Blockade pay policies

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This page aims to describe the main pay policies that are used in Puzzle Pirates and their advantages and disadvantages.

Blockaders' policy

Overview

This pay policy is usually held by flags that blockade for the joy of the blockade itself rather than any precursor events. The objective is to use pay to create a fair environment on the board and ensure that skill such as navigation and organisation decide the victor. A flag under this policy typically raises pay when more than 10-15% behind in jobbers for example and matches pay once conditions are within these parameters. The percentage may vary depending on the flag and the scale of the blockade, in a large blockade for example a 15% advantage can be unbeatable.

Advantages

• Empowers small flags to blockade on a competitive basis to powerful flags
• Rewards people that have taken the effort to improve their organisation and navigation skills
• Rewards those that have stronger politics through temporary jobber advantages and more skilled jobbers

Disadvantages

• Arouses resentment amongst those that adopt the political view to blockading and can cause large pay wars
• Can cause stagnation through one side repeatedly using the same blockade staff and having an unbeatable skill advantage
• Is anticompetitive for small, unskilled flags

Politicians' policy

Overview

This pay policy is based on the idea that jobbers are gained through politics and the flag that has earned them deserves to keep them. Pay will therefore be used to protect an advantage that was gained through political means. This policy typically encourages matching pay regardless of jobbing numbers.

Advantages

• Gives a huge reward to those that appeal to political desires

Disadvantages

• Arouses resentment amongst those that adopt the blockading view and can cause large pay wars
• Can cause stagnation through encouraging large unbalanced alliance rings
• Is anticompetitive for small, unaffiliated flags

Arranged Blockade policies

These pay policies are typically used to encourage new flags to enter the blockade scene. They are typically far more strict than the other conventions and encourage fixed caps to things such as jobber numbers, ship numbers, pay or a combination. It may also specify other conditions such as core blockade staff having to be in the blockading flag.

Advantages

• Creates very balanced blockades

Disadvantages

• Unrealistic if the two sides are competitive
• Doesn't reward any political skill