The Doctrine of Proportional Response
First and foremost, I'd like to let you know that I didn't make this up. It's a real-life principle, and it works... sort-of.
Conflicts, left to themselves, tend to escalate in degree, scope, and scale. Fistfights turn into brawls, brawls occasionally lead to killings, and killings spark riots. Riots, if left unchecked, can lead to civil unrest and thence to revolution. Part of any government's job is to protect its citizens from the greater of these; more tyrannical regimes suppress even the smallest, on the premise that safety is more important than liberty.
When one examines the global stage, however, it seems apparent that larger conflicts will behave in similar fashion. A lost military patrol accidentally crosses a border, is fired upon by border guards, and returns fire with deadly accuracy. A bloodbath ensues, and reinforcements are called to the scene before the firing is done. More troops are rushed to the borders, each nation suspecting the other of hostile intent. One more honest mistake - or a hothead that fires in spite of orders - leads inevitably to war.
There is no international force that enforces peace in these cases, so nations must prevent wars between themselves. One way this is done is by exercising discipline in the level of response offered to a provocation. This is intended to prevent a conflict from escalating, and it works. In the above example, if repeated border violations occur, the offended nation may launch a surgical strike aimed at a supply depot of the aggressor. Rather than offend the frayed tempers of opposing troops, no direct strike on a barracks or a customs post would be made; judicious discretion must be employed in the selection of targets and methods.
In EVONY, it is my belief that such a doctrine may be introduced with limited success. In the virtual world, there are no families that cry out for blood to be avenged; there are no warriors crossing frontiers to pick fights. Against this, we have the primary motive force that the game is in large part played by overgrown adolescents, most of whom may have difficulty controlling their tempers. (In this, I make no distinction between male and female; I find that immaturity almost always leads to overreaction no matter where it is found.)
Our alliance, EMPIRE (ss12), adopted this policy several months ago and have been holding to it ever since. It works; it works very well. Using reason and tenacity, we've managed to keep every conflict from escalating; using precision tactics, we've turned back every major raid incursion.
I would advise that this doctrine be considered and adopted in every alliance that wishes to pride itself on intelligence, fairness, and the other virtues of civilization.