The International Rules of Engagement

The International Rules of Engagement are server wide laws that dictate the legality of pvp, a bannable offense when used outside of these regulations.

History

After a number of small battles and raids between Kurwa and Batt.x of disputed legitimacy, the International Rules of Engagement were established and bound all nations that wished to conduct lawful wars. For a long time these regulations allowed for a drama-free way to conduct wars between nations, but then rules lawyers began to take advantage of the server rules and provoked other states and then refused to fight. These types were officially referred to as “huge fucking pussies” and everyone hated them. In 1.8 this problem was rectified with the Laws of International Wartime Conduct.

With 1.9, the new server, 1.1 and 1.2, some of the old rules became obsolete, or new ones had to be added.

A complete overhaul of political rules was intiated at the start of the 1.7 Alpha's realm server. This included sweeping changes to the Rules of Engagement.

The Rules

At any time a nation may declare war on any other nation. The declaration must be given unequivocally and verifiably from leader to leader (Publicly, in a wiki page, in front of a mod, etc.). The declaring nation must publicly declare their demands, subject to veto by the politbüro. It is the responsibility of the declaring nation to ensure that the receiving nation's government is fully aware of their status of being warred upon.

If, after an armed confrontation between members of any nation not formally at war, all nations involved agree to retroactively have temporarily been in a state of war, the engagement will be treated as if it occurred under the rules of engagement.

Upon this declaration, the defending nation may choose from three options:

  • To immediately surrender and accept the terms agreed to by the attacking nation.
  • To petition a political officer to give a special exception.
  • To accept the declaration of war and immediately enter into a state of war with the attacking nation.

Surrendering

In order to surrender, the defending nation must agree to the terms set by the attacking nation and agreed to by a political officer. If the surrendering nation defaults on its debt (by choice or poverty) their status as a nation may be revoked by a tribunal of political officers and they must function as a settlement. They may subsequently petition a tribunal of political officers to reinstate their status as a nation, but said officers are under no obligation to do so.

Refusing

A nation must accept a declaration of war unless a political officer allows them to refuse. This request will be granted only in the rarest of circumstances. This must be explicitly made clear in the wiki page that will be dedicated to that topic and to a political officer in order to be a valid response. One week must pass before the attacking nation may once again declare war on the refusing nation.

Accepting

If a nation accepts a declaration of war, the two nations are immediately said to be at war. The following otherwise unacceptable actions are lawful during a state of war:

  • The killing of any enemy citizen within the borders of any of the warring nations
  • Theft from corpses or unlocked chests belonging to the enemy
  • Minor vandalism or breaching of enemy structures that are explicitly used for defensive purposes such as walls and towers. Excessive griefing of even these structures will not be tolerated.
  • The slaughtering of enemy animals and the disruption of enemy crops.
  • The killing of Yevs is strictly forbidden, as breeding them can be a significant time investment depending on their trades.
  • The destruction of torches, signs, and beds belonging to the enemy.

Lawful Battles
Specific wargoals can be determined by single battles if both sides agree beforehand. The specific manner by which a nation wins a war is determined by the combatants at the start of the war, subject to politbüro veto (for example, “the first nation to win 3 battles wins the war”).

  • In order for a battle to be officially and lawfully recognized, it must have the full agreement of both parties' governments and both sides must have agreed to be at a state of war. A member of the staff must oversee and regulate the battle to be sure it is in accordance with these rules
  • A field of battle must be accepted by all nations involved.
  • The win conditions for when the battle ends must be determined before the battle begins.
    • If at the end of the battle the leaders of both sides are in disagreement over whether or not the win conditions have been met, a mod may make the final decision.
  • Specific stakes for each battle may be determined before the start by each side and a political officer. Deviations from or additions to these rules may be deemed acceptable or necessary by a political officer and will be made explicit for the battle to be legitimate.

The loser of the war must submit to the agreed upon punishment unless otherwise stated by a political officer. Failure to comply results in the automatic revoking of their status as nation (see: surrender).

If a nation is annexed by another nation, it continues to exist in a state of occupation. It must adopt the conqueror's symbols/flags and can only declare war against the occupying nation.

A third party, be it a nation, mercenary group, or an individual, may enter the war on any side at any time, however they will remain a non-neutral combatant until the end of the war. They must declare their intention publicly and verifiably and any wargoals added will be subject to veto by the politbüro.

Players that are not citizens of a nation may participate in international wars by taking the side of a warring nation, in which case the Rules of Engagement apply to them until the end of the war. They may only fight enemy combatants during planned battles, or on the soil of the nation they side with.

  • battles/rules_of_engagement.txt
  • Last modified: 2020/11/08 04:02
  • (external edit)