Pirates and raiders

[enf91]

What exactly do they do? I mean the messages like
"Okinawan pirates operating between Japan and Ryukyu"
"Hottentot tribes active in Southwest Africa"

[James D Burns]

I believe it is simply an announcement of a rebel (I think pirates and raiders are treated as rebels, they are all one big worldwide faction but I could be wrong) fleet spawning just like land raiders spawn rebel land armies in the regions that announce them. The fleet will move around but generally stays near the region it spawns in so use your fast light ships to hunt them down.

Jim

[enf91]

I'm playing as Japan now, and the turn that Okinawan pirates message showed up, I didn't see any units spawn, and I had a fleet in a neighboring harbor (detection 2 in the appropriate sea zone). Also, if they don't head for the trade zones (I checked), what exactly do they do? Rebel armies, I get: MC and pillaging.

[loki100]

pirates can interdict shipping zones (so threaten supply and reduce the flow of goods), I've seen this in the Red Sea region where they are a bit easier to spot and potentially attack unescorted transports and so on. Compared to land raiders they don't seem to be that much of a problem but if you can catch them its good to build experience in your fleet.