Topic Actions

Topic Search

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

Elite Forces?

This fascinating series is a combination of historical seafaring, swashbuckling adventure, and high technological science-fiction. Join us in a discussion!
Elite Forces?
Post by Hiruu   » Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:26 pm

Hiruu
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:17 am

Don’t know if the topic has been discussed before, but I’m not wondering why Merlin hasn’t instituted an elite force. I’m not just talking about Special Forces, but the beginning of a force design to confront what awakes in 30 years. With NEAT Tech implants, you’d be limited, but with some eugenics, conditioning, and training, you could establish he very elite force. Call them an imperial guard, to protect VIPs and the like…outfitted with mesh-weave uniforms, and higher crafted era weapons. You would need to initiate all of them, on a limited basis, but that’s what Nimue’s Cave could be. There are several ways to go about it…as for one, you could use orphans, since they lack any familiar attachments, i.e. nobody looking for them. You could also have a heavy screening process and recruit young people of military entry age. Personally, I think using Children offers a better prospect, as they are much more malleable. Start small…maybe with less than 30-40 recruits, and slowly grow to something in the 300-400 range. They could be both Secret Agents AND Elite Special forces. A cell like this could penetrate deep into Temple lands, for example. Merlin’s been on Safehold for at least 7 years…had he stated something like this 3-4 years ago, you could have had your first operatives active at this point.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Expert snuggler   » Fri Sep 04, 2015 5:36 pm

Expert snuggler
Captain of the List

Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:15 am

If he does, the cover story for it is already in place.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Duckk   » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:53 pm

Duckk
Site Admin

Posts: 4200
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:29 pm

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3545
-------------------------
Shields at 50%, taunting at 100%! - Tom Pope
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by SWM   » Fri Sep 04, 2015 10:22 pm

SWM
Fleet Admiral

Posts: 5928
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 4:00 pm
Location: U.S. east coast

Or see: "When is Merlin going to introduce the concept of Special Forces to Charis? (Asked Thu Nov 01, 2012)", in the FAQ at the top of this page.
--------------------------------------------
Librarian: The Original Search Engine
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Hiruu   » Sat Sep 05, 2015 12:54 am

Hiruu
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:17 am

Thanks for the link guys...knew there must have been a discussion.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Expert snuggler   » Sat Sep 05, 2015 8:28 pm

Expert snuggler
Captain of the List

Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:15 am

Walking into zones of murky ethics leads to interesting places.

Foster orphans in a seijin monastery, install NEATs in infancy, and program them so they can't tell anyone about riding in the assault shuttle.

That would be creepy.

It would create a capability to insert a significant force of augmented fighters anywhere outside the Temple itself in a matter of hours.

This would "prove" to the opposition that the underground seijin network was on every continent and able to field hundreds of seijins. They wouldn't even need TF weapons to be devastating. They'd have body armor and complete surprise.

Then, as Hiruu pointed out, they'd be kickass bodyguards. There's not enough of Merlin and Nimue to go around. There have been too many close calls. Imagine enough augmented personnel to provide 24/7 protection for the entire Inner Circle.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by n7axw   » Sat Sep 05, 2015 9:18 pm

n7axw
Fleet Admiral

Posts: 5997
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:54 pm
Location: Viborg, SD

Expert snuggler wrote:Walking into zones of murky ethics leads to interesting places.

Foster orphans in a seijin monastery, install NEATs in infancy, and program them so they can't tell anyone about riding in the assault shuttle.

That would be creepy.

It would create a capability to insert a significant force of augmented fighters anywhere outside the Temple itself in a matter of hours.

This would "prove" to the opposition that the underground seijin network was on every continent and able to field hundreds of seijins. They wouldn't even need TF weapons to be devastating. They'd have body armor and complete surprise.

Then, as Hiruu pointed out, they'd be kickass bodyguards. There's not enough of Merlin and Nimue to go around. There have been too many close calls. Imagine enough augmented personnel to provide 24/7 protection for the entire Inner Circle.


Murky ethics and creepy are good ways to describe this.

Merlin, Nimue and others cannot claim to be standing in the light and representing the light if they do the works of the dark.

The true strength of what Merlin, Nimue and those working with them is moral strength, the claim that they are walking in the light and seeking to live that out as faithfully as possible.

Given that, they cannot afford creepy and murky ethics.

Don
When any group seeks political power in God's name, both religion and politics are instantly corrupted.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Expert snuggler   » Sat Sep 05, 2015 11:42 pm

Expert snuggler
Captain of the List

Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:15 am

Even if Merlin sells his soul to do something like that, there would be a large practical problem.

What would he do with the commandos at the end of the war?
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by Keith_w   » Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:31 am

Keith_w
Commodore

Posts: 976
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:10 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Expert snuggler wrote:Even if Merlin sells his soul to do something like that, there would be a large practical problem.

What would he do with the commandos at the end of the war?


My uncle (Sargent, 3 Troop, British Army Special Service AKA Commandos, participated in the Norway, Crete, and North Africa operations) post WWII left the British army for the 2nd time, got a job, got married and had kids. Probably Charisian commandos will do similar things.
--
A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
Top
Re: Elite Forces?
Post by JeffEngel   » Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:44 am

JeffEngel
Admiral

Posts: 2074
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:06 pm

Keith_w wrote:
Expert snuggler wrote:Even if Merlin sells his soul to do something like that, there would be a large practical problem.

What would he do with the commandos at the end of the war?


My uncle (Sargent, 3 Troop, British Army Special Service AKA Commandos, participated in the Norway, Crete, and North Africa operations) post WWII left the British army for the 2nd time, got a job, got married and had kids. Probably Charisian commandos will do similar things.

The kind of conditioning, isolation, and indoctrination suggested in the original post doesn't leave these commandos with the background your uncle had for returning to civilian and family life. It reads much, much more like taking shocked, orphaned kids and making them living weapons rather than taking a young man and making him a soldier.
Top

Return to Safehold