Re: alchemists ballista bolt

>Which does bring up the question of whether there are some sort of
>recognized codes of battle in space.  For instance it was considered
>piracy to attack an enemy vessel without showing your true colors first
>on the high seas (so I've read).  Also you stood to and passed on a
>certain side of another ship for various reasons.

Rules only do any good if both sides stick to them.  One side breaks them,
and out the door they go.  Look at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Worked only as long as everybody stuck to the rules.

So in spelljamming, you could have rules between civilized enemies, like
maybe the Shou and the elves, but I really doubt the unhumans would honor or
stick to any rules.  Unless they had to for some reason, asn as soon as that
reason was gone they'd throw the rules to the wind.  Maybe some rules of
conflict between elven ships and dwarven ships, according to tradition or
treaty, and among human ships.

I'd imagine the rules about showing your colors and passing on a certain
side were European rules created by the English, French,Spanish, et al.
They probably did not hold in Asian seas during the same time frame.  That's
just a guess, though.  Any experts on medieval shipping traditions, rules,
and superstitions out there?

- Coyote, the Desert Dog

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