Grismar's EVE Wiki : RulesOfEngagement

Rules of Engagement

Combat is an essential part of EVE. Combat between players (or PvP) is common and, in many parts of the galaxy, almost unavoidable. Under some circumstances, attacking another player is considered illegal and may result in a loss of SecurityStatus or attack by sentry guns and/or ships of the CONCORD police force.

The legality of attacks on other players is governed by EVE's rules of engagement. The basis of these rules is the SecurityStatus of the solar system in which combat occurs. The rules are modified by other factors including membership in corporations and/or gangs, and previous illegal acts by the parties involved.

The flagging system is also explained in detail in the FlaggingAndAggression article.

Effects of System Security

EVE's rules of engagament are biased towards greater security for law-abiding/innocent pilots. The higher the system security rating, the greater the restrictions on combat outside of self-defense, war or intra-corporation war games. The page on true system security values explains how the rules of engagement are sometimes affected by rounding of security status.

• Safe Empire Space (0.5-1.0)
  Attacking another player will result in loss of personal SecurityStatus. Near SpaceStations and JumpGates, sentry guns will open fire if you are within range of them (150km). CONCORD police ships will warp in and open fire on your ship. This is unlikely to be a prolonged process. You will be CriminallyFlagged to everyone for 20 minutes.

• Unsafe Empire Space (0.1-0.4)
  Attacking another player will results in loss of personal SecurityStatus, scaled by system security values and therefore less so than in safe empire space. Near SpaceStations and JumpGates, sentry guns will open fire if you are within range (150km). You will be CriminallyFlagged to everyone for 20 minutes.

• 0.0/lawless space
  Attacking another player has no repercussions. You will probably annoy the player, their corporation or the alliance they belong to. Revenge attacks are a distinct possibility. Please note that the client displays a rounded system security value for solar systems. The loss of personal SecurityStatus is however governed by the system's TrueSecurity rating.

Player Security Status and Bounties

Players with a SecurityStatus of -5.0 and below are considered outlaws and can be attacked at any time without consequences to your SecurityStatus. Note that having a bounty does not make a player an outlaw. Players with a bounty on their heads can only be attacked freely if their status is -5.0 or lower. Keep in mind that the displayed personal security rating value for another player is rounded while the RulesOfEngagement between players are based on actual values. A player showing a personal SecurityStatus of -5.0 may well only have a status of -4.95 and may not be a valid target!

Note that the rules governing StatusAndTravel mean that outlaws can enter safe empire space only in a pod. New players are often excited at the thought of collecting a bounty. However, you can legally attack players with a price on their heads in unsafe or lawless space only. There is a reason that they have a low status and bounty - approach them with caution.

Self Defense

You may always defend yourself if attacked. Returning fire will activate a short aggression timer, preventing you from docking or using a JumpGate for up to one minute after the act.

Membership in a Corporation

Members of the same player corporation (not the same NPC or starting corporation) can attack each other with impunity. Many players use this to hone their combat skills in duels with fellow members. Some corporations hold regular Frigate tournaments between members.

Members of a corporation that is in a sanctioned war with another corporation may attack - and pod-kill - their enemies, and vice-versa.

Membership in a Gang

If you join a gang with a member of a corporation that is involved in a war, you will be open to attack from the opposing corporation.

If your gang member is part of corporation A, at war with corporation B, members of corporation B may freely open fire on members of your gang. Gang members not at war with corporation B cannot pre-emptively open fire; they may only defend themselves if someone from B opens fire on the gang.

Aiding Criminals

Aiding a criminally-flagged player, by shield, armor or capacitor boosting their ship will give you their criminal status. If they would be attacked by CONCORD ships or sentry guns, you will be too.

Related links:

• FlaggingAndAggression, a detailed description of the flagging system
• Concord Memorandum: Laws of Empire space (oog)
• The Criminal Flagging System

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Current EVE Version: 2.08.3582 (Exodus)