T5 MAJOR RACES: ALIENS 1 - 8

[Condottiere]

Quarterly earnings report must be highly anticipated and dreaded, and the board of director would be even more held hostage to shareholder value.

Ironic that investment banking is inimical to the Vargr, because they would be the Gordon Geckos of the Galaxy, the guys taking enormous risks on the trading floor during the day, and partying all night snorting coke.

But it seems the Peter Principle, probably a step beyond, is in full force, because their charisma tends to be the major, possible the only factor, in gaining promotions, and that only as pirates, because missteps can be instantly fatal, does ability tend to match position.

 

[Lycanorukke]

But it seems the Peter Principle, probably a step beyond, is in full force, because their charisma tends to be the major, possible the only factor, in gaining promotions, and that only as pirates, because missteps can be instantly fatal, does ability tend to match position.

They mention that about Vargr pirates in various places. A good but 'uncharismatic' leader gets overthrown by someone who is more popular but not as skilled, thus the corsairs have a short lifespan. Ditto with other scenarios, as popularity can wane fast when other Vargr learn that you "cant walk the talk".

But a corsair who is popular and skilled (or survives long enough to become skilled) would be very dangerous.

 

[Condottiere]

I may have missed it, but what are pack sizes like?

We have a monkeysphere of anywhere between one to two hundred people, which coincides with the size of an army company unit.

So what's the nominal size of a wolfsphere?

 

[rancke]

They mention that about Vargr pirates in various places. A good but 'uncharismatic' leader gets overthrown by someone who is more popular but not as skilled, thus the corsairs have a short lifespan. Ditto with other scenarios, as popularity can wane fast when other Vargr learn that you "cant walk the talk".

This may apply to corsairs, who are already living under an unruly social order, but for more organized Vargr societies charisma is not the only source of social cohesion and of law and order. Take the first officer of a national ship. If his charisma is greater than his captain's, he may be able to persuade the crew to back him in a mutiny. But only if he and the crew are willing to leave country, home and family and flee to some place far away. They can't stay and act as if nothing has happened, because admirals tend to look at mutineers with a very jaundiced eye, and no amount of charisma can stop a bullet. The vice-president of a corporation can't just walk into the president's office and take over even if his charisma is higher, because corporate presidents are appointed by stockholders or owners. Civil servants, business owners, military officers -- they are all appointed by processes unaffected by (or at least not solely affected by) charisma.


Hans

 

[Condottiere]

The state is governed by officers from the 40th Squadron still uses the same ranks and military discipline established during the First Frontier War. The crew of each ship has a high degree of camaraderie, even for Vargr, and mates are sought from other ships within the fleet, resulting in a distinct and closed culture who spend most of their lives in space.

Closed military ruling caste. Possibly inbred.

 

[Condottiere]

Would Vargr manufacturers conform to galactic technical standards? That would make the use of alphabet engines somewhat iffy, and the task of system integrators challenging.

 

[maksimsmelchak]

I remember an interesting study of a siberian fox farm breeding foxes to make them more docile (tame/domesticated). This took like 4 generations. But it also gave them white spots in their normally red fur.

Thomas,

I got to see that farm way back when. I spoke with one of the workers and they mentioned that they had the foxes domesticated (..to the point of craving human contact and not biting) within just two generations.

External Link: http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...foxes_in_siberia_an_experiment_in_peril_.html

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

 

[maksimsmelchak]

The group you are looking for is "The Church of the Chosen ones", a Vargr 'religion' which essentially adheres to the view that the Ancients elevated the Vargr for a special purpose.

T-Wiki Link: http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Church_of_the_Chosen_Ones

Hope that helps.

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

 

[tjoneslo]

Would Vargr manufacturers conform to galactic technical standards? That would make the use of alphabet engines somewhat iffy, and the task of system integrators challenging.

The wonderful thing about standards is there are so many of them. The likelihood a Vargr manufacturer adheres to Imperial standard is inversely proportional to the distance from the Imperial border. That is, the closer to the border and likely that there may be Imperial customers, the more likely they are to produce to Imperial Standards.

Book 8 mentions at least one Vargr robotics manufacturer who adheres 100% to imperial standard, but only because they were selling stolen robots.

 

[Condottiere]

I came across that reference.

Same may call it fencing, some may call it repurposing second hand goods.

I call it Grand Theft Robo.

 

[Ted-Ebay]

This may apply to corsairs, who are already living under an unruly social order, but for more organized Vargr societies charisma is not the only source of social cohesion and of law and order. Take the first officer of a national ship. If his charisma is greater than his captain's, he may be able to persuade the crew to back him in a mutiny. But only if he and the crew are willing to leave country, home and family and flee to some place far away. They can't stay and act as if nothing has happened, because admirals tend to look at mutineers with a very jaundiced eye, and no amount of charisma can stop a bullet. The vice-president of a corporation can't just walk into the president's office and take over even if his charisma is higher, because corporate presidents are appointed by stockholders or owners. Civil servants, business owners, military officers -- they are all appointed by processes unaffected by (or at least not solely affected by) charisma.


Hans

So.....a Charismatic Meritocracy....where there is a balance between Charisma and Merit as to position in society/work/gang/etc.....the organization may favor one more slightly than the other, but both do have a place in the whole of Vargr society.

The way I have read it, it seems the less sociable or socially acceptable the job or organization, the more that Charisma comes into play. (Pirates/gangs/small corps/etc....) versus the more meritocratic corporations/military/social elite/etc......)

 

[Condottiere]

It's actually capitalism in it's rawest form.

You know, dog eat dog.

Though, wouldn't that be cannibalism?

Assuming Vargr have either moral, religious, or culinary scruples about that.

 

[rancke]

It's actually capitalism in it's rawest form.

You know, dog eat dog.

Whereas with communism, it's the other way round.


Hans

 

[maksimsmelchak]

Whereas with communism, it's the other way round.
Hans

I'm not sure about that.

The joke in Russian was that:

"With communism, the Nomenklatura take everything and then blames the capitalists and bourgeoisie."

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

 

[rancke]

I'm not sure about that.

The joke in Russian was that:

"With communism, the Nomenklatura take everything and then blame the capitalists and bourgeoisie."

What's the joke part?

The joke I was thinking was:

"Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. With communism it's the other way around."​

Hans

 

[Condottiere]

At first I thought it was just a bunch of unorganized furries, but once you get into it, it seems very libertarian and capitalistic.

You start a business, it doesn't work out, it goes bankrupt; it's assets are sold to another business.

If you don't like your organization or government, you're free to leave to somewhere else, if your coup d'etat fails, or has no possibility of success.

 

[Lycanorukke]

Civil servants, business owners, military officers -- they are all appointed by processes unaffected by (or at least not solely affected by) charisma.

Hans

Not entirely true. Even with humanity today a lot of appointments are 'who you know, is more important than what you know'.

A government example is in the Westminster system, where people vote for parties not leaders. On the odd occasion when the leader (Prime Minister) loses the confidence of the party/people he can be 'knifed' and a new leader appointed while the same party stays in power.

And even with 'fixed' appointments, an enterprising Vargr should be able to 'work the angles' to make himself seem like a better candidate than the current occupant and to arrange for himself to be the new appointee. And if he manages to pull it off, he would get the respect of his peers for managing to succeed in the stunt.

The other one (from V&V again) is that a Vargr who 'loses' has an easier time accepting it than a human. Sure he got demoted/replaced/whatever and doesn't like it at all, but he is much better at shaking it off as 's**t happens' and starting to work on climbing back up the greasy pole.

It seems that Vargr don't care if someone moves up or down (as that is just the way to world works to them) as long as they are moving. A slow and stable institution would be incomprehensible and insane to them.

At first I thought it was just a bunch of unorganized furries, but once you get into it, it seems very libertarian and capitalistic.

You start a business, it doesn't work out, it goes bankrupt; it's assets are sold to another business.

Which makes an interesting thought when the Vargr ran into the Vilani.

"An institution 10,000 years old? And with the leadership, charisma and personality of a rock? This doesn't make any sense! Navigator, did we misjump into the Twilight Zone!?"

 

[Spartan159]

Totally at a tangent here, it occurs to me to wonder if Vargr Vacc suits have tails? To aid in nonverbal communication of course.

 

[Condottiere]

They should be terrible at poker, too much of a tell.

Much better at chicken.

 

[Lycanorukke]

They should be terrible at poker, too much of a tell.

Unless of course they fake it like this....