Privateer fleets possible?

[masmart63]

I promoted a commander to get a privateer (playing the Terrans, if that makes any difference). I wanted to use that person as a commander of a privateer fleet, that is, to have several ships in their control so I could take down fleets and starbases. I have seen "pirate" fleets using not pirate vessels but vessels from another nation which had been eliminated. But only the command ship the privateer came with had the privateer status - whenever I tried to attack another nation's units I was asked if I really wanted to declare war. Is there a way to do what I want?

A related question is, what effect besides destroying things can privateers have? Can they steal money, disrupt trade routes, etc.? What can be done with the privater now - can he be promoted?

[mystikmind2005]

Well historically speaking, 'privateers' were only allowed to atack ships of the nation at war with the privateers sponsoring nation, otherwise they would be declared to be pirates (which they often were anyway).... so that explains why you were asked if you want to declare war.

Privaters are supposed to pay their own operating costs and give a percentage of any spoils to the sponsoring nation.

[jonnin]

you can group up all privateer ships yes.
but as soon as your privateer groups with a normal ship your neutrality is lost.
It would be cool if the privateer made the whole fleet neutral faction but its alreay OP due to the poor AI failings. Making this feature stronger would be more exploity which feels 'wrong' to do. Now, if they fixed the AI... then it would be neat..

if you pick scavenger and run privateers, you can build your whole fleet by stealing ships from your 'friends' or you can steal constructors and colony ships (if you rush things a bit) and mercs etc... it can be quite nasty. Ive stolen trade ships too.

so what can you do with one...
- you can bust a starbase and put your own down, taking mining resources or extending influence
- you can kill enemy ships to soften up before war
- if you manage to rush one you can pick off colony ships to protect planets you want to colonize
- you can disrupt AI exploration of your area
- you can pick off trade ship
- you can zap asteroid mines which drains money to fix
- you can zap enemy shipyards

known bug: privateers are tied to your tech level at the time of promotion. If your tech level is really low, you can get totally unarmed and useless ships. There is also a mid-level bug (or was) where mid tier ships had no weapons. Save before you promote just to be sure you don't lose out to this. Upgrading your tech level in weapons fixes the mid game bug, sometimes. If you have healing hull components, the privateers will have this too, usually.

[Red Earth]

Maybe I'm wrong but I could have sworn I read that having the fleet with the privateer turn with it was the plan.

[Syrris]

The pirate fleets that use defeated civs' vessels are the result of that defeat. Any ships, starbases, or shipyards that it still controls will become pirate-owned the turn after. This won't be an issue if they surrender and give all of their assets to someone else, but they don't always get the chance to do that (and can't do it if the option is disabled).