Yesterday the clans decided to attack many lower level bases while players were verily in slumber. These bases were in the range of 30-60 and were level 45 attackers.. so basically they were in range of our current site in Varmint Woods. The clan organizations involved were
Spartanz,
Destructive Rebellion (DSR) and
Army of Virtue. This doesn't really concern us except that:
- A player has revealed, in hindsight, a plan to attack us was made and would have occured sometime after their third attack on the omni org Slow Motion.
- The same player helped clan forces with attacking an omni tower site, causing a temporary alliance and halt of their plans to attack us, but at the same time violating tower policy and creating problems with omni relations.
- Finally, the attacks concern us because monitoring of all attacks between factions could be of some possible strategic benefit, but this is not the purpose of this post today.
First, is the issue with tower policy. I don't think it has outlived it usefullness, it was designed because of very instances like this in the past when we were attacked by omni orgs like
CoNtaminated (Circle of Notum) because members purposefully attacked orgs without cause or were attacking clans for no real purpose or benefit to the org.
From section 4 of the tower policy:
The Defiant is a Neutral organization and does not take sides in the ongoing war between Omni and Clan.The recent attacks by Defiant on clan
Liberty are essentially also violations of tower policy because of collusion with omni. But, Knight is a founder and does what he wants and that is that. For other players it is not their right or responsibility to create new diplomacy for the entire org, especially sacrificing other current peaceful relations.
From section 3 of the tower policy:
Please do not purposefully attack enemy towers without first asking a general if this is okay. From section 2 of the tower policy:
... players should be mindful of the effects of Player versus Player combat on organization diplomacy ...Even though the player involved is a general, and generals can authorize attacks, decisions for the org are expected to be made with careful thought. This "rule" was written during a time when generals mostly did NOT authorize attacks and if done so, because of an imminent and foreseeable, immediate problem or because of an ongoing threat where war was already an option, given certain circumstances (such as attacks by enemies on the Defiant.. opportunity strikes with other neutrals, etc). Otherwise, options should be discussed first with the org.
From section 5 of the tower policy:
... The Defiant cooperates with other Neutral organizations and on occasion Omni and Clan for help defending neutral LCA's.Last, I want to address our relations with omni and the overarching relations between neutrals and other factions. We have generally peaceful relations with omni because they often do not attack neutrals and this is true of probably 90-95% of all neutral organizations with tower sites. For a fact, clans attack neutrals much more than omnis do. Neutrals also often provoke clans and create a cycle of violence. On the flipside, because of Defiant's past behaviour we have been attacked by omnis probably more than any other neutral org in recent history, perhaps aside from the now dismantled Rubi-Ka Defence Party.
The omnis that do attack other neutrals are often considered "rogue" organizations that do not represent the overall condtion of relations between omni and neutrals. And because of neutrals low population, uninterested approach to notum wars, and hostile relations with clans... help from omnis is the main reason neutrals have any chance of controlling higher level sites.
There are many players in The Defiant with clan or omni alts and often neutrals "lean" one way or another. That is fine and acceptable. But it goes too far if deciding to help one side or the other with tower wars using characters that are in the Defiant. Also, omnis and clans can be in our channel relaying info to their side and even advising us, but we don't have to listen to them explicitly or otherwise, as we are a neutral org with our own policies.
For my opinion, we now have slightly better relations with clans at the cost of disharmony with omni. And this truce will only last for as long as we don't attack clans, otherwise it likely will be seen as a betrayal and trigger a quick response. We have been making enemies with clans, omnis, and other neutrals..! And to me, ideally, when we attack it should be with other members of the org and united, not players by theirself.
I realize some of this is just opinion but I wanted to explain past and current events and their effects on the org and neutrals as I see them in one topic. This is not a complete discourse on neutrals and their history or even their participation in notum wars and I hope others post their thoughts on the subject.