I get what you’re saying, I’m struggling to understand why any pirate would ever want to fly a red flag.

Cone, surely? :)

What was the point of the red flags? Or… why would anyone choose to fly a red flag? I’m trying to understand why anyone would broadcast “if we come near you, you’re fucked”. It seems a bad hunting strategy.

Also, why didn’t merchant ships fly red flags to be less bothered by pirates?

I get all of these but lust for blizzard, anybody care to explain it to me?