A Different Take on Reinforcements

[William Death]

I see it like this:

PROBLEM1 

New players (and the more casual players) get "ganked," "seal-clubbed," or otherwise sunk by an enemy(s) and leave the game. Population drops, there are less targets for hunters, hunters begin to leave the game, we have a "dead server" (or one where PvP can only be found by those who already know where it is [clan affiliations, experience, etc.], and not the average player).

SOLUTION1

Safe Zones!! Big protected areas where you can call in the mega bot fleet as soon as the battle starts to save you from the certain loss of your Insert random ship here to my paper-thin hunting Endymion. Sailing in these waters is almost guaranteed safety.

That kind of works, but introduces...

PROBLEM2!

The majority of players won't leave the safe zones. And why should they when they can get every resource and do all their missions right outside their capital. Talk to players and I bet you'll hear a story similar to this: 

• I haven't left the safe zone alone for any reason since the map-wipe except to hunt PvP, set up PvP outposts, or to sail to my alt's outpost (about 20 minutes from my main character's capital). I have no reason to leave the safe zone other than those or some clan-affiliated action. Think about it: I can get every resource that I need right there in the protected zone, or else from my alt; I can do all the combat missions I would want to right there as well, why leave it? To be a target for some other PvPer? No way, I like to be the hunter not the hunted, I will go out of my way to not be a target for enemies any more than I have to be.

This causes an equally bad problem: PvP goes down, player population goes down, hunters stop playing, we might as well re-name the server PvP light (mostly PvE but some PvP occasionally).

OVERALL SOLUTION

Maybe its been suggested before or maybe it hasn't (I don't recall seeing it yet, but if you came up with it before me, say something so I can give credit where credit is due), but here is my suggestion to fix the problem. Assume all other ROE stay the same (3 minute join, invisibility, cooldowns, etc.)

BR-based reinforcements in the safe-zone:

• If you are the defender in your home safe-zone (did not press "attack") and you have less than 1.5x the BR of your attacker,  you can call in AI reinforcements to give you up to 1.5x the BR of the attacker. You can only call those reinforcements after 3 minutes and the battle is closed, preventing teammates from joining your side, but no later than 4 minutes into the battle (so you have a 1 minute opportunity to call AI reinforcements). This gives defenders a chance to call on AI to help them if their fellow captains cannot assist them in time, but it still encourages players to sail with others so that you aren't working with a 1.5x BR AI limitation in the battle.

 

• If you are the attacker in your home safe zone (you pressed "attack") you do not get any AI reinforcements, no matter what the BR is. If you cannot fight that enemy, then you should not be attacking it. The Admiralty frowns upon incompetence and does not intend to supply you with a fleet to attack enemies near your capital. AI reinforcements are for defensive purposes of weaker targets only.

 

• If you are the defender in your home waters (did not press attack) and you have more than 1.5x the BR of your attacker, you cannot call in AI reinforcements. The Admiralty frowns upon incompetence. AI reinforcements are for defensive purposes of weaker targets only, and the Admiralty hopes that you can handle a ship that you out-rate by more than 1.5x BR.

 

Lets see a few examples of this:

Pirate in Surprise at Charleston (US): 140 BR     attacks   US in Endymion 225 BR.                 No reinforcement available, since the Endymion has more than 210 BR (1.5x the BR of the Surprise).

Pirate in Surprise at Port Royale (GB): 140 BR    attacks   GB in Trader's Brig 10 BR.              200 BR of reinforcements available to the British captain, since 210 BR - 10 BR = 200 BR (the difference between the defender's BR and 1.5x the attacker's BR). In this case, the British skipper may get any combination of ships (AI gets to decide by using the lowest number [therefore, largest ships] of ships that will reach that BR [maybe there can be some kind of allowance for + or - 10 BR either way on the AI reinforcements, with the decision being made by using the least number, but largest size of AI ship that will fit the requirement]) that add to 200 BR. In this instance, he would get an Essex and a Lynx (180+20BR).

Pirate in Surprise 140 BR     attacks    French   Bellona 400 BR  in the Mortimer Protected zone (Pirate).      No reinforcements available: don't attack what you cannot fight and then expect the admiralty to save you.

 

With that system:

• You protect the defenders in their home waters (as long as they are in a ship that needs additional protecting from their attacker).
• You allow the attackers to still have their PvP if they are a bit more cautious.
• You encourage players to work together and help each other out, but provide protection for when they don't (most people would prefer to have unlimited player reinforcements jump in within that 3 minute time that the battle is open rather than deal with the "creative" AI on their side).
• You prevent the griefing that would arise if a home-waters captain could use a smaller ship to tag a larger enemy in the protected zones and call on AI reinforcements to waste the hunter's time.
• You discourage the PvP hunters from attacking new players because those new players can call on heavy reinforcements to combat their attackers.

Possible tweaks: if 1.5x BR proves too little, or too much BR, then it may need adjusting. I think the "sweet spot" would be between 1.5x BR and 2x BR of the attacker.

I'm sure there are a lot of threads about this, I've read a few of them, but I don't recall seeing a suggestion quite like this. Lets try to keep this thread civil and not start calling each other noobs or "bad at the game because you can't handle AI" or "killing the game because you PvP near capitals" or anything like that. I have noticed that quite a few of these combat mechanics suggestions regarding PvP near capitals often devolve to that kind of discussion. Lets do our best to avoid that in this discussion.

Thoughts?

[Slim McSauce]

A fair compromise between 0 protections and 2 first rates coming to help every tbrig who get tagged

[The Wren]

Interesting ideas here Willis.

But with this system wouldn't having 2 Trader Brigs in fleet actually get you less reinforcement protection because of their added BR?

[Slim McSauce]

9 minutes ago, The Wren said:

Interesting ideas here Willis.

But with this system wouldn't having 2 Trader Brigs in fleet actually get you less reinforcement protection because of their added BR?

By about 10 BR yes, but you can chop that up as risk/reward. AI shouldn't be the main protection anyway. You already have your nation close by, your clan who can help, and forts you can sail to. AI is a last resort for getting caught with your pants down

Edited October 3, 2017 by Slim Jimmerson

[The Wren]

1 minute ago, Slim Jimmerson said:

By about 10 BR yes, but you can chop that up as risk/reward

Yes I know the BR is low, poor example but my point being that having a fleet will lower your available reinforcements. 2 Indiamen in fleet for example will drop your reinforcements significantly.

[Slim McSauce]

6 minutes ago, The Wren said:

Yes I know the BR is low, poor example but my point being that having a fleet will lower your available reinforcements. 2 Indiamen in fleet for example will drop your reinforcements significantly.

But an extra Indiaman is no push over. Its basically having another frigate with you. 2 Indiamans v 1 Surprise is by no means a gank in the surprises favor. If you're sailing a 4th rate you should be able to reasonably defend yourself against a 5th rate without needing to be saved by AI

Edited October 3, 2017 by Slim Jimmerson

[Hawkwood]

59 minutes ago, Willis PVP2 said:

Pirate in Surprise at Port Royale (GB): 140 BR    attacks   GB in Trader's Brig 10 BR.              200 BR of reinforcements available to the British captain, since 210 BR - 10 BR = 200

I am wondering myself, why is this not already in the game

 

[Guest]

Didn't we have a 1.5x BR reinforcement system around April '16? Might be worth digging up those threads to see why it was discarded in the first place.

[Sven Silberbart]

Based on this statements..

-> Mission Ganking is a poor solution to bring PvP, it only makes gamked players leave.

-> Privateering should be a part of the game. the gane system schouldn't kill it

..i want to see a easy implementation like this..

-> Remove every reinforcements and the hole zone

-> Instead make every Combat and fleet mission instant closed to make mission jumping impossible

-> To prevent that the missions are misused as escape spots when i am a hunted player implement a cooldown timer before joining a mission (maybe 30 secs)

..that would realive privateer and pirate actions and makes the missions safety if started once!

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Sven Silberbart

[admin]

regarding the safe zones - we tried. The thing is - players want to leave safe zones when they want to. And some do. We found that if we force the rest to go out of safe zones to progress they just leave the game because they don't progress. They sink, don't get a chance to learn, get frustrated and leave. 

[Abram Svensson]

i actually think renforcement zones are needed.

before the zones were implemented, new players in sweden had a really hard life, because there were a lot of gankers from france and denmark.

but i think they are to big right now and the reinforcements are to strong.

i had the idea, that reinforcement zones could work like the protected area. if someone gets ganked the battle stays open for the defending side - attackers arent able to join.

this way the experienced players have to work, that their players stay in the nation and new players could get in contact with PVP players of their own nation.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Abram Svensson

[Jarlath Morrow]

Love the idea of reinforcements responding based on the difference in BR.

It will give a more organic feel to reinforcements when they occur and probably end up with some interesting fleets in the battles.

[Christoph]

46 minutes ago, admin said:

regarding the safe zones - we tried. The thing is - players want to leave safe zones when they want to. And some do. We found that if we force the rest to go out of safe zones to progress they just leave the game because they don't progress. They sink, don't get a chance to learn, get frustrated and leave. 

make the capital protected area a little bit bigger and let the mission spawn in the zone. thats enough. 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Christoph

[Sven Silberbart]

1 hour ago, admin said:

.ttherest ttogo ooutof safe zones to progress they just leave the game because they don't progress. They sink, don't get a chance to learn, get frustrated and leave. 

The solution in other games is..as higher the risk as higher should be the reward. 

Let a plyer progress in safe zones, but make it much more attractive to go out.

If it is the same, why i should sail outside? 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Sven Silberbart

[Sunleader]

As with all the Topics before I disagree.

 

No Offense. But as I said countless times now.

We lost two thirds of the Playerbase due to removing Safezones.

And after the Patch to get back the Safezones we have finally begun to slowly but surely recover Players. 

 

Better Players can easily Defeat up to 2 times their own BR on NPCs. So 1.5 BR Reinforcements basicly means the New Player will just die Regardless.

On top of that. The Battle Timer is 3 minutes. Add 3 Minutes to that is 6 minutes. Add to that. That the Reinforcements first need to actually reach the Target.  Sorry but by that Time any Newer Player is long Dead and the Game is over.

 

 

Saying the same thing over and over I know.

But guys you need to get this into your Head.

Either People want to do PvP then you dont need to do anything for them to go into PvP Encounters and Fight. Even if it was an 1x1m Zone on the Map they will go there. 

Or they dont want to do PvP then you can do what you want and they will never do PvP with you. Whatever you do will Result in either them Ignoring it entirely or them Leaving the Game.

 

There is only One way to make PvP more Viable. And that is to Increase the Playerbase so far that the People who only want to do PvP on Occassions. Become so big in Numbers that there is always People around to Fight.

 

Pls Stop with the Attempt to Kill the Game. Thanks.

[Geronimo]

This Not a PvP to ganking single ship (do Mission) vs 2x ,3x BR + Npc Ship this is Camping (traP) Frustrated after two or more time.
Must Need one 100% protected area ,wo can make money if the player lose everything .
If the player make missions at open water (no Protection),this is a  player protected area or nothing,make higher reward for more risk and better upgrades as reward!
If you make some mehanism than have chanse the little clans or one player a little protection vs big clans and campers,and maybe we have more player back to the game!
 

Edited October 3, 2017 by Geronimo

[Abram Svensson]

PVP didnt kill the game. When we had more duras we had a lot of PVP and barely any player left the game because theý got ganked.

The problem why players left before 11.0 was that we had 1 dura ships and these were pretty expensive to obtain or replace. New players left and still leave because they dont have any tutorial or idea how to start.

Now PVE gives enough money to get the ressources and its easy to replace ships.

People arent afraid of PVP, they are afraid of losing their ship.

I agree that we need safezones for new players or players who start from new.

But PVP wont kill the game and reinforcement aeras wont safe it.

[Geronimo]

I tell you way leave player the game.
1.Meny more player have no 10++auer to siting here,farming money as idiot and than lose everything in two minits.

2.Port Battle:Fight hard the week to take ports,and after we can defend it day after day,we lose it ,and again ,and again........

Port battle start up (in my time zone) 20:00 (+ -2h) than ending at midnight.And we must wait,and wait and battle, after ganking and all so,and again...and again.....
Middle in the week one worker ppl its to late for day by day.
Ad again the time:sit here 4 h for one fight,and we lose the port or not!?Comming enough clan or alliance member or not!?..........

Finally:
Can make sacrifice for the game,one week,one month maybe half year,but my life is not Naval action ,i m not CyberBoy ,i will go out into the sunshine

[Sir Texas Sir]

6 hours ago, Christoph said:

make the capital protected area a little bit bigger and let the mission spawn in the zone. thats enough. 

I would say only do this with the lower level missions. First three Ranks should stay in capital safe zones.  Anything bigger should be in the regional safe zones.  I'm sorry it should not be all the coast line it should be only the capital region zone. You can still keep non captureable ports along the coast of a nation, but only capital regions should have the reinforcements zones.  That and some resources should not be in the capital zones.  I get you want to make it easier but now coal is every where.  some of the woods are in zones too, along with Spain has one of the rare refits item in one port.  Things like this should never be in the safe zones, but if it makes the other 90% of the players happy than so be it.   The boost in production now gives folks reason to not use the safe zones to do productions.   There should be other incentives too.  A lot of us mention bring back things like Paint chest for port battles and maybe put it in a PvP shop.  Sorry you can't make every one happy and if they want those items than they can just buy them off the PvPers.  I don't think they should be RvR only items (except PB rewards) so a PvP rewards shop would work out great.  Safe zones are fine, but give us a better incentive to go out and risk the ships than a boost in CM and such, which tends to be lower than doing a few missions cause we have to share the rewards.

[Sunleader]

10 hours ago, Borch said:

Then dont force but encourage.

 

 

Thats not Encouraging leaving the Safezone.

Thats Punishing Players who are inside the Safezone.....

 

On Top of that its even Punishing PvE Players in Generals because some of that stuff is stuff that only Active PvP Seeking Players will ever get regardless of them staying inside the Safezone or Playing Outside the Safezone most of the Time.

For example. I got my Base outside the Safezone. And are barely ever inside it. But I would be affected by this quite a bit. Cause not only do I have part of my Production and Selling inside the Safezone. (Because you know its our Capital lol) but also because despite being outside the Safezone I am not exactly an PvPer.

 

Yet I would be Severely Punished by this Suggestion you make.

 

 

Sorry but this is not Encouragement. Its just another Attempt at Forcing People into PvP.

And it will never Work. It only results in those Players being Frustrated and leaving the Game.

 

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Safe zone need to stay with the same rules all the time.

- shrink it a bit - No. The Correct term here is to Adjust it. It should Stretch over an Network of Ports and its Form should be Shaped to Cover these instead of being a Ball.

- allow only max Post Captain missions inside - That one is Rubbish. Sorry but this is just a Flat out Punishment for being in the Safezone. If I am Rear Admiral and I am playing alone in the Evening after work. And would like to go out doing some Shooting with my First Rate. I dont want to Risk an PvP Fight which I cant win alone anyways. But I dont want to have mini Rewards either....

- do not limit money rewards inside but increase drop chance of rare items outside (including refit items from combat) - Again Rubbish. Hunting NPCs inside the Safezone is already Limited by Area it needs no further Limits. What could be Implemented is that certain Hotspot Areas or Areas far off known Shores could get an Increased Drop Chance of Rare Items. But certainly not any Area outside Safezone. That would just be Punishment of PvE Players.

- make trade more profitable outside - Trade Profit is already dependent on Distance. As Safezone is very small its not really possible to Trade Profitable inside it. No Changes needed

- make cities outside spawn small amount of different caliber of cannons outside safe zones (best randomly) - Unrelated to the Topic. And No. Seriously have Cannons Available Pls. Its needlessly complicating things if you buy a Ship and then need to drive to 3 different Ports to get the Guns for it.....

- rare building woods spawn only outside safe zones (leaving maybe oak and fir inside?) Complete and utter Rubbish. Cause this Punishes any of us Crafters as even if we are Primarily outside the Safezone often do have Buildings inside the Safezone. Moreover Smaller Nations would be Killed by this as they dont have Many Ports and thus only have certain Ressources inside the Safezone.

- buildings and OP's should be cheaper outside safe zones - Rubbish. Sorry but this is not an PvP Part and should never be one. Buildings cost the same anywhere.

- increase no. of OP's or make cities outside safe zone to produce more goods ( I mean 1 city can produce 4-5 resources - capitols?) - Would you mind stopping the Attempt to drag us Crafters into this Issue ?????? Safezones dont have all Ressources anyway. You cant really Craft Bigger Ships with only stuff inside Safezones. Moreover this would Kill Smaller Nations which then would have no Ressources at all why the Nations far off like Spain etc would have super Easy time due to having Far off Ports which are Practically Safe and Super Producing.

- make dual/triple(?) building (like fir forrest can gather also lignum vitae - iron ore, coal, silver or gold) do not allow dual mats to spawn in the same town inside safe zone, outside only - That idea is wrong for so many Reasons and shows how much you just want to Punish PvE Players..... Sorry Mate but seriously stop it.

- 1 ship knowlege slot awarded only for PvP - This is not even Related to Safezones Anymore. This is just Outright Punishment for PvE Players.... even if they are outside Safezone....

- bring raiding to the game - Too inaccurate to comment. Pls dont bring filler statements in here that could be interpreted into anything.

- bring mission chains to the game (advanced with bigger rewards outside safe zones) - Again this would only be Punishment for People who dont want to PvP and Force people into PvP....

- implement PvP, RvR,  achievements in the game (outside ofc), PvE/trade anywhere - rewarding minor upgrades - Again completely unrelated and just Showing your Strange Perverted Opinion that somehow your Blood is more Red than others just because you PvP. Needless to say again Punishing PvE Players which are not even using the Safezone.

- paints drop only outside or mats can be obtained only outside - And more Punishment for non PvP Players. Sorry but its so Obvious that you just want to Force People into PvP......

- pvp ranks? - Ha so you dont even want to use the same Ranking System. Just how Arrogant can you get.....

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

 

 

Sorry Mate.

But in Total this List only reinforces my strong belief that your not Interested in a Mixed Server where everyone can Play at all.

It Shows that you

A. Think that your Better than others simply cause you PvP.

B. Want to Force People into PvP and Punish them if they Avoid it.

C. That you dont want PvEers to be on the Server and thus would like to Reduce Grinding for PvPers only. So they dont need to do PvE Content at all.

 

This Suggestion would be a Guaranteed Way to remove more PvE Oriented People like me From the Game.

And I have not even Entered a Safezone with a Ship over a Week.

 

 

You need to get this into your Head.

People like me will Avoid PvP and will not Fight PvP. You can put yourself on the Head put Straws in your Nose and Teach Tango to a Wild Boar.

But there is only 1 out of 2 Choices here.

Either I can Avoid PvP and Play the Game properly and without being Punished. Then I am fine and will on Occassion Join PvP Events or Duels as well as Joining RvR when I can afford the losses I might make.

Or I Cannot Play the Game properly due to being Punished by stupid Suggestions like yours. Then take a Guess. This Game wont be Fun and I will not be Playing it at all. I will avoid PvP simply by not Playing the Game and will NEVER Join any PvP or RvR at all

 

 

1 out of 2

Not that Complicated.

 

 

 

[Sunleader]

17 minutes ago, Borch said:

What is this, you going to follow me to every topic now because you lost argument in another one?

Mate get that in your head finnaly, you are searching for problems in every point people are making about encouraging PvP.  You throw at people arguments that it's punishment and forcing others when it's not. This is PvP server and PvP should be rewarded better otherwise no one will PvP. My arguments going into direction of mixed PvP/PvE with better rewards for PvP if someone will get enough courage to participate in it. Your arguments are shifting simply PvP server into PvE one. No one will ever do any PvP if there wont be better rewards for it.

 

All in all utter complete bullwaffle on your side. Please start thinking about whole picture instead of just one side. (And stop following me whenever you loose argument or I will have to block you mate).

 

Butthurt ?

I was in this Topic before you Mate.

Just sayin~

 

But oh well. Why did I expect a reasonable answer from Gankers....

 

 

Well nvm. When I get back home I.ll give you a full Answer. A bit short on time right now.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Sunleader

[Eyesore]

Sunleader,

if you want to safely sail your firstrate to do missions, you can choose to play on the pve-server, when you want to play with added risk you can choose to play on the pvp-server.

Everything you suggest is making pvp impossible. If you don't like the game (pvp), nobody is forcing you to play it.

Your opinions/arguements are very onesided, i understand now why you want all ports to have safezones ... should have built your 'base' in the capital then (so the game doesn't have to change to cater to your personnal needs). If you don't want to fight players, perhaps suggest a singleplayermode, will that be safe enough for you? It has already been pointed out to you: everything you seem to want is available on the pve-server, right now.

Calling everybody that doesn't agree with you gankers or other names ... hmmm ... Are you some kind of a spoiled brat? Maybe the game should just generate woods and money while you are offline?

I know, I know, you'll put me on ignore ... just to keep your tunnelvision intact?

[Sunleader]

1 hour ago, Borch said:

So you posted this only to ask about butthurt and will give me full answer later? Seems like youre butthurt yourself that you couldnt wait with full post until you get some time. Yup, looks reasonable to me.

 

Why would I be Butthurt when you Embarass yourself by claiming that I would follow you into the topic when anyone can just look upwards and see that I posted in this Topic before you ??

See Mate. By now I can tell pretty safely that your not a PvPer but a Ganker.

As your Suggestions most of all Aim to Punish Traders and Force People into PvP which are neither Equipped nor Skilled in PvP.

What you want to Increase is not actual PvP Fighting. What you seek to Increase is the number of Targets in Trade and PvE Ships that you can Harass and Kill.

 

In MMO Terms your a "Killer" which means that your Fun in a Game comes from causing others Frustration. And your Type is the most dangerous to an MMO. Because Funny but True your Type often tends to not even feel Satisfied when Killing someone who does not care. And actually only is Happy if the other Player takes a Considerable Loss.

Now the thing is. Your Suggestions are Aiming at exactly this kind of thing. Your clearly one of these Types. And Killing someone who Voluntarily came out to Fight and who only loses a Ship he does not really care about and who is not frustrated by you killing him is absolutely not your thing.

What you want is to kill People who are hurt by this. You dont really care about the Safezones as that. What you dislike is that this means that People are not vulnearble to you killing them when they are not equipped or prepared for PvP.

 

And at the very latest when I noticed that. I had decided for sure that whatever reason I state you will not care anyways. You dont care if this Game dies either. Because if someone Quits because you killed him over and over when he tried to Trade or when he tried to do Missions. Then to you thats not an Problem but an Badge of Honor

 

 

I would even believe you that your not that good at PvP. Cause thats the bad side of Killers. As they tend to Raid and Attack Players that are not PvPers they usually dont build up much skill in actual PvP Fights against other PvPers.

 

 

 

Mate. I am going to say it one last time.

Knowing you wont understand it anyways. But its got to be said.

 

 

Forcing People into PvP is Impossible.

People either want to Play PvP. Or they will NOT Play PvP.

Reducing their Fun by giving them less Rewards will not lead em out of the Safezone but out of the Game.

Forcing them to do PvP to get something will not make em PvP it will make em decide the Game is rubbish and go to another Game.

 

 

Funny but True. None of your Suggestion has any effect on actual Player vs Player Fights where both sides have a Chance to Win.

All of your Suggestions are explicitly Aimed at Forcing People to do activities that make em easy Kills. Outside the Safezone.

Trading, Farming, Transporting, Crafting

These are the Aspects that you are Attacking and which you want to get out of the Safezone.

All of these Activites are Carried out with a Ship not Equipped for PvP. All of these Activities mean that if your Attacked while doing them your in a Highly Inferior Position where you have little to no Hope of Survival.

 

You claim that everyone just sits in the Safezone now. But I got no Idea how you get this Rubbish Idea.

I see far more Players outside the Safezones than inside.

Thing is. What I see is Combat Ready Players in Combat Ships and Groups.

So yes. Exactly the Group you dont want to actually PvP with. After all why would you want to Fight where you.ll likely lose.

 

I can understand that you dont find PvP. At least not the PvP that you want. Against Single Targets that are Inferior Equipped and Unexperienced.

 

 

So. Greetz Sun and welcome to Ignore.

[William Death]

On 10/3/2017 at 6:00 AM, Sunleader said:

Better Players can easily Defeat up to 2 times their own BR on NPCs. So 1.5 BR Reinforcements basicly means the New Player will just die Regardless.

Yes, most any player should be able to shoot bots that are 1.5, 2, 3, or even 5x their BR...but the ships they use for that are guaranteed to be different than the ship you use to hunt players. Lets not forget that a player is making up part of that 1.5x BR, and a player is a lot more potent than an AI... Anyways, the point of 1.5x BR reinforcement is this: it gives a player who is ganked some AI help. It is not meant to win his battle for him. The paper-thin speed built ships that the hunters use should melt if the player can get them in the firing arc of the AI. And notice that I said the reinforcement BR may need tweaking...perhaps 2x is the right number or 2.25x...)

On top of that. The Battle Timer is 3 minutes. Add 3 Minutes to that is 6 minutes. Add to that. That the Reinforcements first need to actually reach the Target.  Sorry but by that Time any Newer Player is long Dead and the Game is over.

I think you misunderstood what I was suggesting for battle timers and calling reinforcements. The battle is open for 3 minutes for players to join either side. After that, the battle closes and if the defender meets the requirements I stated in the OP, he has the option, for 1 minute, to call in AI reinforcements. As soon as he presses that button, they show up and they are close to the enemy with their guns loaded. I'm not sure where 6 minutes comes into play, if the player wants reinforcements he has them in just a few seconds over 3 minutes from the time the battle starts. 

Saying the same thing over and over I know.

But guys you need to get this into your Head.

Either People want to do PvP then you dont need to do anything for them to go into PvP Encounters and Fight. Even if it was an 1x1m Zone on the Map they will go there. 

That didn't work too well with the PvP circles...sure, there was PvP there sometimes, but just as often it was just a place to go and gank other fleets. Thats well and good, but it is not PvP hunting, which is what I, and a lot of others, enjoy doing.

Or they dont want to do PvP then you can do what you want and they will never do PvP with you. Whatever you do will Result in either them Ignoring it entirely or them Leaving the Game.

Its a PvP server, if they don't want to PvP they need to go to the PvE server, or operate within their capital's protection zone (no-tag zone), or accept that they are going to be hunted and possibly sunk by other players while they sail in OW on the PvP server. That is part of being on a PvP server: you accept that there are players who will find you, chase you, and sink/board/capture you.

[William Death]

I'd like to make it known, again, that my suggestion in the OP is NOT to REMOVE the protected zones, but to ADJUST the amount of protection they give to players. The zones should be set up to help new players, players in small ships, traders, and people sailing to and from missions. The safe zone should not be designed to give them an overwhelming AI fleet to fight for them, and it certainly shouldn't provide the offensive patrols in the area with a fleet either: the purpose of the AI reinforcements should be defensive and not used as an offensive tool. It comes down to this: if you call in reinforcements, you still have to fight your enemy if he doesn't leave: you can't rely on AI to do the whole fight for you, it is only there to help you.

With my suggestion, if a player wants the best protection from being attacked by enemies, they can take missions within the capital protected area where they cannot be attacked by an enemy, and where no enemy would dare to venture since he cannot get help from anyone on his team if he is pulled into combat by the nationals. If you leave that protected zone and are simply in your reinforcement zone, you are still guaranteed to get help from AI if you are attacked by a superior force, but you are not in a magic safe zone to trade and PvE in without much threat of an enemy joining.