Quote:
Originally Posted by Panther Al
Now, since we all was no longer accepting orders from higher, and we was setting up our own fiefdom, were we marauders, or something else?
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To a degree I think it depends on whether or not you had been given any orders to obey from a higher headquarters.
If you're following the classic Escape from Kalisz scenario you could argue that the radio broadcast stating "Good luck, you're on your own" effectively gives you a fair amount of carte blanche to do as you please (going from memory I think that broadcast was made by the Commanding General of the 5th Division?).
if, on the other hand, you're in a campaign where you were specifically ordered to do something and instead of doing that acting on your own accord you set yourself up as the Grand Duke of the Tirol then I'd say you're a deserter (at best).
Now whether being a deserter neccessarily equates to being a marauder is another matter altogether. In my opinion in the scenario you've outlined you're not acting as marauders. Likewise two men deserting from a unit in the US to try to make their way back to their homes and families aren't automatically going to become marauders. The actions that one carries out
may have a bearing on one's fate if one is recaptured by the forces that one has deserted from. In your example rather than being shot out of hand (or hanged to save a bullet) you might be sent to a punishment detachment that gets all the suicide missions, whereas those caught raping, pillaging, etc would likely be straight off to the gallows.
Ultimately, as many have said it's all in the eye of the beholder...