Suggestion for Generic Pirate ID

[Gemini893]

I only suggest one small change to the generic Pirate ID; to exclude the use of Gunboats and Gunships.

My reasoning:

RP:
You're an independent pirate and barely scrape by earning enough to feed your spouse and children. While some days are better than others, you know that your extra profits go strait into the bellies of your growing family. It's hard enough getting your fighter repaired, much less upgrade to a new ship without stealing one. For a lone pirate, to get his hands on, and steal, a bomber is a dream that most never realize.

You see those faction pirates working together to crew gunboats and, often, wish you could be on that bridge commanding the crew. However, you're just one lone pirate without the brotherhood of a faction to back you in that wish. You've also heard how some factions can be rather possessive of their capital ships. Even if you could afford to purchase a used Gunboat, there's the chance that it's faction might come after you, thinking you killed their comrades and stole the thing. No, it's much more safe to stay in your fighter for now. Perhaps you will decide to join the faction soon, though, it seems they have a much easier time feeding their children.

OORP:
As my short story points out, an independent pirate would hardly have the means to own a Bomber, much less a Gunboat plus crew. Where would the crew come from? Did he/she kidnap them from the faction that owns the Gunboat? wouldn't that faction want their people back?

There is also the issue of this ID being abused. For example: an Ind. Pirate flying a Corsair GB in Liberty plus using non-Corsair weapons. (Before anyone balks at how it's only a few, so, too, were just a very few Junkers not RPing correctly and landing on Kusari bases. Now the rep-wrecker makes all Junker's lives miserable in the Tau systems.) This is a problem for obvious reasons, including the fact that even Ind. Pirates are supposed to have a ZOI, not become Sirius-wide pirates, and use equipment appropriate for their ZOI, or civilian ships and equipment.

Good hypothetical example: How about an ind. pirate landing on Hessian bases and flying around in an Outcast Gunship wiping out Corsairs just outside of the hole into Gamma? Would that be kosher? No, it wouldn't and there would be sanction reports flying everywhere.

Pilot carrying this ID is an independent Pirate of the Sirius sector, who:

* Can demand credits or cargo from traders and unallied smugglers or factions
* Can engage pirates, terrorists and lawfuls within their Zone of Influence
* Can fulfill unlawful bounty contracts
* Can trade and escort smugglers
* Can ally with unlawfuls, mercenaries, and freelancers
* Cannot ally with any lawfuls
* Cannot use any ship with more than 3,600 cargo capacity except for the Pirate Train
* Cannot land on any lawful bases across Sirius except for Zoner bases

Allowed ships: Fighters, Bombers, Freighters, Transports, Gunboats, Pirate Train

To me it just makes sense that pirate factions would promote people into the Captain chairs of their Gunboats / Gunships and that an independent pirate just wouldn't have the means to fly the ship alone, without a crew.

This change would also go a long way to encouraging independent pirates to eventually join a faction. Want a cap ship? (Gunboats are considered cap ships too. Remember, "no ramming of cap ships INCLUDING gunboats is allowed.") Join a faction and let them promote you into that captain's chair.

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