Xenos and Hunting: What is fair game?

[Renomaki]

The Serpent, compared to humans, tends to be one of the more popular choices for hunting due to how much stronger and deadlier they are compared to humans. No fear of broken bones, able to heal steadily on weeds (meaning fighting them on weeds is not the smartest idea), and enhanced senses make them quite fearsome, moreso in the hands of the robust.

With this in mind, you can argue that pretty much any type of xeno could be deadly, and that it wouldn't really matter who you kill as long as you kill them honorably, right?

But then, you gotta remember that xenos are people too, and considering how xenos work, you have to be picky in what you hunt not just because you don't want a mediocre trophy, but also because you want to ensure the target in question will be able to fight back to an adequate degree and not just get steamrolled.

The problem is, unlike marines where it is easier to determine (MTs are bad, B18 is good), there are two sets of factors for Xenos: Tier and Age.

Tier, of course, is the easier of the bunch, with Tier 1s being some of the weaker castes, while Tier 3s are some of the best hunting you can find, but also the hardest due to how overprotective xenos are of them. Age, on the other hand, makes it a bit more complicated, what with how it affects a xenos's performance considerably. An Elite runner can easily give a pred a run for his money compared to a young runner, but a young crusher can give you some serious scars if you got cocky. And don't get me started on ravagers...

Which brings me to the question that hath been bothering me for some time: When hunting xenos, WHAT IS considered fair game, and what would be considered dickish to hunt?

We already know that hunting drones, hivelords and boilers of any age to be bad, but what about elite sentinels or young hunters?

And speaking of hunters, I recall a conversation once where Feweh mentioned that hunting hunters isn't the best idea due to how "OP" they are, which past experience has proven to be quite true. Hunters and Ravagers are some of the deadliest game a Predator can fight even post predator buff, but at the same time, you still need to consider their age. Would hunting a young hunter be as fair as hunting a mature or higher hunter? Or moreso, would it be wrong to avoid them outright to hunt "easier" prey, like spitters?

I wouldn't mind some advice on the matter, to improve my own hunts and reduce salt levels, both my own and the prey that I hunt.

[Boltersam]

In my opinion, T1s below Elite should be left alone, and if they attack you first, just cripple them and bring them to weeds as a warning.

[Heckenshutze]

I show no mercy or 'fairness' to xeno scum. They're prey and I'm a Hunter. Any xenomorph capable of chasing you to attack you or to just annoy you or even spy you deserves the sword. There before they got no honour so nothing but the honor code applies to them. I don't want them to have a chance neither do they want me to have one so I'll just leg cuff them as soon as I can and maul them for that sweet hide.

But that's my predator personality.

[Nick123q23]

I don't mess with young t1s and t2s. Young t3s are fair game, though.

If it's mature, it's ready for the sword.