This is a OOC rule, meant to stem the escalation of combat that happens all too often. The basics of the rule are as follows...

Once a fight has started, you're not allowed to use comms, IMs, group or private, to call for reinforcements. If you're downed, you're not allowed to use IMs, group or private, to call for reinforcements.

You can, however, run to get reinforcements, face to face, in game.

If you're an onlooker to a fight, you're not allowed to use comms, IMs, group or private, to call for reinforcements. Everything must be done face to face, in game.

Factional scripted comm systems ARE legal., but are to be used sparingly.

This is because they are VISIBLE as worn by the avatar and they ONLY send messages to all members USING the comm system.

This is our concession to the situation to allow for interfaction communications about fights without using group IMs to pull people in from out of sim/offline.

This rule isn't easy for us to police, so we're counting on all of you to play fair and play by the rules. What we hope to accomplish by this, is to get people, both evil and good, roleplaying successfully after a fight, instead of elongating the battle by calling in endless support. If you're on the losing end of a fight, take it like a champ and have fun playing the victim for a while...