Phoenix Alliance has informed me that they are planning to pay a Trident Bonus to every Captain that shows up for their team of 10 Million credits; meaning the Trident Captains will receive that Bonus just for showing up. This is intended to make up for a possible loss of the capship and it's equipment aswell as for the hassle to plan the strateies as a Captain.

Therefore I have, as the host, considering this special offer by PA, made the following changes to the rules for the upcoming Nation War #396:

- Every team is allowed to bring ONE Trident (this is a limit: ONE Trident per team)
- Captains must announce their participation 15 minutes early, that means I need to know that you are in at 20:15!
(At that time I will announce the Captains names and ONLY those Captains have allowance to bring their Trident from then on)
- There is no Grey team, unless we find a willing Captain to bring a Trident for this team
- You may only dock to your own Trident, it is up to the Captains to adapt their Key list ACCORDINGLY
(I will not listen to you if you whine afterwards saying "Wahh XY docked with me and repaired even though he was not on my teaaam")
- IF the Trident Captain leaves his capship and is shot down outside of his ship, he may NOT return to take control of it again. It is at your own risk to undock from your Trident, if you explode, you may ONLY return to watch. If I see this rule broken, your whole Team is disqualified.
- The Nation War will begin at 20:30 GMT, but I will give a 5 Minute "tactical preparations"-time period in which the Group may plan strategies and prepare for the fight; this means the starting command will be given at 20:35 GMT!
- THE MOST BASIC RULE STILL APPLIES: Once you were shot down, you are out: If you didn't manage to get back in your Teams Trident to repair: TOO BAD! However, observing is still allowed, of course!

Thank you for reading!

UPDATE: I have already heard Serco/Itani/UIT Captains stating that they will try to show up, so I have no doubts anything will be in the way for this to happen. So expect Tridents in this NW!

Heh -- perhaps we will see people vying to be THE trident representing their team.

Sieger, I think you also be clear about whether or not destruction of your opposing team's trident is required to win.

I think TU mines need to be disqualified

Greenwall - I believe that the chance of more than one Trident surviving this is much smaller than we might be thinking. And the Chance of 2 Tridents WITH shields up to remain is even smaller.
However, if I see a final "impossible" turnout, e.g 2 shielded Tridents and 1 or 2 pilots imcapable of deshielding with their Setup, I'll likely split the prize so we'll have a "draw". I think that's a good solution, anyhow it is very unlikely to happen.

Rallen Bossessen - Why? TU Mines are a funny tactical aspect. You may not think about it, but they are a danger to your own team too. If a team member is within range while an enemy triggers detonation, your team mate will say goodbye too. Deploying them will be very complex to manage and Captains will have to think twice before bringing one of those to the war.
If I'm wrong here, feel free to correct me.

Please elaborate on the 5-minute prep period. Are people permitted to leave the sector to grab a different ship/loadout based on whether the other teams brought a trident? Or is it just to provide the trident captains time to adjust their keys, with no exiting the sector allowed?

Either way the idea of having to sit around twiddling my thumbs for an extra five minutes bugs me. Why not just require teams to announce their intent to bring a trident five minutes early, and if they fail to follow through (or try to use an unannounced trident) they get disqualified? Then nobody has to wait extra. And teammates who drag their feet on joining the group and don't get added to the trident's docking list only have their own incompetence to blame.

Pizzasgood - The 5 minutes are tactical 5 minutes. You may change your ship as much as you'd like, just be there at 20:35 when I give the signal. I recommend key adjusting early enough, 5 minutes won't be sufficient for that.
Basically, those 5 minutes are to manifest a final strategy, prepare for certain situations and adjust certain things that may need adjustment. You may plan anything aslong as it does not mean "pre-mining" the sector and such. Any weaponry may only be deployed AFTER the War started.

Thank you for the remark of the early announcing, it will certainly make things easier for me, therfore:

New Rule:

- Captains must announce their participation 15 minutes early, that means I need to know that you are in at 20:15!