Discovery Gaming Community

If a pirate has made a demand and then immediately after drops your shield/damages your hull, is this against the rules?

3.1 An attack is any hostile action that drains shields to less than 50%. Saying "Engaging" is not sufficient and aggressors are not allowed to destroy a ship before allowing sufficient time to respond. If a player is attacked he has the right to defend himself regardless of who is attacking. Trading nanobots, shieldbatteries or other ammo and equipment during a fight is also considered taking an active role in the engagement.

It says aggressors are not allowed to destroy a ship before allowing sufficient time to respond, but what about damaging a ship?

I think you can only attack the ship if he fails to fulfill your demand (or tries to run). You have to wait with the shooting until you get a response.
If the trader did not have time to respond, and you begin shooting, he might think you want to destroy him no matter what, and begins to run/evade, leaving you with the options to let him go, or to kill him, and if you kill him in this situation, you are very likely to get reported.

I believe the 50% part does allow for warning shots. If your shields are stripped entirely and your hull began to be damaged, before you had time to respond, that would be inappropriate and you would also be justified in defending yourself.

Alright, thanks.

A pirate is absolutely allowed to damage you before you respond, just not kill you.

One of my old lines was: "Do hold trader, you know the drill. For precautions your shields will be kept down at all times until you have paid what I request."

Then I keep their shields down the entire interaction. Makes it easier to drop a SNAC if they say no or friends arrive. IMG| *cough cough* stallers *cough cough*