Somewhere to discuss about flag's handbook

[Wishgamer]

I have noticed we don't have a thread here to discuss about this subject as we do in the Spanish area of the forum. I want to thank you Vernon for his help and his ideas he did send me through private message and that I'm adding below for us all to read and comment/discuss. So let's start working on it here:

[Wishgamer]

I think you are revising the signal book. I have sent several signals this game, but find the ideas that can be transmitted  limited. I hope you include the following new words:

1.  (I)
something that represents the speaker as in
you attack, enemy, starboard,
I, attack, enemy, port.

2. give chase
not quite the same as attack

3. engage
a general term that means do it, or execute the order or proceed, as in
engage the enemy more closely= you coward, stop fooling around, get in there and fight

4. continue
there is no way of saying keep doing what you have been doing

5. congratulations or very good
there is no way of saying well done, good show, you're the cat's meow,  right on, A OK

1. This has been already commented on the Spanish forum and the answer was to use numbers and your own ship number to represent yourself (if I'm not wrong, and if I am hope Munrox corrects me)

2. Give chase... something like pursuit an enemy?

3. Engage... as far as I understand the term (sure not very well ) I find it pretty similar to attack... isn't it?

4. I suppose there shouldn't be need to say that. Or in oder words, I suppose orders are given to follow them and leave them if either objective has been accomplished or orders changed. Although this is just IMHO*

5. Here I agree with you, although I seem to remember this has been already discussed too and somehow forgotten

Ok guys so lets start to discuss this here too. Once again thanks so much vernon for your good ideas

*NOTE for those not used to this kind of English things: IMHO is an acronym (I think this was the term) that stands for In My Humble Opinion

[edward pellew]

Wishgamer, I will comment on your response to this question:

What system of flags did you get these designs from?
<<I cannot tell you where did they come from, I'm almost certain Munrox assigned meanings to them. There are just 25 flags, and I'm actually working on the translation of the first handbook to use them.>>

In Naval Warfare in the Age of Sail, it says that Admiral Lord Howe 1790, was most responsible for signal flag advance until Popham came out with his much more flexible and accurate system.

As far as people using the flags, I am sorry there doesn't seem much interest on the English side. I was going to send a signal now because of the fog asking where the enemy is: black triangle/ red split tail. I did not send the message because I don't think most captains would know whether the message said, "#20" or "continue attack" or "where enemy."

[Wishgamer]

Well, Vernon. I think it is a slow process where our interest on learning the system, plus the will to add some more good combos are needed. I think that, if people doesn't want to learn it we can't do a single thing about it my friend, so don't get depressed about it.

I for one can assure you that Zarby knows what that message mean and would answer you with as many ships as he would have. And I speak of him because he is the one I've been lucky enough to have the chance to communicate with flags. In fact even I doubt I might have been to the required level compared to him. So go figure hehehe

But, if you're the admiral of a fleet, you can get people to grab the handbook and consult it. Maybe some will not, but sure some will and this will make the group grow and that's good news

In regards of adding new combos let me say that, while we are free to add anything in "private" it is Munrox's will (and many others too) to try to not be very "precise" in our messages because this might void the receiver captain ability to command his/her ship. I'm not sure if I am able to express what I want very well in English, so I can only hope you can get the sense I try to express

[Zarby]

I would have sent you more messages, Wishgamer, but I had to send messages to other ships as well. 

[Wishgamer]

I'm certain my friend. That is the way it goes so no need to apologize at all.

BTW, what's up with Monarca in Trafalgar my friend? I've read that Peon9 is moving it and thought you might be on holidays or something

[edward pellew]

I read your lengthy post Wishgamer and immeadiately started a disquisition back to you, but I decided to think about it for a while.

[Zarby]

I'm certain my friend. That is the way it goes so no need to apologize at all.

BTW, what's up with Monarca in Trafalgar my friend? I've read that Peon9 is moving it and thought you might be on holidays or something

I was logging in every day, but since I never saw a no next to Monarca I was not moving it. I was busy and did not take the time to see why the game was stalled. Then I found out that the game was not stalled. 

[Wishgamer]

I read your lengthy post Wishgamer and immeadiately started a disquisition back to you, but I decided to think about it for a while.

Hope this doesn't mean I did upset you, or bother you in any way Sure if I did it was not my intention as it is never my intention to bother people

[edward pellew]

I moved the thread hear because I wanted to continue talking about signals-

<<No Vernon, because sailing in line and veering in succession keeps the same sense... don't they? I'd say your signals asks the rearguard division to go to the East in line and fast. Just one statement and not two as you made with that "dot" in the middle>>
I'm looking for a defense in my court marshall 


How would you read this signal? 14/ 16/ 10/ 12/ 19

[Peon9]

I understand it as:

That Vanguard(#14) and Rear(#16) go in line ahead(#19) to North(#10) East(#12)

But althought the meaning could be understand, i think the order is not the better 

For instance, to say the same i will use the flags: 14+16+19+10+12 leving the course for the end of the signal  (it is the same as i translate the message)

[edward pellew]

I have a suggestion for the #6 flag, blue/yel X

Now there are 2 meanings:
1 flag= no
5 flags= I do not understand
(five seems a bit extravegant, I think the meaning would come across with fewer)

New meanings:
1 flag=   no
2 flags= not able to follow order
3 flags= I do not understand order

[Wishgamer]

Hello Coffee, well, there was a time when I said the very same about not needing 5 negatives to say I don't understand. But people preferred to use five so there was no doubt about it LOL.

Maybe that difference between I will not follow orders because anything, or just I can't follow orders might be good too. Although maybe we could face another "too much info in messages" issue I'd go for it... maybe with 3 so we use 1,3 and 5 flags LOL

[edward pellew]

Well I'm sure the admiral would like to know whether his order is being ignored or can't be followed.
Of course the smart captain must always answer with 3 flags

One thing I would like is for reading a signal (clicking it) would sets a cookie or something to tell the browser not to keep bringing the message back everytime I try a different rudder or sail or change my gunnery. It gets muy denado to have to close that message over and over and over again, as does the popup box with the gun decks.

Perhaps the cabolleros were joking with you when they said they wanted 5 no.

[Wishgamer]

Perhaps the cabolleros were joking with you when they said they wanted 5 no.

Absolutely not my friend. They were real serious because it was more "obvious" because they were more different using one versus five. Sure the smart captain will use three lol