| From: | DroneWar@*******.com (Stephen Allee) |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Geneva Convention, Medics, Megacorporations: Was "Re: Runaway and |
| Date: | Wed, 18 Feb 2004 17:49:55 -0600 |
> According to the Geneva Convention, medics (as long as they aren't holding
a
> weapon) are considered non combatants and therefore not legal targets. If
> they pick up a weapon, then they're fair game.
>
> Of course, as in real life, not everyone follows the Geneva convention.
That
> is even if it applies to the various mega corps.
>
> There is a nasty thought, corporations starting to sign world treaties,
> surely a sign that they're more powerful then your average country.
>
> Aramis.
It would surprise me greatly if there were not at least informal rules of
warfare between the corporations. Resources such as manufacturing facilities
and laboratories are expensive to replace, so it is in everyone's best
interest to agree to limit the amount of collateral damage that is done in
the course of industrial espionage and sabotage. That is one of the main
reasons I can think of why Desert Wars is fought way out in the middle of
nowhere (aside from the catchy name...). It is probably a mostly informal
code akin to that held by the US and USSR during the cold war period.
Also, full-scale military conflict is expensive in terms of lost
productivity, increased materiél consumption, and staffing costs for the
combatants and associated support staff. A corporation is accountable to its
stockholders for profit / loss, and with few exceptions, the cost of a
full-scale military incursion tends to outway the potential gains. This may
be why they subcontract assignments to shadowrunners.
<digression>
Shadowrunners are probably more expensive in terms of performing a single
mission for the corporation in question than it would be to use in-house
professionals. However, they are deniable assets. Also, a smaller
corporation may contract only a handful of operations during any given
quarter. A corporation that chooses to use in-house professionals is
responsible for the group's annual salaries, benefit costs (health, dental,
life insurance), equipment and upkeep, training, etc. The cost versus
benefit along with the prevailing business climate tends towards outsourcing
to outside professionals.
</digression>
Basically, corporations are in business to turn a profit. A state of war is
expensive for both parties in terms of lost facilities and increased
security costs. It's a world of difference between stopping a team of
infiltrators from stealing something and protecting a facility from being
overrun by Panzers and airstrikes. Treaties, formal and informal, almost
certainly exist to protect the interests of the shareholders. It's up to the
GM to decide what treaties exist and how they are handled.
Imagine, if you will, that corporations had treaties that required them to
turn over anyone they run across during normal business operation to another
company if that person could be proved to have been involved in one or more
"crimes" against that company. An extreme case would be as follows: You
visit a Stuffer Shack (Aztechnology) to buy some cheap synthahol. The clerk
runs your ID to verify your age. A postive hit comes back to detain you
because Cross Applied Tech believes that you were involved in an op against
one of their facilities a while back. When you are leaving the building, the
mantrap locks you down until Aztechnology security can come and collect you.
Off-topic below:
Technically, you are not supposed to shoot at medical personnel. If they are
not identified as such, however, they are fair game. The medic can still
shoot at you in defense of themselves and their patients. Since anyone you
shoot will become a patient for that medic to treat, he or she will almost
certainly be shooting at you first if they see you. The medic does, however,
have to disengage if you attempt to break contact.
The Geneva Convention classifies medical personnel as "retained persons"
(class II personnel) rather than "enemy combatants" (class I personnel) in
the event of capture. They can be required / allowed to treat US casualties
being held by the aggressor nation, but must be released after the
casualties have been treated.
A Medical Company (like M*A*S*H but smaller) cannot hold any portion of a
shared perimeter and cannot be used to stage offensive operations from. U.S.
interpretation means that medical company personnel are limited to pistols
and service rifles (M16A2 / M4-A1). They are not authorised machine guns,
mines, rocket launchers, etc. Basically, no toys. Sucks, huh?
Oh, and it's considered _really_ bad form to call for fire from a medevac
helicopter. Especially during a computer simulation when you are surrounded
by Colonels. They get a little upset. Just a little...
I am _not_ a medic. ;-) I play with the logistics end of it. It's sort of
like a cross between stocking shelves at Rite-Aid and selling drugs on the
corner.
