I get a kick out of the restrictions that people so vehemently wish to impose on themselves and others in this game.
There is no rule book or government body or regulatory agency. Only cause and effect. Expecting others to play by the same set of fabricated rules or ethics that you hold yourself accountable to – when there are in fact no rules or ethical violations – is an exercise in futility. Cause and effect are the only forces of regulation at work in this game.
If you are in the habit of zapping other peoples' DE, they could revenge you and you might stand more to lose than gain. But that doesn't make the action itself inherently bad or unethical, just less effective. If you hang your TH out there and surround it by flowers to show it is safe, there is no written statute that is violated if somebody also goes in for the loot.
At the core, this game is structured in a way that allows people to take what they need with little risk (assuming they spend it). If people take more than they need, the risk increases. If they sit on full tanks, the risk rises substantially.
This is a game of strategy, which means people are trying to find the most efficient method of looting and empire building based on inherent game limitations and the reactions of others. There is nothing wrong with experimenting with different methods. If a certain tactic is considered to violate some contrived moral code by a majority of players, the reactions by that majority will shape the outcome, making it an unfavorable tactic. Cause and effect.
