Rules to live by? Inspire me

[Tyger_purr]

Looking for rules for spys (agency or merc) to live by?

for example (from movies)

Never change the deal
Never ask for names
Never look in the package
-Transporter

Never walk into a place you don't know how to walk out of - Ronin

why? because i am a bit of an artist and i'm looking for something to illustrate. It is strictly for my own pleasure and posting to my gallery.

[Mister Andersen]

First rule of assassination: kill the assassin.

[Gatac]

Mark Simmons's Laws of Combat

1) A still fighter is a dead fighter.
2) Everything is a weapon.
3) There are no fair fights.
4) Shit happens.
5) Come prepared.
6) Keep 'em guessing.
7) Hit and fade.

Gatac

[Psion]

More a military one, but just as true is Espionage...

No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

[OverNinja]

1. I am the War Lord and the wrathful God of Combat and I will always lead you from the front, not the rear.
2. I will treat you all alike - just like shirt.
3. Thou shalt do nothing I will not do first, and thus will you be created Warriros in My deadly image.
4. I shall punish thy bodies because the more thou sweatest in training, the less thou bleedest in combat.
5. Indeed, if thou hurteth in thy efforts and thou suffer painful dings, then thou art Doing It Right.
6. Thou hast not to like it - thou hast just to do it.
7. Thou shalt Keep It Simple, Stupid.
8. Thou shalt never assume.
9. Verily, thou art not paid for thy methods, but for thy results, by which meaneth thou shalt kill thine enemy by any means available before he killeth you.
10. Thou shalt, in thy Warrior's Mind and Soul, always remember My ultimate and final Commandment:

There Are No Rules - Thou Shalt Win at All Cost.

- Richard Marcinko

[Crafty_Pat]

I'll take this as an opportunity to preview some more of World on Fire. This excerpt is a sidebar from the Tradecraft chapter. I'll copy it over to the World on Fire forum in a bit.

Honor Among Spies
Spies are elite warriors fighting a private shadow war with their own unique rules of engagement. Like samurai or gentlemen duelists of a bygone age, all spies recognize one another as kindred spirits, treating even the most despised enemy with the respect due any peer. Though their unspoken code has never been committed to paper, all understand that it defines their lives… and deaths.

Success Before Survival
The mission is God. No operative can hope to fully comprehend his superiors’ intentions or the needs of his agency and nation, nor should he try. Espionage organizations are rooted in military tradition for a reason; when missions fail, people die. Ideals die. To preserve the cause, every operative must understand that his very life is secondary to completing the mission as briefed. No questions, no excuses. Anything less and the operative has no place in the service.

Defeat is a Matter of Degrees
Espionage is akin to a global chess game. Civilian specialists, operatives, governments, and even countries fall like pawns before the shadowy kings and queens of the intelligence community. Leaders must always be wary of sacrificing too many of their tools, however, lest their empires collapse, leaving them vulnerable to attack or annexation. This delicate balance of gains and forfeits demands discretion, and the understanding
that no war can be won all at once.

Business is Business.
Grudges between spies are inevitable, but taking a grievance into the private sector benefits no one. Personal vendettas lead to distraction, sloppy fieldwork, and in extreme cases dereliction of duty, all of which cost lives. No intelligence agency tolerates private retribution. Spying is a business, and there is no room for petty squabbling among professionals.

One Civilian, Ten Spies
Spies ultimately exist to protect civilians; their actions sponsor their nation’s principles and further their nation’s aims. When a civilian perishes during an espionage operation, a little piece of the spy’s purpose perishes with them. Likewise, civilians never die, or even disappear, without fallout. Bystander deaths crucify intelligence agencies and the governments that control them. Good spies are tried and jailed, or linger in the public spotlight so long that they become useless. This benefits no one.

The Great Game is Private
The most intractable tenet of spying is that of keeping the Great Game quiet. Revealing an enemy’s existence or actions to the authorities, the media, or other outsiders certainly complicates missions, but it also complicates lives, careers, and politics. The public is notoriously unforgiving of spies, even those working for their own governments, and revealing even one player risks upsetting the entire game. Those who violate this precept rarely last long. They are often preemptively eliminated to prevent further exposure, sometimes by their own allies.

[Daedalus4096]

Less rules and more of a mantra-like reminder:

"Confident, cocky, lazy, dead."

[Mister Andersen]

Fear leads to Anger.
Anger leads to Hate.
Hate leads to Suffering.
Suffering leads to Fear.

[ThunderMonkey]

"Be prepared. That's my motto. Be prepared."

[Valentina]

Shadowrun Traditionals:

"Shoot straight, conserve ammunition, watch your back and never, ever cut a deal with a Dragon."

"If you did it and you lived, you probably did it right."

A few of Murphy's:

"Avoid bomb magnets (aircraft carriers, nuclear plants, other high value targets)"
"If your attack is going well, it's an ambush. If your attack is going really well, it's a trap."
"Doing anything can get you killed, including doing nothing."

Warhammer:
"Victory needs no explanation, failure allows none."

Misc:
"Results trump regrets."
"Practice makes Proficient, experience Perfects."

[Provocateur]

From somewhere:

"First blood isn't as important as last blood."

"Always save the last bullet....for your enemies."

The Provocateur, here for your provoking needs

[stu2000]

Love thy enemies.
Because your friends will turn out to be a bunch of bastards.

[OverNinja]

Jedi Code

There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force.

Sith Code

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.

[Wolverine]

For anyone who watched Burn Notice last week:

"Always have a good supply of duct tape."

[Mister Andersen]

When I say run, run.

Run!