Piracy [In-Game Occupation] Let's raise the Black Flag! (TEST Piracy)

[Tsukihi]

That reminds me, are we going to have smugglers in our group too or are they going to be another sub faction of test?

I think that pirates and smugglers should be separate, in two groups.
As example: I want to be a "trader" a special trader for everyone Pirate Police it doesn't matter if the money is right. So i don't want to be a pirate it would limit my trading capabilities. If a Pirate needs my service then he could message me an we can talk about the right payment. But if smugglers get in the same group as pirates there possibilitys are smaller. But i think we should create a contract between smugglers an pirates.

ps. Like the pirates have the phone number of an delivering company but the transporters have a special little cargo room for your secrets.

 

[Mettan]

Yeah, agreed, I can't really see pirates making money without sound smuggling contacts. Now that we have a star map in SC we may even be able to find a good system, or, systems, where we could establish a Test black market sort of thing . . . thingy - meh.

 

[Luke Towne]

Jes, I am in!... Or am I

 

[Kersakov]

The way I'm seeing it is PALS for me, means TEST Illegal activity (I know the accronym is piracy specific but ignore that...). Whilst piracy is obviously the most high profile of that, I would expect all of it to be reputation hitting and so I think we should still together as a unit.

Off the top of my drunk head the key elements of PALS would be Piracy, Smuggling, Narcotics/Moonshine Production and Distribution, Counterfeit documents/ship ID's etc, Chop-Shopping, Illegal Organ-ing and general Black market-ery; I'm sure the list goes on...
Basically the same as the clean SC world of making stuff, moving stuff and selling stuff but all with the illegal element. I think if we try and split it we're going to end up with a bunch of small squads that will end up failing but as one big group we can work.
Some people (Such as myself) will have primary interests (Space Drugs and Illegal Tech for me) but are happy to get involved with everything when needed and others will want to stick to specific roles (e.g. Just smugglers).
With time I think we will naturally split into groups of like-minded people just regarding who we talk to and play with but I think unecessarily breaking down the potential illegal roles will end in a binch of pretty inactive failed squads (Just my drunk, rambling opinion).

UNRELATED NOTE:
I've been away for a few days and only just got around to watching ATV, anyone that has a Caterpillar and is thinking Chop-Shop or EVA-Catapult Piracy, please please please let me crew. I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more ships (A big melt-fest next catarpillar sale isn't out of the question though...) but I really really need to play on a Cat, probably long before I can afford one in-game.

 

[honcho12]

The way I'm seeing it is PALS for me, means TEST Illegal activity (I know the accronym is piracy specific but ignore that...). Whilst piracy is obviously the most high profile of that, I would expect all of it to be reputation hitting and so I think we should still together as a unit.

Off the top of my drunk head the key elements of PALS would be Piracy, Smuggling, Narcotics/Moonshine Production and Distribution, Counterfeit documents/ship ID's etc, Chop-Shopping, Illegal Organ-ing and general Black market-ery; I'm sure the list goes on...
Basically the same as the clean SC world of making stuff, moving stuff and selling stuff but all with the illegal element. I think if we try and split it we're going to end up with a bunch of small squads that will end up failing but as one big group we can work.
Some people (Such as myself) will have primary interests (Space Drugs and Illegal Tech for me) but are happy to get involved with everything when needed and others will want to stick to specific roles (e.g. Just smugglers).
With time I think we will naturally split into groups of like-minded people just regarding who we talk to and play with but I think unecessarily breaking down the potential illegal roles will end in a binch of pretty inactive failed squads (Just my drunk, rambling opinion).

UNRELATED NOTE:
I've been away for a few days and only just got around to watching ATV, anyone that has a Caterpillar and is thinking Chop-Shop or EVA-Catapult Piracy, please please please let me crew. I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more ships (A big melt-fest next catarpillar sale isn't out of the question though...) but I really really need to play on a Cat, probably long before I can afford one in-game.

Careful, or NKato will hear you theorycrafting ;)

I'm super stoaked to see how the cat will work for smuggling!

 

[Kersakov]

Careful, or NKato will hear you theorycrafting ;)

NKato hates piracy, I'm hoping this will prevent him from noticing my power-play in the illegal theorycrafting department...

 

[Mettan]

A lot of the forum theory craters seem to hate pirates. I can only think that would mean when the PU goes live we can - expect people to hate pirates :D So we will need our own little Nassau right?, a place to go back to sell our loot, drink boo's, sniff space snuff, hang with space hoes and occasionally decapitate our rivals in public places. So yeah, I want smugglers around.

 

[AntiSqueaker]

Well, maybe we could just have an overarching "outlaw" umbrella for TEST?

Piracy "Division" (since I think PALS will have a decentralized command structure, since we don't want two seperate groups to be hunting the same grounds)
Smuggler Division (for selling our black market goods, and running high grade weapons/shields/upgrades we can't get normally)
Maybe an Assassin Division (like a black market bounty board? You put up a bid for X UEC on someone, someone gets paid once they wipe em out)

I think good smugglers will be a godsend for us pirates, since it seems like a lot of our stolen goods and especially ships will be very hard to sell otherwise.

 

[Kersakov]

Well, maybe we could just have an overarching "outlaw" umbrella for TEST?

Piracy "Division" (since I think PALS will have a decentralized command structure, since we don't want two seperate groups to be hunting the same grounds)
Smuggler Division (for selling our black market goods, and running high grade weapons/shields/upgrades we can't get normally)
Maybe an Assassin Division (like a black market bounty board? You put up a bid for X UEC on someone, someone gets paid once they wipe em out)

I think good smugglers will be a godsend for us pirates, since it seems like a lot of our stolen goods and especially ships will be very hard to sell otherwise.

I think the TEST Outlaws umbrella is exactly what we need. A lot of people don't want to even touch illegal activity so Pirates need Smugglers, Smugglers need Pirates and so on.

Also, you forgot the Space-Meth Division (And any other illegal manufacturing, Organs, Booze, Illegal Weapons, Fake ID's etc.)

 

[NeoHelios_SC]

Well how does organized crime in real life do it? They seem to have some success, heh... (just looking at proven strategies...) Not to be flippant; I mean, what has worked in the past?

For that matter, why divide the org in the first place? Seems to me that something like that might fracture us, and introduce opportunities for internal conflict. I'd say, umbrella or 'as few divisions as reasonably possible' will stave off any ego or pride issues down the road. I'm not saying zero divisions, of course, but I just want to make sure we have them for the right reasons.

If any "groups of playstyles" are natural competitors, like piracy and bounty hunting, I honestly feel like WITHIN THE ORG, they should be tied together and forced to find a way to coexist. Either survival of the fittest kicks in, and the weaker group disintegrates, or they work that shit out, and become greater than the sum of their parts.

Example: (both groups compromise) say (pirate) scouts or (hunter) escorts find an unescorted merchant. On one hand, the pirates want to plunder. On the other hand, the hunters want to protect the merchant. They collaborate: use the merchant as bait for other pirates, and wait for other pirates to attack. Other pirates will doubtless have brought cargo ships to haul the merchant's goods. Then our pirates & hunters work together to spring the trap and loot the other pirates. If ransoms are the trade, then ransom the pirates back; or collect the bounty. The payoff is that due to the death mechanic, pirates are going to be more likely to have nicer gear for protection. Sure if the merchant is Hull C or higher then the cargo might be worth more, but in these cases they would most likely have an escort. If not, then the hunters might have to compromise & turn a blind eye while the pirates do their thang; but if other pirates show up, then it's on like Donkey Kong.

Point is, both groups give a little, and as long as neither gets impatient or greedy, we can all have fun together, and due to having higher numbers, possibly reap even greater rewards. And for those who just want to watch the world burn, well, you still get your destruction fix on the pirate v pirate combat & boardings; likely with greater challenge, too since you will be opposing other pirates.

I know, I'm crazy for suggesting this... :) But seriously, thoughts?

 

[WarrenPeace]

Well how does organized crime in real life do it? They seem to have some success, heh... (just looking at proven strategies...) Not to be flippant; I mean, what has worked in the past?

For that matter, why divide the org in the first place? Seems to me that something like that might fracture us, and introduce opportunities for internal conflict. I'd say, umbrella or 'as few divisions as reasonably possible' will stave off any ego or pride issues down the road. I'm not saying zero divisions, of course, but I just want to make sure we have them for the right reasons.

If any "groups of playstyles" are natural competitors, like piracy and bounty hunting, I honestly feel like WITHIN THE ORG, they should be tied together and forced to find a way to coexist. Either survival of the fittest kicks in, and the weaker group disintegrates, or they work that shit out, and become greater than the sum of their parts.

Example: (both groups compromise) say (pirate) scouts or (hunter) escorts find an unescorted merchant. On one hand, the pirates want to plunder. On the other hand, the hunters want to protect the merchant. They collaborate: use the merchant as bait for other pirates, and wait for other pirates to attack. Other pirates will doubtless have brought cargo ships to haul the merchant's goods. Then our pirates & hunters work together to spring the trap and loot the other pirates. If ransoms are the trade, then ransom the pirates back; or collect the bounty. The payoff is that due to the death mechanic, pirates are going to be more likely to have nicer gear for protection. Sure if the merchant is Hull C or higher then the cargo might be worth more, but in these cases they would most likely have an escort. If not, then the hunters might have to compromise & turn a blind eye while the pirates do their thang; but if other pirates show up, then it's on like Donkey Kong.

Point is, both groups give a little, and as long as neither gets impatient or greedy, we can all have fun together, and due to having higher numbers, possibly reap even greater rewards. And for those who just want to watch the world burn, well, you still get your destruction fix on the pirate v pirate combat & boardings; likely with greater challenge, too since you will be opposing other pirates.

I know, I'm crazy for suggesting this... :) But seriously, thoughts?

I like your points, and I agree that trying to keep the org as united as possible is important. But I think what a lot of people are worried about is reputation. If only 5% of TEST engages in piracy, but that's the 5% that is most seen in the verse, then a lot of people will just jump to the conclusion that TEST=pirates and start shooting them on sight.

Of course, it is possible that the reverse will happen. If a minority of TEST is pillaging and looting, but the majority is providing high-quality goods transportation, catching criminals, providing hospital care, flying legit government mercenary contacts... we may end up with an overall positive reputation.

And it could be that reputation isn't a 2 dimensional sliding scale, but an aggregate of all activities, so it shows up that TEST performs both altruistic, selfless activities and at the same time pirates and pillages with drunken abandon. People wouldn't know what to expect when we show up... maybe we'll patch your wounds and give you a free beer, maybe we have interesting goods for sale, maybe we ignore you, maybe we board your vessel but only steal your alcohol and pants.

And if we're honest, that's really a far more accurate representation of TEST.

 

[honcho12]

Well how does organized crime in real life do it? They seem to have some success, heh... (just looking at proven strategies...) Not to be flippant; I mean, what has worked in the past?

For that matter, why divide the org in the first place? Seems to me that something like that might fracture us, and introduce opportunities for internal conflict. I'd say, umbrella or 'as few divisions as reasonably possible' will stave off any ego or pride issues down the road. I'm not saying zero divisions, of course, but I just want to make sure we have them for the right reasons.

If any "groups of playstyles" are natural competitors, like piracy and bounty hunting, I honestly feel like WITHIN THE ORG, they should be tied together and forced to find a way to coexist. Either survival of the fittest kicks in, and the weaker group disintegrates, or they work that shit out, and become greater than the sum of their parts.

Example: (both groups compromise) say (pirate) scouts or (hunter) escorts find an unescorted merchant. On one hand, the pirates want to plunder. On the other hand, the hunters want to protect the merchant. They collaborate: use the merchant as bait for other pirates, and wait for other pirates to attack. Other pirates will doubtless have brought cargo ships to haul the merchant's goods. Then our pirates & hunters work together to spring the trap and loot the other pirates. If ransoms are the trade, then ransom the pirates back; or collect the bounty. The payoff is that due to the death mechanic, pirates are going to be more likely to have nicer gear for protection. Sure if the merchant is Hull C or higher then the cargo might be worth more, but in these cases they would most likely have an escort. If not, then the hunters might have to compromise & turn a blind eye while the pirates do their thang; but if other pirates show up, then it's on like Donkey Kong.

Point is, both groups give a little, and as long as neither gets impatient or greedy, we can all have fun together, and due to having higher numbers, possibly reap even greater rewards. And for those who just want to watch the world burn, well, you still get your destruction fix on the pirate v pirate combat & boardings; likely with greater challenge, too since you will be opposing other pirates.

I know, I'm crazy for suggesting this... :) But seriously, thoughts?

I think the verse will be big enough to keep pirates and bounty hunters from fighting over the same ships. Also, we don't know how org rep will be impacted by pirates and bounty hunters in the same org.

 

[Kersakov]

I think the verse will be big enough to keep pirates and bounty hunters from fighting over the same ships.

This.
My personal policy will be leave TESTies to do their thing. If I drop out from behind an asteroid ready to board a hauler and see that it's escort is TEST, I'll be on my way and find a corporation convoy to rob.
I know we're big but with all the other orgs and the 90% NPC's in the 'verse, we're not going to be short on non-TEST vessels to attack, escort or whatever.

 

[Mettan]

My personal policy will be leave TESTies to do their thing.

Of course we should do this but I do think that if pals plans of being a separate entity form the main org it would be best to prepare for the head ache of testies complaining that we have been killing them. Being pirates I would not be surprised if many of us ended up working closely with other pirates who are not affiliated with the org. You know, the type who are like "I wont let you step allover my FREEDOM!", and blow your guildy up right in-front of you. If pals only recruits form the main org that may cut down on that bs but being pirates we still will have to live in pirate land and deal with the radical killer right wing.

Though if test/pals could control the black market economy wherever it lands, then I suppose people would have to do what we say to sell their shit . . .

 

[Huegpaynis]

Unfortunately, players will only have a minimal impact on a system's economy; we're going to be outnumbered by NPCs almost all the time, and that much of a lean is going to put a damper on anyone's monopolistic ambitions.

 

[Reptar Khan]

Under the theorycrafting Treaty for the Umbrella of Illegality

(Evil Ocupations)
-TESTMETH
-TESTDrZoidburges
-TESTVINUpdaters
-TESTRektNChop

(Evil Logistics Group)
-TESTSmuggleWaggons
-TESTTradeFederation
-TESTSomaliaTollWorkers

(All the Pirates)
-TESTPALS
-TESTAllYourBase (Evil FPS Team)
-TESTGrivenceCouncil (only the blackest of pirates UEE Kill On Sight [probably alts only])

We need to be the biggest/meanest sharks in the pool.
-Control sections of Spider, FPS ops to clean out opposing pirate bases
-Work with TEST Fuel Logistics to run a monopoly/embargo of Starfarer prices by blowing up anyone trying to harvest off Our gas giant
-Dominate the space smuggling biz, plant false smuggling missions to hunt other corps smugglers down so only our people get the sweet jobs in a given area
-Generally be the terror that other pirate groups & logistic/mining corps pay dues to

I propose our own for-profit crusade operation CrimeFork... IllegalUmbrella... CrimeUmbrella 'Crimebrella'?

Witty Names & Thoughs Go?

 

[NeoHelios_SC]

Generally be the terror that other pirate groups & logistic/mining corps pay dues to

I think it's been said a few times that we don't want the rep of a pirate org, and that's basically what you seem to be going for. Do we need some clarification, here?

+1 to Crimebrella ella ella eh eh oh!

 

[NeoHelios_SC]

Unfortunately, players will only have a minimal impact on a system's economy

I see that as "fortunately". Last thing I want in the game is Jita-style blockade. Fun for individuals, but ruins it for everyone else, and I don't think we would want that kind of attention as an org. You heard about what happened to ISIS, right? Something about everyone ganging up on them? I bet they're having a BLAST right now (pun intended, :p )

 

[Reptar Khan]

Good points... so maybe less TEST-Jihad & more TEST-PirateDon's Crimebrella...

 

[NKato]

NKato hates piracy, I'm hoping this will prevent him from noticing my power-play in the illegal theorycrafting department...

Too late.