Vagrant Raiders (VR-)

[Kazinsal]

...Accessing Databanks...
Location: VCS Metropolis Databank..
..Entry 0724.. Accessed
REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

The Vagrant Raiders are a paramilitary organization based in the western Independent Worlds and the core military of Natio Octavarium. Founded after the Nomad War by a Maltese smuggler named John Petrucci, the Raiders have gone through several incarnations, originally smuggling cardamine from Malta to Liberty, pirating traders along the way. After the Battle of Freeport One, in which the Vagrant Raiders fleet participated, the Spyglass-class battleship VCS Metropolis was engulfed in a subspace tear, severely damaging it and flinging it to the edges of Sirius. After months of grueling travel with a severely weakened hull, the Metropolis made it home and Petrucci fell into a coma.

Now, under the leadership of a long-time member named Harold Kane, the Vagrant Raiders are rebuilding both their ranks and their fleet, with repairs and upgrades to the Metropolis underway. With another long-time member, Escher, as part of High Command, the group has intent to restore the former power of the Vagrant Raiders, and then some, this time without dependence on the Cardamine trade, and without the abrasive diplomatic tendencies of previous leaderships. Presently, the group is focussing on the construction of Natio Octavarium, an independent house based on a free society for all those wishing to put their differences at the door for greater cooperative benefit.

Sub-entry found: Entry 0724-A

..Entry 0725..
"Goals"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

• To restore the former glory of the Vagrant Raiders.
  
• To gain credits, power, and influence, and have fun doing it.
  
• To aid our allies in any way possible - whether it be information, force, supplies, or humanitarian aid.
  
• To secure an independent base of operations for ourselves and an independent trade network for our allies as part of Natio Octavarium.
  
• To establish a technically-legal Vagrant Transport Corps, shipping goods both mundane and exotic to our friends throughout Sirius.
  

..Entry 0726..
"General Information"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Faction Tag: VR-
Faction Leader: Harold Kane (// Kazinsal)
Example of tagged name: VR-Harold.Kane
IFF/ID: Freelancer IFF, Vagrant Raiders ID

..Entry 0727..
"Equipment"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Civilian weaponry: Unlimited
Codename weaponry: Unlimited
Outcast weaponry: Dealt with on a case-by-case basis
Bundschuh weaponry: Dealt with on a case-by-case basis
Other weaponry: Prohibited, unless allowed by personal tech request (or SRP)
Missiles/Torpedoes: Unlimited
Cloaking Devices: Limited to command ranks only on a case-by-case basis

..Entry 0728..
"Ranks"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Depending on rank, Vagrant Raiders are permitted to use ships that have been manufactured on Border Worlds, Lane Hacker and Outcast bases. Exceptions can be made with prior consent from all parties involved.
Having a large smuggling vessel requires a rank higher than Bandit.

Taskmaster - (Leadership Rank) Taskmasters run passive operations for the Vagrant Raiders, such as location scouting and transport shipment. Taskmasters often handle diplomacy on the side. They coordinate with Warlords, with whom they are on the same level of ranking, to make their plans happen. Taskmasters are considered part of Vagrant Raider High Command.

• Harold Kane (// Kazinsal) - faction representative, accountant
  
• Escher (// Thexare) - strategist, Merak Squadron leader
  

Warlord - (Leadership Rank) Warlords are the chief executive officers of Raider-dealt pain. They coordinate with the Taskmasters as to where prime strike locations are, and make sure those strikes happen. Warlords are considered part of Vagrant Raider High Command.

• Kadar al-Nizari (// Savas)
  

Marauder - Not quite high command but smarter than your average Raider, the Marauders are field commanders of the Vagrant Raiders. Without the presence of a Taskmaster or Warlord, the senior Marauder in a group of Vagrant Raider ships assumes command of the group. Marauders are trusted to keep order among subordinates during spaceborne operations.

• Erasmas de Shahrizai (// Druen78)
  

Raider - These individuals are officially a part of the "crew". They've impressed High Command, proved their worth in their respective subject fields, and have displayed prowess in combat and character. They are considered "the normals" in the Raiders.

• Ken Matsuda (// Thexare)
  
• Kelly Combs (// Thexare)
  
• Karim Callanan (// Omega472)
  
• Persia de Shahrizai (// Druen78)
  
• Dario Sigmundr (// Savas)
  
• Nikolai Hawkins (// Kieran Walker)
  
• Elizabeth Raines (// Safe Haven)
  
• William Loc (// Swampcroc)
  
• Joesph Petrie (// Tal)
  
• Daniel Witt (// New_World_Order)
  

Bandit - The "lackies", as James LaBrie would put it, are newly recruited personnel that have yet to prove their worth among the Raiders. They are provided a small ship to perform escort duties, and have the option of getting themselves a small freighter to spread the reach of smuggled goods amongst the colonies. They are the 'grunts' of the Vagrant Raiders, often called to the front lines to do the more gritty work such as basic escort duties, scouting, and absorbing plasma-fire for the senior Raiders.

• Garviel Loken (// Sabre)
  
• Kit Marsh (// Adamusa)
  
• "Shade" (// Saronsen)
  
• Barras Lavalette (// Ed)
  
• Jace Williams (// Garrett_Jax)
  
• This could be you!
  

..Entry 0730..
"Shiplist"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Bandits may only fly fighters, bombers, freighters, and transports with a cargo capacity less than or equal to 2200 units.

Freighters: Rhino, CSV, Dromedary, Clydesdale, Camara, Anki, X-Shuttle, Civilian Freighter

(restricted): Grizzly, Repair Ship

Transports: Armored Transport, Transport, Large Transport, Mammoth, Percheron, Train Pirate Transport, Border Worlds Transport, Firefly

Liners (restricted): Democritus, Prison Liner

Light Fighters: Civilian Shuttle, Starblazer, Griffin, Scimitar, Surveyor, Arrow

Heavy Fighters: Bayonet, Switchblade, Kingfisher, Crow, Falcon, Marauder, Saishi

Very Heavy Fighters: Sabre, Raven's Talon, Scraper, Eagle, Wasupu, Virage, Falchion

Super Heavy Fighters: Arrastra, Spatial

Bombers: Broadsword, Cutlass, Roc, Waran, Havoc Mk II, Touketsu

Gunships (limited to Marauders and higher): Civilian Gunboat, Border Worlds Gunship

Notable Ships

VCS Metropolis (Spyglass II-class battleship): The flagship of the Raiders. The Metropolis acts as the main mobile base of operations, supplying ammunition, repairs, safe bunks, and a hideout for Raiders and guests who require it. Originally a Spyglass-class battleship, the Raiders have modified the various systems aboard the Metropolis, as the Hellfire Legion no longer maintains the vessel or supplies parts to the Raiders. After major hull and internal damage, the ship was set for reconstruction in the style of an Arbiter-class battleship.

VCS Silent Man (Ibis-class carrier): Originally the Bretonian Liner Majesty, the ship now known as the VCS Silent Man was retrofitted as a lighter, sleeker Ibis-class carrier by Aquila Defense Systems after major reactor damage crippled the reconverted liner.

..Entry 0731..
"Diplomacy"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Allied
Natio Octavarium
Octavarium Corporations
Temporary Autonomous Zoners

Friendly
Junkers Congress
Other Zoners
Circular Logic, Inc.
Vereinigte Widerstandsarmee

Neutral
Lane Hackers
Junkers
Outcasts
Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army
Colonial Republic
Golden Chrysanthemums
Blood Dragons
Independent Neuralnet Division
The Order
Liberty Navy
Liberty Security Force
Liberty Police, Inc.
Interspace Commerce
Deep Space Engineering
Cryer Pharmaceuticals
Bretonian Armed Forces
Bretonian Police Authority
Bretonian Mining and Manufacturing
Border World Exports
Gateway Shipping
Planetform
The Council
Kusari Exiles
Red Hessians
Other Bundschuh
Liberty Rogues
Independent Miners Guild


Unfriendly
Kusari Naval Forces
Kusari State Police
Kusari Corporations
Rheinland Military
Rheinland Federal Police
Nomads
Ageira Technologies
Xenos
Bounty Hunters Guild
Bounty Hunters Guild Core
Hogosha
Gaians

Hostile
Rheinland Corporations
Gallic Royal Navy
Gallic Royal Police
Gallic Corporations
Gallic Junkers
Corsairs
Mollys

..Entry 0732..
"Zone Of Influence"
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REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Natio Octavarium, Independent Worlds, Border Worlds, Certain Edge Worlds

..Entry 0733..
"Recruitment"
Accessed.
REQUEST COMPLETED. DISPLAYING:

Join us.

OORP: Well, the time has come again for the Vagrant Raiders to apply to regain our official faction status. Things have changed a lot for us since our first official incarnation under the lead of atlantis2112, then known as Dream Theater, who played the faction leader John Petrucci. We're starting a house. We're at ease with Bretonia and Liberty. We're close friends with the TAZ. Our RP is a bit more diverse.

We're no longer the same band of pirates we once were, but in a way, we kind of are. A lot of our core values never changed, such as "pirate with the highest standard of RP in mind". What I really want to say here though is that we as a faction love this place, love the universe we partake in, and love the community. And that's one of the main reasons we want to become an official faction again. The Vagrant Raiders wish to be a contribution to the lore of the Discovery universe in the most positive way we possibly can, and we as a faction feel that by putting our collective hand in the air to be called upon as an official faction, we are showing our intent to contribute to the future of Discovery.

A lot of people consider the VR to be a faction that comes and goes. We want to prove to the community and the staff alike that this is no longer the case by applying for official faction status again.

500 million credits can be found on VR-Root.of.all.Evil.

Please feel free to post whatever feedback, comments, criticism, or praise you want to and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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Retired, permanently.

[Hone]

Do you guys have enough guys and activity? I dont see you around much. Also who do you actually pirate nowdays?

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User was banned for: Griefing others
Time left: (Permanent)

[Thexare]

Also who do you actually pirate nowdays?

These guys:

Hostile
Rheinland Corporations
Gallic Royal Navy
Gallic Royal Police
Gallic Corporations
Corsairs
Mollys

. Mostly number 1. 4-6 if their cargo ships are in the area.

Edit: in fact, pretty much *anyone* trading in Rheinland, right now. Kusari, Rheinland, possibly Bretonia but we don't really want to push our luck there.

We'd also pirate some spacefrench, but that's a little more difficult on account of their general lack of existence, especially outside Gallia.

[Kazinsal]

The request and rationale for a Vagrant Raiders ID:

Hear me out on this one -- the Vagrant Raiders are requesting a player faction ID for ourselves. Currently, the Vagrant Raiders are using a Pirate ID, the usage of which has several inherent flaws we cannot correct without using a different ID, each of which would have several flaws unto itself. As a result, we are requesting the creation of a server-side player faction ID for the Vagrant Raiders, a draft of which (and appropriate technology nerfs) I have attached to the bottom of this message.

Historically, the Vagrant Raiders used the Lane Hackers ID and IFF, and were originally granted status as an official faction using that combination. However, as relations in and out of roleplay with the Lane Hackers official faction deteriorated, we were moved to a combination of Freelancer IFF and Pirate/Smuggler IDs for our main ships and Special Operative ID for our capital ships, including the VCS Metropolis (ref: "Vagrant Raiders and the Lane Hackers").

When we lost our official faction status in 2011, and the faction basically disbanded, all of our SRPed capital ships were -- as you know, and as one of our former leaders let you know regularly -- placed in Bastille as the SRP had been assigned to our founder and original leader (atlantis2112), and not the faction as a whole. This has been a mild inconvenience, as inactivity wipes have claimed several billion credits in capital ships. However, I will not harp on that matter. It is mostly irrelevant to this request and serves only as a point in the OORP history of the Vagrant Raiders faction.

Two months ago, I returned under the request of Switchback to assume control of the Vagrant Raiders. I did so. I brought Thexare back with me. Since then the Vagrant Raiders has been growing as a faction, and we have changed our goals in and out of roleplay significantly, to the point where some of our actions as dictated by our RP borderline on rule breakages. I will detail that later.

As a result, we, the Vagrant Raiders, are requesting a private player faction ID to be assigned to us. Detailed below are the reasons we are requesting this ID:

1. The Vagrant Raiders are no longer simply a band of pirates.
   The Vagrant Raiders are the official house military of the house known as Natio Octavarium (ref: ). The requirement imposed upon us with the Pirate ID to make a valid, reasonable demand of goods or services before attacking causes issues with regards to wars the Vagrant Raiders are and may later be involved in, as the opponents do not have to make a demand before opening fire on us. Building on this requirement, if they comply with the demand, we cannot open fire on them, but they can engage in perfidy, attacking us openly while we are being paid, for example.
   -
2. The Pirate ID forces reputation hacks that prevent in-game reflection of our in-RP repuations.
   Currently, the Vagrant Raiders are friendly to the Kingdom of Bretonia (ref: "TO: Kingdom of Bretonia | FROM: Natio Octavarium") and neutral to the Republic of Liberty (ref: "TO: Liberty Government | FROM: Natio Octavarium"). The Pirate ID forces us to be repped -0.9 with the militaries, police, intelligence agencies, and corporations of all houses. Bases which we should logically be able to pass by unscathed will fully open fire on us. NPC patrols openly engage us mid-roleplay in game, disturbing the roleplaying environment. We would like an ID such that its reputation hacks reflect the reputation our faction and the house we represent has with other factions and houses and their militaries and corporations, and not the outlawed reputation of generic pirates and unlawful scum.
   -
3. The Pirate ID is universally seen by many indies as an open target.
   This is an extension of the previous point. Many independent house militaries will see a player being shot at, see that they have a pirate ID, spit out a few minimum-requirement lines, and open fire. This happens with indies flying, in Liberty for example, anything from a Liberator to a Liberty Assault Carrier. While this is in direct violation of reputation notices posted by primary fleets and other entities dictating RP reputations with other factions such as the Vagrant Raiders, many indies do not notice this. We prefer mechanical and roleplay-based solutions to issues like this instead of hiding behind the rules with rule violation reports, which simply does not look good for anyone at all in cases like this.
   -
4. Many factions who are friendly to us are not allowed to ally with Pirate ID ships.
   An example of this being house militaries like the Liberty Navy and the Bretonian Armed Forces. They (and we) are, in accordance with rule 6.9, not allowed to ally in combat with each other as it would be considered an action against the NPC factions represented. Pirate ID, being rephacked hostie to the NPC factions of said allies, would cause both parties to violate 6.9 when we ally ourselves with each other in combat.
   -
5. The Vagrant Raiders wish to set their own RP-restricted tech chart entries.
   The Vagrant Raiders have certain tech chart cells that we would want to use more efficiently in 4.87 and others we don't have any intent to use. While this is a minor point -- I would say point two is the most important -- we would not benefit in-RP from tech entries such as 4.87 Rheinland Civilian technology (we are hostile to Rheinland corps and forces and therefore have no way nor reason to easily get a hold of the technology) but due to our past allegiances with the Lane Hackers we could benefit from a lesser nerf to Lane Hacker guns. Additionally, there are corporations setting up in Natio Octavarium space that intend to begin production in-RP of technology in the future, and this technology would, if added to the game itself, be something that the Vagrant Raiders would definitely have more access to than your generic pirate, who would have to have it sourced from the local black market instead of the manufacturer itself.

In deliberation with the high command of the Vagrant Raiders, we submit the following as the proposed Vagrant Raiders ID:

Pilot carrying this ID is a Vagrant Raider, who:

-- Can attack any ship that is hostile to them within the guidelines of the rules.
-- Can raid systems claimed by factions and houses hostile to them. Vagrantly.
-- Can enforce the laws of Natio Octavarium within its space.
-- Can demand cargo and credits from ships inside Natio Octavarium space and ships belonging to hostile factions, and attack them if they do not comply.
-- Cannot use transports with more than 4,300 cargo.

Allowed ships: Fighters, Bombers, Freighters, Transports, Gunboats, Cruisers
This ID may only be used if you are a member of the official player faction.

The restrictions placed upon the ID would allow us to attack hostile factions, just as any other military can, within the guidelines of the rules, and allow us to continue cargo transport operations to our allies (ref: "To: The Vagrant Raiders | From: TAZ", "To: Corporations of Sirius, Allies of Discord | From: TAZ | File: "Barn Raising"). The increase in cargo limit to 4300 would allow us to use the Pirate Train, a ship we often used when the Smuggler ID was around and when we used the Lane Hackers ID. Additionally, the ID would allow us to enforce the laws of Natio Octavarium within its sovereign territory as detailed in the house post (see the reference in point one), which we feel is important to us as the house's official military and de facto police force.

You will likely notice that the ID allows cruisers to be used by holders of the ID but not battleships. This is because we intend to self-regulate our usage of capital ships as appropriate to our RP, as any faction worth its name should, but we intend to SRP a single battleship (the VCS Metropolis) for use as a flagship. We have little interest in a fleet of capital ships, but we would like to have a few in the event something goes horribly wrong (the SCRA is in a similar situation) and the right to RP the construction of one when we see fit through RP and mechanical means instead of requiring admin intervention.

The tech chart settings as requested by the Vagrant Raiders for our ID, from both a balance and an RP perspective:

• 100% - Generic Civilian Guns/Ships, Sirian Civilian Guns/Ships, Border Worlds tech, Natio Octavarium Guns/Ships (in the future, possibly), Generic Unlawful Transports
  
• 90% - Bretonian Civilian Guns/Ships, Liberty Civilian Guns/Ships, Rheinland Civilian Ships (for the Tiger Shark), Zoner guns/ships
  
• 75% - Rheinland Pirate Cruiser, Outcast Ships, Outcast Capitals
  

In-RP, the Vagrant Raiders have one Storta destroyer left (it is currently in Bastille lacking an ID) and one Tridente -- thus the cell for Outcast Capitals. It is highly unlikely we would construct any further Stortas or Tridentes. We are currently in negotiations with the Red Hessian Army for military cooperation in Rheinland, which could eventually lead to the purchase and construction of a Rheinland Pirate Cruiser.

A new, more reasonable ID request with a limited piracy ZOI has been drafted as a request to be implemented.

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Retired, permanently.

[Moberg]

Sounds like a Red Hessian ID with extended ZOI, less enemies and their own 'house' to me. No battleships aswell.

Not sure if the Rheinland part is needed on it actually, there are already enough unlawful factions in Rheinland that make the life of traders entertaining. Unioners, Bundschuh and LWB are an example you can talk and make some deals with, Hessians (indies mostly) being the "2milordai" examples you can kill easily. Don't forget 'sairs in Sigmas and Omegas.

[Luke.]

Fair enough. I don't see you guys online very often though.

No real feedback for now apart from old interactions i've had with you guys were generally pretty good. Best of luck.

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[Kazinsal]

I'm not sure where the parallels between the Red Hessian ID and the Vagrant Raiders are apart from the zone of influence. We're not Rheinlanders, nor are we based in Rheinland. We just happen to pirate Rheinland corps when we're in the neighbourhood.

That we pirate Rheinlanders and we're generally regarded as a less-than-lawful faction are really the only similarities between the Red Hessians and the Vagrant Raiders. The two factions have greatly different goals and greatly different origins.

Fair enough. I don't see you guys online very often though.

We've stepped up activity a fair bit more in the past two weeks and will be stepping it up even further starting now.

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Retired, permanently.

[Moberg]

Maybe I have to elaborate something about my post, and I'd like to see some clarifications for the ID.

It sort of seems that you want both slices of the cake. Military, allying with Liberty and Bretonia forces on the one side, but pirates/terrorists (concerning Rheinland corporations) at the same time?

Which ZOI do you choose? From what I gather from your hostile list, I assume it to be stretching from the whole of Rheinland (maybe Sigmas aswell because of Corsairs) through the Omegas, Bretonia into the Taus, maybe even Gallia, and don't forget Magellan and Kansas.

Your ID says that you can attack any ships hostile to you, which means you could engage Rheinland transports everywhere in the above mentioned area? Or do you do that only in Rheinland space?

If you choose such a huge ZOI concerning engagement and activity, what drawbacks does your ID have? The transport restriction is fine, could be reduced to 3600 maybe, and aside from that?

I personally think you should have more restrictions in order to not make your ID too superior to the other pirate factions in your ZOI. Right now it looks like a red hessian ID mixed with quasi-lawful elements for Bretonia/Liberty and elements of house police in your Natio system.

I hope you can clarify these things.

[aerelm]

Money is taken and your tag is added to the tracker. Have fun.

[Govedo13]

Natio Octavarium thing does not exist in Sirius. If it does not exist you cannot have it written in the Rules (your ID).
This combined with the other questionable stuff in your goals that look too generic without anything concrete would give you hard time to RP and develop the faction.
I personally would not RP with any of you because such written story without any background that could be adjusted any time due to your faction needs is borderline powergaming in my books- as example read lore enemies to hug each other because the current leaders or the current situation dictates it. Other "normal" factions cannot do this, there is no reason for more non-cannon factions without lore and ability to do this.
I find a way better approach is to take one already existing faction and develop it, good idea to get rid of RoS or HF or Phantom remains.
Also you can try to use some of the unofficial Rheinland unlawfuls to do this RP as well.
A way better thing because when you disappear again after some time would get 4 useless content and RP wrecks- Phantoms,RoS, HF and VR.

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€œ

Official faction players that are often accused of elitism, never deploy them and have those weird, immersion killing "fair fight/dueling" suicidal hobbies. (yes, i've seen enough of those lolduels, where house military with overwhelming force on the field willingly loses a pilot in a duel. ffs.)