What's the difference between a soldier, an assassin, and a mercenary?

[onelifecrisis]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

the soldier's "cause"... it could be many things.

from saving a small farming community from natural disaster, to seeing through the conclusion of the second world war and the liberation of Eurpope, it could be defending the home shores from foriegn invasion, or entering a dangerous area to evacuate the stranded, sick, or wounded in need of help who cannot help themselves (picture elderly or sick stranded on a volcanic island, or those who are displaced after a hurricaine or tsunami).

Okay, in respect for your not rising to my previous comments I'll temper my response to this bit... but I must say that IMO that is an unrealistically romantic vision of what a soldier really is.

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

point being... the mission scope of a soldier is multifaceted... soldiers do not always carry rifles, and their mission is not always to kill, it is often to serve, protect and rescue etc.

the Merc and the Assassin are not paid to perform these services, only to kill.

Fair point, and I should think (I certainly hope) that most soldiers prefer the work that doesn't involve killing. But still, for me, I'd have real difficulty signing on the dotted line of a contract which said:

In this job you will, hopefully, spend most of your time helping the helpless and assisting old ladies off the top of volcanoes (and we'll take pictures of you doing it) but every now and then we'll tell you to kill people and you'll have to do it, okay?

I'm not sure I could sign that.