If I read the quest code correctly, the ship captain's real name is Ethilrede Claar, though the quest renames him to Shuggy Garry. Ethilrede Claar is defined in "PROGRAM\Characters\init\SideQuest.c" as having a PiratCorvette. This is a modified Aurora class and should really not appear before "Colonial Powers".
It's easy enough to have him use a different ship in earlier periods. I already did exactly that for the Dark Captain, who commands the Mefisto in "Strange Things Going On" - in early periods, when the normal Satanist frigate is inappropriate, he uses the Satanist Fluyt of War instead. All we need is a suitable ship for Ethilrede Claar, alias Shuggy Garry, to use in the first three periods. One option is the Pirate Fast Galleon, though this is used as Roche Brasiliano's ship in the "Assassin" storyline. On the other hand, it's available as an alternative paint scheme for the normal Fast War Galleon if you acquire one of those and take it to a shipyard, so it's not as unique as the Satanist ships. The Pirate Fast Galleon is valid for exactly the first three periods.
That, then, is my suggestion - edit "SideQuest.c" to have Ethilrede Claar replace the simple assignment of "PiratCorvette" with this:
It's easy enough to have him use a different ship in earlier periods. I already did exactly that for the Dark Captain, who commands the Mefisto in "Strange Things Going On" - in early periods, when the normal Satanist frigate is inappropriate, he uses the Satanist Fluyt of War instead. All we need is a suitable ship for Ethilrede Claar, alias Shuggy Garry, to use in the first three periods. One option is the Pirate Fast Galleon, though this is used as Roche Brasiliano's ship in the "Assassin" storyline. On the other hand, it's available as an alternative paint scheme for the normal Fast War Galleon if you acquire one of those and take it to a shipyard, so it's not as unique as the Satanist ships. The Pirate Fast Galleon is valid for exactly the first three periods.
That, then, is my suggestion - edit "SideQuest.c" to have Ethilrede Claar replace the simple assignment of "PiratCorvette" with this:
Code:
if (GetCurrentPeriod() < PERIOD_COLONIAL_POWERS)
ch.Ship.Type = "PiratFastGal";
else
ch.Ship.Type = "PiratCorvette";