Easterner9504
SOC-13
Finished reading the Wounded Colossus which was excellent and thought provoking as usual. I'd have jumped at it in a minute instead of REBELLION against which I rebelled then I completely skipped TNE, picked up my CT and went home for 12 tears or so.
The fall of Lucan is right sounding. Much as Napoleon converted all the King's troops after leaving Elba sent to stop him. Dulinor I couldn't say (my ignorance) but I will accept your view. I do believe your comment on reformers being dilettantes to be true.
I would see the Vargr as first dealt with (refer to speed here I'm sure he's meeting the three outside threats simultaneously) It re-opens path to Marches and allows Imperium to deal with Trojan Reach Aslan.
I think it was Rancke who said he never bought the Ihatei Invasions as feasible because Aslan too fragmented to co-ordinate such a massive multi-sector assault. I would agree or claim it for my own if no one said it
However an exception would be if there was something behind the Aslan pushing them as Hsing-Nu pushed the Germans westward towards Rome. In which case Bill's easy victory wouldn't happen. However assuming there is no external pressure the Bill version is fine and logical.
The Empress Wave is to my knowledge no threat to the Imperium. It burns out or alters Psi's, awakens some latents and has no affect on norms, only Zho's doomed. No one will miss either group. So I don't see doom coming unless canon has multi EW versions a-coming. That wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Nobles an odd problem. developed slowly from LBB where PC's could be one to GURPS NOBLES that actually describes them. The problem is when GDW invented UPP it also had UWP's. UWP showed Imperium packed to rafters with very non-noble friendly worlds with dictators, cabals, republics, theocracies. How exactly does a noble rule an Amber world that lynches him 5 minutes after arrival? What noble rules Dinom after Commie Rev, it doesn't seem to have left Imperium. the non-interferance rule brought many worlds into Imperium and Emperor's writ covered space and extrality. Yet any world with an Imperial Noble would rule world in Emperor's name meaning in theory Emperor's writ rules the entire world with the Noble's duty to execute it, in theory. However the feudalistic nobles Bill describes does indeed appear to be canon, but based on UWP's I always saw nobles as post-WW2 nobles not Middle Ages types. The point being I never saw Imperium as unstable but obviously an Imperium run like 900AD would be prone to fail. One thing ignored is that the Imperium is not truly human run, it's Bwap run that changes a number of dynamics. Also like your Rome analogy the 3I of Strephon is not the same as 3I of Margie or Cleon.
In addition IMTU I've always seen Travellers as a psycho-history phenomenon. The 1st and 2nd Impies fell from inertia that set in over time. The Bwap bureaucracy took care of the 2nd I's fall by allowing better administration. Traveller phenomenon prevents inertia of 1st I's fall. Travs for no particular reason zip about the 3I either Dumarest style or as ships crews. They are called upon (by design) frequently to fix "problems" when on-worlders can't. They spread new ideas about the 3I keeping things fresh. as we discussed in SJG forums there may be "rights of appeal" and other off-worlder protections that cause the 3I to take Travellers into custody after say blowing up Arglebargles main-water plant (and secret bio-weapon site) then free them so they can continue travelling. IMTU
Solomani
Here I disagree completely. A negotiated settlement far more likely to work and frees up fleets to deal with Vargr and Aslan. I see no sign the Confeds are composed of captive states.
Bootean Federation (Solomani Rim)
Grand United States of Quesada (Aldebaran)
Hanuman Systems (Langere)
Kostov Confederate Republic (Neworld)
Old Earth Union (Solomani Rim)
Protectorate of Alba (Alpha Leonis)
Protectorate of Cthonia (Alpha Leonis)
Third Reformed French Confederate Republic (Aldebaran)
Turin Consolidation (Alpha Leonis)
SOLSEC interferes with Spanish and French governments leaving several states alone (and to hard-rights disgust) to develop better relations with Aliens. Cthonia churns out military geniuses by the gross and is sharing their secret with their fellow states. Kukulcan is just an aggressive tradewar not an anti-SC war.
The SC has been preparing for war for a century, they've studied the last wars failure of 'scattered forces trying to defend everywhere that ends up defending nothing' and OE fell this time instead of Rim Wars fanatical resistance that depleted Sols fleet strength. The Cthonian's are likely to inflict so many defeats on the 3I the cost of war is prohibitive. By negotiating: the Vegan's stay Imperial, some taken and untaken worlds get plebiscites to choose sides and SC gets formal recognition and full trade/diplomatic recognition freeing them to tend to matters Rimward. Gets restive elements out of Imperium, forges new ties among human MR's, frees forces for other operations and shrinks with honor the overly bloated 3I. Chissano civil war may or may not breakout, SOLSEC may or may not loose strength.
The fall of Lucan is right sounding. Much as Napoleon converted all the King's troops after leaving Elba sent to stop him. Dulinor I couldn't say (my ignorance) but I will accept your view. I do believe your comment on reformers being dilettantes to be true.
I would see the Vargr as first dealt with (refer to speed here I'm sure he's meeting the three outside threats simultaneously) It re-opens path to Marches and allows Imperium to deal with Trojan Reach Aslan.
I think it was Rancke who said he never bought the Ihatei Invasions as feasible because Aslan too fragmented to co-ordinate such a massive multi-sector assault. I would agree or claim it for my own if no one said it
The Empress Wave is to my knowledge no threat to the Imperium. It burns out or alters Psi's, awakens some latents and has no affect on norms, only Zho's doomed. No one will miss either group. So I don't see doom coming unless canon has multi EW versions a-coming. That wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Nobles an odd problem. developed slowly from LBB where PC's could be one to GURPS NOBLES that actually describes them. The problem is when GDW invented UPP it also had UWP's. UWP showed Imperium packed to rafters with very non-noble friendly worlds with dictators, cabals, republics, theocracies. How exactly does a noble rule an Amber world that lynches him 5 minutes after arrival? What noble rules Dinom after Commie Rev, it doesn't seem to have left Imperium. the non-interferance rule brought many worlds into Imperium and Emperor's writ covered space and extrality. Yet any world with an Imperial Noble would rule world in Emperor's name meaning in theory Emperor's writ rules the entire world with the Noble's duty to execute it, in theory. However the feudalistic nobles Bill describes does indeed appear to be canon, but based on UWP's I always saw nobles as post-WW2 nobles not Middle Ages types. The point being I never saw Imperium as unstable but obviously an Imperium run like 900AD would be prone to fail. One thing ignored is that the Imperium is not truly human run, it's Bwap run that changes a number of dynamics. Also like your Rome analogy the 3I of Strephon is not the same as 3I of Margie or Cleon.
In addition IMTU I've always seen Travellers as a psycho-history phenomenon. The 1st and 2nd Impies fell from inertia that set in over time. The Bwap bureaucracy took care of the 2nd I's fall by allowing better administration. Traveller phenomenon prevents inertia of 1st I's fall. Travs for no particular reason zip about the 3I either Dumarest style or as ships crews. They are called upon (by design) frequently to fix "problems" when on-worlders can't. They spread new ideas about the 3I keeping things fresh. as we discussed in SJG forums there may be "rights of appeal" and other off-worlder protections that cause the 3I to take Travellers into custody after say blowing up Arglebargles main-water plant (and secret bio-weapon site) then free them so they can continue travelling. IMTU
Solomani
Here I disagree completely. A negotiated settlement far more likely to work and frees up fleets to deal with Vargr and Aslan. I see no sign the Confeds are composed of captive states.
Bootean Federation (Solomani Rim)
Grand United States of Quesada (Aldebaran)
Hanuman Systems (Langere)
Kostov Confederate Republic (Neworld)
Old Earth Union (Solomani Rim)
Protectorate of Alba (Alpha Leonis)
Protectorate of Cthonia (Alpha Leonis)
Third Reformed French Confederate Republic (Aldebaran)
Turin Consolidation (Alpha Leonis)
SOLSEC interferes with Spanish and French governments leaving several states alone (and to hard-rights disgust) to develop better relations with Aliens. Cthonia churns out military geniuses by the gross and is sharing their secret with their fellow states. Kukulcan is just an aggressive tradewar not an anti-SC war.
The SC has been preparing for war for a century, they've studied the last wars failure of 'scattered forces trying to defend everywhere that ends up defending nothing' and OE fell this time instead of Rim Wars fanatical resistance that depleted Sols fleet strength. The Cthonian's are likely to inflict so many defeats on the 3I the cost of war is prohibitive. By negotiating: the Vegan's stay Imperial, some taken and untaken worlds get plebiscites to choose sides and SC gets formal recognition and full trade/diplomatic recognition freeing them to tend to matters Rimward. Gets restive elements out of Imperium, forges new ties among human MR's, frees forces for other operations and shrinks with honor the overly bloated 3I. Chissano civil war may or may not breakout, SOLSEC may or may not loose strength.