When Merlin leads the Charge into Zion....

Another year or so has past since the events of HFQ and a 1/2 dozen KH IIVs arrive off the coast of the city of Zion. Troop ships hit the shores under those unequaled ship's guns, disgorging a Charis/Siddarmark army into the Heart of the Church.

First off the Boat is one of the many guises of Merlin. Which one do you think it will be?

Theemile wrote:Another year or so has past since the events of HFQ and a 1/2 dozen KH IIVs arrive off the coast of the city of Zion. Troop ships hit the shores under those unequaled ship's guns, disgorging a Charis/Siddarmark army into the Heart of the Church.

First off the Boat is one of the many guises of Merlin. Which one do you think it will be?

It will be Merlin. Any other guise is unthinkable...

Don

n7axw wrote:It will be Merlin. Any other guise is unthinkable...

Don

I disagree. It will be any guise except Merlin -- if he or Nimue are allowed anywhere near that landing. The only way Merlin would be there would be if Caleb lost his mind and forced his way into direct command of the invasion; if he did do that Merlin and every senior adviser would be physically sitting on Caleb in the deepest part of the last KH VII when the first wave went ashore.

Weird Harold wrote:

n7axw wrote:It will be Merlin. Any other guise is unthinkable...

Don

I disagree. It will be any guise except Merlin -- if he or Nimue are allowed anywhere near that landing. The only way Merlin would be there would be if Caleb lost his mind and forced his way into direct command of the invasion; if he did do that Merlin and every senior adviser would be physically sitting on Caleb in the deepest part of the last KH VII when the first wave went ashore.

Won't stop a Rakurai strike from killing Cayleb.

PeterZ wrote:Won't stop a Rakurai strike from killing Cayleb.

Pretty much anywhere on the planet is vulnerable to the OBS.

If you are applying that term to the CoGA's Katusha-analogue, I'm pretty sure Caleb would rant and rave about being kept out of range but it would be from the bottom of that pile of protectors.

Weird Harold wrote:

PeterZ wrote:Won't stop a Rakurai strike from killing Cayleb.

Pretty much anywhere on the planet is vulnerable to the OBS.

If you are applying that term to the CoGA's Katusha-analogue, I'm pretty sure Caleb would rant and rave about being kept out of range but it would be from the bottom of that pile of protectors.

No, the OBS. There is a broadly adopted assumption that only technology will trigger the OBS. I suspect that other things will trigger that system. An Army or fleet invading Zion might well exceed the threshold for firing a Rakurai blast at said army.

PeterZ wrote:No, the OBS. There is a broadly adopted assumption that only technology will trigger the OBS. I suspect that other things will trigger that system. An Army or fleet invading Zion might well exceed the threshold for firing a Rakurai blast at said army.

I think that those sorts of scenarios are outside of the autonomous operation of the OBS. There would be too much chance of obliterating a victorious amphibious force coming home to a victory celebration. How is the OBS going to distinguish a Victory Salute and the opening barrage of an assault?

It is certainly within the command targeting of the system, and we know that it is capable of precision strikes in that mode. Of course, that kind of Rakurai strike would tend to destroy Zion as well as the invaders, and might even scratch the Temple.

Weird Harold wrote:

PeterZ wrote:No, the OBS. There is a broadly adopted assumption that only technology will trigger the OBS. I suspect that other things will trigger that system. An Army or fleet invading Zion might well exceed the threshold for firing a Rakurai blast at said army.

I think that those sorts of scenarios are outside of the autonomous operation of the OBS. There would be too much chance of obliterating a victorious amphibious force coming home to a victory celebration. How is the OBS going to distinguish a Victory Salute and the opening barrage of an assault?

It is certainly within the command targeting of the system, and we know that it is capable of precision strikes in that mode. Of course, that kind of Rakurai strike would tend to destroy Zion as well as the invaders, and might even scratch the Temple.

An AI might be able to target better or at least target where the invading army somewhere it will not cause as much collateral damage. Heck, it might cause the Sleepers to awaken. Clyntahn might well know that and is willing to take push things until the Sleepers DO awaken.

PeterZ wrote:

Weird Harold wrote:Pretty much anywhere on the planet is vulnerable to the OBS.

If you are applying that term to the CoGA's Katusha-analogue, I'm pretty sure Caleb would rant and rave about being kept out of range but it would be from the bottom of that pile of protectors.

No, the OBS. There is a broadly adopted assumption that only technology will trigger the OBS. I suspect that other things will trigger that system. An Army or fleet invading Zion might well exceed the threshold for firing a Rakurai blast at said army.

I think we're all getting caught up on the OBS a bit too much. If there's one thing that would derail the storyline, it's a new round of Rakurai strikes on Safehold. It'd be such strong "evidence" in support of Langhorne's religion that nothing the Inner Circle could do would be able to overcome it. Merlin, Charis, and everything they've accomplished would be so tainted by the experience that his entire plan would be destroyed. It'd be absolute, undeniable proof that Charis was in league with Shan-wei. And once that's happened, I can't see how Weber could manage to write his way out of it.

Yes, a Rskurai strike would be absolute proof Charis is against the archangels. So why risk a strike unless either there is no other choice or until more information is collected?

No reason I can think of.