"A Taste of Armageddon" blends action and conflict with a dash of philosophy into a sampler of TOS at its best. Under orders from an idiot ambassador Kirk takes Enterprise into the middle of a centuries old interplanetary war. Finding no trace of physical damage on the surface they surmise the war is fought entirely by computers that calculate destruction and tally casualties. Those participants "lost" in the war willingly enter disintegration stations out of a sense of duty. "The people die, but our culture goes on," according to their bloody definition of civilization.

The crew (if not passengers) is at peak performance here, even fierce Yeoman Tamura. Kirk is indeed a man that would prefer to die fighting but prefers more to fight his way from a no-win hostage scenario by threatening annihilation of not one planet but two. That's a barbarian for you! Spock is invaluable with his get-out-of-jail mindmeld, timely radio skills, and multilegged creature ruse. But Scotty, left in command, is the fully charged phaser bank here, with his obstinate and as it happens correct attitude toward Fox's orders to disarm, not to mention his eager if not enthusiastic compliance with the devastating General Order 24. (Note Uhura's shocked reaction to Scott's log entry also; perhaps mere knowledge of the order is kept confidential among command grades?)

David Opatoshu delivers an extremely strong performance as High Councilor Anan 7, ruthless to preserve the system he clearly believes in. (Wonder how he will feel after realizing his wife almost made it, surviving all the way up to the penultimate attack?) Barbara Babcock is as gorgeous as she is sincere as the life-loving Mea 3. Gene Lyons is perfectly annoying as the popinjay Fox, receiving some well-deserved tag-team abuse from Scotty and McCoy. And pity his silent anonymous aide, the only actual casualty of the conflict dumped unceremoniously in a corridor!

It's a shame we don't learn more about this society either before or after. Under constant attrition breeding habits should have adapted to stabilize the population. So what happens when that rabbit comes out of the box? Hopefully their cultural self-image will withstand a transition into a more peaceful, prosperous method. Having had spaceflight and computers for five hundred years the Eminians are farther along than their Federation visitors, so there's little concern about any directive, prime or otherwise. There's only a simple lesson about the reality of senseless, perpetual war, and why it's a thing to be avoided. Do not kill today. That's all it takes.