SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread III

[Steve]

Something tells me that every single wise-saying throughout the history of Bragulan civilization is now attributed to Byzon.

[Simon_Jester]

Planning and preparations for Geppetto's attempt to learn more about the Collectors continues. Perhaps he might even publish a book on the subject:

Robots in the Shoals!

[KlavoHunter]

Heh, Geppetto's ability to bud off tailored copies of himself is quite the handy trick for those who wished that they could be in more than one place at once...

[Force Lord]

Already sent this part to Sorchus, but I'll still post it here for everyone to see. This is for those who will participate in the campaign against the space pirates.

Here's my idea for what we'll face in Zebes:

Zebes is in Sector H-12, and is the main pirate base. It has one armed battlestation, with $300 value. The pirate fleet orbiting it ranges from 3 $100 heavy-level ships, 12 $55 medium ships, 31 $30 light ships, 54 $10 ultra-light ships, and a few hundreds of very low-quality fighters and gunships.

The garrison consists of 250,000 grunts (conscript-level), 90,000 regulars, and 15,000 elite troops. All of these are underground, concentrated around the main base of Tourian. There are no forces at the surface, which is largely barren. The underground caverns above Tourian base are full of dangerous wildlife, some difficult to handle.

Any advice or suggestion is welcome.

[Simon_Jester]

Force Lord, be advised that you are at real risk of having the Zebesians simply annihilated by an overwhelming force if you try too hard to specify their order of battle like that. We've got Zor's Atlanteans in the neighborhood, and the likes of LoC9 committing an unspecified "large portion" of their starfleet (note that the only two storylines he's shown real interest in both involved him massing a large portion of his fleet to attack a single world with inferior and obsolete defenses and blast the crap out of the place).

If the Zebesians don't have multiple planets and hidden assets, they're just not that much of a threat in my opinion, so I am forced to infer that they do have such assets. Thus allowing Zor and LoC9 to write stories in which their enormous fleets effortlessly dominate their primitive and feeble enemies, while I write stories about Hazarika's squadron hunting pirates in the murk and trying to gather intel on them before bombing out any bases or vectoring in a Centrality battle squadron.

Heh, Geppetto's ability to bud off tailored copies of himself is quite the handy trick for those who wished that they could be in more than one place at once...

I imagine that any AI could do more or less the same, as could any society with upload technology: there is really nothing stopping you from downloading your own personality into TWO computers/cloned bodies/whatever.

What makes Geppetto unusual is that he's a master of... call it psychoengineering; thus, he is quite capable of editing the programming of the copy as necessary. Another AI might or might not be able to duplicate that part of the trick, depending on how good they are at programming AIs. Which is literally what Geppetto was made to do in the first place; he just turned out to be better at it and more interested in the subject than his makers expected.

The real question is, of course, whether Geppetto Senior will be able to reintegrate Geppetto Junior afterwards. This is not at all certain, though hopefully at a minimum the two will remain on friendly terms and keep swapping memories and such as practical.

[Force Lord]

Zebes is just the first line of defense. The pirates have other forces in nearby sectors, acting as reserves, while they also have other planets nearby. The "Zebesians" are actually called like that because they were first found at Zebes, not because they originated there: the real homeworld is still not known. There's even pirate forces in the Expanse, and the size of the pirate forces there is unknown.

Should I reduce the pirate forces at Zebes a bit?

[Simon_Jester]

Nah. It gives the people who like beating up on moderately (but not well) defended planets something to beat on.

[PeZook]

Something tells me that every single wise-saying throughout the history of Bragulan civilization is now attributed to Byzon.

Something tells me that Byzon is not actually a real person

[Siege]

Shinn, when are we going to get these mediations going?

[Steve]

Something tells me that every single wise-saying throughout the history of Bragulan civilization is now attributed to Byzon.

Something tells me that Byzon is not actually a real person

Just because he's not real doesn't mean pithy sayings can't be attributed to him.

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

Shinn, when are we going to get these mediations going?

Thanks for reminding me about that, actually. I'm currently on a public computer, so I'll try to get something done when I get home.

[Simon_Jester]

By the way, I started a Umerian Dramatis Personae page, though it is arguably of no importance.

[Zor]

Force Lord, be advised that you are at real risk of having the Zebesians simply annihilated by an overwhelming force if you try too hard to specify their order of battle like that. We've got Zor's Atlanteans in the neighborhood, and the likes of LoC9 committing an unspecified "large portion" of their starfleet (note that the only two storylines he's shown real interest in both involved him massing a large portion of his fleet to attack a single world with inferior and obsolete defenses and blast the crap out of the place)..

More or less this is for defensive purposes. Its mostly just upping the patrols at this point. I will assign a distinct bit of Battlefleet Tsunami to go on the offensive.

Zor

[Force Lord]

Just don't be too quick about it. My attack starts in June and I don't know what you intend to do, so the most you before then could do is a quick raid for prisioners, intelligence, and to probe the defenses. This is what I recommend; I'm not sure what are you planning. Not wanting to be smarmy or anything.

[Zor]

Just don't be too quick about it. My attack starts in June and I don't know what you intend to do, so the most you before then could do is a quick raid for prisioners, intelligence, and to probe the defenses. This is what I recommend; I'm not sure what are you planning.

Fair enough.

Zor

[Shroom Man 777]

Something tells me that every single wise-saying throughout the history of Bragulan civilization is now attributed to Byzon.

Something tells me that Byzon is not actually a real person

Just because he's not real doesn't mean pithy sayings can't be attributed to him.

Gryznk: Don't look so surprised, Spozavik. Why should Byzon be more real than any other political puppet? The real Byzon died years ago. The Council simply elected me to pursue his paternal tradition. And you, Spozavik, the supposed savior of the Resistance, are now its destroyer, and, along with them, you've given me yourself... calmly... coolly... entirely without incident.

[Polygraph machine scribbling rapidly]

Spozavik: No.

[Beeping]

Polygraph technician: Oh... Shit.

Spozavik: Not without incident.

[PeZook]

*spozavik gets shot, because Bragulans were smart and paranoid enough to use a fucking metal detector to make sure he didn't have guns hidden in his sleeves*

[Ryan Thunder]

Unless he uses plastic guns with plastic bullets.

[PeZook]

Unless he uses plastic guns with plastic bullets.

These would be a feeble weapon to use against the mighty Bragulan physiology!

Besides, they could just X-RAY him and then pat him down for good measure

[Simon_Jester]

Hmm. The question Geppetto is asking seems particularly apt after PeZook's latest post.

[Shroom Man 777]

I love how the unexplained robots are now turning into a Biblical cataclysm!

[Darkevilme]

Unless he uses plastic guns with plastic bullets.

These would be a feeble weapon to use against the mighty Bragulan physiology!

Besides, they could just X-RAY him and then pat him down for good measure

None of these suggestions are sufficiently Bragulany. The Bragulan way is to put someone behind him who will employ emphatic stickbeatings if he tries anything funny.

[Shroom Man 777]

X-rays are radioactive though! I wonder how Bragulans keep themselves from going sterile.

Speaking of Brags, man. They reasoned with the Chamarrans and made them consider rational diplomacy over senseless violence. What is the universe gone to?! Argh! *explodes*

The catgirl charm totally worked with the Bragulans. They totally think catgirls are kawaii desu ^__________________^! Just like the Langleys/Haruhiists!

Too bad the charm is a double-edged sword and for the likes of other powers, they see animu catgirls and go "RARGH! KILL!"

Still. Satia-chan! :3


EDIT:

Hey Simon, where's Maxim Chernov there, man? After all, he's totally the most prominent Umerian so far. And my favorite!

[RogueIce]

And Sidney Hank is about to get even more popular.

Though he won't know it for a while. Not until after the time jump, at the very least. And I expect not until after Hank and The Hermit have met face to face, either.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

X-rays are radioactive though! I wonder how Bragulans keep themselves from going sterile.

Speaking of Brags, man. They reasoned with the Chamarrans and made them consider rational diplomacy over senseless violence. What is the universe gone to?! Argh! *explodes*

The catgirl charm totally worked with the Bragulans. They totally think catgirls are kawaii desu ^__________________^! Just like the Langleys/Haruhiists!

Too bad the charm is a double-edged sword and for the likes of other powers, they see animu catgirls and go "RARGH! KILL!"

Still. Satia-chan! :3


EDIT:

Hey Simon, where's Maxim Chernov there, man? After all, he's totally the most prominent Umerian so far. And my favorite!

X-rays are less damaging than Gamma Rays which you damn bears get on a daily basis ya dimwit!