The Stranded are all bad? not really

[rcs92]

the Stranded may be a threat to the COG a lot of the time, but at the same time, they are out there unprotected territory, fighting Locust off and apparently succeeding as they have been around for 15 years and are still thriving.

It just makes me wonder that the COG hate the stranded so much, yet if it wasn't for Stranded, the Locust might have killed the COG off years ago. The Stranded are few on enemy territory fighting them where Locust are at. Some Stranded are even living IN the Hollow, aslo fighting them there.

I don't know, I just found it funny this little fun fact.

[TheRealBigBoss]

if it wasn't for Stranded, the Locust might have killed the COG off years ago

Lol, that's just crazy people talk.

How many stranded were involved in deploying the Lightmass bomb? Or the sinking of Jacinto? Ohh yeah, that's right... none.

Stranded are only good for one thing... target practice.

[rcs92]

Lol, that's just crazy people talk.

How many stranded were involved in deploying the Lightmass bomb? Or the sinking of Jacinto? Ohh yeah, that's right... none.

Stranded are only good for one thing... target practice.

Operation: Lifeboat....probably tons.

[TheRealBigBoss]

Operation: Lifeboat....probably tons.

Once they joined the COG, took a bath and had some manners beat into them, they were no longer stranded.

Anyways, even the COG need cannon fodder sometimes, I mean, there's only so many Carmines to go around.

[Croswynd]

The Stranded weren't fighting the Locust more than defending a position. They didn't go out for attack runs. They just wanted to be left alone.

[Sgt. Grub k1ller]

I agree, the Stranded are not all bad, some are just people trying to survive, but there is some that take advantage of the bad situation to make it worse.

Lol, can't wait until SKORGE gets his hands on this thread. His hole-filled logic if fun to laugh at. :/

[rcs92]

The Stranded weren't fighting the Locust more than defending a position. They didn't go out for attack runs. They just wanted to be left alone.

Either way, the Locust want the humans extinct and if you see a piece of chocolate cake on an elevated rock, and you see another piece the same size about 5 feet from you, which peice of chocolate cake do you go for? the one 5 feet from you. Because its closer and you WANT IT. same with stranded. I bet lots and lots of Locust were killed trying to finish off stranded gangs and failed at it.

[TheRealBigBoss]

The Stranded weren't fighting the Locust more than defending a position. They didn't go out for attack runs. They just wanted to be left alone.

Exactly, the stranded don't pose any significant threat to the Locust so the Locust target the COG instead, who do pose a significant threat. If the COG were ever defeated the stranded would be in big trouble, their extermination would be the Locust's new priority, and Locust death squads would quickly wipe them out.

[SKORGE]

the Stranded may be a threat to the COG a lot of the time, but at the same time, they are out there unprotected territory, fighting Locust off and apparently succeeding as they have been around for 15 years and are still thriving.

It just makes me wonder that the COG hate the stranded so much, yet if it wasn't for Stranded, the Locust might have killed the COG off years ago. The Stranded are few on enemy territory fighting them where Locust are at. Some Stranded are even living IN the Hollow, aslo fighting them there.

I don't know, I just found it funny this little fun fact.

Stranded are not all bad... but those that are, steal, rape and kill their own. Stranded DO NOT fight the Locust. Stranded RUN FROM the Locust. Stranded KILL, STEAL, and RAPE (again) from their own species. Human on Human violence. When faced with Locust, the majority of them survive by running away from the Horde. Where do the Stranded get their goods from? From stealing of course. See, they are not productive members of Humanity nor productive in the survival of Humanity. They are like a dirty, stink ridden leach. They do more harm to their own people than they do to the Horde.

The COG has a dislike and distrust of them simply because they are no good vermin. Would you like them if they were to shoot and rob from you? Would you like them if they ripped away your food and raped your wife, daughter, mother? Would you like them if instead of fighting the Locust, they ran every time the ground shook? Even though they are willing to plan ambushes for those that DO fight the Horde aka the Gears. When you steal from the COG, you steal from the only people standing between you and death.

Those that are good hearted people who simply cannot reach the COG, they are not vermin-Stranded. They are Stranded in the sense that they are actually stranded. The rest are garbage and nothing but the lowest criminal delinquents found on the face of the earth. Barbarians who've turned into animals at the first break-down of law. The who despise the COG not because they "blew up Sera" but because in reality, they don't want law and order, they don't want to return to civilization where they must follow rules and regulations. The moment the COG is gone, they will cry for help. But knowing that they stand no chance against the Locust, they let the COG bleed while they themselves try and take from a dying Gear as much as they can... in the name of false "survival". You take from the dead, but not the dying.

Those that do, such as Dizzy and others whom put aside their petty distrust of the COG and signed on for Op Lifeboat, they are simply Human. They are Humans whom put their family and loved ones first, whom wish to fight the Horde, feed their children and hope that Sera can come out of hell for a better future. A future for their children.

The rest are nothing but simple stains of disgrace and harm upon the earth. People can argue with me all they want, but at the end of the day, you know I'm right. Maybe my morals are wrong, maybe I'm just insane. But this crap is based off what Humans are like. And these "stranded" - these Humans are portrayed as so. Thus, the lowest of the low.

Good day sir!

[Kalypso]

Stranded are not all bad... but those that are, steal, rape and kill their own. Stranded DO NOT fight the Locust. Stranded RUN FROM the Locust. Stranded KILL, STEAL, and RAPE (again) from their own species. Human on Human violence. When faced with Locust, the majority of them survive by running away from the Horde. Where do the Stranded get their goods from? From stealing of course. See, they are not productive members of Humanity nor productive in the survival of Humanity. They are like a dirty, stink ridden leach. They do more harm to their own people than they do to the Horde.

The COG has a dislike and distrust of them simply because they are no good vermin. Would you like them if they were to shoot and rob from you? Would you like them if they ripped away your food and raped your wife, daughter, mother? Would you like them if instead of fighting the Locust, they ran every time the ground shook? Even though they are willing to plan ambushes for those that DO fight the Horde aka the Gears. When you steal from the COG, you steal from the only people standing between you and death.

Those that are good hearted people who simply cannot reach the COG, they are not vermin-Stranded. They are Stranded in the sense that they are actually stranded. The rest are garbage and nothing but the lowest criminal delinquents found on the face of the earth. Barbarians who've turned into animals at the first break-down of law. The who despise the COG not because they "blew up Sera" but because in reality, they don't want law and order, they don't want to return to civilization where they must follow rules and regulations. The moment the COG is gone, they will cry for help. But knowing that they stand no chance against the Locust, they let the COG bleed while they themselves try and take from a dying Gear as much as they can... in the name of false "survival". You take from the dead, but not the dying.

Those that do, such as Dizzy and others whom put aside their petty distrust of the COG and signed on for Op Lifeboat, they are simply Human. They are Humans whom put their family and loved ones first, whom wish to fight the Horde, feed their children and hope that Sera can come out of hell for a better future. A future for their children.

The rest are nothing but simple stains of disgrace and harm upon the earth. People can argue with me all they want, but at the end of the day, you know I'm right. Maybe my morals are wrong, maybe I'm just insane. But this crap is based off what Humans are like. And these "stranded" - these Humans are portrayed as so. Thus, the lowest of the low.

Good day sir!

You do know that theres is no difference between your beloved Gears and your invidious Stranded. Absolutely none!!!!!!!!

[capt dec]

Of course the stranded aren't bad, they're merely survivors in a world that has for the most part returned to it's pre civilization days, where it's ecology is ruled by Darwinian natural selection; that being survival of the fittest to reproduce (the part of the phrase oft excluded). The stranded are merely those with the "Survival" gene that has most likely mutated in and been inherited by the Seran population during the pendulum wars and after (for those born during the human--locust war) those lacking the gene(s) for superior strength, intelligence and survival instinct perished, for the most apart on E-day. The only surviving humans without that gene were protected by the COG despite being genetically inferior, whilst others who now flourished because of their genetic mutation(s) survived.

Thus you could say that the humans who survive as stranded are genetically superior in terms of adaption to their environment to the average Coalition civilian who survives not by Genetic mutation and adaption to their environment but instead by trading personal freedom to cower behind the walls, both metaphorical and literal, of the Coalition.

Furthermore, by no means should you vilify the Stranded population when in reality, it's a fairly small minority of the population that subscribed to the false Coalition created image of "The human monster, who will kill our men, rape our women and steal food from our children".. This is of course a complete fallacy as human-human violence among the stranded population is, as far as we know, exceedingly rare. At no point during the games or novels is a stranded described hurting or stealing from a fellow stranded. Of course certain instances of it may have occurred; it is, unfortunately, a baser element of human nature. But in an atmosphere of extreme hardship such as those endured by the stranded, such elements are oft surrendered or ignored for the greater good of the camp. Of course the novel, particularly Jacinto's remnant and Anvil gate show the stranded-COG violence as perpetrated by the Stranded, but, as i will return to in the next few paragraphs, the stranded have a reason for such actions, and, if i may add, quite an admirable reason to.


Now to continue on to the Coalition of Organized governments. The Cog, is at it’s core, a totalitarian government, founded on and run by similar principles to that of the former Earth regime of National Socialism in Germany from roughly 1933 to 1945. Both are headed by a Figure, universally obeyed, in the real world, Adolf Hitler and in gears Richard Prescott, Both leaders have absolute power and the support of the army ( An important factor to the power of any totalitarian regime) and both have “Emergency powers” Granted to Prescott by the COG’s council post E-day and Hitler was granted his by the 1933 Enabling act passed by the Reichstag congress that allowed Hitler to change the constitution and thus install himself as a totalitarian leader. Both the COG and the Nazi party are founded on tenets of “ Strength through Unity” and of sacrificing personal freedoms in exchange for personal security. The noted Coalition gear, Damon Baird is recorded of saying of his government; “ People who trade security for freedom deserve neither”. This is an excellent summary of the evils of the Coalition, and how they are inferior to the Seran Stranded population. The stranded, unlike the citizens of the Coalition do not trade their personal freedoms and are, despite the hardships of their environment able to personal express themselves and to speak out against their leaders, whilst ifa citizen of the collation did that they would most likely be shot for treason or punished for dissent.


Another similarity between the Cog and Nazism is the idea of a racial policy and discrimination, which allows a common enemy to strike fear in the Seran populace, who in turn, turn to the COG who promise them freedom and salvation. For the Cog it is the Locut and the, unfairly hated “Stranded” for Nazism, it began as the hardships of the great depression and through clever use of propaganda became the “Jews”, the rest of Europe and people of “Non-Aryan descent”. This concept of an enemy to untie a nation is perfectly illustrated in Orwell’s 1948 novel “ 1984”. In it Orwell sums up the idea perfectly with the simple slogan of “ WAR IS PEACE” meaning that if a government can create a war or a “common enemy” that they can use to frighten their populace who turn to them for protection then that country can be “at peace” meaning no dissent or civil war. The coalition use the war, first against the UIR then the Locust to maintain power and control. Whilst the stranded don’t use the threat of the enemy to keep their people in check, whoa re, for the most part free to leave at any time, though naturally they don’t because of the indiscriminate Locust population.


Also the COG committed a genocide far greater than that committed by Hitler, perhaps a better comparison of the coalition’s actions with the hammer of dawn would be the Genocide committed by Joseph Stalin who is responsible for 50 million deaths, a figure, we assume, as we do not have the exact figure, is similar to the number of people killed by the coalition during the Hammer of Dawn counterattack.


These factors and the COG’s similarities to what we now call “ Evil Empires” of our own all illustrate how the Coalition is one of these “Evil Empire” and as such the Stranded have what some may call a basic human right, to combat and overthrow such a regime to ensure the safety and freedom of the Seran people. Such a right is illustrated so well by the second amendment of the American constitution, whose exact wording is unfortunately, oft forgotten. To remind you all it goes as such: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”


The part of that is relevant to my point of justifying the stranded’s actions against the coalition is the phrase; “The security of a free state”. By no means could you call the COG a “free state” in many parts of Jacinto’s Remnant and Anvil Gate where the COG Gears are called upon by the state to enforce the will of the state during food riots and public fear. Which goes against the purpose of an armed military which is to protect and not prosecute the people of the state. The Stranded have “The right to bear arms” because the state run by the Cog Government, if you could call one man’s will such a thing, is an oppressed, morally evil state, thus justifying their human on human violence, which despite it in itself being an evil is a necessary evil to further the future of the human’s of Sera.


And SKORGE you say that the Stranded are, for the most part, scum because they, in your words; “Stranded KILL, STEAL, and RAPE (again) from their own species. Well my friend what of your precious Coalition’s Pendulum wars? Millions, possibly Billions dead because of the COG’s desire for power and resources? That’s far more than the stranded have ever killed in the name of personal liberty. You say the stranded rape people, well the coalition installed a policy of systemized and justified rape in the breeding farms. This was a policy created and supported by the COG government, meaning it was supported and practiced by all the COG. Whilst yes, rape, unfortunately occurs in the stranded population such as that of sergeant Bernadette Mataki, post E-day. It is, just like in modern society, perpetrated by a minority, such actions are a baser part of human nature, and, unfortunately, inevitable (Note: this by no means makes it excusable and the men who commit such actions should be killed, as those who violated Bernie soon discovered, I give you my support there.). One could easily imagine a situation in which a stranded rapes another and said stranded is persecuted and exiled/killed by the people of his camp, so by no means do all the stranded do it nor do they accept it.


Your words lay the stranded out to be violent, animalistic people, well let me draw your attention to a scene mid way or so through Jacinto’s remnant.. In it a number of Freedom fighter Stranded are captured and forced to walk across open ground in full view of the COG civilians. The COG Civvies are far more animalistic in their yelling of hatred and abuse and attempted violence on these captured prisoners than any stranded toward members of the COG.


In conclusion, it is the Stranded who hold the key to a peaceful future for Sera and not the COG whose, outdated, totalitarian methods are nothing but a poison to the people of Sera, who in a post war period will need, not a strong government, but an understanding and expressive one to ensure a bright future. The modern world has evolved from still powerful absolute monarchies with large empires and many colonies in the early 1900’s to over 50 free, democratic nations in a period of just 50 years; so it only makes sense that the people of Sera should do the same. And by no means are the Stranded Evil, indeed if you wish to see the Evil on Sera all the COG have to do is look in a mirror,

[SKORGE]

You do know that theres is no difference between your beloved Gears and your invidious Stranded. Absolutely none!!!!!!!!

There is a difference between them.

Gears don't murder Stranded for fun, rape their own people and then run away from the Locust. Maybe if Gears went around raiding Stranded camps for supplies, killing the leaders and raping their women, maybe, just maybe they'd be the same.

Stranded - most Stranded are criminals whom kill more Human than Locust. That is the big difference.

[An Undead Lord]

There is a difference between them.

Gears don't murder Stranded for fun, rape their own people and then run away from the Locust. Maybe if Gears went around raiding Stranded camps for supplies, killing the leaders and raping their women, maybe, just maybe they'd be the same.

Stranded - most Stranded are criminals whom kill more Human than Locust. That is the big difference.

Truer than most.

[Kalypso]

There is a difference between them.

Gears don't murder Stranded for fun, rape their own people and then run away from the Locust. Maybe if Gears went around raiding Stranded camps for supplies, killing the leaders and raping their women, maybe, just maybe they'd be the same.

Stranded - most Stranded are criminals whom kill more Human than Locust. That is the big difference.

Gears do rape their own women and they did kill more humans then anybody else on Sera.

[SKORGE]

Of course the stranded aren't bad, they're merely survivors in a world that has for the most part returned to it's pre civilization days, where it's ecology is ruled by Darwinian natural selection; that being survival of the fittest to reproduce (the part of the phrase oft excluded). The stranded are merely those with the "Survival" gene that has most likely mutated in and been inherited by the Seran population during the pendulum wars and after (for those born during the human--locust war) those lacking the gene(s) for superior strength, intelligence and survival instinct perished, for the most apart on E-day. The only surviving humans without that gene were protected by the COG despite being genetically inferior, whilst others who now flourished because of their genetic mutation(s) survived.

By the sounds of it Dec, you make it sound like any of those protected by the COG SHOULD have been killed, while the Stranded live? Maybe thats not what your saying, but it does sound like that.

Those that made it and are now protected by the COG, they made it on their own. What about the flooding of Jacinto - sure the COG saved lives that day, but there were those that perished. Civilians, Dec, they did survive on their own.

Thus you could say that the humans who survive as stranded are genetically superior in terms of adaption to their environment to the average Coalition civilian who survives not by Genetic mutation and adaption to their environment but instead by trading personal freedom to cower behind the walls, both metaphorical and literal, of the Coalition.

That is false. Your beginning was good, however, they show cowardice because they receive protection from the only fighting force left defending Sera? Come on man! Am I a coward because I let the COPS do their job? Are you? I don't think so. Not everyone can pick up a gun, live in the gutters and eat sh*t. Those that do, do not wish to. If everyone did that, chances are, the Human pop would be hit hard and everyone would be dead. There's a difference between survival of the fittest and sanity. Those that do not wish to live in sh*t and eat Kryll, do not wish to. Each and every Stranded has the chance to move on out of their hell-hole, go join the COG and FIGHT. However, many do not choose this option because laws and order are no longer important to them.

Furthermore, by no means should you vilify the Stranded population when in reality, it's a fairly small minority of the population that subscribed to the false Coalition created image of "The human monster, who will kill our men, rape our women and steal food from our children"..

What image is this? The COG has not created this image. It has been WITNESSED. When a Gear is hurt, do the Stranded try and help him? No, they take his guns and ammo, wanting it for their own survival, but not in the aid of a fallen Gear. Do they patch him up? No. They leave him there to die. When a Raven crashes, do they come out and aid the wounded? No. They come out to scavenge from the wreckage. Do the Stranded form a resistance to the Locust, organized, willing to fight the Horde to save the world? No, they form petty gangs and go about killing each other. It would be like Aliens attacking Earth, only to have have the population join the bloods and crips & fight each other instead of the aliens.

This is of course a complete fallacy as human-human violence among the stranded population is, as far as we know, exceedingly rare. At no point during the games or novels is a stranded described hurting or stealing from a fellow stranded. Of course certain instances of it may have occurred; it is, unfortunately, a baser element of human nature. But in an atmosphere of extreme hardship such as those endured by the stranded, such elements are oft surrendered or ignored for the greater good of the camp

That's why Bernie was raped by three Stranded, belonging to a Stranded gang? (Bernie wasn't officially a Gear, she was retired and a Stranded at the time) Not rare, just not reported because the COG is out fighting the Locust... who... really don't give a damn if your Stranded or COG, or belong to one faction or the other. Human - dead.

Of course the novel, particularly Jacinto's remnant and Anvil gate show the stranded-COG violence as perpetrated by the Stranded, but, as i will return to in the next few paragraphs, the stranded have a reason for such actions, and, if i may add, quite an admirable reason to.

A reason to murder, steal and harm the COG, whom has left them the f*ck alone and is out fighting the Locust. Again, the same Locust who really want to kill each and every Human on the face of the planet. The COG does not go out and attack Stranded camps for no reason, the COG does not send squads out to hunt Stranded for game - the COG gives them a choice. Join us, or leave us alone or we deal with you once and for all. Three choices. What do the Stranded gangs do? Place IEDs and murder the Gears. Admirable?


Now to continue on to the Coalition of Organized governments. The Cog, is at it’s core, a totalitarian government, founded on and run by similar principles to that of the former Earth regime of National Socialism in Germany from roughly 1933 to 1945. Both are headed by a Figure, universally obeyed, in the real world, Adolf Hitler and in gears Richard Prescott, Both leaders have absolute power and the support of the army ( An important factor to the power of any totalitarian regime) and both have “Emergency powers” Granted to Prescott by the COG’s council post E-day and Hitler was granted his by the 1933 Enabling act passed by the Reichstag congress that allowed Hitler to change the constitution and thus install himself as a totalitarian leader.

Difference between the two. One was a racist mad man who murdered millions. The other, a man who had no choice left but to save the few and sacrifice the many to preserve a future for HUMANITY.

Both the COG and the Nazi party are founded on tenets of “ Strength through Unity” and of sacrificing personal freedoms in exchange for personal security. The noted Coalition gear, Damon Baird is recorded of saying of his government; “ People who trade security for freedom deserve neither”. This is an excellent summary of the evils of the Coalition, and how they are inferior to the Seran Stranded population.

Inferior how? Because they choose to aid the people whom cannot protect themselves? The very ones you claim are cowards? Because the COG is trying to fight off the Horde, something many, many Stranded do not and cannot do? Because in a time of war, a genocidal war mind you, in which the very survival of Humanity is on the stake, they ask that everyone shut up and give them the means to do their job, without petty protests and revolts? Because the COG doesn't want to deal with sh*t like that when there are FAR more important things to deal with. Like how they'll treat the new virus spreading and contaminating the water supplies. Or how many Gears have been killed. Or how many rations are being used. I'm sorry you think being a barbarian and fighting one another is the better choice. The difference between the COG and the Stranded is that the COG doesn't kill Humans, it kills Locust. The Stranded don't kill Locust, they kill Humans.

The stranded, unlike the citizens of the Coalition do not trade their personal freedoms and are, despite the hardships of their environment able to personal express themselves and to speak out against their leaders, whilst ifa citizen of the collation did that they would most likely be shot for treason or punished for dissent.

Really, Dec, really?

In the books themselves, many of the Vectas people DO speak out against the COG because they don't want ex-Stranded included nor the Indies. Many DO question the COG. The only one's shot and executed were the Stranded planting bombs and killing Gears and civvies - but by the Indies. NOT the COG. Express yourself by not having enough food to feed your family? By having the risk of death by the hands of another Human present? By having risk of your wife/daughter being raped by other Stranded present?


Another similarity between the Cog and Nazism is the idea of a racial policy and discrimination, which allows a common enemy to strike fear in the Seran populace, who in turn, turn to the COG who promise them freedom and salvation. For the Cog it is the Locut and the, unfairly hated “Stranded”

Thats because for the COG, the Locust sort of... kind of.... killed everyone they know, loved and cared for? Took away their world, and continue to try and wipe Humans off the face of the earth. While the Nazi's.... they despised the Jews and other minorities. I'm sorry, but the COG have every right to hate the Locust. And your false sympathies with the Stranded are just that. Unfairly treated? Oh yeah, having the choice to join and be fed, your family looked after and the cared for sure is unfair treatment. No, Stranded are given everything. They are not FORCED to live on their own, nor are they FORCED to join. Op Lifeboat is not FORCED. They are free to live in trash and hell. Not unfair.


for Nazism, it began as the hardships of the great depression and through clever use of propaganda became the “Jews”, the rest of Europe and people of “Non-Aryan descent”. This concept of an enemy to untie a nation is perfectly illustrated in Orwell’s 1948 novel “ 1984”. In it Orwell sums up the idea perfectly with the simple slogan of “ WAR IS PEACE” meaning that if a government can create a war or a “common enemy” that they can use to frighten their populace who turn to them for protection then that country can be “at peace” meaning no dissent or civil war. The coalition use the war, first against the UIR then the Locust to maintain power and control.

The Pendulum Wars having nothing to do with Stranded. As noted by Gridlock, the war was protested by some. However, why would there be posters of the war up if the COG killed everyone who did so? Makes you almost think people were allowed to think wrong of the war... chances are many did. But the majority have FAMILY in the war. They had either served or were serving, thus, going out against your own blood.
Propaganda is used ALL the time. War or not. Also, come on Dec, the COG were the ONLY ones left standing after Emergence Day. They weren't going to have a vote and ask the population of they should fight back.

Whilst the stranded don’t use the threat of the enemy to keep their people in check, whoa re, for the most part free to leave at any time, though naturally they don’t because of the indiscriminate Locust population.

Yeah, they don't, instead they outright kill their enemies and then burn anyone else acquainted with them. Free to leave any time yes, but, like all gangs, with a price.


Also the COG committed a genocide far greater than that committed by Hitler, perhaps a better comparison of the coalition’s actions with the hammer of dawn would be the Genocide committed by Joseph Stalin who is responsible for 50 million deaths, a figure, we assume, as we do not have the exact figure, is similar to the number of people killed by the coalition during the Hammer of Dawn counterattack.

I'm sorry, maybe the COG should have attempted to fit every single person in all of Sera into that one little space? Maybe wait a few years to let everyone make it? I don't think so. Many point that out as the COG being assholes. But come on, they had NO other choice. It was either - save the FEW and sacrifice the MANY so there IS a Humanity tomarrow... or .... all die because it isn't "fair". If killing the many means that Humanity will not die in three days, then the best option is to take it. You've read the books. Had the COG not done it, they'd have fallen and been over-run in three days.


These factors and the COG’s similarities to what we now call “ Evil Empires” of our own all illustrate how the Coalition is one of these “Evil Empire” and as such the Stranded have what some may call a basic human right, to combat and overthrow such a regime to ensure the safety and freedom of the Seran people.

All find and dandy, but why KILL, STEAL and RAPE your own people? Why take from the COG when they have left you alone with the option you have selected? No where do they FORCE you to join. They even let people LEAVE after the flooding of Jacinto, those pissed off. Overthrow someone who's not even oppressing you & is rather protecting you?

Such a right is illustrated so well by the second amendment of the American constitution, whose exact wording is unfortunately, oft forgotten. To remind you all it goes as such: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

Yeah, but that was written when MONSTERS were not out on a GENOCIDAL rampage. If the COG isn't killing, nor harming the Stranded and is in fact leaving them alone... who is this "militia" protecting the people (they kill) from?


The part of that is relevant to my point of justifying the stranded’s actions against the coalition is the phrase; “The security of a free state”. By no means could you call the COG a “free state” in many parts of Jacinto’s Remnant and Anvil Gate where the COG Gears are called upon by the state to enforce the will of the state during food riots and public fear.

Correct, they are not a free state. And in fact, no state, Sera or Earth, is a "free" state in the period of warfare such as this. World War I and II, the UK was not a free state. The colonies were not a free state. And when you have a war that is being fought for SURVIVAL - you can bet your penny mister Nelson, your not in the free state no more.

Which goes against the purpose of an armed military which is to protect and not prosecute the people of the state. The Stranded have “The right to bear arms” because the state run by the Cog Government, if you could call one man’s will such a thing, is an oppressed, morally evil state, thus justifying their human on human violence, which despite it in itself being an evil is a necessary evil to further the future of the human’s of Sera.

What are you talking about brah!?

The point of an Armed Military is the protection of the state. And if the state is at war than the Military is at war. The Stranded have the right to bare arms, but if they want arms, they take from the Locust or join the COG. They DO NOT STEAL from the COG. Nor do they IED the COG, nor do they target the Gears. The moment you attack the people protecting you, that is the very moment you become barbaric-inhuman slime.


And SKORGE you say that the Stranded are, for the most part, scum because they, in your words; “Stranded KILL, STEAL, and RAPE (again) from their own species. Well my friend what of your precious Coalition’s Pendulum wars?

What about it?

That was before the LOCUST wanted to KILL all HUMANS. You know, back when the world was running out of resources and energy. Back when the UIR was around. Back when the WHOLE world was at war. Kind of like normal everyday stuff? Now here comes E-Day.... COG fights the Horde, Stranded steal, kill and rape their own and try and blow up the COG. Does that make sense to you? The Pendulum Wars were at a time when "tomorrow wouldn't be the end of Humanity". Just like any war now. But now, in the Human-Locust war, there IS a possible end to Humanity. And what do the Stranded do?

Millions, possibly Billions dead because of the COG’s desire for power and resources? That’s far more than the stranded have ever killed in the name of personal liberty.

A state without power and without resources is a state that can be toppled not by the people, but by another powerful state. And that, Dec, is something any state does not want. And all those that died, the majority, were Military. The Military goes to war. Soldiers are FIGHTERS, not peacekeepers, not babysitters. Soldiers are trained to take a life. Think what you want of it, but the bottom line is - there's no sugar coating what a Solider is trained to do.

You say the stranded rape people, well the coalition installed a policy of systemized and justified rape in the breeding farms. This was a policy created and supported by the COG government, meaning it was supported and practiced by all the COG.

Awful yes, but something that is going to happen when a war of this magnitude takes the lives of so many people. I can tell you right now, if the world, Earth, were in the same situation - we'd have breeding farms as well. During WWII, governments attempted to get their populations breeding, so more soldiers could be put on the front lines or women in factories. Now imagine this... ten villagers on an Island. Six die. What do you do? You recreate in order to repopulate the Island. Also, I'll have you know, some .... *some* of the Women have the sense of duty and feel like they are contributing to the war effort. Where as in the Stranded case, most do NOT want to be raped nor do they feel like they'd done much. However, that does not change what the breeding farms are. Except you are wrong to place rape and the breeding farms into one deck of cards. Similar, but a lot more complex then you could imagine. Different for every individual person. Where as rape - is not.

Whilst yes, rape, unfortunately occurs in the stranded population such as that of sergeant Bernadette Mataki, post E-day. It is, just like in modern society, perpetrated by a minority, such actions are a baser part of human nature, and, unfortunately, inevitable (Note: this by no means makes it excusable and the men who commit such actions should be killed, as those who violated Bernie soon discovered, I give you my support there.). One could easily imagine a situation in which a stranded rapes another and said stranded is persecuted and exiled/killed by the people of his camp, so by no means do all the stranded do it nor do they accept it.

I never said all of them do. I doubt Dizzy would allow rape of anyone to go on. But the majority of the criminal-scum wouldn't mind rape. Those that fight rape back are Stranded whom are "stranded" and not criminals. Meaning, not scum.


Your words lay the stranded out to be violent, animalistic people, well let me draw your attention to a scene mid way or so through Jacinto’s remnant.. In it a number of Freedom fighter Stranded are captured and forced to walk across open ground in full view of the COG civilians.

Freedom fighters?

The hell are you on, Dec? What "FREEDOM" is there that they do not already have? They DON'T have to join the COG. They CAN join the COG. They CAN have the same benefits as teh regular citizens. They have options. Do you know what "freedom" is? It is the ability to choose. Choose, Declan, choose the outcome and the paths in life. They have that.

The COG Civvies are far more animalistic in their yelling of hatred and abuse and attempted violence on these captured prisoners than any stranded toward members of the COG.

Why do you think the Civvies hate the Stranded? Do you know why? Because of everything I've mentioned above. Because each and every one of those civvies has experienced HELL with the Stranded. Those were the people of VECTAS. The very same people whom the Stranded (while dressed in the armor of Gears .... how did they get those I wonder?) came in, terrorized the people, took their food, harmed them and left. They KILLED the people of Vectas, Dec, KILLED. THAT is why they HATE the Stranded. And those Stranded were MEMBERS of that KNOWN violent gang.


In conclusion, it is the Stranded who hold the key to a peaceful future for Sera and not the COG whose, outdated, totalitarian methods are nothing but a poison to the people of Sera, who in a post war period will need, not a strong government, but an understanding and expressive one to ensure a bright future.

Dec, are you really buying that sh*t?

Post Locust-Human war is going to be the biggest and most sh*t covered part of this nightmare. The people WILL need a STRONG government, I can't believe you said that. They WILL need LAW and ORDER to make sure some Stranded gang doesn't come in, ransack one and murder its people, while moving onto the next. Your post was full of "happy days and flowers" but in fact, could not be further from realities of post-war. Want an example? Imagine after WWII, Germany, Japan, Italy - they all had NO government. (No COG). Now, imagine each and every angry citizen living in the rubble of what was once his home - yeah.... Strong chance that he'll get up, go find a gun and TAKE from someone else rather than "talk it out over tea". The WORST, absolute worst thing you can have after a major and heavy war is have a weak government. If the war comes to an end, the Stranded will be apart of the solution as well as the problem. But taking away the COG is like slitting your throat after having won.

The modern world has evolved from still powerful absolute monarchies with large empires and many colonies in the early 1900’s to over 50 free, democratic nations in a period of just 50 years; so it only makes sense that the people of Sera should do the same. And by no means are the Stranded Evil, indeed if you wish to see the Evil on Sera all the COG have to do is look in a mirror,

Thats because we never had monsters coming out of the ground wanting to kill each and every Human in those 50 years. Thats because we also didn't have rubble for cities. Thats because those monarchies set the foundations of organization as well as law and order, which helped propel us into the future. And the COG doesn't have to look in the mirror, the Stranded do. What is it the Stranded fight for? They don't fight. The COG is the one bleeding for their sh*t. The COG loses men, brothers, sons and fathers day in and day out so that the Locust don't come in and finish off the Stranded camp near that sinkhole. The COG don't need to look in a mirror. It is the Stranded who do. What is it they fight for? Freedom? They already have it. Survival? Then why do they fight one another, humans, and not the Locust whom are the threat to that survival?

^If I sound like a total jackass, that's because I am. But no, Deccles, I didn't mean to come across as a punk. Just a heads up before you go all Austrian on me.

Gears do rape their own women and they did kill more humans then anybody else on Sera.

You've also been countered in the above.

[Jonesybites]

Gears do rape their own women and they did kill more humans then anybody else on Sera.

Sometimes not by choice (if you're eluding to the breeding creche); some Gears were just as shocked about the COG's Fortificatin Act concerning women whom are fertile. They too have sisters, daughters whom would have been subjected to fertility clinics and probably frowned on the idea that they were going to be "bred" to some Joe blow "stud."

Meanwhile, Stranded are far the most part lawless and they did whatever the hell they wanted without regard. Women, and children, are often the victims of such lawlessness, which resulted in violent deaths, starvation, and rape, while the women at the breeding farms were given rations, shelter, and care. Were their cases to which they were exploited at Jilane, sure, but it was done by the staff, not the Gears,

As far as the COG killing more humans than Locust, I would have to disagree. Although yea, the Hammer of Dawn assualt killed many, the Locusts are intent on eradicating the human race, and have nearly done so, which is why the COG unleased the Hammer in the first place.

Now if you're also referring to the death toll accumilated during the Pendulum wars, I consider that a seperate matter, especially since the Indies have had their share of bloodshed too.

Now, am I eluding that all Stranded are bad, of course not. Am I also eluding that all Gears are saints, nope. There are two sides to every coin, but as of now that we know of, the only force that stands between total annihilation and hope are the Gears.

[Croswynd]

Alright, let's say there are 6~billion people on Sera pre E-day.

The Locust killed half of the population on Sera on Emergence Day; 3~ billion people.

The Hammer strikes killed 75% of the rest of the population; roughly 2.25 billion people.

12 years later, the death count has reached at least a billion more casualties.

Therefore, the Locust killed 1.75 billion more people than the COG did, estimated.

[SKORGE]

Alright, let's say there are 6~billion people on Sera pre E-day.

The Locust killed half of the population on Sera on Emergence Day; 3~ billion people.

The Hammer strikes killed 75% of the rest of the population; roughly 2.25 billion people.

12 years later, the death count has reached at least a billion more casualties.

Therefore, the Locust killed 1.75 billion more people than the COG did, estimated.

And.... add in the whole "if you don't use the HoD, that other half of the pop will go down to zero in around three days". Its not a great decision, but its one that had to be made and none the less, one that was hell for ALL involved. Remember, the people with the keys ALSO had many outside in the blast zone(s). So it wasn't like "Oh, lets all blow up the world because we're dictators!".

[rcs92]

After the sinking of Jacinto, in Jacinto's Remnant they estimated 99% of the human population was destroyed. Theres probably less than 50,000 people left alive.

[Croswynd]

After the sinking of Jacinto, in Jacinto's Remnant they estimated 99% of the human population was destroyed. Theres probably less than 50,000 people left alive.

99% casualties from Jacinto proper, not Sera.

[SKORGE]

After the sinking of Jacinto, in Jacinto's Remnant they estimated 99% of the human population was destroyed. Theres probably less than 50,000 people left alive.

No way you could fight off the Horde with that many people. Not even enough to stage a counter-offensive, nor the defense of a Seran sized city.

Cros is correct on that one though.

[S1leNt RIP]

Haha!!! Who bated the SKORGE-Troll?!?!?

[JacktheBlack]

*popcorn (10char)

[SKORGE]

Haha!!! Who bated the SKORGE-Troll?!?!?

I'm not a troll.

Troll is someone who hates on anything and everything to see others angry. I, on the other hand, provide opinion and examples to reinforce said opinions. Thus, I am wins.

You are all lose!

[RaKais]

After the sinking of Jacinto, in Jacinto's Remnant they estimated 99% of the human population was destroyed. Theres probably less than 50,000 people left alive.

Okay, let's say Sera is comparable to Earth. 1% of 6.6billion is something like 66 million.

There are still plenty of humans around.

Though, as Cros put, that was 99% of Jacinto's population.