So, I'm still new.. and don't really know much about either side (I'm a junker myself) but I caught something strange late last night; an LPI officer in a fighter stopping a Navy Cruiser, claiming it to be a DUI check point, even going as far as launching CD,s and knocking out the trade lane.
Funny thing, is myself and the trader I was escorting, were given nothing. The claim was, that there were reports of drunken officers within the navy (my grandfather's [ooc] retired navy, so I get this but I mean.. really? Is there some bad blood between these two? Is that even within character? I was in the Army myself, and I know there were times, especially within combat trained units) that we'd have run in's with the locals off base, but they would never go this far. Checkpoint on a car off base, sure.. stopping a war vessel.. not a chance.
If I could liken this to anything, it would be a Coast Guard S&R with 3 men on board attempting to stop a Naval Cruiser.. just not gonna happen.
Don't get me wrong, it was RP'd well enough, and I had fun following the LPI around hassling him with comments on the nature of perceived corruption.. just wondering on your thoughts? Who has authority over who, is it shared, linked to a central group, say the govt? I was told by another LPI officer that they were privately funded (as does the wiki, but hey, RP trumps all eh? so it seems to me that line could get a bit fuzzy at times.
0.0 Be excellent to one another. Consider the people around you. Keep fair play in mind.
LPi are corrupt as you say. It is a game, and not real life so LPi can and does harrass cap ships from time to time.
Funny thing is, you can bribe them most times with some creds or wine to go away.
Probably the issue is another. As you say, stopping a car is legitimate, stopping a warship, not so much. However, there's no really the equivalent of a car in Freelancer, as even the puniest of ships is armed (not to mention no one fies anything except the top fighters). Finally, Liberty (and not only) is rather know for the...uhm...proportion of capital ships to snubs.
So the way I see it, it's rather legitimate roleplay.
Posts: 3,215
Threads: 100
Joined: May 2012
Staff roles: Balance Dev
I believe that it was the LPI who arrested the head of an indie LN group a couple months ago. I wouldn't say "we" have authority over them - we don't - but that isn't going to stop us from fining and/or arresting them.
What's important to realize is that you can't really compare the LPI to cops in real life. Given how well-armed your average citizen is, these cops might be mostly flying around in light fighters, but we also have SWAT bombers, a SWAT cruiser, and even a sort of "home base" Dreadnaught.
In short: if a navy pilot - or whoever else, really - breaks the law, then the LPI will deal with it. 'least unless we're drinking coffee. Or eating donuts. Or if we're on our union break.
LPI > LNS in my opinion. You have to remember that this is a overlap of ZOI with LPI and Navy. I will always side with LPI. There needs to be room for them. SO I have no problem LPI putting their badge to the test against LNS and other navies.
I think it's very inRP and I do believe they should have authority to stop, fine and arrest Navy within Liberty. Just like a cop would stop a soldier driving drunk. Even if, and even more likely, if he was doing it in a tank.
I dont think LPI has authority over Navy. LPI protects Liberty from Pirates, Navy protect Liberty from being overtaken by Rheinland. I don't think LPI should stop a Navy Warship to harass him.
Some hours ago, LPI threatened terrible things would happen to me (freelancer) if I didnt give them the liberty rogue pilots that I had captured. They only let go after I made it clear I knew my rights.
Shortly afterwards I saw them levy a 10 million fine to a navy carrier because he was "blocking the traffic" by sitting 1k from Manhattan docking ring. Official [LN] got called on skype by them and told the indy navy he should pay. When I said that he's hardly blocking the traffic if he's like 20 ships lengths of the ships that can actually use those rings away from the rings and not even in the trajectory of the rings, they shot me dead for obstruction of justice.
Stop hatin' on the LPI. The NAVY does neither of the things they should. Stopping pirates or protection from outside enemies. I think Navy should work less in house and more out of house/ via boarder systems.