I think Maticore is more like a mix of the Dutch and English of the late 16th though the mid 18th century. The Dutch had a massive Merchant Marine, Dutch East India Company, but never a military that they could project. England had less trading, until later in the 17th century, but more military projection capablity. Spain might even work before the destruction of the armada at the hand of the British.
I also don't think Maticore is a "banking" power. Commercial? Of course, but I dont think they have much banking by outside nationals.
n7axw wrote:The irony of it is that the current trajectory was launched under High Ridge, New Kiev, and Janacek, for whom the whole notion of any expansion was anathama. From their point of view, Murphy must have a nasty sense of humor!
Don
I'm sorry. I don't follow. How do you get this? I follow that they beefed up the merchant marine for trading, but they never dreamed of the possiblity that they might be taking down the league one day.
n7axw wrote:Also, I got a bit of a chuckle out of the initial response to the question as to whether or not the GA should try to take the League's place. The answer was an emphatic no. And yet... is it not true that in offering systems trade agreements, wormhole access and mutual defense treaties that is at least in part what the GA is doing... without the League structure, of course, but still trying to fill the hole that the League's collapse leaves in its wake.
Don
If I may draw a modern day paraelle (and please, lets not argue modren events and stay on topic): When the US went into Iraq the second time, it's mission was to remove the ruler (regardless of the reasons why, oil or harboring terroist or whatever). The day after he was removed should have been the first day of withdraw. Our mission was accomplished. However, now we locked ourselves in a police role in Iraq, trying to mediate between the current factions. Similer things are happening in Afganistan after the removal of the Taliban and a new civilian government being set up.
I feel it is only inevitable that something like this will happen in the SL. Manticore will remove the current corrupt government and will be stuck holding back the bullies from pushiing the little systems around. What will exist, in my opinion, is Manticore stepping in like a school marm keeping the little ones from squabbling, much like the OFS states it does. With so many little independant systems now looking for support/solvency I think it is likely war is inevitablte... and Maticore will be acting like the SL, even if not in name.
n7axw wrote:What I am hoping for here is some fresh thinking. We all agree that there is indeed an increased risk of war, but applied universally, could it be that this is over simplified? For example, those systems in the Verge who were under the thumb of OFS and the trans stellars could wind up better off because they now can marshal their resourses for the betterment of their people rather than being bled dry by outsiders.
Don
WeirdHarold touched on this and I wanted to add my 2 cents also:
The OFS controled systems and those owned by the trans-stellers would actually make out the same, if not worse. OFS: Without the support from a central government, they may turn dictator and squeeze harder, since none of the regulations, which were mostly winked at anyway, no longer apply.
Trans-stellers: The OFS note double here. They go from businesses to private fiefdoms, even thought they were already run that way anyway.
I feel that no people, other than those in the systems with termini, memebers of the Alignment or of the Maya sector, will benefit from the end of the SL. It will be a spread of chaos more then peace.
If it wasn't for Mesa pushing the confrontations between the Empire and the League I thing the galaxy would be better off with the SL intact.
Better the devil you know...
