Somebody please explain...

[Eliza Creststeel]

James,

Many new players don't understand how kill stealing works or why it hurts the player doing most of the work. They may think they're helping. But, those pirates in your situation were being rude and taking advantage of you.

If someone wanders into an area I'm leveling in and proceeds to 'help' me, I offer to start a crew. After all, the bonus balances out any rep lost. Plus, it might mean making a new mate or guildmate in the future.

However, should those folks be simply using me - I pop over to another server. I can still work the same area, without the thief.

*PS* - I admit I have shown a dark side on this. A guy in a frigate once trailed my battle wagon all around PDF and picked up reps by hitting broadsides while my guns recycled. After a while, this got tedious.

So, I headed towards a couple of nasty warships. I skirted them, but didn't shoot. To keep up with me, he had cut right into them. His broadsides hardly made a dent and I simply watched them obliterate him and all the plunder he took from me.

I don't necessarily recommend such a nasty fate be given to those who do that to you. Courtesy first.

EC