Newcomer / Intro [Civil War / War] What happens if no player supports a war ?

[Stobby84]

Hi everybody !
I am still doing my first steps in ED world and I have inadvertently triggered a civil war between two minor factions.
Since I am too "weak" I think I will not participate to any combat actions and here the question : if no player participates how will the civil war evolve? Will it last permanently or there is a sort of outcome that the BGS calculates ?

Thank you!

 

[Para Handy]

The whole idea that a small group of players (or even just one like your case) can swing the state of systems that have many thousands to many billions of inhabitants is one of the more purile aspects of the game, such that I refuse to engage with the BGS.

If you have a war and nobody turns up - apart from being a 70's movie - the game assumes the minor factions fight via NPCs. You can see this is you visit any combat zones in the system which you have affected. (They do so even when human players are involved.)

 

[Krieger]

Civil Wars and Wars last at least 4 days and at most 7 days. If no players participate I think the outcome will be random. At least that's what it looks like in my home system. I never participate in (Civil) Wars in my home system because I want to be allied with all factions. I do my fighting in systems outside my goodwill bubble.

 

[FrogsFriend]

Hi everybody !
I am still doing my first steps in ED world and I have inadvertently triggered a civil war between two minor factions.
Since I am too "weak" I think I will not participate to any combat actions and here the question : if no player participates how will the civil war evolve? Will it last permanently or there is a sort of outcome that the BGS calculates ?

Thank you!

Hi. As above, wars are fought as 'best of 7 days'. So with no players doing anything to benefit either side it will end as a draw after 7 days. No stations will change hands, one faction's Influence will go up 2% and the other down 2%, so they don't immediately trigger another war.
Note that besides players fighting in space or surface Combat Zones, completing Missions and handing in Bounties can also benefit one side or the other and allow them to win a day. Finally, even if you're not doing anything in the system, there's always the chance another player may pass through and do something to influence the outcome.

 

[Shir]

If no player fights, the result is a draw after 7 days. If you are the only player participating, you can win an entire war in 4 days just by doing one combat mission total, so you win one day, and after three days of draws you win the war..

 

[Para Handy]

If no player fights, the result is a draw after 7 days. If you are the only player participating, you can win an entire war in 4 days just by doing one combat mission total, so you win one day, and after three days of draws you win the war..

See what I mean? One player! Total nonsense isn't it.

 

[metatheurgist]

See what I mean? One player! Total nonsense isn't it.

Absolutely. Allowing this nonsense was where the game starting going downhill.

 

[Chris Simon]

See what I mean? One player! Total nonsense isn't it.

Have you heard the tale of sir William Sidney Smith?

Sometimes one man is exactly enough to defeat an army.

 

[Shir]

The only thing I don't like about how war works is that they changed the truce time limit after it. Used to be that a few days should pass before another war can start, but now it's imminent, so as long as there are opposing players there's nonstop war..

 

[Para Handy]

Have you heard the tale of sir William Sidney Smith?

Sometimes one man is exactly enough to defeat an army.

There is a difference between being a leader as in Smith's case and being a single combatant as in Elite.

(Being ex-RN I was aware of Smith's colourful life.)

 

[Chris Simon]

There is a difference between being a leader as in Smith's case and being a single combatant as in Elite.

(Being ex-RN I was aware of Smith's colourful life.)

Of course it was supposed to be a metaphore. My point being that if a combat is at a stalemate, the actions of a single person CAN tip the balance.
And sir Sidney was that way before he was a leader.

I agree that the way contributions of a single character and their impact on the world work in Elite is not ideal, but at the same time it's also not as outlandish as in basically any other game.

 

[Stobby84]

Wow, thank you for all your comments!
From a general point of view I agree that it is a little bit disproportionate that a single man/woman can systematically shift the outcome of a galactic war but for the sake of the game I do understand that game mechanics have to reward the effort of the player in a tangible way.
I tried to enter in a CZ and I discovered something strange/interesting, it looks like that the defending party often gets the advantage over the attacking force.
I participated to some battles and I noticed that, without any intervention, the counter of the faction that has the role of "defender" is a little bit privileged. Maybe it is my impression, I will check better.

In any case what I understood is that to stay alive in a CZ with a very low rank ship you mostly have to play in support of your combat group otherwise you will be destroyed in few seconds. Once this main concept is understood it is possible to enjoy also this part of the game even with a basic equipment.

 

[Shir]

The key to doing CZs successfully with any kind of ship is to go after enemy targets that are already being targeted by your faction NPCs. You can tell cause their shields will be going down. So finish them quickly, then cycle around enemy targets till you find the next weak one. If at any point a group of hostiles focus you, run. Put some distance, then go back at it..

 

[Stobby84]

The key to doing CZs successfully with any kind of ship is to go after enemy targets that are already being targeted by your faction NPCs. You can tell cause their shields will be going down. So finish them quickly, then cycle around enemy targets till you find the next weak one. If at any point a group of hostiles focus you, run. Put some distance, then go back at it..

It is exactly what I am doing now and the payout is impressive..

 

[CMDR-NOBODY]

I was grinding my federation rank at Ochosi and now taking a break at Hirarimpt, found the 2 fractions was in civil war in the same station, 1 fed fraction and another non fed fraction. Was quite tired of the courier stuff so picked some massacre mission against the non fed one.

WOW, cannot stop then, to the point that I brought a chieftain for it.

I'm wondering should I take those massacre missions in turns like 1 for fed then 1 for the other to avoid the reputation drop to both ??

 

[CMDR-NOBODY]

... low rank ship you mostly have to play in support of your combat group otherwise you will be destroyed in few seconds. Once this main concept is understood it is possible to enjoy also this part of the game even with a basic equipment.

Same apply to bounty hunting in hisec systems. Easy money!!! Even in the glorious stock sidewinder!!!

 

[Gwyther]

Another thing you can do if you are not skilled in combat is to take out the smaller ships first, the eagles, etc... Then you and the NPC's can concentrate on the bigger ships.

I found these sites very useful when doing any bgs work.

The Elite Dangerous Background Simulation, Factions and Powers Guide - Nova Force

novaforce.com

Background Simulation

The Background Simulation is dynamic, complex and reflects the evolution of the galaxy with ever changing power and system influence of factions in response to player behaviour. Every Station, Surface Port and Settlement has its own demands and supply that change dynamically. The BGS does not...

elite-dangerous.fandom.com

Influence

Influence is a way for factions to have or gain control over a star system. Many factions can share influence within a system. The first row in the system's faction lists the controlling faction for a system and always controls the controlling station, which is usually the biggest in the system...

elite-dangerous.fandom.com

 

[the100thmonkey]

Absolutely. Allowing this nonsense was where the game starting going downhill.

So that would be from the 1.0 release in December 2014.

facepalm

1. the act of covering your face with your hand because you are embarrassed…

dictionary.cambridge.org

 

[Ian Skippy]

Wow, thank you for all your comments!
From a general point of view I agree that it is a little bit disproportionate that a single man/woman can systematically shift the outcome of a galactic war but for the sake of the game I do understand that game mechanics have to reward the effort of the player in a tangible way.
I tried to enter in a CZ and I discovered something strange/interesting, it looks like that the defending party often gets the advantage over the attacking force.
I participated to some battles and I noticed that, without any intervention, the counter of the faction that has the role of "defender" is a little bit privileged. Maybe it is my impression, I will check better.

In any case what I understood is that to stay alive in a CZ with a very low rank ship you mostly have to play in support of your combat group otherwise you will be destroyed in few seconds. Once this main concept is understood it is possible to enjoy also this part of the game even with a basic equipment.

Ships have a 'threat level'. Cheaper ships have a lower TL, meaning the opponents won't prioritize it. If you stay close to bigger ships, even a lowly eagle can last a battle!

 

[Craith]

Ships have a 'threat level'. Cheaper ships have a lower TL, meaning the opponents won't prioritize it. If you stay close to bigger ships, even a lowly eagle can last a battle!

I take offense at that comment. no I don't

(Advice is correct of course. Key to small ships is to know when to disengage, don't get caught alone in a cloud of reds, pick ships according to your setup (currently I run dumbfires + cytoscramblers, so big ships it is, other eagles are a waste of ammunition usually, even though 2-3 solid hits make them go boom.)