Connection hasn’t been blocked yet, so whatever it was on this site that was throwing up security flags must have resolved itself…
My issue with the fixed rates is I’d prefer it to be more realistic. Capturing and returning a 5 master to your home island should be worth more points than a 1 master. Not sure I like the idea of points or gold for masts eliminated, since it feels too much like a game to me and not enough like the Age of Sail (obviously kind of a silly point to make with no wind rules, but whatever). Part of my idea is that the fleets are trying to profit off each other, and one of the best ways to do that is to capture enemy ships for prize money or refitting them to expand the fleet. Incentivizing capturing rather than sinking.
Fixed rates that vary based on the size of the ship is fine, but I just don’t think it should take point values into account. Tactics, strategies, and crew setups aside, HMS Dreadnaught and the Spanish Morning Star take exactly the same amount of firepower to sink or capture, but there’s a 17-point(!) difference between them. Granted, that’s an extreme example and it’s going to be a lot more dangerous to go after the Dreadnaught, but the relative point values don’t really reflect their actual worth because both are excellent ships for what they do (and arguably, MS is much more likely to help you win games in a “standard” setup). Countless other examples can be found where a less expensive ship is significantly better than a more expensive one of the same size/class just because it has a better ability, has better stats in the right areas, or is just generally more efficient – and that’s before even taking crew setups into account.