What's worse: Beggars or Bandits?

by **Sencha** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 20:47:51

I was imagining a scenario that would take place after the crash, it has two parts and I'm wondering which group of people in it would be more easy to deal with. Here it is:

You managed to secure a stable shelter, adequate food and water and necessary supplies for survival. You are with a group of about ten people. It seems for the time being, you are enduring the post-crash world. One day, you are encountered by about fifty people who were travelling in search of a place to stay. These people are either:

Beggars:[/B] They are all visibly tired, hungry, desperate, but most are unarmed, unwilling to fight or are too weak. They hound you and your group ceaselessly. They whine, cry out their troubles, impose themselves on you and persisting that you share some of your supplies. You know that if you do, you will run out of resources and you will end up just like them. They help themselves to what you have and you try to push them away because they are stealing and damaging your things in the process.
You have the means to fight them back, but it is hard to do so (if you have a conscience) because they are deprived and dying before your eyes. You'll either have to sacrifice what you have to help them, or drive them back and threaten to use force. Many of them will get away and tell others where you are. What would you do?

Or

[B]Bandits: They are armed to the teeth, homicidal, starving and desperate. They will coldly kill and destroy anyone and anything that gets in the way of what they need. You know you're living in a world that is either kill or be killed. These are clearly enemies who are after you, and you have no choice but to fight back. Because you are well supplied you have a modest selection of weapons and limited ammo. You could try to repel them, but you are severely outnumbered. You might lose some of your members in the process, and doing so could severely impact your resources. However, if you defeat them they might have supplies you could steal. (An able bodied, productive person would be a valuable resource you wouldn't want to lose.)

So, which is worse?

by **Jack** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 20:58:11

The bandits are the greater threat. If you don't terminate them, they will terminate your group.

As for the beggars, the solution is both obvious and straightforward.

by **bentstrider** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 21:02:15

Depending on what type of defense and tactics we use, the bandits will always be easy to throw off.
Instead of using guns or any type of small projectile, Black powder bombs and powderized natural herbs would be a good defense.
We could either blast 'em apart by using home-made claymores(old pop bottles filled with black powder, pebbles, and a fuse)
or dope 'em up with a Marijuana smoke. Then while they're sedated, we load them into wagons/trailers pulled either by Diesel truck or Oxen and drop 'em off 200 miles out in the boonies, without guns or shoes for them.

by **mindfarkk** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 21:12:14

i would make a good bandito! [smilie=XXknight.gif]

by **mindfarkk** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 22:29:27

you know what i love the best Ailrickson... i have absolutely no idea what you just said!

by **Tyler_JC** » Sat 15 Jan 2005, 22:38:54

Regarding the beggars, I wipe away a teardrop from my eye, and blast off a round from my shotgun in their general direction. My cadre and I scare away the beggars and kill half. The other half fears us and do not tell anyone where we are. Why go up against such a well-armed enemy? (At least, we would look well armed)

Bandits are a much bigger threat. They probably have a leader who can get more "soldiers" and take out your base. I won't feel bad about killing them, but I would be devastated if my people were killed.

Overall it is not a nice scenario, but life (PP anyway) isn't nice. If you won't fight to insure the survival of yourself, friends, and family...you have no business living, IMO.

by **Specop_007** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 00:54:35

Thats kinda a dumbass question Sencha.
Beggars - I can walk away from
Bandits - Want to kill me.

Gee, which do YOU think is worse?

by **katkinkate** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 01:18:25

Beggars could be potential workers if you had room to expand your holdings. Beggars that are driven away could join with the bandits and return. Personally I'd try not to avoid any attention.

by **TrueKaiser** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 01:56:35

beggers: help who you can and turn away the rest.

bandetes: static defences such as booby traps will be your best bet

by **PenultimateManStanding** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 02:05:39

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mindfarkk', 'y')ou know what i love the best Ailrickson... i have absolutely no idea what you just said!

by **Cool Hand Linc** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 02:11:53

We have been so pampered for so many years that such a question is asked. Turn them away to preserve your own clan. Either way, the answer is the same.

by **Colorado-Valley** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 03:19:04

Beggars ... slaves.

Banditos ... dead.

This PP stuff could get midieval pretty fast.

by **skateari** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 03:31:11

is this question really worth asking? I mean, when chosing between un armed, defenseless beggers and a clan of warlords, its a given what your gonna pick. You can be dead pretty quick from the warlards (bad) or you could get rid of some of the beggers and keep a few strong ones as slaves (good)

by **Tyler_JC** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 13:46:37

Beggars can be turned into bio-fuel or fertilizer :twisted:

.

by **PenultimateManStanding** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 14:56:09

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ailrickson', '
')Probably one of the most honest and merciful being there even was this Vlad. Too bad he is personified as such a bad guy in Hollywood. :twisted:

by **Guest** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 18:27:46

Sarcasm: a sharply mocking or contempuous remark, typically utilysing statements or implications pointedly opposite or irrelevant to the underlying purport. So this is not always the same as irony which can be used in a similar way but without the malice. I know what your pal Chuck would say (and I don't mean the one in Holland), yeah! sarcasm! :twisted:

by **PenultimateManStanding** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 19:05:17

That was me. If you don't mean what you say, or say what you mean then people won't know what to make of it. So I guess mindfarkk was right. Regarding beggars and bandits: they both are parasitical on those who make the food and clothing, etc. And if there aren't any of those people around then beggar/bandit won't matter: its curtains either way. I know some folks hope to set up viable little communities. Lots of luck.

by **smallpoxgirl** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 21:28:30

Never underestimate the danger of the couch hippie. They will invade your space, suck away resources, eat your food, leave their crap laying around, trash your house, and there is no escaping them. You can try trapping them, swatting them, putting out poison bait (cyanide in the bong water). Tommorrow there will just be five more. :razz:

I say give the leader of the banditos a beer and do some trading. Fight the beggars with everything you have.

by **Sencha** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 22:07:49

Two things:

1. The question may be "dumbass" because considering the people that frequent this board, I have to dumb philosophical questions of morality down to a lower level. (MissingLink, Specop, I'm staring in your direction.)

2. This has been a good question to ask. The responses I've recieved actually enforce my beliefs that this race is truly brutal, destructive and largely immoral. Additionally, not only are we prone to revert to our primal natures based on these responses, I think we are actually looking for the excuse to do so.

To those that have insulted my asking of this question, I say this: You counter with another question you think is intelligent, and I'll answer in a way that will make you feel small. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Who knows, that might actually help you out.

by **Cool Hand Linc** » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 22:31:01

LOL

Keep trying Sencha. Keep tryin'

What's worse: Beggars or Bandits?

Which group would you avoid?

What's worse: Beggars or Bandits?

LOL

OK

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