[Peter Ebbesen]

Let's face it. We play Pretender Gods - mortals, demi gods, or immortals so power hungry that they are going for all out dominion, seeking to become the one true god.

Would any such go peacefully into the dark when faced with defeat? Would any such give a damn about protecting "his people" or "his nation" for other than ultimately selfish purposes?

I posit that that's unlikely to be the case. If defeat is inevitable or likely, letting the world burn and ruthlessly exploiting all resources at his disposal while doing his level best to deny his enemies any gains from his actions, with no concern whatsoever for the wellbeing of his people, is infinitely preferable. Now THOSE are the acts of a Pretender God.

It is not a question of victory or defeat, but of survival, and if there is nothing else, there is always revenge.

What Pretender God with respect for himself would not, with his last breath, curse his conqueror and gift as many of his remaining resources to the one most likely to avenge his death? A poisoned gift, it is vengeance delayed and uncertain, but it may be some comfort as the one who would be god fades from this world, his work undone.

Any Pretender God who'd spare his people and leave the land unhurt, thus generously gifting his enemies with rich spoils of victory should never have sought ultimate dominion in the first place.

This is not a game of nations, but of those who would be gods, and if there is one trait that that is common for the gods that humanity has come up with in its history, it is that most of them, when provoked, are vengeful far beyond mortal capabilities, the beings for whom "disproportionate response" is a way of life - or death, as it were.