The Solomani, not just bad guys anymore

[Condottiere]

I tend to view it in structure like the People's Republic of China, with s self interested Politburo directing policy.

Regional authorities are fairly autonomous, unless they do something really stupid, are aligned with the wrong faction, and/or just are unlucky.

 

[BwapTED]

It is clear and true that the History of the 3I is inspired by real history.

It is important to not conflate it as just real history pastiched over the setting; it isn't.

It's a whole cloth invention inspired by mixing and matching multiple historical situations and trends; Marc has made mention of the historical inspirations as just that: inspirations.

Further, as is shown in later games, most especially 2300, GDW doesn't just change the names on prior histories. They examine the situations, discuss them, pass them back and forth, come to consensus, and sometimes pick the less likely resolution as better story. Frank Chadwick has mentioned this in re both T2K and Space 1889 in the past. Dave N., likewise, mentioned this. Joe and Gary also have mentioned this; for them, the discussion of the storyline for MegaTraveller was clearly a group decision, not any one person's, but definitely subject to Marc's final sign-off. Marc has, for his part, repeatedly said of TNE, "The final decision was mine." From whence we get Virus.

Reducing it to the level of "Borrowed History" is a gross oversimplification. And quite unfair to the creative minds who formed GDW.

Right. The material is not a cut and paste job.Far from it.
The 3I is not the Roman Empire in spaaace. I'm on my phone.Will add more in a bit...


My guesses on why the Solomani Confederation would appear to be a default ''bad guy nation":


1 SolSec looks KGB-esque to players. Fair enough.

2 The SC is an enemy of the 3I, and the players have played games in which their PCs are patriotic Imperial citizens.


The third probable factor is the Solomani Cause and racism/chauvinism. I get why people might see things this way.

When I run/play Boot Hill, nobody assumes the United States is a ''bad guy nation'' (though I have seen some unreconstructed Confederate types who certainly weren't fond of the Federals). It's the Old West, not Star Trek: TNG. Utopian society? Nope.

In games I've run or played, adventures are about the PCs doing interesting and dangerous stuff, but rarely about trying to reform society along such and such lines.
Though the PCs as gunfighters hired by anti-saloon activists would be hilarious.

 

[Whipsnade]

It is clear and true that the History of the 3I is inspired by real history.

It is important to not conflate it as just real history pastiched over the setting; it isn't.

It's a whole cloth invention inspired by mixing and matching multiple historical situations and trends; Marc has made mention of the historical inspirations as just that: inspirations.

Reducing it to the level of "Borrowed History" is a gross oversimplification. And quite unfair to the creative minds who formed GDW.

These four statements cannot be repeated often enough.

As war game players and designers, GDW were at the very least autodidict historians. History inspired and informed their decisions and work.

Just as importantly, because they weren't lazy hacks, GDW didn't slather a historical pastiche over the OTU.

 

[Whipsnade]

I tend to view it in structure like the People's Republic of China, with s self interested Politburo directing policy.

Regional authorities are fairly autonomous, unless they do something really stupid, are aligned with the wrong faction, and/or just are unlucky.

I like that analogy. Really really like it.

IMTU the "further" you are from the Ceasefire Line and Home the "better" the SolCon is.

I put further in quotes because it doesn't refer just to distance.

 

[BwapTED]

Some ideas, to possibly be used if I get around to running a Solomani campaign


Factions (not an all inclusive list, just a start):

Assimilationists

They believe the Solomani should convert non-Solomani and mixed race humans to Solomani culture (which might be the idealized globalism of the Party or a particular planetary/regional culture). All of them, eventually, and by force if need be.
This is in many ways the least tolerant of the major factions, but its members care less about a person's genetic heritage than about his acculturation and political loyalties.

"It is the destiny of our race to lead Humaniti to new heights of glory. All the child-races will benefit once they learn to accept our leadership and to emulate our example."


Separatists

Separatists don't wish to make non-Solomani into ersatz-Solomani. They want to reclaim lost territories and rule the whole of the old Solomani Sphere as a state independent of outside, hostile influences, in particular the influence of the Third Imperium.
They typically support ancestry-screening and other policies of the Ministry of Genetics.
Separatists tend to be more tolerant of cultural/racial differences than are their Assimilationist rivals--so long as the person or group in question poses no threat to Solomani interests and identity.

''Vilani, the ones living here? If they don't get any subversive ideas or make other trouble, why bother them? They'll never be made like us, anyway. Too much of the difference is in the blood. "

Purists

The most radical faction, supports eugenics programs and forced migration policies aimed at reducing non-Solomani populations across the Solomani Confederation. As loud as it is weak.

(Imperial propaganda grossly exaggerates the influence of this minor faction.)

 

[sfchbryan]

One thing to remember about the Vilani

There were no homo sapiens on earth when the Ancients took samples. But there were Neanderthals and Denisovans.

 

[Condottiere]

If you take the Chinese Communist Party stance on integration, they'll accept genetic deviance in exchange for acknowledgement and acceptance of Solomani Party preeminence.

 

[BwapTED]

There were no homo sapiens on earth when the Ancients took samples. But there were Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Sure, unless the scientists of our time are simply wrong, and homo sapiens has been around a lot longer than we think.

Archons?



But as far as the stuff about Ancients grabbing archaic humans/human ancestors 300K years back, that actually goes a long way toward explaining all those weird races of Humaniti, without so much need to assume geneering by the Ancients.
Four arms? Okay, obvious geneering is obvious!
Improved night vision, respiratory differences, etc.? Could be natural adaptation to new conditions.

Maybe interbreeding of Vilani and Solomani was initially difficult, but the Rule of Man deliberately spread medical tech to enable it?



How much of this is already part of canon?

 

[BwapTED]

If you take the Chinese Communist Party stance on integration, they'll accept genetic deviance in exchange for acknowledgement and acceptance of Solomani Party preeminence.

Like the Wuan Technology Association?

 

[Condottiere]

They seem less sanguine with the Vegans; it could be a combination of commercial exploitation by Confederation corporations and internal security concerns.

 

[BwapTED]

They seem less sanguine with the Vegans; it could be a combination of commercial exploitation by Confederation corporations and internal security concerns.

They seem less sanguine with the Vegans; it could be a combination of commercial exploitation by Confederation corporations and internal security concerns.

Indeed.

My take on the Wuans (at least until and unless I find better published or fan material):

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?p=564979#post564979

 

[Murph]

BACK FROM THE DEAD!! MUAHAHAHAHA! But seriously, I like the Solomani vs the Imperium, but IMTU the Solomani is a bunch of semi libertarian anti-establishmentarians who are the opposite of the Imperium. Also they do not have the silly goose stepping racist nonsense. Since my campaign was (and may be again) in Reavers Deep, they are a pain in the posterior for the overly uptight Imperium. Think Firefly browncoats. Since I have now retired, I aim to misbehave.

 

[Jame]

BACK FROM THE DEAD!! MUAHAHAHAHA! But seriously, I like the Solomani vs the Imperium, but IMTU the Solomani is a bunch of semi libertarian anti-establishmentarians who are the opposite of the Imperium. Also they do not have the silly goose stepping racist nonsense. Since my campaign was (and may be again) in Reavers Deep, they are a pain in the posterior for the overly uptight Imperium. Think Firefly browncoats. Since I have now retired, I aim to misbehave.

I usually take it as the Solomani being pretty diverse politically, with most having "Terrans take the lead, other humans second, and nonhumans follow" be the default if they bother to think about it-they don't want to get rid of nonhumans, just to rule the roost.

SolSec and the racism/specism that the 3I (which I prefer, myself) plays up is mostly a response to the SRW. Mostly.

 

[Murph]

I really toned down the racist garbage, and made them almost chaotic individualists. They love "tweaking the Imperium's nose", sort of like the Anglophobia that the US Military had between 1900-1950.

 

[Condottiere]

Solomani Manifesto Destiny.

The Solomani Dream.

Solomani way of life.

 

[Dragoner]

Above reservations not withstanding, Solomani Rim also jumped the shark in being too settled, changing the whole vibe from the Spinward Marches, as well as being way far away. I understand why they did it, and it was exciting at first, then realizing how much work it would take to play it. There weren't a lot of ships for it, only like the Endeavour.

 

[Condottiere]

Rimwards is the new frontier.

Spinwards hostile marauding tribes.

Trailwards the mysterious Orient.

Corewards the decadent Imperials.

 

[Murph]

Above reservations not withstanding, Solomani Rim also jumped the shark in being too settled, changing the whole vibe from the Spinward Marches, as well as being way far away. I understand why they did it, and it was exciting at first, then realizing how much work it would take to play it. There weren't a lot of ships for it, only like the Endeavour.

Agreed, I am looking at old books right now, and it would be difficult to get a "standard" adventure going in the Solomani Rim, but that is why we get creative. I see the rim as a more Spy vs Spy, or Merchant vs Merchant area. Although there is generally a lot of barren terrain on planets, and every system has moons, gas giants, and other worlds to explore. Hide and seek in an Asteroid belt like on Bad SciFi movies, or perhaps finding ruins on an airless uninhabited moon that no one really gave a lot of attention to until now. Different vibe, different play style, with fewer shoot 'em ups. Now where is my Air raft with its stereo playing Can't get no Satisfaction or Ride of the Valkyries......

 

[Dragoner]

Agreed, I am looking at old books right now, and it would be difficult to get a "standard" adventure going in the Solomani Rim, but that is why we get creative. I see the rim as a more Spy vs Spy, or Merchant vs Merchant area. Although there is generally a lot of barren terrain on planets, and every system has moons, gas giants, and other worlds to explore. Hide and seek in an Asteroid belt like on Bad SciFi movies, or perhaps finding ruins on an airless uninhabited moon that no one really gave a lot of attention to until now. Different vibe, different play style, with fewer shoot 'em ups. Now where is my Air raft with its stereo playing Can't get no Satisfaction or Ride of the Valkyries......

That is cool if you dig it, I'm only musing on the work it took back in the day, I understand why, we all wanted to know what happened to Earth. You could also do some sort of neutral zone where both navies patrol. One could have a border action, like with what happened between the Soviets, and China.

 

[aramis]

I liked the Solomani Rim, and kept the Solomani Party as a pastiche of the 1930's-1940's German Imperializing Movement... Complete with Jackboots.

Stuffy British Imperialism vs Space Nazis. a bit over the top, to be sure... but it was campy, and drove a few amusing campaign plots.

Then again, a convention adventure I ran was a group of elite superspies from the 3I trying to find a Phoenix Project sleeper on Terra in the mid-pacific ridge....

I like space westerns for their clear moral stance...