Bretonian Buccaneers

[Drake]

Just one thing though, if you are actively extorting money from pirates operating in 'your' space, then other pirate factions should be unfriendly rather than neutral. I can imagine what the Mollies are going to do to you if you go and try to take their hard earned dosh!

Well, we're starting out with them neutral and we'll see how the diplomacy matures. We don't actively go after pirates in Bretonia, only if we find them pirating or attempting to pirate. Then we might want a little donation. Likewise, smugglers (other than Junkers and Rogues) will be treated the same as any trading vessel and either taxed or relieved of their loot.

The idea is pretty sound, and it does seem about the right time for an old 'gang' to try to start to come together again with the war and other pressing matters of the Crown. They would like to operate just under the radar and not draw the ire of the Crown, due to past history. I could see several cases that a BAF or BPA fighter was in over his or her head in a battle with a Corsair or other enemys or the Crown and get bailed out by a Buccaneer or vice versa:

After Action Reprt:
CO: Lt, How did you take out a GB when your report states that your SNC and half of your weapons were knocked out?
Lt.: Sir, it was a lucky shot sir.
CO: You sensor log shows the presense of a Buccaneer in the area and the rest of the log was damaged somehow?
Lt. : Sir, weeeeelll I kind of had some help with the Corsair at that point, Sir.
CO: You didn't arrest said Buccaneer?
Lt.: I saw no reason to sir, I really didn't see him do anything wrong sir. He kind of saved my rear Sir.

I think that situation is pretty unlikely, unless our diplomacy with the Corsairs goes from Neutral to Hostile (which we really, really want to avoid, as we don't want to get caught up in the OC/'sair war). We don't care if someone wants to fight the BAF, and we tend to avoid the BAF (and other authorities) whenever possible. We'd only start caring if the Corsairs were actually pirating in 'our' space.

On the other hand, a lot of our potential targets are traders heading into the Taus, so I can't see the BAF getting too upset at us over that, we'd be indirectly supporting their embargo.