Miners and Pirates

[kikatsu]

This was not really an issue before, seeing that almost no one mined at all


But now that there appears to be miners everywhere, this raises an important question...


Situation:

My Outcast gunboat, the Temples, keeps running across groups of miners in Tau 23, IMG tagged and ID'd. They are almost always in mining ships armed ONLY with mining lasers. So far I have treated them like traders, pirating them for cash, then once they have payed I leave them alone (or in one case, Pulsed gunned the shields off of one down that would not stop mouthing off).

But my question is this: How should an Outcast tagged and ID'd ship treat IMG tagged and ID'd mining ships that are mining? Like traders? Or treat them like the Outcasts treat the normal IMG (attack)?

They are not really 'transports' (in my opinion atleast, nevermind the technical aspect of them) , nor are they trading. I don't really consider flying 10 K away from the IMG base in 23 and shooting rocks for ten minutes trading, but to be on the safe side, I have been using the normal pirate/trader course of action.


But an offical standpoint of the situation would be appriciated. Along with any other opinions people have on this.

[Derkylos]

According to the rumors on Java, IMG and Outcasts exist in a sort of mutual "leave us alone...or else" state, with the miners usually ending up on the "or else" end. I'm sure a small tax wouldn't go amiss for the Outcasts, but, in all eventualities, IMG is not really a great threat, being mostly a civilian corporation, and, when the miners are simply hanging around Java, rather than actively interdicting cardi shipments, OCs should probably have no real beef with them.

IMG accepts that the Taus are primarily Outcast space, and tries to extract as much ore as possible without annoying the owners, while the Outcasts simply rely on their cardi shipments as income. Kinda like living under an oppressive, unpredictable government...

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[Benjamin]

They definitely are transports, they're not really a question about that. But they're not trading. I would say, charge some kind of 'mining protection fee' or just take their ore, like always.

But do it too much, and those ships are going to be mounting 8 or 9 transport turrets (why do people mount so many mining lasers anyway), and two mining ships are going to cause a gunboat some pain.

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Join Cryer Pharmaceuticals

[kikatsu]

Aye well technically they are transports, but just not in my eyes. But this is not the place to go into that...


Yeah, seems like a protection fee kind of thing may work.

Only reason I even bothered to bring this up is that everytime I leave Malta, there are 3 of these miners in 23. Just have to remember not to do this kind of thing when the CR are around, cause we know how that will end.

Yes, I did deal with one miner with the high power turrets, very annoying


Also, I cannot get to read the rumors on Java with my Outcast, nor do I have a ship close enough to just jump onto the station and look. My idea was that the Outcasts are attacking the IMG because of their continued infringement on OC territory, and I know that the CR actively attack outcast ships and transports. That's why I wanted to know what to do with the miners... destroy being an option, but again, doesnt seem like the best idea.... still going with the pirate/trader kind of thing until someone can say otherwise.



However I am glad that we are now getting more activity in the Taus, they were almost totally deserted in the last version.

[Muleo]

I wouldn't recommend camping and harassing miners, but if you meet them on your way to somewhere else, I don't see anything wrong with terrorizing them a little;)
They are of course, enemies, and helpless targets of opportunity. Most miners will be in a minefield less than 3k away from a base, so they'll have plenty of time to run away anyway, just makes for a funny 'ohcrap it's an outcast!' moment.

[Balance]

It's a bigger issue than "taxing" if you regularly accost them in their primary profit operation right on top of their bases.

Might be the reason why IMG has so many capitol ships eh?

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[Dieter Schprokets]

You raise a good point.

A rule clarificaion would be nice.

Keep doing what you are doing for now.

(ie treat them like traders)

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[Malexa]

I think miners should be treaten as normal traders.

"2 Mil 'r dai" - YES

"Engaging BMM/IMG/RANDOM MINER 004" - NO

Not even when houses are at war. Yeah Tax them like you would tax a trader.

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[<span style="color:#FFCC00">The Mandalore's Office</span>]

[Baltar]

They are miners ... clear and simple. They are role playing miners and are in fact ... mining.

There's nothing that says you cannot pirate them. Or you can (as an Outcast) ignore them if they're not mining near your turf. Best bet ... role play it. If they were not role playing as miners ... they would not be using mining lasers.

As for outright attacking without demands ... that's a rule thing that you addressed correctly ... how are they treated. My opinion ... if your faction is not at war with them ... pirate them or leave em alone. If your faction is at war with em ... they could be interdicted as militaries do to one another in war time. Cut off the supply lines.

In the end ... good question for the admins to chime in on.