Conflicts

The ritualized forms of retribution justice are known as Conflicts and encompass legal forms of battle between factions in the form of Duels of Assassins, Solar Wars, Trade Wars, and more. Conflicts, both positive and negative, have a Conflict Score, measuring how the conflict is leaning. Conflict Score is typically affected by Contacts spending Influence and the Captain joining in the Conflict on the side of one faction or the other. A Star Traders Captain may change a Conflict Score by completing Conflict related Missions, by performing Orbital Operations, selling Intel, winning ship battles or by using a variety of Talents. Each Conflict presents different opportunities to a Captain -- for example destroying an enemy ship during a Solar War or selling Intel during a Spy War. All Conflicts can also be affected by selling Intel records to Contacts involved with the Conflict, with Intel gathered from the opposing Faction during the Conflict having the greatest effect.

Types of Conflicts
Conflicts are categorized into types. Not all types may spawn at all times during the game.

When Conflicts End
Whenever a Conflict ends, all of the Contacts on either side of the Conflict either suffer (if they are on the losing side) or get to take actions (if they are on the winning side.) Alliances and Trade Alliances will grant benefits to Contacts on both sides, but typically one more than the other. Depending on the Contact type, a Conflict can also generate bonuses in addition to the free Contact actions.

The effects of such loss / actions include Influence gain or loss, causing Influence gain or loss to their allies and enemies, the death of a Contact, creating another follow-on Conflict, causing a positive or negative Rumor to an ally/enemy Contact's world, change a Contact Trait, etc. For example, if your Contact loses a Trade War, you might find an Embargo or Taxes Rumor popping up on his world.

It is impossible for a Conflict to end in a tie. When the Conflict ends with a perfectly balanced score, an secret fixed ordering will determine who won (but by the narrowest of margins.) De Valtos, for instance, loses all ties, while Zenrin will win all ties. The other factions fall somewhere in the middle of this ordering.

Contact Actions
Some "actions" Contacts can take (at the end of Conflicts for certain but perhaps in other situations as well):


 * Attempt to Gain Influence
 * Send Influence to Linked Contacts
 * Request Influence from Linked Contacts
 * Purchase Rumors
 * Purchase Conflicts
 * Propose Conflict Purchase to other Contact
 * Boost Conflict Score
 * Assassinate Other Contact

Conflict Duration
The length of Conflicts is controlled by the a number of factors. The game's current Era, the Contacts that start the Conflict, the Zones that trigger them, the Rumors that were active when they started, the Influence totals of the Contacts on both sides, the type of Conflict, the Factions that are involved and the size of the map all play a role.