Nie Yan wouldn't be foolish enough to let Asskickers United engage the Alliance of Mages in an upfront battle. He was not aware of all the underhanded tricks the Alliance of Mages might have up their sleeves, and with the harsh death penalties of losing five levels and three pieces of equipment, Nie Yan had to try his best to preserve his elite members. These people were the backbone of Asskickers United, and if they suffered heavy losses, it would spell trouble for the guild, so he aimed to reduce casualties as much as possible.
To minimize casualties as much as possible, Nie Yan could only resort to such tactics.
And, by all means necessary!
Even if it meant shouldering any sort of infamy, it didn't matter!