Attacking Wanted Players

Attacking Wanted Players

Can I freely attack wanted players?

There are varying levels of criminality. The mere fact that a player is sought by CONCORD does not automatically signify that he qualifies as an automatic target for everyone else.

In the eyes of the official law, someone who's committed only minor crimes in EVE does not deserve to be shot. Note the word "official": Other players can place a bounty on someone's head if his security status falls below a certain level (currently -1.0) but this does not imply CONCORD approval. A player can only justifiably be attacked if his security status is below -5.0. If you see someone with a "Wanted" stamp, they're wanted by other players and not necessarily the system itself. The discrepancy in these levels is a result of the Empires' policy to keep personal bickering out of the hands of CONCORD, who are already taxed to the limit dealing with pirates and more serious criminals. Thus, attacking a player, regardless of his wanted status will result in Concord attacking YOU, if the attack takes place in a high security sector of Empire space.

Keep in mind that bounty hunters always operate, if not on the wrong side of the law, then on its very edge. They're trespassing on CONCORD's territory and are therefore naturally not held in high regard by official forces. If you try to place a bounty on someone whose security status is high enough that he's clearly not a serious criminal in the eyes of CONCORD or the Empire then it won't be allowed, no matter what personal vendettas you may have. Neither can you expect help or any kind of assistance from the police if you choose to take up bounty hunting as a career. Violence and murder are serious crimes and are treated as such. If you're in pursuit of another player, your losses - of security, ship or life - are your own.