SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread I

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

And for occupation, the SHROOMIRVs...

But yeah, I like where everybody's going with this.

One question, though Given the sheer amount of prep work required for making the invasion of Pendleton happen, I'd expect it to take place in February at the earliest, possibly March. Even given that the core of the operation comes from nations in the immediate vicinity of Pendleton, it's hard to imagine a multinational coalition forming, sending ships across half of known space, and hammering out a joint strategy in less than three weeks. Make sense?

Though I am not involved in this military adventure, might I point out that a backwater dirt rock far and away from most hyperspace lanes is not worth the trouble annexing? It is hard to shift the planet towards proper trade with the outside world, let alone governing this pathetic lump of rock. Not least, even if you annex the place, you will be dealing with an economic meltdown since the slave owners happen to dominate the economy.

Byzantium would have simply forced them to comply with a gun barrel pointed right at them, and leave them alone. And if they so mcuh as go back on their word, we will return to torch one city.

[DarthShady]

I have a feeling these guys would run out of cities real fast. They don't strike me like the type that learns from their mistakes.

[Shroom Man 777]

Answer: Let Bragulans do the invading! Then the whole world will be so radioactive you can use the irradiated ruins to fuel glow-in-the-dark rave parties!

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Nah. I want these bastards to suffer.

I want the Karlacks to eat the bastards alive. *evil cackle*

[Force Lord]

The communists that remain in the Centrality have decided to flee my persecution. The exodus hasn't started yet of course, but it will come.

The Commune will not be pleased at us. But then, few like us.

[Ryan Thunder]

Byzantium would have simply forced them to comply with a gun barrel pointed right at them, and leave them alone. And if they so mcuh as go back on their word, we will return to torch one city.

Yeah, ordinarily I wouldn't have sent anything either, but in my case the forces deployed are more for experimental purposes. Think of it as a sort of test run.

[Steve]

I was doing timestamps at one point, but as of late I've not bothered since a lot of people seem to prefer "speed of plot" movement. At the very least I'll probably verify February for things, but I was planning on the invasion leaving before the end of the month.

I'd also intended for the invasion force to launch a few days after the Strahl departs. For storyline purposes I don't want Strahl spending more than a week at Pendleton before the invasion, at very longest, since I intend for things to get active very quickly once they get there.

As I'd said earlier, they're not waiting for every offered or planned contingent. The elements from Zoria, Shinra, and the Haruhii, as well as other late-comers due to distance, would be kept at Bannerman, on the far side of the Gap from Pendleton, as a strategic reserve though mostly as a blockade force to catch anyone who fled Pendleton and slipped around the invasion fleet.

[Akhlut]

I was doing timestamps at one point, but as of late I've not bothered since a lot of people seem to prefer "speed of plot" movement. At the very least I'll probably verify February for things, but I was planning on the invasion leaving before the end of the month.

I'd also intended for the invasion force to launch a few days after the Strahl departs. For storyline purposes I don't want Strahl spending more than a week at Pendleton before the invasion, at very longest, since I intend for things to get active very quickly once they get there.

As I'd said earlier, they're not waiting for every offered or planned contingent. The elements from Zoria, Shinra, and the Haruhii, as well as other late-comers due to distance, would be kept at Bannerman, on the far side of the Gap from Pendleton, as a strategic reserve though mostly as a blockade force to catch anyone who fled Pendleton and slipped around the invasion fleet.

I assume due to proximity and cordial relations between our fair states, that the NenAltKik contingent will be on the front row to kick names and take ass?

[Grif]

I seemed to have missed quite a fair bit of action while my internet is down. Time to get some reading down.

You guys haven't virus-bombed Pendleton yet?

[Steve]

I was doing timestamps at one point, but as of late I've not bothered since a lot of people seem to prefer "speed of plot" movement. At the very least I'll probably verify February for things, but I was planning on the invasion leaving before the end of the month.

I'd also intended for the invasion force to launch a few days after the Strahl departs. For storyline purposes I don't want Strahl spending more than a week at Pendleton before the invasion, at very longest, since I intend for things to get active very quickly once they get there.

As I'd said earlier, they're not waiting for every offered or planned contingent. The elements from Zoria, Shinra, and the Haruhii, as well as other late-comers due to distance, would be kept at Bannerman, on the far side of the Gap from Pendleton, as a strategic reserve though mostly as a blockade force to catch anyone who fled Pendleton and slipped around the invasion fleet.

I assume due to proximity and cordial relations between our fair states, that the NenAltKik contingent will be on the front row to kick names and take ass?

I believe your contingent is part of the attack force, as it will arrive on time.

And no, we haven't Grif.

[DarthShady]

Man I love the Bragulans! Bear Hugs for everyone!

[Shroom Man 777]

I also love your cast and crew of mercs. Unlike the other outlaw groups, who're all so erudite and noble and charming, these guys are rude, crass, cuss-happy, and prone to shooting people in the face - with plasma! Cirak! Man! And cyberman-headed Marek! What a guy!

Seriously, they're a bunch of total pricks. I love them.

[DarthShady]

Its me, of course they're pricks.

We have way too many good guys in the Galaxy, somebody needs to step up and shoot people in the face - with plasma.

[Shroom Man 777]

And communist space bears! And face-eating bug aliens! Man!

[Darkevilme]

Just as a heads up for people i'm gonna be unavailable for a week starting this coming friday, i'll resume plotting galactic domination upon my return however so no worries just try not to BLOW UP the galaxy while i'm on holiday.

[Simon_Jester]

Yeah. We are kinda of jumping around with the timeline...i might have to work out datestamps with Steve.

So far it's fine, because dramatically this all works as happening in parallel. Behind the scenes, the distant powers send their fleets to Anglian space while the Anglians (and their immediate neighbors) work up the core of the coalition fleet. Meanwhile, Pendleton is making a deal with the Collectors.

This can all happen at once, during "January" (realistically might extend into early February, but it doesn't matter). But the sheer number of things that really ought to have to happen before the Coalition can attack Pendleton (including some joint training, a lot of drive maintenance work and such...) should take at least forty-five to sixty days from the Anglian decision to annex the place, in my opinion.

Also, I think there's something to be said for allowing the plot to progress fairly rapidly, with each significant arc (the Coalition against Pendleton being an obvious example) taking a few months. Otherwise, there's no time for things like ship construction to matter much; if several major wars can be resolved in the time it takes to build a battleship, the odds are good that any battleships begun now will be superfluous, one way or the other, by the time they're commissioned.

Yeah. We are kinda of jumping around with the timeline...i might have to work out datestamps with Steve.

So far it's fine, because dramatically this all works as happening in parallel. Behind the scenes, the distant powers send their fleets to Anglian space while the Anglians (and their immediate neighbors) work up the core of the coalition fleet. Meanwhile, Pendleton is making a deal with the Collectors.

This can all happen at once, during "January" (realistically might extend into early February, but it doesn't matter). But the sheer number of things that really ought to have to happen before the Coalition can attack Pendleton (including some joint training, a lot of drive maintenance work and such...) should take at least forty-five to sixty days from the Anglian decision to annex the place, in my opinion.

Also, I think there's something to be said for allowing the plot to progress fairly rapidly as a function of time, with each significant arc (the Coalition against Pendleton being an obvious example) taking a few months. Otherwise, there's no time for things like ship construction to matter much; if several major wars can be resolved in the time it takes to build a battleship, the odds are that any battleships begun now will be superfluous, one way or the other, by war's end.

I was doing timestamps at one point, but as of late I've not bothered since a lot of people seem to prefer "speed of plot" movement. At the very least I'll probably verify February for things, but I was planning on the invasion leaving before the end of the month.

Well, I have deep reservations about the plausibility of it being done that fast. Scratch that, I have reservations about it being done that fast and well.

Write some problems with coordination between the allies due to inadequate working-up time, and I'll be happy. I'll even help and write a bit of my own.

Speed of plot is great; I just think the plot may be moving a little faster in terms of events per day than I'd like if we expect the whole Pendleton arc to be over in like six weeks.

[PeZook]

AIs would probably help a lot with planning and co-ordination.

[loomer]

Time for an official Arayna Event Announcement of Things(tm).

I've been busy lately, hence the low posting, but time is coming up for Space Ramadan. More specifically, the Arayna's version of Ramadan, which takes place on the Black Stone - everyone knows the Muslims hold the black stone in high regard in reality, and this is no different. Except the black stone is a captive black meteorite that seems to have been the origin of the 'real' black stone, and is big enough to be home to a straight-up religious colony.

If anyone wants to have pilgrims from their nation show up for it, send me a PM and we'll work it out, since it's a great chance for some non-military/political maneuvering to take place. If not, I'll take my own time and use it as a gateway into the Araynism form of Islam.

[KlavoHunter]

May I point out that there are already TWO "real" stones, having both Earth and Nova Terra. Perhaps they both came from this one?

Nonetheless, you will be seeing some Klavostanis there, and probably a bunch of our islamophile 7-foot-tall vassal race... Some of whom might voice an urge to have a chunk of said asteroid on THEIR planet, too

[PeZook]

It's probable Shep will want to blow that asteroid up.

[Shroom Man 777]

Until it glows in the dark, shoot all the Araynists in the dark, and steal all their oil.

So a Collector ship will be arriving in Pendleton, eh? Hrm... the IBGV might keep a close lookout for it.

[PeZook]

So a Collector ship will be arriving in Pendleton, eh? Hrm... the IBGV might keep a close lookout for it.

They care about inconsequential puny human statelets now?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

So a Collector ship will be arriving in Pendleton, eh? Hrm... the IBGV might keep a close lookout for it.

They care about inconsequential puny human statelets now?

Free Genetic material?

[PeZook]

Free Genetic material?

It's not like Bragulans are hard to come by or anything

EDIT: Also, Oliver Gill learns his mission might be less glorious than he thinks...

[Simon_Jester]

AIs would probably help a lot with planning and co-ordination.

To a point, yes. But that still raises some problems.

For one, not all of us make equal use of artificial general intelligence. Umerian ships have plenty of computer support, but it's not sentient- just loads of processing power and refined algorithms specialized to do the job. How well would something like that interface with another nation that effectively just sits back and lets an AI serve as both "captain" and, for practical purposes, "crew" of a ship?

We didn't all create societies run by AIs; that's going to extend to our fleets.

For another, in any international coalition, everyone wants to make sure that their own military secrets are kept. In this case, how much interlocking do I want between the AIs of a fleet? What happens if someone else figures out important details about how I program my ships and how to take advantage of them? So some participants will want to keep communication limited to levels they're sure can't be hacked... which means not allowing the coalition forces' AIs full access to each others tactical computers.