Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [Mass Combat] Discipline, Law, Order and Preventing Atrocities

SRoach · 11-15-2015, 08:01 PM

I'm new to GURPS, and not well practiced at roleplaying in general.
That said, I'm pretty well read on the 3.x Forgotten Realms books. At least for Western Faerun, (less so for eastern and southern areas, including Unther.)

I'd guess any of your troops who are Chaotic Neutral and worse are likely to commit atrocities, if they think they can get away with it. Any that are Lawful, are probably going to obey the Commander, at least to the letter if not the spirit. This is assuming you kept that element when you ported FR over to GURPS.

Your world has magic, and presumably a Detect Truth spell, so certainly proving the guilt or innocence of a suspected rapist or murderer is easier than in our modern age.

An army marches on its stomach, but I suspect magic probably helps clear that particular logistical hurdle. Did you follow General Hooker's example? That may have helped a tad, too.

I don't remember the number, or the source, for our world, but I remember reading that the same, small, percentage of people will avoid committing a crime even at need as will commit a crime even if there is no practical reward. The larger percentage was malleable based on the circumstances.

How strongly do your troops follow Oaths? Would a required Oath of "I will refrain from rape and pillage upon those we conquer on pain of being found False before my gods" have any effect on these people? Becoming just another brick in the wall, to quote a certain British band, might be a strong motivator to stay on the straight and narrow. Assuming, that is, someone thought to require such an oath.

P.S. How did I go so long without finding out there was actually a RP system that took "solitaire" play into account?

11-15-2015, 08:01 PM	#43
SRoach Join Date: Oct 2015	Re: [Mass Combat] Discipline, Law, Order and Preventing Atrocities I'm new to GURPS, and not well practiced at roleplaying in general. That said, I'm pretty well read on the 3.x Forgotten Realms books. At least for Western Faerun, (less so for eastern and southern areas, including Unther.) I'd guess any of your troops who are Chaotic Neutral and worse are likely to commit atrocities, if they think they can get away with it. Any that are Lawful, are probably going to obey the Commander, at least to the letter if not the spirit. This is assuming you kept that element when you ported FR over to GURPS. Your world has magic, and presumably a Detect Truth spell, so certainly proving the guilt or innocence of a suspected rapist or murderer is easier than in our modern age. An army marches on its stomach, but I suspect magic probably helps clear that particular logistical hurdle. Did you follow General Hooker's example? That may have helped a tad, too. I don't remember the number, or the source, for our world, but I remember reading that the same, small, percentage of people will avoid committing a crime even at need as will commit a crime even if there is no practical reward. The larger percentage was malleable based on the circumstances. How strongly do your troops follow Oaths? Would a required Oath of "I will refrain from rape and pillage upon those we conquer on pain of being found False before my gods" have any effect on these people? Becoming just another brick in the wall, to quote a certain British band, might be a strong motivator to stay on the straight and narrow. Assuming, that is, someone thought to require such an oath. P.S. How did I go so long without finding out there was actually a RP system that took "solitaire" play into account?