when does a preper become a raider

[Timelord]

Adventurer, explorer & freebooter, or pirate, raider & slaver?? The Vikings in their earlier visits to these shores would either sometimes raid or trade.. "Raid or Trade" - I like that! If not already on a predetermined mission, sometimes they would scout an area and if it looked robustly defended, they might sail up a river to trade with the locals. If it looked poorly defended and unaware of their presence, they might do a lightening river borne raid. It would depend on their perception of the risk/reward. This was definitely not the case with many Viking visitors but it did happen on enough occasions to cause panic & chaos. The intentions of strangers may not easily be apparent and only by a longer term working relationship might their true motivations be seen. Their were also dispossessed princelings and landless sons of high status aristocracy that were forced to leave their homeland to requisition a better life elsewhere. These were often heavily armed professional warbands and they caused absolute devestation in coastal areas. Often they would take over an area completely by fire & the sword.