Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
Is it a valid to assume Martial Law would exist in areas controlled by military forces?
If so, how are mercenaries dealt with? Are non-military personal allowed to carry firearms, drive vehicles (and thereby use fuel the military need), carry anything even vaguely related to combat?
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I think we'd have to assume that in many MilGov or CivGov (or really ANY government controlled areas) there are going to be serious restrictions on what folks who are not members of that government's armed forces can own.
Any resource the players have might be confiscated under some vague "emergency powers" proclamation. Small arms (in America, at least) would be difficult to round up. Too strong a cultural attachment. But if the players drive into town towing a 155mm howitzer, they may not get a chance to sell it to the army. It might just be "commandeered." That's what they call it when the lawful authorities steal from you.
The UK, Canada and (to my understanding) Australia have all enacted extremely limiting laws concerning personal firearms, but except in Australia (which didn't get pranged as bad as the other countries) I can't imagine the authorities being successful confiscating weapons. It would just cause unnecessary fighting at a time when everyone needs their guns to hunt and protect themselves.
Australia wouldn't be in the same position since their national government never collapsed and regional and local governments only temporarily failed and only small areas remain uncontrolled. As such, not everyone in Australia needed a firearm to make sure their bread crusts didn't get stolen by the Smegma Crazies and the Gay Boy Berzerkers. (extra points if you can cite the reference on those!)
But Canada, the UK and the USA are wrecked. Self defense is mandatory so, I can't imagine the governments trying to disarm the population completely.
Big military hardware like tanks or armored vehicles or artillery and mortar, and even belt-fed machine guns... sure, I can imagine the authorities confiscating them for official use only. Guys like Jacques Littlefield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Littlefield (who collects and restores tanks and armored vehicles) are going to be very sad when MilGov shows up and makes off with their museum pieces... so long as they still run.
I think that any "Free Company" is going to have to camp outside the castle walls, both literally and figuratively, or face being disarmed and their vehicles and equipment confiscated. Choosing to be in a free company is going to be a hard road. While people may need your services, they are going to covet your gear and fear you. So most arrangements are going to be exectuted at arm's length.
A. Scott Glancy, President TCCorp, dba Pagan Publishing