Fuck it, Forums It is:
As Leo stated above: there are not many players skilled enough to make best use of a 3.6Ker and below (excepting Grouse and Longo)
As a solo pirate, I can say first hand: 15 minutes taking down a 3.6Ker with a bomber (5.00 Guns, Neutralizers + Snacs) and I was nearly dead.
Solo venturing a 3.6ker requires skill and knowledge where are the blind spots and how to maneuver in order to land a few shots before the turrets manage to turn. So Piracy is best done in groups. Solo it at you own peril.
Now, back to the topic: IF the testers play godly in those 3.6kers and below; that's your 10-15% of the server (estimating the server is about 100 people). Those are veterans, some are connbots and know their ships.
Rest, they're DTR level or just above. There's nobody in Conn training for 3.6K PVP vs Bombers!
Most of the traders are either Longos, Bullies or 5kers, with the occasional Barge of the Contraband. Haven't seen a Serenity with Dulzians in almost 1 year. I think the only one who flies that is PJ, and he's mostly harmless. Mostly.
As for flying Grouses / Albatrosses, well, there's plenty of video footage showing that the ones who do this are veterans and good (or above) PVPers, and that falls into shenanigans, trolling and 1.0 Dickery with some of the culprits really close to home!
The player base is:
- 25% veterans and good PVPers
- 50% decent PVPers, who mostly RP, Mine, Hang around in space shooting NPCs
- 25% DTR and other innocent creatures (seal cubs, baby otters, etc)
Tailoring the rules to accommodate for the top players only opens more cans of Dickery, poorly wrote engagement lines with lackluster motives to get a blue.
A workaround until the balance drops for Grouses / Albatrosses & etc is to remove the 2.2 transport exception. If you combat dock as a transport, you're PVP dead.
This means traders and power traders will need to engage in RP and/or hire protection. No more running to the 1st station to dock and resume 10 minutes later when the pirate leaves the system. Talk, Pay or Pray. This has been done in event with success. There weren't that many complaints. I think.
