Is overkill always really necessary?

It depends on the situation. I always use overkill cause it then you know your prey is dead.

Wouldn't that just make then more hungry for revenge?

I mean if someone punches you then you get mad and you want to punch him back.
If someone breaks your arm you would like to fuck him up more then he fucked you up.

@GreenZero: or damage the person so much physically as to instill a psychological effect of fear. Read Ender's Game for more details on the use of overkill in certain situations against another human being. It explains the philosophy of being thorough and ruthless and the ability to foresee and prevent future battles.

Yes, fear is a good intimidator g-money, but overkill isnt... Do YOU intend to continue blasting or beating the crap out of your opponent when you know he's already down? Even a body requires ONE stab through the chest to die, and thats it, hes dead, not after hes gone you still stab the fuck out of that lifeless corpse or he's crying shitless

@zeKer_pencil: depends on who I'm dealing with, though I doubt I would ever have to resort to physical violence in the first place. People can have so much blackmail on a person that it's overkill, and thus there's no need for violence.

Yes cause it makes you look like a bad ass.

In a physical way I don't think overkill will achieve anything. There are two possible psychological reactions:
a) Fear and giving in despite fearing for what might come
b) Resistance to the last etc due to knowing that you won't receive any help / that it won't stop. Basically snapping so to speak.
Sometimes however I think it is needed to shower people verbally so they keep shut up and won't bother you anymore, even if it is a verbal "overkill" if you can put it that way.

Overkill is sometimes needed not just to ensure your opponent/victim is dead, but to make damn well sure that nobody else will mess with you. By using excessive force and making an example of some unfortunate person you send the message, that you are not to be messed with, to all other would-be aggressors.

All the more reason they will gang up on you coz he think he cant take you alone..

This is another reason why overkill is sometimes necessary. It creates a psychological fear that will effectively repel all future conflicts from the person in conflict and other potential warmongers.

I'd agree with this. Goes with the saying Peace through superior firepower. Same concept really. If you assure them that they will die if they mess with you, tends to make them leave you be.

Overkill is by definition more force than required.

So no, overkill is never necessary.

If we are talking about the human spirit of not losing, though they wont attack when they see you doing overkills to opponents, they will create some more tactics and gear to defeat you and do the same to you what you did to the others...

Overkill in necessary sometime. Just don't be half-assed about it. If you do it, do it until you make sure no more problems in the future will come out of the person/thing that will bug your life (In other word, Dead with all evidence of it removed).

Overkill, is sometimes neccessary. Only in so much that theobjective is met with the utmost cold efficiancy. Consider the double tap, one to take them down, another to guarantee they stay down. One can never be too careful in times of conflict.

Of course overkill isn't necessary, since overkill means using more force or w/e than needed, but who the cares about if it's necessary, you're doing it for the fun.

Overkill is necessary. Just to make sure the enemy is dead. =D

But isnt that BRUTALITY in all aspects? you already killed him with the killing shot or stab, and theres no more reason to hit him again and again except when he is your most hated enemy or eevil person..

Overkill is necessary but impossible when your fighting a Strike Freedom piloted by Kira "Zeus/God" Yamato.

Well machine cannot help but induce overkill.... A nuke is overkill already, but how much more an ICBM that can wipe out a continent with nuke warheads? But you beating the crap out of someone already defeated is another story...