Rule Discussion: Smugglers and Lawful interaction, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4,

[sindroms]

So, here's an interesting tidbit.
Regarding smuggler and lawful interactions - how much protection are we giving either party rules-wise. For example, we all know that the following line:

4.4 Every char must have only one type of ID equipped and they must play to that ID.

is used to cover situations where a player who is engaged by a hostile party combat-docks on the attacker's base. The best example where this situation is very obvious is a battle happening between OCs and Corsairs in either Gamma or Alpha, where a freelancer ID mercinary is hired and, upon getting shot, they decide to dock on their own target's base in order to escape.

Now this particular line has never been used when it comes to smugglers. If a smuggler comes out from the lane and is encountered by lawfuls, they make a run for the mooring point. This is why in most cases and in most manuals you will find that it is more important to intercept smugglers at gates via tlagsnet. Players who fly off the lanes and manage to sneak in are thusly rewarded with a bigger chance to dock before succumbing to enemy fire.

That is, if we assume that 4.4 does not apply to smugglers.

I am more interested in what happens after this has been done. How much protection is the smuggler given rules-wise. Once they undock, they are fair game for an attempt at applying the ''Levy Fines'' line on lawful IDs. The issue here is that at this point the transport is empty or with recently bought cargo.

4.2 Demands should be reasonable and only one monetary or cargo demand can be issued during each piracy interaction.

With this interpretation, we can (again) assume that the player has out-played the lawful forces and cannot be fined for more than the worth of their current cargo. In other words, the lawfuls, presumably, cannot demand the smuggler pay a fine that is equal to the cargo they just delivered. The cargo is long gone, after all. The player docked and the ''encounter'' or ''interaction'' presumably ended.


That is one grey area. The other regards 4.2 in general. In most cases you will see a smuggler be told to drop the contraband and pay a fine. If this was a unlawful ID pirating a trader - they would get sanctioned as you may not in any case issue a demand that exceeds the profit of the player.

I would like this to be elaborated a bit more and, hopefully, the 4.2 rule be amended to mention fines. This would make smuggling less punishing and in turn would allow lawful players to have more things to do in the offtime between Storta raids.



Now let us jump back to 4.3 for a moment. When a smuggler successfully docks at a base, say - under fire by the lawfuls, the interaction ends. In most cases a player will log off, but in the few times they undock - the lawful party opens up on them as if the interaction continues. If not - they are fined and the situation as described above resumes.

The question in this case is if docking under fire for a smuggler 'concludes' the engagement. Or will they fair game if they undock. And if yes - can they dock back in that case, given they are not smuggling anymore and the regular 4.4 would apply. There is a certain video I am in the process of making and double-checking the green team's as well as the community's thoughts on this will prevent unnecessary edits.

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