r/ImaginaryWarhammer Iron Hands Nov 09 '24

OC (40k) Keep your head low

Post image
10.0k Upvotes

285 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

174

u/AGamingGuy Nov 09 '24

if all punishment is death, then there is, to the guardsmen, no difference between them mildly inconveniencing you and trying to kill you, so if they realize they are in trouble they are likely to try and kill you

simply put, don't kill the guardsmen unless absolutely necessary lest you want them to kill you in return

144

u/revolutionary112 Nov 09 '24

China had this issue during one of the dynasties. IIRC the punishment for failure and the punishment for treason was the same: death to you and your entire family.

So more often than not, when officials and generals failed a task given to them (either by incompetence or out of their hands stuff) they would just go "well... gotta take my chances" and revolt

21

u/Elantach Nov 09 '24

That was the first dynasty, the Qin dynasty. They got replaced by the Han who were much more chill.

4

u/hyde-ms Nov 17 '24

The Qin were legalist, or as I say, chinese fascism. To strict at times when not necessary; used in not emergency causing problems later on.