Letter of Marque

A full Letter of Marque, stamped and signed, which all Privateer vessels must have available

### Effects

Allows Privateers to;* Commerce Raid (against enemies of the Centrum Assembly)
* Conduct counter-piracy, counter-smuggling, and counter-slavery
* Partake in legal salvage and prize ship auctions

### Source

Centrum Assembly

A **Letter of Marque** is a legal document issued by the government of the Centrum Assembly that allows privateers to engage in legal commerce raiding and anti-piracy actions on its behalf.

## Description

A Letter of Marque is essential for any Privateers to not only engage in legal Commerce Raiding and Anti-Piracy tasks, but also allow them to access their main means of making money off of said tasks. The full contents of a Letter of Marque are as follows;

### Full text

"From Prime Minister [Current Prime Minister, currently Nicola Sarali],

Acting with the approval of the Parliament of the Centrum Assembly, to [Ship's Captain] of the Freelance Vessel [Ship's Name], Registry [Ship's Registry]. A [Ship's Type] of [Deck Amount] Decks under legal ownership of [Ship's Owner].

With this Letter of Marque, signed [Date]. We the present administration of the Centrum Assembly, being of sound mind and judgement, and acting in cooperation with the Centrum Defence Forces, hereby confer the title of Privateer upon [Ship's Captain] and all who serve aboard the freelance vessel [Ship's Name].

Acting in the capacity of a Privateer, [Ship's Captain] and the crew of the [Ship's Name] are afforded Government Dispensation to engage in combat any vessel whose Crew have acted in violation of Assembly Law, or any vessel flying under the colours of a Current Enemy. Furthermore, [Ship's Captain] and the crew of the [Ship's Name] are granted full power and authority to board and seize any vessels flying under hostile colours or acting in violation of the law, and to apprehend any pirates, deserters, smugglers, lawbreakers or crewman in service to a hostile power to be held as lawfully authorised prisoners until such time as they can be delivered to the nearest Assembly holding.

Any and all cargo or equipment seized from Criminal or Hostile Vessels by [Ship's Captain] and the crew of the [Ship's Name] are to be considered their lawful property, unless such property is stolen and marked for return to its original owners in the outline of their current contract. Any Vessels seized in their entirety [Ship's Captain] and the crew of the [Ship's Name] should be delivered to an Assembly Port for auction and sale, whereupon [Ship's Captain] acting as a representative for the crew of the [Ship's Name] will receive a fraction of any profit made.

When engaging a Criminal Vessel that refuses multiple demands to surrender or retreat, [Ship's Captain] is granted authority to force a surrender be any means they deem justifiable. Similarly, [Ship's Captain] is granted full authority to defend their ship and crew by any means they deem necessary, even to the point of destroying an attacking Vessel. Should a vessel be destroyed by [Ship's Name] during a Privateer action, salvage and materials left adrift are subject to conventional salvage rights.

Signed,

[Prime Minister of the Assembly], [Fleet Admiral of the CDF, currently Darius Farren], [Judge Advocate General, currently Rufus Maltrin]"

## Consequences

The Letter of Marque functionally allowed the existence of Privateers in the modern era, which when introduced during the Frontier War, afforded the battered and pushed back CDF more time to prepare counter offences against the surges of the Frontier Union Militia, especially the Tandil Rush. The role Privateers played in the early war cannot be understated.

On the other hand, the massive affordances of the document, it's vague nature under certain circumstances, and the lax duress process in handing out Letters of Marque during the war, allowed a thriving Rogue Privateer industry to grow, wherein Privateers would engage in acts of piracy against innocent civilians.