01-20-2005, 08:03 PM
Professor Frink,Jan 18 2005, 03:57 AM Wrote:Is there much of anything you can do in WoW that would be a violation of the RL law of war? The only thing I can remember off the top of my head would be surrendering, but is that even possible in WoW? It's not like you can be captured or even put your weapon down and return to civilian life, and soldiers aren't required to let the enemy get away just because they have the advantage.
Unlike D2 where everyone was on the same side and non-duel PvP was automatically a form of betrayal, this really is war and the game mechanics seem to be trying to encourage that sort of aggression (you can't communicate with the other side; mobs will happily kill lowbies and camp their corpse)
I think the RL laws of war only obligate you to follow the rules if the other side keeps their end of the deal. Aren't you allowed to shoot surrendering troops if the other side doesn't honor the rules of surrender? (for example, WWII Japan)
-- frink
P.S. I'm not at all an expert on this and probably wrong
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Professor: I would need to look up a bit of this, but the general feeling on reprisals is that they are not consistent with the Law of Armed Conflict. (Firebombing of Dresden is a favorite example of that issue.)
The disciplined use of force inferred by that premise that there is SOME law in war other than killing as many of the enemy as it takes to make them quit means that, for example, just becaue the Japanese abused our prisoners taken at Wake does not mean that, in a quid pro quo, our folks would do the same.
Likewise shooting "surrendering" enemy. If the enemy has developed a habit pattern of using the White Flag as a subterfuge for ambush, commanders may be given high level guidance to ingore white flags based on a pattern of behaviour. that is consistent with a general legal principle regarding "action versus stated intention." See also rules on partisans, and how they are treated differently from regular troops.
Realize the answer is vague.
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete