Forums » Role Playing

Are pirates traders?

May 09, 2016 VO Rankings link
We would like to put this question to debate:

Are pirates traders cause they sell the cargo of others for profit that those others would have sold where the pirates will sell it cause this was where they were going to?
May 09, 2016 biretak link
no, they are not traders, since they didn't make the trade run... they intercepted it and used force for profit.
May 09, 2016 DeathSpores link
Bullshit, pirates are hardcore traders! We buy very low and sell quick!
May 09, 2016 Pizzasgood link
What makes somebody a trader is trading. The source of the goods they are trading is irrelevant.

Of course, making a few trivial transactions is not good enough to qualify somebody as being a trader, or else every single person who doesn't subsist solely on free ships and salvage would be a trader. To qualify as a trader, the person should do a substantial amount of trading, and they should be putting a decent amount of effort into getting good deals.

So, with that in mind, whether a pirate is also a trader clearly depends on the individual pirate in question. One who just sells his loot at the nearest port for whatever they'll take may do a lot of trading, but he doesn't really exercise enough finesse to be called a trader. On the other hand, a pirate who stockpiles his loot and either waits for an opportune time or transports it to somewhere that has better prices? That is a pirate who is also a trader.

Personally, I only do a little of the latter; mostly I just sell to the station in-system with the best price, and I don't always bother to check. So I wouldn't say that I qualify as a trader.

Unless, of course, you use an expanded definition that includes protection rackets and such as trade.
May 10, 2016 Dr. Lecter link
What about a pirate who takes valuable 'dent parts and then sells them back to their former owners? I mean, I suppose a trade IS involved...
May 11, 2016 Sieger link
Well I definitely heard you can have a great start as a pirate if you were a trader before!

P.S: kennyb would be a great trading pirate. He should join VOID. Yarr!
May 11, 2016 tarenty link
Pirates sell safety for credits, or trade gunfire for insolence. Also they usually have high trade license from building back faction standing. Clearly, they're traders.
May 14, 2016 SkinWalker link
Kenny is TGFT and therefore already a member of VOID.
Jun 11, 2016 Michael144 link
Are TRI pirates?
[100] <Neon Black> YARRR!!
[100] <tsreknor> ??
Excuses,
[100] <Neon Black> no, i have this nasal bug... sorry folks
[100] <Neon Black> i think it's a sinus infection :/
[100] <Neon Black> makes me yarr
Truth,
[100] <Anonyma> YOU ARE A PIRATE!
A prayer to [GoD],
[100] <Neon Black> DEAR GOD PLEASE FORGIVE MY YARRING WAYS!!!
Jun 13, 2016 neon black link
Proof! All who "yarr" are obviously pirates. Duh.

But to be fair to the OP, post your ramblings to a new thread - something like "Are Traders Pirates?" would work. Make sure we separate these equally moronic posts so more morons don't get confused.

Yarr,
- Neon Black
Jun 13, 2016 genka link
Luckily, the game gives us an easy way to answer this question:
Just look for the crescent of shame
Jul 12, 2016 H.Hornblower link
Maybe the more important question is primarily station-to-station trader a trader? After all the VO community at large has great demand for various commodities.