Campaign:NHNE/General/Letters of Marque

Letters of Marque are issued by various states in the New Earth System as ways of getting private vessels to operate within the structure of state navies. These bear no resemblance to similar documents historically issued in the Sol System.

Description

These documents are akin to conscription papers issued to ships declaring them to be part of the state navy and to be operating under the direction of that Naval Power. The papers give the vessel various rights (including the right to carry arms and wage war) and obligations (to abide by the orders of the issuing Navy and the laws of war). They have become major mechanisms for providing naval auxiliaries and patrol craft - especially in the belt, but also for some New Earth Governments.