Why most traders feel sad

[Ursus]

One of the reasons is unwillingness of players playing lawful characters to deploy necessary force to counter piracy on major trade lanes due ever-present whining on forums about unfairness.

Somewhat but its also because that's what the FL and disco devs want. I mean, corps could theoretically form coalition of sorts but then ID restricts their ability to project power, such as no gunboats for corps, and no hunting unlawfuls. Meanwhile there are 3 unlawful factions for every house faction, all of them have military gear, and they are free to engage anybody that wanders by. Devs even gave lots of background so people can find motivation that lets them justify playing a baddie (a brigand, or maybe anti-monarchist, or hey even anti-paternalistic in the case of GC). Also some unlawfuls are more powerful than some houses in important ways, IE priates can go anywhere in the game with gunboat tech while house forces are limited to zone and RP restrictions, while the only mobile lawful faction (BH) is prohibited from engaging unlawfuls except in a handful of scenarios and then has to document that the requirements were met.

We have rampant piracy because the designers want lots of unlawfuls. Fact.

Good reasons to have them, keep risk and entertainment in the game, problem is that UNLAWFULS USE MILITARY-CLASS GEAR WHILE TRADERS DO NOT. That is the whole problem. Merchants will avoid pirates until they feel like they have at least even odds of gettin out with their cargo. Pirates don't want even odds, so they bring 2 bombers and 3 gunboats and camp stuttgart.

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