Not sure I see any change in outcomes here, won’t Haul Quorum always be effectively the same as the existing “a quorum of Thieves” for the purposes of Distribution? Timing out reduces it by one, but it gets reset to the default at the start of each Distribution.

Yes, it gets reset at the start of the Distribution, but the key is “when does that Distribution get triggered”?

The way this Proposal is written, if enacted the Distribution rule would look like this:

If a number of Thieves at least equal to the Haul Quorum have posted equivalent Propositions on a Haul post, the City may set the Haul Quorum to its default value and perform the atomic action of Distributing:
* ...
* ...
* ...

If a Haul post has been pending for at least 48 hours and a number of Thieves at least equal to the Haul Quorum have not posted equivalent Propositions it, the City may reduce the Haul Quorum by 1, to a minimum of 1, and perform the Distributing atomic action, treating the Common Proposition as a Request to Punt

Note that if the Haul times out after 48 hours, the Haul Quorum is reduced for the next Haul, and thus the “trigger” to perform the next Distribution is 1 less Thief. If it times out again, this number continues to be reduced.

The only time the Haul Quorum is reset is upon a successful agreement of a number of Thieves equal to the current Haul Quorum (or a change in the Idle/Unidle status of a Thief).

I also meant to say that Haul Quorum doesn’t get reset at the beginning of every Distribution, only just before the Distribution is started if and only if a number of Thieves at least equal to the Haul Quorum have come to an agreement. That’s why that reset step is outside of the Distribution atomic action itself.

Ah! I see what you mean.

That works mechanically, then. Seems quite loosely connected to the inactive player situation, though, if Haul Quorum can sometimes tick down when everyone’s active, or tick back up when somebody clearly isn’t playing but an easy split went through.

wouldn’t this create situations where a haul could legally be split it multiple different ways?

Good point. That would break Haul distribution completely.

Withdrawn