Actually chadz was the first one who took it serious and replied on IRC.
I understand his point. We are still waiting Strategus re-launch, nerfs, buffs etc. I'll donate a new weapons&armors pack for the new patch (no eta) and I'll keep brain storming about Naval Battles and sea economy.
For example I came up with an idea "Docks and parking rental"
Towns : Rivacheg, Wercheng, Sargoth, Thir, Praven, Yalen, Shariz can "build" large ports and can rent space for fleets (20 ships)
Castles :Albrug, Curin, Chalbek, Tevarin, Jamiche, can "build" docks and can rent space for ships (10 ships)
Villages : Odasan, Jayek, Fearichen, Kulum, Azgad, Belanli, Elberl, Jamiche, can "build" small docks and can rent for (5 ship)
Large ships cost 4 spaces (Large port can support maximum 5 large ships)
Medium Ships cost 2 spaces (Large port can support 2 large ships and 6 medium ships)
Small ships cost 1 space (Large port can support 2 large ships 3 medium ships and 6 small ships)
Capacity (transportation of the goods)
Large ships 40 slots
Medium ships 20 slots
Small ships 10 slots
Military capacity (transportation of tickets)
Large ships 2000 Tickets
Medium ships 750 Tickets
Small ships 250 Tickets
Travel and Distance
All distance will depend on the ships food stock in their hangar
Or :
Large ships (%25 of the speed of the player on the land, distance unlimited)
Medium ships (%50 of the speed of the player on the land, needs to dock at the port once in two days)
Small ships (%75 speed of the player on the land, needs to dock at the port every 12 hours)
The idea : Captain has to set the route carefully, make reservations with the port masters in advance. There will be a possibility that there is no space at the dock, if ship cannot dock at the port, It will start to loose tickets and goods every hour then eventually the ship will sink.
Advantages of ships :
* Can carry much more than players
* Dock rental helps the economy
* Safer route
* A new layer of military strategy
* Goods that cannot be produced in land
Disadvantages
* Repair costs
* Piracy
* Dock prices
Cheers