Stopping the pirates

[Sommerswerd]

Obviously, both mercs and insurance have their uses.

Again correct.

As an aside... at least 50% of my pay comes directly from insurance companies... so I think I have a least some decent/accurate idea of their financial incentives.

 

[caketastydelish]

First...citation needed. Second... this is textbook goalpost moving... "several mounted turrets" is not "mercenaries". We're debating mercenaries. I'd speculate that being escorted by an Aircraft Carrier with a full complement of F-14s and Apaches on deck would deter pirates as well, but that's not what's on the table.

Mercs use turrets.

says the marketing brochure for "blah blah blah alarm system" company as the gullible customer takes out his checkbook. The same reason people rob banks and armoured cars when they could snatch purses and hold up bookstores so much more easily.

No. There is documented evidence that alarms deter burglars. I can provide this evidence, but given your skepticism of my evidence before, I won't bother.

The nice thing ctd, is that I can tell that you have literally zero experience with crime or criminals... which speaks very highly of you.

No. I am responsible for the deaths of more than Adolph Hitler, I kill more brutally than Jack the Ripper. I am by far, the most badass man there ever was.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Mercs use turrets.

Complete misdirection. If you meant mercs you would have just said mercs. Turrets are not mercs. Mercs can use the turrets? So can the crew. You could have said "bananas" and when I said "WTH?!?" said "Mercs use bananas"... Please.

There is documented evidence that alarms deter burglars. I can provide this evidence, but given your skepticism of my evidence before, I won't bother.

I never denied your evidence. In fact I confirmed the existence of this evidence, I am fully aware that you can find dozens of sources to say security signs/stickers deter criminals ... as far as being skeptical of your Bernie Sanders evidence, you have me confused with other people... once again your Bernie Sanders frustration seeps into another thread. If you want to fight me about Bernie Sanders just be a man and go back to the other thread and fight me about Bernie Sanders.

No. I am responsible for the deaths of more than Adolph Hitler, I kill more brutally than Jack the Ripper. I am by far, the most badass man there ever was.

You won't be laughing when he gets you... also you spelled Hitler's name wrong :

 

[caketastydelish]

Complete misdirection. If you meant mercs you would have just said mercs. Turrets are not mercs. Mercs can use the turrets? So can the crew. You could have said "bananas" and when I said "WTH?!?" said "Mercs use bananas"... Please.

Turrets can definitely be used by anybody. There is still an advantage to have someone with concrete military training and experience. I could have a gun and a navy seal could have a gun, he would still almost always beat me.

I never denied your evidence. In fact I confirmed the existence of this evidence, I am fully aware that you can find dozens of sources to say security signs/stickers deter criminals ... as far as being skeptical of your Bernie Sanders evidence, you have me confused with other people... once again your Bernie Sanders frustration seeps into another thread. If you want to fight me about Bernie Sanders just be a man and go back to the other thread and fight me about Bernie Sanders. You won't be laughing when he gets you... also you spelled Hitler's name wrong :

Sorry. I was just a little bit snarky. I didn't get any sleep last night. But since you say there is evidence I'm not sure what we're arguing about?

[/QUOTE]

Fair enough.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Sorry. I was just a little bit snarky. I didn't get any sleep last night. But since you say there is evidence I'm not sure what we're arguing about?

Spoiler :

 

[Hygro]

Hey guys I disagree with you both

 

[bernie14]

maybe you can make the mercs Zoroastrians...

 

[Sommerswerd]

Hey guys I disagree with you both

Give it up Hygs... I can't be baited into coming after you

 

[Zkribbler]

Putting weapons on commercial shipping vessels is illegal according to certain treaties I believe. But I'd be all for having hidden machine gun turrets pop out of the deck if under attack and just open up on the pirates.

I hadn't heard about illegality. I have heard that, if you shoot a pirates, they will kill everyone on board.

On the other hand, I heard that early on, Israeli and Russians floated the pirate dinghies back into shore filled with chopped up pirates and, since then, they haven been bothered.

 

[Hygro]

Give it up Hygs... I can't be baited into coming after you

They should put me on a container ship.

 

[Zardnaar]

I apologize for bringing up an ancient thread, but I'm writing a novel about a fictional character who does this very thing (mercenary who defends a cargo ship from pirate attacks). So this topic is interesting to me.



It isn't. Or if it is, it is obscure and doesn't apply the vast majority of the time. Or if it was illegal (in fairness you said this 9 years ago) it isn't illegal now. Pirate raids have gone seriously up. When a company hires you (whether you're a mercenary or literally anything else in the world) it's for the money you will make/save THEM. A company will hire a mercenary because they decide the cost of getting raided is more than the cost of buying protection.

Mercs get paid LOTS of money. They can make up to the range of literally 250,000 a year. There are doctors that don't make that much-- mercs don't have to put in the money (or time) of medical school either. To top it off their living expenses are paid for while on these ships.

The only reason there isn't more of the military becoming mercs is because a) not the same health benefits package/other government compensation b) bad reputation "you clearly only fight for the money and not for your country" c) typically longer times being deployed without seeing your family d) after a certain amount of years in the military they've developed PTSD/other mental or physical problems, so they've had enough.

So yes, mercs get hired to defend cargo ships, and they get hired on a regular basis. They DO make a difference. They don't make a ship invulnerable, but you'd be insane to say they make no difference. They are effectively a seat belt.

This is what happens when you decide to be cheap and a) don't hire protection b) take a 'shortcut' that involves pirate waters to save more money.

Effectively it is a cat and mouse game. The more pirates there are (and there have been a lot) the better it is for mercs - more jobs, more demand, more money.

Being a merc is illegal in my country so you would get arrested if you returned home if they found out.

 

[caketastydelish]

Not every country is run by a bunch of liberal pussies.

 

[Zkribbler]

Here's an excellent article. http://www.cnbc.com/2014/09/15/worlds-most-pirated-waters.html

 

[Yeekim]

Being a merc is illegal in my country so you would get arrested if you returned home if they found out.

I'd venture a guess that it is illegal to serve as a mercenary in an army of another country, not to work as a security guard for a private corporation...

 

[Zardnaar]

I'd venture a guess that it is illegal to serve as a mercenary in an army of another country, not to work as a security guard for a private corporation...

That is fine along with "private security contractors" at least the type used by the USA.

Army friend looked into it circa 2004, pay was around 250k+ a year, not worth going to Iraq though. NZ SAS are n high deman in private security apparently along with normal soldiers for other security work (bodyguards etc).

Anyway the thingee.

http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2004/0069/latest/DLM304825.html

Basically illegal to hire yourself out for another countries armed forces. Its legal to join another nations military at their pay rate and private security is also fine.

 

[Lohrenswald]

Sommerswerd is probably a pirate himself, and only wants to discourage others from picking up the mercenary trade because they'll pwn his pirate ass.

Scurvyswerd

 

[Hygro]

Not every country is run by a bunch of liberal pussies.

USA

 

[Sommerswerd]

USA!!

we're chanting right?...

 

[Lohrenswald]

USAARGH mateys

 

[Sommerswerd]

Yo ho ho and a barrel of Big Macs! Eat up me hearties Yo Ho!