations with a passable route to an ocean.

Operating a ship requires 2 sailors [19] for every 20 units of hull. Additional sailors may be required to work the sails, row, etc.