yesterday a lively discussion about guild development was held.
it is a topic that i've been thinking on for some time.
I like guilds to be able to run banks etc.
Where I got stuck is the restrictions necessary to prevent all powerful guilds fighting individuals.
I believe I have found the right restrictions. Let me start with them before I propose what guilds should be able to do.
Restrictions:
1 Guilds do not get turns automatically, nor can they buy turns. Guilds only can get turns when someone
self-sacrifices them to that guild. A guild has a turn cap of 100.
2 Guilds cannot own or get officers (captains, admirals, merchants)
Guild abilities:
Basically a guild is able to do what players can do, only limited by the restrictions above. This implies that a guild can build a hideout, buy, sell and use voodoo, build ships, buy ships and sell ships but it cannot use ships because of the officer limitation.
A guild cannot get ‘fame’ since it cannot use ships.
A guild can gain influence but cannot join nations since a guild cannot defeat enemy ships.
The guild can open warehouses in all ports. Guild members can transfer supplies to the guild warehouse within the same port. The guild can transfer supplies within the same port to members at the cost of 10 turns per transaction. This will help to develop the guild hideout structures.
Access to guild functions will be regulated by guild laws. Access can be given to specific guild members or to certain ranks. The access laws will be voted upon, all use of guild functions will be instantly and irrevocable. (e.g. a guild member with access to the guild credits can transfer them to himself anytime he wants)
Since the guilds basically function as players, they can be attacked with voodoo in the same way.
The 2 restrictions will imo prevent abuse of the guild functions towards third parties. It can throw voodoo on players but only in a limited way and at great cost of turns.