Not long ago while I was cruiseing in the Tau systems, I was confronted by three outcast pilots. While I was on a mission for the IMG. They demanded that I drop the outcast pilots in my hold and I did. Then they demanded that I leave Tau space, I did not. I stayed at cruise and told them to begone. I knew they where about to disrupt me and they were just under 3k away, so I cut my engines a maintained a KPS of 345 droping by 1 every 2 seconds or so. That way when they launched they would have no effect on me and they would slowly come in to my weapons range. This also gave me plenty of time to do detailed scans of their load out and assess situation, since it was three to 1. Sorry important to mention I was in IMG gunboat and they in OC saber, OC bomber of some sort, and 1 rouge gunboat. I determined that I had superior range with some of the weapons on my load out so I continued to drift and waited for them to get in range of my weapons know I had the stand off advantage, and I opened fire when they started to catch up. This allowed me to fire at them while they were still in cruise and unable to fire back. Then when they got in range and kicked out of cruise to fight they were to banged up to fight so they fell back recharged and renewed the attack. So, far no problem in my opinion, exciting watching them trying to change up their tactics to compinsate. But inevidably I got slow enough were they could bring all their weapons to bear and so, I kicked my engines changed course and when I reached top speed cut them again, this continued and they would break off after a number of attempts and come back with the same result untill finally I was able to complete my mission. Then guessing that they went to wait for me by the jump hole back to the connecting tau system, I decided to jump through Omicron Alpha, their home system, to make it back to Order space which I am currently a card carrying member (not player faction, but AI, though I would not be opposed to meeting player Order members which seem to be in short supply) They chased me with much vigor as I guess I expected. Exspecially since I took to the pirate hunting my card encourages. We had more similar engagements were they just could not get any decent shots on me, but now their frustration started to show. As suddenly the last one still giving chace broke off and declared "You hit your cruise leave, give up.", and I responded in a negative fashion. Then they just start siteing rules are rules thats it leave, which was funny coming from someone playing a pirate. So, I told him play your part, dont start screaming rules when it doesnt go your way. Well eventually another Outcast who was not involved came over and we all got out of character and decided to try and handle in mature fashion, with the new arrival mediateing, cool I can appreciate that I think they got kicked or something cuz we never finished. I did reread rules and by the letter I believe he was right engageing cruise engines is considered acknowledgement of defeat. (most disappointing) But that brings to the forfront having been impacted by this rule it is a loop hole to be exploited by pirates who want to rob you and attack and keep you there to die by disrupting you, while on the same token if the battle doesnt go their way they can exploit rules and chase you off with threats of reporting you to admin. So, what is a out numbered pilot to do? LOSE. I'm sorry I know its not my server and I cant match this one but I am a veteran of the USMC and I believe in adapting and overcomeing and I wasnt going to loose just because I was out numbered*with disgust* by OutCast no less. So I engaged my engines just to pull out of range and cut them in time to take advantage of my supperior range. It seems if you cant use your ship to the fullest then combat is just a compairason of stats and reflexs. I like intelligence as well. I would like out thinking and out flying others to be just as important as out equiping and out numbering them. Exspecially given the orders tactical style and since cloak isn't available. I think that restricting any function of our ships prevents Role playing, and encourages Rule playing. And since this is supposed to be more exciting than base ball were you know what everyone is going to do I ask would it be so bad to play by the spirit of the rule and not the letter? You just cant regulate good sense. I sorry folks I'm just having a hard time with the concept that we cannot use every function on ship for our survival, to me it's like useing the counter measure being arbitreily called cowardly and not allowed or you lose. And if you cant out fly them then when you get to gunboat are you expected to just go toe to toe and thump each other in the chest and hope your ships better? Anyway since I'm not trying to cause a ruckuss, I'd gladly explain any unclear logic.
Respectfully to all who read, Scornstar ORD (Order Recon Detatchment unofficial part too small for faction.)
don't take this the wrong way please. I didn't even bother to read that, the formatting actually hurts my eyes. I think this speaks for all present parties with eyes. Please, please make paragraph breaks so we can read it.
the rule is simple - you engage cruise, you are dead ( in terms of the rules - regarding that system ) - however.... if no one complains. its not a problem. lets put it that way - yesterday, i was fighting a barghest bomber in leeds - he hit cruise at one point, and i could have told him to leave the system ( the mollies were assembling there ) - but it would have been childish to do so.
by the rules, he had retreated - but telling him to leave for that would be pointless. i think quoting and insisting on such a rule is dependent on the situation - if it supports roleplay or not. the rule is in effect to make fights more interesting - not to interrupt them.
it it not a free license to "win" a fight. and to "ban" someone for 4 hours for retreating. - that d be bad sportsmanship sort of... but within the rules to do so. - or in other words. you d violate the rules if your opponent insisted on you leaving for retreating - and you would be staying.
keep in mind - the rule is meant to support a fight - not to terminate it. unless it is clear shield running - there is not really a need to insist on that rule... but there must be an understanding between the participating parties. when your description is true - it am a bit at a loss why they would have insisted on you leaving the system on such a minor technicality. it was not supporting the dogfight.
anyway - by the rules, they were right to order you out.
edit: i read it -i don t have problems with that:D
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Understood that is my concern, I was far from defeated and they ordered me from system just for out flying while providing accurate fire. I feel as if I was victimized by their desire to win over riding their desire to Roleplay. In my opinion I believe a fight should only be ended if one party is destroyed or gets away. As opposed to if you manage to get away, set destroyed or declared loser on cruise technicallity. I also belive we should be able to cruise to manuvere so we dont have to fight like the pirates of the Carabene with gunboats and up, and have more complex tactics then comeing in guns blazeing frontal assaults. Just so it can be noted I did eventually leave, I may have stayed longer than I should have but at that point I dropped character like the rest to converse.
This is another concern, I have a police tag next to my name and I am not a cop. The only way I have found to remove is to attack a liberty police base, or dump a BUNCH of missions, however I think it would be fowl to do either of these acts as it would be a clear violation of my character concept, I dont kill cops even if they are the enemy, and I dont bail on mission, I DO OR DIE!! So, is that the only way to change it? And is it wrong to think of it as just stateing, who that person is most friendly too, by their actions, and not nessacarily ID? I mean If you see a police tag and OutCast ID there may be a problem, but there may also be an explination. I just make sure I scan every mother in range. And use the tag next to their name to balance my judgement. If something doesnt add up I dont scream YOUR NOT RPING!!!! WAHHH!!!!!!!!! I investigate and assume I dont know everything going on in serius. Shall I continue marching or is this a taboo?