Work out what the Junkers/Hogosha actually are, then worry about what the ID does/does not let them do.
In my understanding of the original setting, the "war" was not in any sense open conflict, but rather the Junkers waiting for the Hogosha to slip up, show their true "not-quite-legal" face to the other houses, get declared "persona non grata" by everyone except Kusari, then the other 3 houses would band together and exert diplomatic pressure on Kusari to have them declared outlaws at home...then the Junkers would move in and replace them.
I didn't find/read as much into the Hogosha lore, but from what I could tell, theirs was more of a defensive posture, keeping their fingers in the artifact and under-the-radar drug trade in Kusari and the Liberty borderworlds, whilst maintaining their legal front much like the Junkers in the other houses.
In my understanding, there was no actual shooting taking place between the two groups, as they never really met in space...there were just places each side refrained from going in order to keep up appearances.
Of course, we now have Junkers and Hogosha wandering all over the place...but I don't see any problem with them pirating/attacking each other in the borderworlds...so long as they are held to the same restrictions with regards to conflict within the houses
(openly attacking an organisation at least tolerated (if not welcomed) within someone else's territory would get on the owners' nerves-tho the local law enforcers might have a tendency to go easy on the perpetrators. Imagine someone assaulting a member of, for example, a known street gang without provocation. The police still have to treat the aggressor as a criminal and protect the gang member, even if they suspect the gang in question of perpetrating much worse crimes)
As somebody who is currently getting an Nega-secret Hogosha faction set up (I.E; there's nothing secret about it, we just stroking our lore right now), I'd also concur with this.
Edit: As to what the Hogosha "are"; to put it simplistically they're Yakuza parallels with extremely positive relations with Samura (who bankroll them in return for interfering with Kishiro on both a government and physical level), The Farmers Alliance, and the Corsair empire. They are practically the Corsairs' only viable means to trade artefacts in the Sirian houses.
The Hogosha is also the reason why there's barely any scrap in Kusari - their salvage operations are legally sanctioned and operate lawfully. Essentially, they simply pick up whatever Samura has left out for them.
The Hogosha has always aggressively vied to expand their reach; it's the Junkers that prevent them from having hold points in the domains of the other houses.
Edit Edit: Destroying the Hogosha's ability to pirate outside Kusari also destroys the role they have in Kusari politics, both InRp and Ingame. Change that bit of the ID and the player base will die - the ships are already heavily insipid.
Edit Edit Edit: On second thoughts, leave the ID as it is before I break into cold sweats.
Edit Edit Edit Edit: Just checked the sanction list and found some terrible, terrible hogosha related sanction decisions on the part of the (usually wonderful) admin team.
Sindroms, I wish you hadn't had brought the darn' thing up, they'll just nerf the faction again like they did with the guns, VHF turn rate, Black Dragon ship class, ecetera.
THE SYNDIC LEAGUES
(A co-operative of Rheinland's Shipping Unions, retired from a life of piracy.)
Well, since this topic is not yet quite so rotten, I think we should try to spark it's conversation again.
I don't believe that Hogosha should keep the "hold the fort" playstyle they had in regards Kusari and outside, specially now that Samura has lost it's monopoly on power (but not taken out). There are some players interested in seeing them spreading out, either in trade and relations, or in piracy.
In regards of the zoi expansion, I suggest three alternatives:
One) - Expand the operations zoi to encompass the whole Sigmas. Right now, we are just missing one system from the id, but the full inclusion would start to give the Hogosha an "outside presence" in their image. They are one of the main enemies of GMG space, alongside the Corsairs and Outcasts.
Two ) - Expand the Zoi to encompass the Sigmas and the Taus. This is a more ambitious expansion, and would allow the Hogosha to be regular players in the politics and deals on those areas. This version would also maximize the area of intervention against Junker routes, which currently can go around the Kusari zone of danger.
Three) Taus, Sigmas, and Bretonian systems bordering the Sigmas. This would be the ultimate the most ambitious range. It would have the perks of option two, as well as employing the unlawful status they have in Bretonia, and direct cooperation/contact with the Gaians (Gaians have powerful allies now anyway, so it doesn't bother them much). It would skim the Bretonia shipping, without making the Gaians obsolete, and keeping many of the main systems to Gaian exclusivity.
-------------
Tell me what you think of it. I won't throw an opinion of which one would be the best, for all could be arranged with some thoughtful background.
Interesting case. Well, how I'd look at this.
>ID overrides the server rules.
>You're not allowed to pirate ships within Kusari space.
>You're allowed to attack Junkers and Gallic Junkers anywhere.
Therefore, if said Junker is in transport ship, and ID override the rules, ID is specifically prohibiting you from issuing a demand in accordance to Rule 3.3, while specifically stating that you're allowed to attack them.
With ID's overriding server rules, this only means that in you're not allowed to make acts of piracy against junker transports in Kusari, but you're allowed to kill them on sight.