As it stands, CO can BE for acts that threaten the operation, I believe cowardice, should be included in this.
Cowardice is one of the biggest threats to the operation there is. We all know it. When do marines win gridlocks? Hell pushing. When do marines wipe? cowardly routes.
If a CO arrives to rally the battlefield, and /giives the order/ to push, advance, or otherwise engage the enemy, and one person starts to run, others start to run. Now imagine, if the CO sees that one man running to save himself while others begin to die? Others are confused now, and begin to withdrawal…then /BAM/ that first coward is shot in the back. That sends a powerful message. That stops the route, and rallies the troops to begin pushing. Chasing xenos is the #1 way of killing them if they have any measure of skill.
I know people will call this LRP or trolling, or mutiny bait, but think about it. Really think about it. Cowardice IS the biggest threat to marines, more-so than the xenos. Those who have bravery and push get kills. Those who cower in the back and vaguely FF do nothing to help, and those who run while others die…deserve the shot to the back.
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We’re not Commisars from 40k, we’re commissioned officers of the USCM. You do not see Majors Irl shooting men for cowardice, if there is a morale issue, it is the Commanding officers fuck up not the Marines.
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Silence, synth senator. A command banned player is speaking.
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This is a sci-fi video game set in a distant future, where the fate of humanity is at stake, not real life. Every planet lost to the xenos…is one less cradle of humanity. The loss of the colony, overrun by xenos, is a loss of a /planet/. When there is a habitable planet (Like those are super common…) at risk, can we afford to be cowardly? Can we afford to put ourselves first? I choose to plant the tree my children may enjoy the shade of, and so should all other marines. 
But real life! Is a complete non-factor, we’re in the aliens franchise, sir and/or Ma’am.
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…no.
The entire reasons COs can BE in lore is related to the fact proper authority beyond them is likely a long distance away and sometimes arrest is impractical, or to handle immediate threat. Similar rights used to be given to IRL captains during age of sail stuff.
It would be career ending for a major to BE a Marine over “cowardice. “. I imagine most BEs you have to go infront of a colonel and justify after the op either way.
Maintaining discipline is left to sergeants and junior officers, enforced by the co through methods not including unscheduled skull ventilation.
Being shot for cowardice when it has been done irl is done after a proper trial via court marshal.
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OOC enjoyment takes precedence over IC reasoning
im not gonna round remove someone for potentially multiple hours because they ran away from the big scary alien
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Here’s another angle.
If you execute people for cowardice, that’s a sign that your authority has begun to slip from your grasp that you have to shoot them right then and there, and the other marines will take notice. Especially because you have to announce to every Marine what you just did. I cannot imagine most of the riflemen who don’t have to take orders want to follow a Major who will execute them for a reason that, let’s be honest, is somewhat subjective, and the Major might see cowardice where a given rifleman might see a nessary action.
Also, tallerfission is correct as well. Round-removing humans should never be done casually because that’s often them not playing a Marine for the rest of the round, and rounds can last a good amount of time.
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I see your point, but we have never encouraged a gameplay that prioritizes winning above everything else. I could list many reasons why this will never be allowed, but there’s really no need.
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