What mechanics has FDev implemented for defenders of strongholds to be able to defend at the same merit per hour rate as SLF hunting stronghold attacks ?
Worst case: let them undermine it down to Fortified, then immediately re-fortify it the following week. You've then got a Stronghold
without a carrier, which they can't do as much about and still gives most of the same benefits.
(Sure, the carriers are nice for outfitting, but you always at least have your HQ carrier for that)
It would be great if this suspension is balanced with something like CZ and bounty hunting. Right now, those two activities with an exponential amount of risk vs trade produce nothing significant.
I'm not sure the risk calculation is that straightforward.
Merits are paid instantly on kill, and from moderate rank friendly-space/Power-kill rebuys are paid entirely, so at that point you don't lose anything in a Powerplay sense except for a few minutes getting back to the instance if you get killed while bounty hunting or doing Power CZs.
Conversely if you're trading and somehow manage to get shot down, you lose the cargo before you can get merits for it.
(More interdictions for cargo haulers I would
absolutely support - then I can combine hauling with bounty hunting and get paid twice! - but it's not really about the relative risks)
