Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

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dostillevi
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Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by dostillevi »

Obviously it's extortion, but part of the reason it works in real life is that rival gangs will harass the payee, and the gang getting paid should actually step in and help the payee against the rivals. The reason being if the extorting gang doesn't step in, the payee might as well stop paying and start paying one of their rivals.. who will "protect" the payee if the original gang comes back to try and collect more payments. Will the pirate faction I pay actually protect me if I come under attack from other pirates?
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Shark7
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by Shark7 »

They will send ships to your planets and fight other pirates that they are angry at...though for the most part it is just extortion. You are basically paying them off to not attack you. If you really want them to protect a planet, you need to offer it as a mercenary contract.
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Erik Rutins
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by Erik Rutins »

Depending on the pirate's playstyle and also on how much trust you build with them over time, you may find them quite helpful. The basis of it is certainly extortion, but they can be decent allies in the long term.
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arkhometha
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by arkhometha »

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Depending on the pirate's playstyle and also on how much trust you build with them over time, you may find them quite helpful. The basis of it is certainly extortion, but they can be decent allies in the long term.

Building up on the question though it's probably a little silly:

Can the Pirates AI turn them into Planetary Empires, or it's just the player that can do it? Does it depend on the pirate style or any pirate faction has the same chance to achieve that?
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Mansen
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by Mansen »

All of the pirate "styles" can turn other races colonies into their own little pirate colony. It involves building all of the pirate buildings (3?) on a planet.

The styles merely change some percentages around, your strengths and weaknesses. Smuggler pirates have an easier income from smuggling, than mercenaries do.
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towerbooks3192
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by towerbooks3192 »

* Insert Dr. Evil meme here

"protection"

Yeah I don't trust pirates though and in my experience they usually extort money when they are about to launch their assault pods and I just pay them off to stop them
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Shark7
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by Shark7 »

I've never let any pirates live long enough to actually help me. I see pirates as one thing...training fodder for my fleet admirals. [;)]
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CyclopsSlayer
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by CyclopsSlayer »

If the Protection actually ever protected anything at all, it might be worth paying. I pay it and they still destroy bases, capture freighters, raid colonies. Only had met 2 pirates, paid them both, yet they still raided and destroyed my homeworld Spaceport and nascent shipping network.
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Erik Rutins
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RE: Is pirate "protection" actual protection?

Post by Erik Rutins »

It depends on the pirate, but I've had long-term agreements with pirates where they actually had multiple ships helping to defend my system against an enemy empire. Mercenaries and Smugglers are more likely to be cooperative than Raiders and the default Pirates though and there are many factors that affect their decision-making.
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