# Force De-Escalation (most to least powerful) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926 "2008-12-05T22:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/1 "2008-12-05T22:40:59Z")
Force De-Escalation taken to it’s logical extreme… Inspired by the plethora of weapons-related threads recently, I figured it’d be an amusing take on those threads for us to list our personal idea of force de-escalation, IOW, "when X is banned, we’ll have to use “Y”, when “Y” is banned, we’ll have to use “Z”… here’s my Force De-Escalation list; Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) ICBM bombardment SLBM bombardment Conventional airstrikes Battlemechs (walking tanks) Heavy Ground Assault Conventional Firearms (automatic) Conventional Firearms (Semiauto) Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) Flamethrowers Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) Archery (Recurve) Archery (longbow) Blades (swords/knives) Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) Boards With Nails In Them Pointed Sticks Fresh Fruit Harsh Language What’s your list? Most to Least powerful ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/2 "2008-12-19T22:33:39Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Pointed Sticks > Fresh Fruit What if the fruit was especially [sharp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbyeee...)? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/3 "2008-12-19T22:35:27Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Force De-Escalation taken to it’s logical extreme… > > Inspired by the plethora of weapons-related threads recently, I figured it’d be an amusing take on those threads for us to list our personal idea of force de-escalation, IOW, "when X is banned, we’ll have to use “Y”, when “Y” is banned, we’ll have to use “Z”… > > here’s my Force De-Escalation list; > > \ > Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) > Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) > Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) > Flamethrowers > > \ > > What’s your list? Most to Least powerful Why the heck are flamethrowers below single-shot firearms? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/4 "2008-12-19T23:12:35Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Why the heck are flamethrowers below single-shot firearms? It’d depend on the situation. They’ve got range on flamethrowers, but yeah I’d generally say a flamethrower is more destructive. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/5 "2008-12-20T01:06:08Z")
I’m going to say, you piss me off, I kill you. After that, your planets destruction doesn’t mean much any more. ---
**Author:** ![Alienhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Alienhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alienhand)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/6 "2008-12-20T02:27:45Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > \ > Battlemechs (walking tanks) > Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) > Archery (Recurve) > Archery (longbow) > Blades (swords/knives) > **Pumpkin or goat siege weaponary** > Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) > Boards With Nails In Them > Pointed Sticks > Fresh Fruit > Harsh Language mmm pumpkin pie 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/7 "2008-12-20T02:47:16Z")
Missed a few. I also replaced a couple. Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) **Gridfire** Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) **Lazy Gun** ICBM bombardment SLBM bombardment Conventional airstrikes Heavy Ground Assault **Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range** Conventional Firearms (automatic) Conventional Firearms (Semiauto) **Knife missile** Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) **Trebuchet** Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) Archery (Recurve) Archery (longbow) **Boiling oil** Blades (swords/knives) Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) Boards With Nails In Them Pointed Sticks **Rocks** **Indian burns** **Can of RAID** Fresh Fruit **Cow bite** Harsh Language **The Look** Yes, I’m an Iain M. Banks fan. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/8 "2008-12-20T04:02:33Z")
And extending it a bit: > [@El\_Kabong](#): > > …Pointed Sticks > Rocks > Indian burns > Can of RAID > Fresh Fruit > Cow bite > Harsh Language > The Look Soft Language Handshake Hug …for is not love also a weapon? ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/9 "2008-12-20T04:24:35Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > And extending it a bit: > Soft Language > Handshake > Hug > > …for is not love also a weapon? G’evening Ah, but would that not go at the top of the list? — **Jesse Leigh** ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/10 "2008-12-20T05:43:58Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) > Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) > **Gridfire** > Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) I’d put gridfire above planetary disruption. And knife missles deserve a bump too. My modified and added to version of your list : Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) **The Deplorable End** - press the button, a new Big Bang destroys the universe **[Core Implosion Device](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Annihilation:_Core_Contingency)** - galaxy physically destroyed **Suicide Night** - every sentient creature ( outside of bandersnatchi ) in the galaxy dies **Gridfire** **Stellar detonation weapons** - the Sun Crusher and so on Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) Lazy Gun ICBM bombardment **High Mark [Bolo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_(self-aware_tank))** SLBM bombardment **Low Mark [Bolo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_(self-aware_tank))** **Apocolypse Troll “blaster”** - a handgun with kilotons-per-second firepower Conventional airstrikes **Manticoran Marines in powered armor** **Knife missile** Heavy Ground Assault **Tribarrel** Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range Conventional Firearms (automatic) Conventional Firearms (Semiauto) Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) Trebuchet Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) Archery (Recurve) Archery (longbow) Boiling oil **The Pen That Is Mightier Than The Sword** - naturally has to go above blades Blades (swords/knives) Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) Boards With Nails In Them Pointed Sticks Rocks Indian burns Can of RAID Fresh Fruit Cow bite Harsh Language The Look ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/11 "2008-12-20T06:05:00Z")
So _that’s_ how we can take care of those troublemaking writers! Boiling oil, I never would have guessed. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/12 "2008-12-20T06:51:54Z")
Yoda Anakin Skywalker Palpatine Obi wan Kenobi Dooku Luke Skywalker Wait, what was it you meant again?? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/13 "2008-12-20T15:44:23Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Yoda > Anakin Skywalker > Palpatine > Obi wan Kenobi > Dooku > Luke Skywalker > > Wait, what was it you meant again?? Um…I seem to recall Palpatine winning his fight with Yoda. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/14 "2008-12-20T23:25:46Z")
Chuck Norris should be on top ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/15 "2008-12-20T23:42:35Z")
Mr Rodgers Chuck Norris The Tangle (destroys reality retroactively back to creation) Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) The Deplorable End - press the button, a new Big Bang destroys the universe Core Implosion Device - galaxy physically destroyed Suicide Night - every sentient creature ( outside of bandersnatchi ) in the galaxy dies Gridfire Stellar detonation weapons - the Sun Crusher and so on Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) Batman (prepared) Batman (didn’t see it coming) Lazy Gun ICBM bombardment High Mark Bolo SLBM bombardment Low Mark Bolo Apocolypse Troll “blaster” - a handgun with kilotons-per-second firepower Conventional airstrikes Manticoran Marines in powered armor Knife missile Heavy Ground Assault Tribarrel Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range Star Trek phasers That trick Bug Bunny does where he puts his finger in the end of the gun barrel Conventional Firearms (automatic) Conventional Firearms (Semiauto) Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) Trebuchet Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) Archery (Recurve) Archery (longbow) Boiling oil The Pen That Is Mightier Than The Sword - naturally has to go above blades Blades (swords/knives) Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) Kung Fu Boards With Nails In Them Pointed Sticks Rocks Indian burns Can of RAID Fresh Fruit Cow bite A Hawaiian Punch Harsh Language A stern talking to The Look UN resolution Soft Language Handshake Hug ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/16 "2008-12-21T06:51:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Um…I seem to recall Palpatine winning his fight with Yoda. Yeah, but Yoda Trained Obi wan, Who trained Anakin, who kicked Palpatines ass. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/17 "2008-12-21T13:14:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Harsh Language > A stern talking to > The Look > UN resolution > Soft Language > Handshake > Hug > **Smile** > **Nod** Trying to reduce the level of force to zero. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/18 "2008-12-21T14:01:32Z")
On the low end of the spectrum, A bumper sticker saying “don’t make me get all Ned Flanders on your ass” or this one perhaps WWNFD?..what would ned flanders do? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/19 "2008-12-21T16:45:11Z")
[quote=“Little\_Nemo, post:15, topic:475926”] Mr Rodgers Chuck Norris The Tangle (destroys reality retroactively back to creation) Dalek Reality Bomb (destroys reality itself) The Deplorable End - press the button, a new Big Bang destroys the universe Core Implosion Device - galaxy physically destroyed Suicide Night - every sentient creature ( outside of bandersnatchi ) in the galaxy dies Gridfire Stellar detonation weapons - the Sun Crusher and so on Planetary Disruption (Death Star, the Lexx, etc…) **Planetary crust obliterated (=superthorough Orbital Nuking): Battle Beyond the Stars, Saberhagen’s Berserkers, etc.** Orbital Nuking (the only way to be sure) Batman (prepared) Batman (didn’t see it coming) Lazy Gun ICBM bombardment High Mark Bolo SLBM bombardment Low Mark Bolo Apocolypse Troll “blaster” - a handgun with kilotons-per-second firepower Conventional airstrikes Manticoran Marines in powered armor Knife missile Heavy Ground Assault Tribarrel Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range Star Trek phasers That trick Bug Bunny does where he puts his finger in the end of the gun barrel Conventional Firearms (automatic) Conventional Firearms (Semiauto) Conventional Firearms (Manual Action, revolver, bolt/lever action) Conventional Firearms (Single-Shot) Conventional Firearms (Black Powder) Trebuchet Archery (Compound bows/crossbows) Archery (Recurve) Archery (longbow) Boiling oil The Pen That Is Mightier Than The Sword - naturally has to go above blades Blades (swords/knives) Melee weapons (Staffs/Nunchukau/Tonfas/Clubs/other blunt-force trauma weapons) Kung Fu Boards With Nails In Them Pointed Sticks Rocks Indian burns Can of RAID Fresh Fruit Cow bite A Hawaiian Punch Harsh Language A stern talking to The Look UN resolution Soft Language Handshake Hug ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926/20 "2008-12-21T17:07:43Z")
\ **A Møøse Bite (They Kan be pretti nasti!)** Cow bite A Hawaiian Punch Harsh Language A stern talking to The Look UN resolution Soft Language Handshake Hug **Evil thoughts** Oh and on the flamethrower thing, I was thinking they had the range advantage, but they actually do have greater, errr, _fire_power (no pun intended…) than gunpowder based weapons [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-de-escalation-most-to-least-powerful/475926.md?page=2)