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| Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by BarryKirk
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:52 pm
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BarryKirk
Posts: 403
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I'm assuming the OBS only covers the planet Safehold and not the whole solar system.
Could Merlin build a base on a planet or asteroid in system? Could such a base be used to bootstrap advanced tech manufacturing and mining operations outside of the constraints of the OBS. The purpose of said base would be to develop and manufacture ships and/or weapons systems that are capable of taking out the OBS. Just asking? |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by lyonheart
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:14 pm
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lyonheart
Posts: 4853
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Hi BarryKirk,
Congratulations on thinking outside the box! This seems a variation on having the last ship being used for tech research during its thousand year return orbit, that RFC responded to someplace, but it poses several interesting questions regarding what sensors and subprogram responses the OBS has for watching the rest of the system. Are there distant moons or asteroids etc that could be used, given that the research would have to be shielded (probably underground) from the Gbabba as well? OWL could probably copy his hard and soft ware etc to independently manage the site, but launching without threatening the Rakurai becomes the pertinent problem. Would the Rakurai recognise the launch or delivery vehicle as a threat? I believe RFC has stated any launch from Safehold would be considered a threat to the OBS and be dealt with, but could the needed payload (computers, nanites, SNARC's, industrial unit, etc) be orbited then sent without triggering the defensive response? These and other questions await further snippets and data dumps from RFC. Yay!  L
Any snippet or post from RFC is good if not great!
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by BarryKirk
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:13 pm
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BarryKirk
Posts: 403
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Well the skimmers are pretty stealthy and could probably move some material to get things started.
Could the assault shuttle be used to move a lot of stuff at once? How much mass do you need to get the process started? Again just asking |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by n7axw
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:25 pm
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n7axw
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Could you get yourself up from the planet from over the horizon from OBS? Don When any group seeks political power in God's name, both religion and politics are instantly corrupted.
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by kbus888
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:01 pm
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kbus888
Posts: 1980
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=2014/04/03=
Hi Guys. It occurs to me that the OBS reacted to Owl's probe of the system while investigating it for Merlin. ?? Is it a clue that RFC has never given any text evidence of attempts to sent vehicles THROUGH the OBS system without alerting the system by trying to probe it for information ??. To state my question in another way, ?? would the OBS object/react to stealthed (apparently inert) items passing between two of the OBS platforms or would the OBS simply assume the items to be rocks and therefore ignore these items ?? ??? Comments ??? R . ..//* *\\
(/(..^..)\) .._/'*'\_ .(,,,)^(,,,) Love is a condition in which the happiness of another is essential to your own. - R Heinlein |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by Alistair
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:12 pm
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Alistair
Posts: 1281
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Wow An interesting idea!
probably can't be looked at until the current war is over I suspect if anything kills the project it would be the time and resources poured in to make it work. It would take a lot of thought resources and time and would you get something at the end that would be worth all of that effort? If I were going to build a base I think they should expand Niume's cave after all its already a base of sorts and is hidden pretty well. |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by DrakBibliophile
» Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:39 pm
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DrakBibliophile
Posts: 2311
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I don't think David Weber has commented one way or the other, but is there just *one* OBS currently orbiting Safehold.
IIRC he did say that the attack on the Alexandria Enclave was done by a single OBS but Langhorne's followers might have built several to cover all of Safehold. Having several OBS orbiting Safehold would make it more difficult to launch spaceships from Safehold.
*
Paul Howard (Alias Drak Bibliophile) * Sometimes The Dragon Wins! [Polite Dragon Smile] * |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by Randomiser
» Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:38 am
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Randomiser
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I don't think there is definitive textev, but the description of the OBS and its defences in OAR read pretty much like there was only one system, IIRC (It's been a while). More would be expensive given its builders would want to replicate the defences, and unnecessary in the longer term, given the planetary population's lack of knowledge about such things. (The defences are clearly insignificant against the Gbaba and, if anything, only increase the danger - more satellites means more chance of being spotted.) Indeed, the fact it's defended at all is probably a hangover from the war of the fallen, once that was finished there would be no need real for defences, but it would be easier to leave them in place than to decommission them. |
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by n7axw
» Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:56 pm
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n7axw
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To cover the planet, the OBS wouldn't need to surround Safehold. All that would be needed would be to place it in stationary orbit and the planet would pass underneath it.
Don When any group seeks political power in God's name, both religion and politics are instantly corrupted.
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| Re: Can Merlin build a base off planet? | |
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by AClone
» Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:11 pm
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AClone
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My thought would be the issue of getting a modern manufactory into space...and the only one Merlin has is in use right now, in his cave.
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