' Wrote:I think if the Reavers ever got to the size of the BHG, or if one of the key founders just went away for a while, you'd run into a similar situation. There for a while we had close to 90 players on our roster, with something like 500 characters between them all. That's just nuts - when as a faction you could literally take half the slots on the server if you wanted.
Both Virus and Dusty pulled a vanishing act. We had a short slump which was ended when a regular member stepped up to the plate and shook us back to life. Making your assumption rather inaccurate.
I think using the excuse that your faction is large as a reason to justify your inactivity is rather....well I don't know the word to describe it. Nuts, perhaps.
The Reavers remain active because a few of our members handle the paperwork and securing sources of income. I'm not trying to call Dash, Monty, or you lazy, but the inactivity of the BHG| can be laid partially on your laps. Without the head, the body rarely functions.
I will agree though, the Guild's cannon role play of only working lawful contracts does put an axe into a large number of possible contracts and I've been of the opinion that the houses should rather give the Guild nicer contracts than ordinary mercenary companies. I think the problem there is that typically your mercenary company's have been more productive than the BHG|, as of late at least.
' Wrote:This is because unlawfuls can only hire mercenaries, whereas lawfuls can hire mercenaries and bounty hunters. I'm surprised that the bounty hunters haven't tried to put pressure on house governments to marginalise mercenaries (citing their unstable diplomacy, perhaps) and grab more of the market share.
In fact there seems to be a great absence of political lobbying in general.
I did try that. I was told to gtfo. people know each other oorp and they won't cut their online buddies (mercs) out of contracts. Bretonia is the only house that wanted to deal in 'special treatment' for Bounty Hunters if I can call it that for lack of a better phrase. Take 1 guess why Bretonia has the most active BHG| presence?
' Wrote:The Reavers remain active because a few of our members handle the paperwork and securing sources of income. I'm not trying to call Dash, Monty, or you lazy, but the inactivity of the BHG| can be laid partially on your laps. Without the head, the body rarely functions.
I will agree though, the Guild's cannon role play of only working lawful contracts does put an axe into a large number of possible contracts and I've been of the opinion that the houses should rather give the Guild nicer contracts than ordinary mercenary companies. I think the problem there is that typically your mercenary company's have been more productive than the BHG|, as of late at least.
problem is that mercs have more to offer. free tech usage, no restrictions on whach jobs you can and can't do. Plus you can backstab your old employer and just switch to the other side. Bounty hunters have none of these perks.
So it is way more appealing to play as a merc. Don't assume I'm sucking my thumb waiting for a solution to just draft in through the window. Fact is: BHG are handicapped when put against mercs. So people just play mercs over BHG characters. I tried to get better rates for BHG| players on lawful contracts but got a 'gtfo' everywhere but in Bretonia.
' Wrote:Free tech usage, no restrictions on whach jobs you can and can't do. Plus you can backstab your old employer and just switch to the other side. Bounty hunters have none of these perks.
So it is way more appealing to play as a merc. Don't assume I'm sucking my thumb waiting for a solution to just draft in through the window.
Please. Backstab is a word that does not fit a mercenary. That implies us disregarding the current contract in favor of a new one. And to do that in a very nasty or inconsiderable way.
Which it is not the case if you take the Reaver example.
The Corsair contract went down. We asked when it would go up, we got silence or half mumbles in return.
It took 2 months (or probably more) for it to get back up.
What would you do? Sit and wait?
Or get another job.
Mercenary is all about that.
Our life is only of the size of the current contract.
Contract ends, we ask if there is going to be a new one.
If not, we'll move to another one, no matter if they are corsairs, outcasts, hessians, rheinlanders, libertonians, gallics, tausians, kusarians.
A mercenary works for the highest bidder, ergo, the highest paying contract.
It is not a backstab. It is economy 101.
I want to be richer, i work for a good job.
I can't become richer if my contract is dry and dead.
Loyalty, backstabs, honor.. Does not fit in this kind of business.
It's the trade of death.
And dead people carry no feelings.
Please. Backstab is a word that does not fit a mercenary. That implies us disregarding the current contract in favor of a new one. And to do that in a very nasty or inconsiderable way.
Which it is not the case if you take the Reaver example.
The Corsair contract went down. We asked when it would go up, we got silence or half mumbles in return.
It took 2 months (or probably more) for it to get back up.
What would you do? Sit and wait?
Or get another job.
Mercenary is all about that.
Our life is only of the size of the current contract.
Contract ends, we ask if there is going to be a new one.
If not, we'll move to another one, no matter if they are corsairs, outcasts, hessians, rheinlanders, libertonians, gallics, tausians, kusarians.
A mercenary works for the highest bidder, ergo, the highest paying contract.
It is not a backstab. It is economy 101.
I want to be richer, i work for a good job.
I can't become richer if my contract is dry and dead.
Loyalty, backstabs, honor.. Does not fit in this kind of business.
It's the trade of death.
And dead people carry no feelings.
<3
And what does a Bounty Hunter do when, in example, the RM stops paying bounties and no other rheinland lawful groups offer them. start taking jobs from hessians?
Oh don't get me wrong. I've said your cannon lore restricts your ability to be as prolific as mercenary companies; for many of the same reasons you've listed.
Though I do think that part of your problem in attracting new members is the same problem that the Xeno Alliance has. Low presence. If people don't see you on that much, why would they join? I won't lie, I wouldn't join a faction that is heavily PvP based if it was inactive. I want to know I can call for back up and have it appear.
While you may not want to do it and some people may find it lame. Perhaps taking a chunk of funds and having them donated to say Liberty with the express consent that the entire donation be used to fund a Board exclusively for the Guild? Yes, it would require you to sacrifice for the faction (or the faction to sacrifice for itself) but it could draw in fresh blood or give old blood the incentive they need to start flying again.
' Wrote:Oh don't get me wrong. I've said your cannon lore restricts your ability to be as prolific as mercenary companies; for many of the same reasons you've listed.
Though I do think that part of your problem in attracting new members is the same problem that the Xeno Alliance has. Low presence. If people don't see you on that much, why would they join? I won't lie, I wouldn't join a faction that is heavily PvP based if it was inactive. I want to know I can call for back up and have it appear.
While you may not want to do it and some people may find it lame. Perhaps taking a chunk of funds and having them donated to say Liberty with the express consent that the entire donation be used to fund a Board exclusively for the Guild? Yes, it would require you to sacrifice for the faction (or the faction to sacrifice for itself) but it could draw in fresh blood or give old blood the incentive they need to start flying again.
This was done in bretonia's case. That money pool has dried up but the BAF| has agreed to still payout bonuses for BHG| ships for which I am very grateful to them.
But we can't keep paying employers to offer us work. It's kinda backwards:P
' Wrote:While you may not want to do it and some people may find it lame. Perhaps taking a chunk of funds and having them donated to say Liberty with the express consent that the entire donation be used to fund a Board exclusively for the Guild? Yes, it would require you to sacrifice for the faction (or the faction to sacrifice for itself) but it could draw in fresh blood or give old blood the incentive they need to start flying again.
Been there, done that.
(11-21-2013, 12:53 PM)Jihadjoe Wrote: Oh god... The end of days... Agmen agreed with me.