Ambush/Attack or not if an ally is being robbed

[Fuz]

This is a massive grey area in the server rules and must be discussed. If an ally/friend is surrounded and is being robbed and has guns pointed at him, should you be allowed to open fire? 

I have spoken to numerous staff members (no names mentioned) and many are 50/50 with it. Some would refer to this rule, 

And other staff would refer to this rule,

Many would say the act of, for example, setting up an ambush, or engaging in a robbery, is enough role-play in itself. The RP is already ongoing, you're inserting yourself into active RP. 

I saw a forum report about people shooting from an ambush with their ally being held up, the decision is still pending and I believe that if the people ambushing would go up and give demands, it wouldn't make sense to give up your "surprise" and the "ambush" would not necessarily be pulled off or work.

This NEEDS to be cleared ASAP as people can get DM punishments for this which is the most serious offence in the server.

[Hills]

There a few things that still needs to be clarified an example would be the bus depot as some people are claiming it is while NCZ while other parties are claiming it is not.

[Tomvd682]

Just now, Hoxton_Curry said:

If guns are pointed at your friend on his knees you may open fire as far as I know

What ma mans Hoxton said

[padpilot]

This is a good point to make, so your main debate is concerned with where actually does RP begin and end vs the ability to KOS under the current ruleset?

1. RP starts when you enter the server (if you take 1 Zeta member hostage IMO then you ought to be KOS by anyone willing to shoot you) .

       The Zeta and Triads (Random Examples) might RP having a "Defence Pact" with each other should a member of either gang need help. Now, with this news being general news than by taking either a Zeta or Triad member hostage then IMO that warrants others having KOS on you, otherwise, if the player is forced to Re=engage with more RP at the time, then this throws away all the group RP that was previously established between the Zeta and Triads and its the same when at war, 

IMO in the situation, you have provided then the argument ought to be that the RP has already begun, the RP began as soon as they took someone at gunpoint, they don't know that person friends, if they a cop, gangster, are meeting someone there already or anything, the moment they raise a weapon to someone they ought to be open to KOS from, good samaritans, friends, and family of the victim/hostage, friendlies of the hostage coming to help, the police randomly passing by. 

 

This debate feeds into debates that have been had before surrounding KOS. IMO, if you join a gang for example, then you should be worried constantly about the growing threat of enemies. If 2 groups, say The Rebels and Seaweed decide to go to WAR, like official war at the leadership level, then that is all the RP that ought to be needed. by being a member of either gang your current state of RP is at WAR and therefore I do not believe is necessary to reengage with more RP on the scene as this leads to a lot of very very situational reports flooding the forum. Its almost like you give a verbal warning of "hands up" which translates more to (how far away am I from the person shouting commands, is the window up/down, what speed am I going, can I retaliate without being reported.......) For Official factions such as the Zeta and Triads and with more stringent membership requirements and authorization from admin applied onto smaller gangs including a verified membership number and names list then this KOS between gangs can be effective). 

But essentially the point you raise is a good one, it is certainly one that needs a revisit to help improve and maintain organically occurring firefights whilst helping to decrease the number of situational reports being submitted - evident in the two and fro nature of many reports. 

Overall, very touchy subject, 100% will always be getting revised and revisited. 

Cheers, GLHF