The Association of Free Traders [Info + Feedback]

[Starsunder]

Introduction

Founded in 819 A.S. by Aleph Starsunder, ex-IMG miner/hauler, Lyoto Morita, Kyushu rice trader, and George Jardin, ex-Solar spaceship engineer, the Association of Free Traders is a small group of like-minded people who have gathered together in order to make a difference. The Association aims not only to improve the security of traders, but also to help reduce the income gap amongst Sirians by providing guidance and micro-loans to the lower classes.

Due to the areas which the founders are familiar with, the Association begins by operating in the regions of Gallia, the Taus, Kusari, and Rheinland. While all traders from around Sirius are welcome to join the Association, business will be conducted mainly in these regions unless a member with knowledge of the other areas is found.

Primary ID: Freelancer ID
Secondary ID: IMG ID [for large transports and capital ships, Senior Members and above only]
IFF: Freelancer IFF
Tag: Assoc-


Allowed ships: Fighters, Bombers, Gunboats, Cruisers, Freighters, Transports.
May not use liners or yachts.


Objectives

To make space a safer place for all traders
To increase inter-house trade and cooperation
To reduce the income gap
To eventually have barrier-free trade for the benefit of all


// Objectives

To help new players ease into the RP environment
To provide new players with start-up loans and knowledge of how to make credits
To give existing players a supportive platform to explore non-traditional RP


Structure

(// The following section refers to characters, not players.)

Due to the small size of the Association, the current structure allows for only 1 Leader, Aleph, leading all the members. This will change as the Association grows in size.

Future structure would be 3 Leaders, Senior Members, and Members.
Each Leader would hold a voting power of 2. Senior Members have voting power of 1. Members do not get to vote in the Association's direction.

Promotion procedure:

Leaders will propose a Member to be promoted to Senior Member. To qualify, the member must have displayed an understanding of the Association's ways by having completed at least 3 profitable trade runs, with at least 1 which is a convoy. All other members who meet the promotion requirement will vote, and if the proposed member gains a 70% or more approval, he/she gets promoted to Senior Member.

Upon an opening for a Leader position, all current Senior Members will undergo a secret voting process (similar to the papal conclave), and the person who gains at least 51% of the votes from his/her peers gets promoted to Leader.


Diplomacy

While the Association may have agreements with other factions as a whole, individual members are allowed to have slightly differing standing (1 step away. eg: ALG are Friendly, therefore members can be Allied, Friendly, or Neutral towards ALG) with each faction.

Allied:
None

Friendly:
ALG
Independent Miners Guild
Mollys
Unione Corse

Neutral:
All others not listed

Unfriendly:
Blood Dragons
BAF
BPA
Bretonian Privateers
BMM
Independent Neuralnet Division
Gallic Brigands
Maquis
Red Hessians
Unioners

Hostile:
Golden Chrysanthemums
Outcasts
Nomads


Thank you for taking the time to read about us. Feel free to leave us some feedback. We will answer all questions as best we can.

Interested in signing up? Head over to our recruitment site.

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[Zapp]

I'd suggest elaborating the reasons for your diplomacy a bit. Why are Mollys 'friendly' -- your ties to IMG? I don't think that would be enough to put you on friendly terms with them, since they are pirates and you are, by and large, an anti-pirate faction. Why are you unfriendly to Bretonian lawfuls (BPA, BAF)? And what does 'unfriendly' mean? How does that influence your actions towards them?

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[Ingenious]

Roster?

[Starsunder]

@Zapp,

Yes, since my char (Aleph) is ex-IMG, he brings with him his prejudices as he founds this new group. He is supportive of the independence movement by the Mollys. Mollys aren't pirates, they're a group of people seeking independent governance!

Before you ask why RHA is not on the friendly list, it is because RHA (indies) actually pirated my char many times before, and that is why he does not like them. Anyway, diplomacy is variable based on each individual. If you want to join up as someone who dislikes the Mollys, feel free. As long as it isn't extreme hate or something.

As for Corsairs, a lack of encounters results in neutrality.

@Ingenious,

Roster will be added when people join (hopefully). It kind of is just me at the moment. I'm throwing the idea out there. Just find it surprising that no one's come up with an unaffiliated trade group yet, wondering if anyone's interested in this stuff.

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[SummerMcLovin]

he brings with him his prejudices as he founds this new group.

To be honest, the diplomacy is very 'character/player-centric' which seems rather ooRP to me - picking and choosing what suits you it seems.

I assume it is purely Aleph's view, because most IMG are pretty good with Bretonia (the organisation itself being neutral/friendly as far as I understand it) at least compared to Rheinland. The Mollys (nor the Hessians) are not our allies, we just have an understanding and they let us operate.
I'd also say the same about Corsairs being neutral because ooRPly there aren't that many who hassle IMG.

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Kingdom of Bretonia
Colonial Republic
Independent Miners Guild
Ex-Admin

[Starsunder]

Yes, it IS rather character-centric. Bearing in mind that the Association is NOT meant to be an IMG clone...

If you look at the three characters, you might be able to understand the reasoning behind why they are unfriendly to Bretonian authorities.

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[n00bl3t]

I assume it is purely Aleph's view, because most IMG are pretty good with Bretonia (the organisation itself being neutral/friendly as far as I understand it) at least compared to Rheinland.

I swear I remember something about IMG and BMM having some sort of turf cold war.

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Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[SummerMcLovin]

Alright, that does make some sense now, although with no-one to play said characters I had rather forgotten about them.
I was simply commenting on what I thought as Aleph's perceptions (mostly from being in the Guild), seeing as he is a Rheinlander raised in Liberty as a Bretonian. Would that not make him predisposed to liking Bretonia? At the very least, you've managed to get all five houses involved into the faction in some fashion

I believe the IMG/CR vs. BMM/QCP war was a little warmer than a cold one, but things have cooled considerably since then. There is still a fair deal of animosity between Daumann/Kruger and IMG (and Colonials) because of the Turf Wars of Omega-7. I guess this might just be because we mine a lot in the Omegas compared to Dublin and Cambridge, affecting who we'd meet.

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Kingdom of Bretonia
Colonial Republic
Independent Miners Guild
Ex-Admin

[n00bl3t]

Alright, that does make some sense now, although with no-one to play said characters I had rather forgotten about them.
I was simply commenting on what I thought as Aleph's perceptions (mostly from being in the Guild), seeing as he is a Rheinlander raised in Liberty as a Bretonian. Would that not make him predisposed to liking Bretonia? At the very least, you've managed to get all five houses involved into the faction in some fashion

I believe the IMG/CR vs. BMM/QCP war was a little warmer than a cold one, but things have cooled considerably since then. There is still a fair deal of animosity between Daumann/Kruger and IMG (and Colonials) because of the Turf Wars of Omega-7. I guess this might just be because we mine a lot in the Omegas compared to Dublin and Cambridge, affecting who we'd meet.

I think the diplomacy is a little messed up, personally.

I do like that it is based in actual interactions in space, but it feels like it needs to tie into the Discovery faction alignment a little more. Tweaking is in order.

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Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[Starsunder]

I was simply commenting on what I thought as Aleph's perceptions (mostly from being in the Guild), seeing as he is a Rheinlander raised in Liberty as a Bretonian. Would that not make him predisposed to liking Bretonia?

By Bretonians. Who have left Liberty and migrated to Gallia. If anything, Aleph will be more inclined towards Liberty, having grown up there. Lucky we all know how 'nice' Liberty is. Bretonian culture, yes, but as a place, not so much. The Taus are his home now, you know.

Or simply: Does an immigrant feel more strongly towards his country of origin or his new adopted country?

I think the diplomacy is a little messed up, personally.

I do like that it is based in actual interactions in space, but it feels like it needs to tie into the Discovery faction alignment a little more. Tweaking is in order.

Which part do you feel is messed up? I'll try to explain as much as I can.



Remember, folks, several groups, House Gallia included, have recognized the Mollys as a sovereign power. While the Association tries to maintain neutrality and not seek open conflict with any government, the stand is more in favour of the Mollys than the Bretonians. That, and BMM/IMG relations.

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