Can Bounty Hunters actually demand cargo?

[Jinx]

a RP explanation is that by refusing, you act ooRP - however such an assumption is a bit unfair of course. - you must see it as that... the BHG script is similar to the police ... they don t have their own script. - you however, are not what you roleplay to be - but you are trent ... a freelancer. the program does not recognize you as anything else.

the police / BHG demands pilots from you as a "custom" - they deliver the pilots to a prison station ( which your char *should* be happy about, cause he doesn t have to make that journey ) - pilots are indeed illegal, - pilots of any kind ( to the NPC ) cause its the duty of the police to collect them and bring the to justice.

now i am aware that players do not agree with these game mechanics - and that players like to collect their pilots. - however - its usually small quantities that players have in their hold - 2 - 5 enemy pilots maybe, so one cannot argue that one looses much cash for dropping them to the BHG / police ... a lot of people still wouldn t drop them though - and so the consequence is to turn red to them.

players that collect dozens of enemy pilots are a bit strange for that matter, cause only a prison ship that is dedicated to "store" criminals should really do that - so its kind of ooRP anyway if a ship that is not an official prison ship has like 100+ enemy pilots there. ( unless they have the RP for it - however - NPCs do not recongnize the special RP, cause you are - as i said... still just trent from the singleplayer to them )

the roleplay advice is to drop them for the BHG / police when they demand you do drop them. certain NPCs demand certain goods. - the BHG has monopolized on delivering criminals - like many other monopol factions, they do not love it much when someone breaks into their field of operations. - so when the player as a freelancer starts doing their job, they will have a go. - officially ( NPC factions ) they have a contract with the houses that allows them to hunt down criminals and allows them to deliver them to the prison stations. the player does not have that authority - he has a right to do it, but must live with it when others fight him for it.

so when a BHG asks you to drop your pilots, and you refuse, - it is natural that you will turn hostile to the BHG - unless you retreat all the time or pay a bribe every now and then. they do have the authority given from one NPC faction to another NPC faction. the player has not got that authority ( in terms of game mechanics ) - thats why even a BHG player has to drop the pilots for them.

if possible, i would appreciate the BHG ( among other factions ) to stop asking for cargo once you re green with them ( like pirates stop asking for cargo once you re green with them ) - but i don t see that happen.

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Shipdesigns made for DiscoveryGC

[Baltar]

I need just a clarification.

Can they demand contraband from smugglers/traders?
Greets,
Colonia

Bounty Hunters cannot engage in anything illegal ... the ONLY cargo they can demand from smugglers or traders would be contraband.

And the contraband must be formally declared. For instance ... the commonly recognized contraband such as Cardamine, Artifacts, etc. could be demanded. In addition to the traditional contraband, many factions have declared openly (forums and such) that items such as Nomad technology, Nomad brains, exporting of certain house technologies (such as engine components) are also contraband. Oh yes ... and unlawfuls don't care much for folks transporting prisoners or our pilots. Yup ... pilots would be contraband too.

So in a nut shell ... yes they can demand cargo ... but only if the cargo is not legal.

[Manni]

Good
This is clear now:)

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With daily Laserlight-show!
My own Freelancer-Firework! Inspired by Jazz

[memeics]

Thank you for your very detailed answer and sorry if by continuing this I am polluting this thread I am not sure if I should open a separate thread about this discussion.

players that collect dozens of enemy pilots are a bit strange for that matter, cause only a prison ship that is dedicated to "store" criminals should really do that - so its kind of ooRP anyway if a ship that is not an official prison ship has like 100+ enemy pilots there. ( unless they have the RP for it - however - NPCs do not recongnize the special RP, cause you are - as i said... still just trent from the singleplayer to them )

I just started playing Freelancer on the Discovery server and I have probably a lot to learn about how to RP well. Currently since I'm a bellow level 40 Civilian ID I am not sure what exactly are correct RP actions on my part and what are not (actually I realise that using faction specific ships/weapons is not RP so I only fly civilian ships for now). So for example being a Civilian you mean that it's not very much RP to carry a lot of lifeships (I don't intend to make myself some kind of life pod trader, I am using only fighter ships). But it is one of the best ways to make money currently without having to travel (and thus expose myself to pirates) very much. For example I just go into some Xenos controlled area, fight Xenos until I get bored (NPCs only, _and_ they attack first) then go sell them to a bounty hunter base (so BHG do get those people after all but at least I get payed properly for them). The same I do for hunting Liberty Rogues.

I supose this kind of playing is frowned upon for a Civilian? I do not have yet decided what faction I will join post level 40, definitely it will be a lawful one (otherwise it would be kinda stupid to kill so many pirates/lawless ships right now and then turn a friend to those), I want to live my posibilities open so to make money I just hunt hostile lawless NPCs and sell them (also by taking on missions from bases). Maybe I got it all wrong and I am violating a lot of server rules:(

[Manni]

Hunting NPC's and selling their pilots is not a violation. It's good money
NPC-Police just sees them as contraband, every player would ask you where you bring them, but they actually dont demand them (unless a Xeno-Player sees xenos in your hold)

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With daily Laserlight-show!
My own Freelancer-Firework! Inspired by Jazz

[chopper]

Quote from the rules :

6.15 Owners of Bounty Hunter/Mercenary/Freelancer IDs have a right to attack:

- Pirates
- Traders ships carrying smuggled goods and refusing to drop them
- (not for FL ID) Lawful and unlawful players with a bounty on their heads

So, the answer is - yes, they can act as a police if they like.
They don't need any type of authorization, according to the rules, obviously.

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It is every Corsair's responsibility to die a beautiful death in defense of Crete, regardless of how OORP or how capwhoring the opposition is. Launch your fighter, joust the battlecruisers and die a beautiful death. Then, drink it down in the bar.

Can't let you bash folks in your sig Chopper-Del

[Athenian]

Just because they can doesn't mean they should. Bretonia - BPA reserves the right to control smuggling but smuggling is reported. A little give and take is probably best here. The BHG isn't the Sirius Wide RoboCops, and they should really have authorisation from local law enforcement before they stop anyone. And one man's contraband is another man's bread - it varies from system to system...

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Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
Discovery Community Forum Rules

[chopper]

Yes. So, when a BHG meets a smuggler in Omicron Theta he should report him to.. Umm.. BPA?
Also, Bretonia is known for letting shipments of Cardamine to go trough.
Why would bounty hunters have faith in such a corrupted government?

They can do it in no one's land, like Magellan, Cortez, Galileo etc.

Also, shouldn't BPA be happy if a smuggler is caught, regardless of who caught him?

I need just a clarification.

Can they demand contraband from smugglers/traders?

This was a question on the first page. I just answered with "rule quote", that's it.
Everything else is RP.

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It is every Corsair's responsibility to die a beautiful death in defense of Crete, regardless of how OORP or how capwhoring the opposition is. Launch your fighter, joust the battlecruisers and die a beautiful death. Then, drink it down in the bar.

Can't let you bash folks in your sig Chopper-Del

[Athenian]

Yes and the rule was quoted earlier. RP is what I was talking about. How the rule is applies is probably more important. The rule doesn't say "should" or "must"; it says if they do they can't be sanctioned. The Xeno id allows a player the right to do a lot of pretty awful stuff, but you don't see the terrorist i.d. being handed out so freely.

The case you cite reduces what I thought was a pretty reasonable point to absurdity through a ludicrous example that wouldn't happen if the BHer knew what he was doing out in the Omicrons. Of course there is no authority out in the Omicrons. A BHer in Omicron Theta will be there as part of the Guild Core and would probably be interested in one particular type of contraband, i.e. nomad lifeforms and technology.

As it stands, such a strict interpretation of the rules means there's nothing stopping BHers from demanding contraband, "impounding it" and returning it to the local police station, lets say it's on Texas for example and it happens to be cardamine. Which is, effectively, piracy. Now if the LPI says, no it must be destroyed, who are the BHG to go against that?

The chief complaint levelled against the BHG is that it has such a wide zone of influence, an impressive and powerful ship line and a playerbase that believes it is Judge Dredd's more right-wing older brother. If this broad power is used without some understanding of what regulations the local law enforcement has in place, then the BHG can't really consider itself an ally of the House Police. I think the use of the power needs to be restricted in that a BH should have some sort of authorisation from the local police. This is as much for RP purposes as to preserve the need for the police factions to exist.

The point about not having faith in such a corrupt government - well that's based on your belief that the BHG is comprised of people with principles and an advanced sense of morality. This not the Fantastic Four we're talking about; or vigilantes. These are hired killers. They aren't all Dog the Bounty Hunter.

Whose own life is a good example of how real life bounty hunters are subject to different regulations in different jurisdictions. Honestly, look up his life. Quite interetsing in places.

I'm not a fan. :unsure:

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Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
Discovery Community Forum Rules

[sobuor]

wave in coming from blue

yes i have had this same proablem where i have roges or lane hackers in my hold the LSF LN and other such groups try to stop me i mean got them protecting my ship from there damn raids why is that a crime ? it's not like i'm hunting them it was self defence.

wave ended :rtfm:

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