Originally by: Ogadei

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Edited by: Ogadei on 06/01/2006 16:28:54
Before I get started, I know full well that real pirates that murder humans are low life dirtbags, pirates in Eve are mostly decent people playing a game in the way that suits them (yarrr ftw). They are far from the same.

Anyway, I was driving home listening to the BBC program Analysis and it was a piece about pirates off the coast of Somalia. As the newscaster was going through it, he described the methods the Somali pirates are using, and the relative ransoms they charge.

So anyway, here's my point; more than a few times, as I listened to the program I found myself thinking that the operations and tactics used by the Somali Pitrates were similar to those used in game play, sometimes identical, complete with spies and everything. It was just a really wierd feeling on one hand, and a validation of the quality and depth of the Eve environment on the other. Did anyone else hear this program?

More details on RL piracy:

Last year there were about 35 'pirate events' off the coast of Somalia. There are many more in Malaysian and South American waters.

The favored tactic is to send a distress call to a passing tanker or other target. One or more speedboats wait on the far side of the 'distressed' boat, and when the tanker gets close, they zip around and fire off an RPG and demand the ship stops in place. They then board the ship, take it to Somali waters, and contact the ships corporate owner. Typical ransom according to the news guy is around $100,000 US. I would have thought more. He did not say how many actually get returned, which I thought was an odd detail to omit.

The program went on to suggest that the Somali warlords are supporting the pirates with weapons and intel on ships in the area.

The most brazen event last year was an attack on a passenger liner loaded with European tourists. More here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=passenger+liner+pirate+somalia

The bottom line (according to the reporter guy) is that until such time as Somalia (or other similar countries) can control their coastal areas with a competent and uncorrupt police or military presence, it's ripe for piracy.

0.0 in real life. Pretty damn scary.

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