The logistics of SLN commerce raiding

So you want to keep ships out of the system. You tell a ship to turn off it's wedge. It does so. With no way to stop or change direction it has to enter the system. How does this meet your goal? What about neutral ships? What about ships that need to make port before somebody, or everybody dies. Remember, you do not have boarding capabilities. And do remember stopping the ship in SoS, which was not generating a wedge, still killed a significant number of crew. Also, if stopping a ship by pinpoint, precision shooting of a node were practical, they would have done it then, rather than killing all of those innocent people.

Nyssa wrote:Remember, you do not have boarding capabilities.

How do you figure a LAC doesn't have any boarding capabilities? They are used as Customs Cutters according to Textev and don't need to board a target when they can call in assistance from their CLAC or other warship in the blockade task force.

As for "killing innocents" ...

If a ship doesn't "heave to" or turn back, they aren't innocents. Stupid maybe, but not innocent. Whether a blockade ship fires on a blockade runner depends entirely on the blockade runner defying orders to strike the wedge or turn back.

Weird Harold wrote:

Nyssa wrote:Remember, you do not have boarding capabilities.

How do you figure a LAC doesn't have any boarding capabilities? They are used as Customs Cutters according to Textev and don't need to board a target when they can call in assistance from their CLAC or other warship in the blockade task force.

As for "killing innocents" ...

If a ship doesn't "heave to" or turn back, they aren't innocents. Stupid maybe, but not innocent. Whether a blockade ship fires on a blockade runner depends entirely on the blockade runner defying orders to strike the wedge or turn back.

They no longer have their own small craft bay. However, they can still just connect skin to skin with a target,

Nyssa wrote:So you want to keep ships out of the system. You tell a ship to turn off it's wedge. It does so. With no way to stop or change direction it has to enter the system. How does this meet your goal? What about neutral ships? What about ships that need to make port before somebody, or everybody dies. Remember, you do not have boarding capabilities. And do remember stopping the ship in SoS, which was not generating a wedge, still killed a significant number of crew. Also, if stopping a ship by pinpoint, precision shooting of a node were practical, they would have done it then, rather than killing all of those innocent people.

The interesting thing is whether the Sollie fleet has the right to blockade one of their own planets. If they don't, they are bordering on piracy. If the planet has seceded, it could be argued they are able to do it, but in most cases, a blockade is considered an act of war.

If a planet does not have the right to secede, it could be argued, that the League does not have the right to blockade it.

Weird Harold wrote:

Nyssa wrote:Remember, you do not have boarding capabilities.

How do you figure a LAC doesn't have any boarding capabilities? They are used as Customs Cutters according to Textev and don't need to board a target when they can call in assistance from their CLAC or other warship in the blockade task force.

As for "killing innocents" ...

If a ship doesn't "heave to" or turn back, they aren't innocents. Stupid maybe, but not innocent. Whether a blockade ship fires on a blockade runner depends entirely on the blockade runner defying orders to strike the wedge or turn back.

Most customs patrol LACs are not going to be Shrikes or Katanas. They're "old style" LACs, which means that (unlike the newer, warfighting LACs), they do have some boarding capability but no more than a team of, say, 10-15 spacers.

runsforcelery wrote:Most customs patrol LACs are not going to be Shrikes or Katanas. They're "old style" LACs, which means that (unlike the newer, warfighting LACs), they do have some boarding capability but no more than a team of, say, 10-15 spacers.

I note you don't exclude Cimeterre's from customs patrol duty.



As I've said before, The GA could effectively blockade Sol (or any other planet) -- not that they would or should.

ldwechsler wrote:Another thought. The GA could do the equivalent to the Sollies, particularly with better tech. Why not wait outside the headquarters planets for Sollie raiders to bring in ships and then take the ships and the Sollie cruisers are well.

I don't know where you pulled this one from, because I surely would never have thought of it. But it's brilliant, if the RMN could pull it off. Can you imagine the blow to League morale if the RMN began a campaign to relieve the SLN of captured prizes? Not to mention that it is funny as hell! Poor saps on board who have already spent (lost) the prize money, gambling on the way back. Can't stop laughing.

"STOP! Thank you for taking our ships on a scenic tour. But we're going to have to insist that you give them back. Though we'd rather hope you make us take them."

The SLN prize crew would be none other than captured pirates caught in the act with the evidence and caught in their own space, implicating said planet of conspiracy to support piracy.

Forcing the SLN prize crew to abandon ship in their own system is just embarrassing. Then addressing the system to "Come and collect your trash" hath balls to taunt the obese bear.

Thanks for the imagery ldwechsler.

Question about Lacoon II. The RMN seized and closed all important junctions to League traffic, and pulled their freighters out of League bottoms.

I'm wondering, if an appendage secedes from the League, should, would the SEM open the junctions to these seceding members to go ahead and get their economies jumpstarted, allowing them thru Checkpoint Charlie? This would truly irk the League if they found out. And it would surely spur others on to secede where the greener pastures of open trading routes lay. Especially after seeing their imports and exports dry up and their coffers depleted. Is this logistically possible?

Well, other then that terrible pirate problem that seems to exist with your freighters.

cthia wrote:Question about Lacoon II. The RMN seized and closed all important junctions to League traffic, and pulled their freighters out of League bottoms.

I'm wondering, if an appendage secedes from the League, should, would the SEM open the junctions to these seceding members ...

That would be just one of a bunch of carrots used to encourage secession. Once a League member secedes, the ban against SL ships and cargo no longer applies. The SEM/GA would have to impose a specific ban against the secessionists to ban their transport as well as the League's. I can't see them doing that except in extreme cases as it would be counter-productive in encouraging secession.