This is an idea that would discourage cutting through vast sections of grey space via use of the UIT route. On the borders of the UIT nation space would be npc's similar to the npc pirates that used to be in Grey except their goals would be to collect minimal "taxes" from any traders that were bringing in widgets specific to Grey Space (Sedina Chocs, Corvus Holodisks, etc.). The taxes would be set by the cu and cr of these items. If the player pays, then they will be able to pass but any profit made from them will be vastly reduced from the taxes. However, if they don't pay, then these "commerce officers" will be chasing the player all the way through UIT space and can't be shaked by multi-sector jumping. This does not trigger the turrets or add some temporary KoS with UIT, but the faction decrease will still apply if the player kills one of them in a monitored area (emphasis on monitored >_>).

With these npc's in action, if a player does want to cut through UIT space while carrying grey space widgets then it won't be impossible, but they'll need a blockade runner.

Oh please tell me this great tool, that I do not know, you possess that can tell whether I'm carrying goods and of what type without turning my ship to dust.

Plus, taxing something of my own personal belonging not intended for sale within UIT jurisdiction... much sense, it does not make.

They're bots, they can do anything! :o (aside from backroll)

taxing something of my own personal belonging not intended for sale within UIT jurisdiction... much sense, it does not make

You don't handle much cross-border shipping, do ya Surb.

Sounds like an Idea. Though the part of telling what is bought where might be a problem. I do remember a note / databyte somewhere that cargo goods do list bought location on them. There is ways around it though ... could add the idea of smuggling by covering bought location hehe. An easier thing would be to add a tax to all cargo goods that pass through UIT space. Taxes due reduced by faction standing with UIT. But you would need to also add a trade route that would also gain profit from this, and the desire to run this route, either through grey or through UIT. Best would be say a route from Helios to Edras that is High profit.

Add also to increase mild interest would be to allow All players to access Serco goods at Helios b-7, price vary by faction standing, and All players to access Itani goods at (though may need to adjust a station to actual grey) Jallik e-15 also prices varied by faction. The idea being a market between the two warring factions, but can also be run by people dislike or KOS by either faction.

I know that would take some time to figure an implementation. But it would increase trade between the two and is along the same route layout with UIT tax as earlier. But adds interest for the Die hard Serco who, due to a malfunction in implants can only eat textured vegetable protein, and for the Die hard Itani who has developed a taste for Serco ale, to go buy some and share with their friends.

Something to think about, but I do not know if the devs will be able to implement anything yet.

Yeah, I don't handle much cross-border shipping. If you're getting at tariffs, I can understand a tax imposed upon goods brought into someone's jurisdiction but, are tariffs not meant for goods being off loaded or using ports for regular tasks? If I am merely traversing space to reach a destination other than the jurisdiction with tariffs, then how does that constitute imposing a tariff on me?

Wouldn't imposing tariffs on all ships entering from outside of the UIT's jurisdiction force others to seek alternative routes, as suggested by ST, and in doing so reduce the amount of business brought to the UIT; which in my opinion would be an unsound business model.

Tariffs on ships that actually dock with a station in UIT space sounds more fair instead of a tariff on all ships that enter through a wormhole with no stops along the way.

In short, this suggestion is ahead of its time as there is no need for taxes since they would only exist to 'rob' players of their money with no benefit but deter them from areas of space and encourage them to move across barren space just so the already diminished pirate populace, whenever they are on, can find something to spew their gibberish at and demand compensation for sitting on their asses.

Wouldn't imposing tariffs on all ships entering from outside of the UIT's jurisdiction force others to seek alternative routes, as suggested by ST, and in doing so reduce the amount of business brought to the UIT; which in my opinion would be an unsound business model.

Think of it like the Panama canal: it might cost you something to just pass through with your goods, but it would (in the case of Grey, just potentially) cost you a lot more to take an "alternative route."

Yes, but the Panama canal has to be maintained so charging a fee to use it is a sound model. Charging a fee for using something natural like the wormholes is not fine because it costs nothing to maintain or operate the wormhole. If it were a warp gate it would be a different story. What if the Panama canal was just a strait?

Can you give a better example of a tax that is 'fair' to impose upon someone that uses their own means of transportation through a medium that cannot possibly be created nor maintained?

UIT is a bunch of corporations. They decided they could make more money if they levied tariffs on cross-national trade. Not so high as to drive everyone to take stuff through grey, but high enough as to max out the money in vs. traders redirecting curve. Some people will pay and be safe, others will not pay and try to run for it, yet others will not pay and plot through grey.

When you have a collection of corporations taking over an area of space, you can expect some taxes that aren't necessarily 'fair' to be imposed. The lack of visible corruption in UIT right now is very unrealistic, and I think this will help. :)

Panama canal has to be maintained so charging a fee to use it is a sound model. Charging a fee for using something natural like the wormholes is not fine because it costs nothing to maintain or operate the wormhole. If it were a warp gate it would be a different story. What if the Panama canal was just a strait?

Are you a communist, or just an idiot? If it would save you $100 to cross through my country's strait, even if it cost me $0 to maintain the strait, I can charge you anything less than $100 and you'll pay me.

"This is an idea that would discourage cutting through vast sections of grey space via use of the UIT route."

Presumably what you meant was

"It seems people are trading in Grey but not passing through b8..could you please close off the Bractus Corridor so we won't have to,you know, leave b8 and chase peoples ?"

Did you really have to pull out the "c" word, Lecter?

But seriously, the reason behind this suggestion (make traders fly through grey space) doesn't merit taxes on players and their 'income'.

EDIT: If I were a communist, wouldn't I be sharing my cargo instead of paying taxes on it?

yes. this would be so cool.

smuggling in the future = win

All of this is based on the premise that large hordes of traders are avoiding grey space by running thru UIT space instead....

Any trade route good enough to warrant jumping thru 5 or more wormholes will either be unaffected by a tax or simply ruined.

Note my post ... add trade route.
Note second part of post ... add possible incentive to Serco to goto Itani border and Itani to got Serco border ...

Why would the UIT have a standard external taxing thing?
another good question is why is all the gray space around UIT? that makes little sense to me.

Why would the UIT have a standard external taxing thing?

Because they like money. And because people would rather pay them X credits to cut through UIT space than risk losing X+Y credits by going through Gray. How is this hard for you people to understand? If the government can tax you at a cost rate that is still lower than your cost rate to use the other option, they can pocket some of your profits while still not deterring you enough to take the other option. This is how governments work: you can take advantage of their turf, they charge you a portion of what extra that you can make by using their turf, and if you want to use it without paying then they have men with guns force you to comply.

why is all the gray space around UIT?

Because that's where UIT wound up after being kicked out of the Serco Dominion. Where else would the Gray Space be? Mixed in with the nation space?

diqrtvpe: Aye, I can agree that some corporations will be greedy in that sense of imposing 'taxes' for gain, but if the UIT are going to be taxed by capitalistic corporations and a loose form of government, then what about this war that is taking an eternity between the Serco and Itani? This perpetual war that involves countless fighter craft and capital ships, where are they getting the resources or the capital to make such devices? Both nations use capitalism so surely they pay for the materials and man-hours poured into their weapons of war. Taxes come to mind, and I don't think you want to discuss the depths of possible corruption on both sides. ;)

Funny i always pictured Serco as a military dictatorship and the Itani as a form of communism.....

Those two are the same thing, PK.