Greetings.
The reason for this thread is to give feedback regarding powerplay. Specifically, undermining opposing factions and the strategy known as 'off-beaconing.'
Currently, off-beaconing appears to be the most efficient way for combat-oriented players to accrue large amounts of powerplay merits for their faction, to the point that any other means of combat oriented powerplay seems a waste of time. The rewards for off-beaconing are very high, and the risks very low. While I admit I have done a fair amount of off-beaconing as I play, I dislike doing so because it feels exploitative with how easy it is.
I thereby propose an alternative, something that came to me today like a spark of inspiration, and something I've spent a few hours fleshing out in my head.
OUT:
The spawning of powerplay ships at and around the nav beacon.
IN:
The introduction of two new types of USS category; 'Interdicted Convoy,' and 'Drifting Convoy'
These new USS categories would contain logistics vessels with cargo holds full of related powerplay supplies, be they preparation supplies or fortification supplies. The difference between them would be in the levels of threat. [Interdicted Convoys] would be threat levels between 1 and 4, whereas [Drifting Convoys] would be threat level 0.
Since [Drifting Convoys] would be threat level 0, they are the simplest to describe, so I'll start with them.
A [Drifting Convoy] signal source, when dropped down into, would contain a wing (or multiple wings) of vessels forced to "pull off to the side of the road," as it were, on account of a ship needing to make in-field repairs.
As undermining goes, these present ripe opportunity for enemy faction players to destroy convoys for powerplay merits. Alternatively, if the convoy faction is friendly to the player's own, a player can stay in the instance and 'stand watch,' so to speak, as the repairs are completed. If the convoy completes its repairs and all ships high-wake out, the player is rewarded 10 powerplay merits per ship successfully shifting out. If enemy powerplay ships, whether player controlled or NPC, drop from cruise and are repelled by the player, the usual 30 merits per kill would be additionally rewarded.
An [Interdicted Convoy] is self-explanitory, and identical to the [Drifting Convoy], except that combat is already live when the player disengages from low frame-shift. Depending on the player's own allegiance, they can either choose to aid the convoy or the privateers, and earn merits per ship destroyed. The number of ships involved in the instance would be directly related to the threat level associated to the USS, 1-4.
I believe that with the addition of these two types of USS, undermining powerplay factions can receive a greater level of variety than currently exists, compelling players to cruise around a system looking for where they can offer aid/be a nuisance, instead of just hanging around a nav beacon all the time.
The reason for this thread is to give feedback regarding powerplay. Specifically, undermining opposing factions and the strategy known as 'off-beaconing.'
Currently, off-beaconing appears to be the most efficient way for combat-oriented players to accrue large amounts of powerplay merits for their faction, to the point that any other means of combat oriented powerplay seems a waste of time. The rewards for off-beaconing are very high, and the risks very low. While I admit I have done a fair amount of off-beaconing as I play, I dislike doing so because it feels exploitative with how easy it is.
I thereby propose an alternative, something that came to me today like a spark of inspiration, and something I've spent a few hours fleshing out in my head.
OUT:
The spawning of powerplay ships at and around the nav beacon.
IN:
The introduction of two new types of USS category; 'Interdicted Convoy,' and 'Drifting Convoy'
These new USS categories would contain logistics vessels with cargo holds full of related powerplay supplies, be they preparation supplies or fortification supplies. The difference between them would be in the levels of threat. [Interdicted Convoys] would be threat levels between 1 and 4, whereas [Drifting Convoys] would be threat level 0.
Since [Drifting Convoys] would be threat level 0, they are the simplest to describe, so I'll start with them.
A [Drifting Convoy] signal source, when dropped down into, would contain a wing (or multiple wings) of vessels forced to "pull off to the side of the road," as it were, on account of a ship needing to make in-field repairs.
As undermining goes, these present ripe opportunity for enemy faction players to destroy convoys for powerplay merits. Alternatively, if the convoy faction is friendly to the player's own, a player can stay in the instance and 'stand watch,' so to speak, as the repairs are completed. If the convoy completes its repairs and all ships high-wake out, the player is rewarded 10 powerplay merits per ship successfully shifting out. If enemy powerplay ships, whether player controlled or NPC, drop from cruise and are repelled by the player, the usual 30 merits per kill would be additionally rewarded.
An [Interdicted Convoy] is self-explanitory, and identical to the [Drifting Convoy], except that combat is already live when the player disengages from low frame-shift. Depending on the player's own allegiance, they can either choose to aid the convoy or the privateers, and earn merits per ship destroyed. The number of ships involved in the instance would be directly related to the threat level associated to the USS, 1-4.
I believe that with the addition of these two types of USS, undermining powerplay factions can receive a greater level of variety than currently exists, compelling players to cruise around a system looking for where they can offer aid/be a nuisance, instead of just hanging around a nav beacon all the time.