Honorverse ramblings and musings

Vince wrote:

ldwechsler wrote:The stupidity of those in command everywhere always remains a major battle element. Just about every nation in World War II had at least some morons making key decisions that cost a lot of lives.

World War Two had its share of morons making decisions (both key and minor) that cost a lot of lives in all the nations that participated in it.

But for the sheer magnitude (both in importance and in total number) of idiotic decisions made by morons (on all sides), World War One outstrips World War Two by astronomical lengths, starting with the anarchists, continuing through the politicians, and on down to at least the general officers.

The Great War

One useful addition to your point. A major reason mistakes were made so often in World War I was that the European nations had fought very few major battles in a century.

There had been colonial wars and, yes, the Crimean campaign but none of top leaders had ever really led troops in a major war.

The Solarians are in the same situation.

ldwechsler wrote:One useful addition to your point. A major reason mistakes were made so often in World War I was that the European nations had fought very few major battles in a century.

There had been colonial wars and, yes, the Crimean campaign but none of top leaders had ever really led troops in a major war.

The Solarians are in the same situation.

The leaders of the warring armies had been observers (or participants) in the Russo-Japanese war and they managed to learn NOTHING from watching what happens when elan and courage runs into machineguns, barbed wire and trenches.

ldwechsler wrote:One useful addition to your point. A major reason mistakes were made so often in World War I was that the European nations had fought very few major battles in a century.

There had been colonial wars and, yes, the Crimean campaign but none of top leaders had ever really led troops in a major war.

The Solarians are in the same situation.

And while there was the 1870 Franco Prussian war 44 years earlier, due partly to the technology, you weren’t likely to draw correct assumptions about how WWI would be fought. (Though there were plenty of incidents of crappy communication and poor leadership among the French - retreating when they should have held of counteracted)

THE EMASCULATOR
Never underestimate the power of a woman


One has to wonder whether the Alignment will ever realize the true power of sex slaves. The perfect spy, infiltrator or sleeper to become a plant in governments throughout the galaxy. An Alpha based sex slave. That would be a most powerful woman who could quickly move to the top of any food chain.

A blonde-based Alpha sex slave would have more fun at the expense of the enemy.

"Alpha level brains, blonde, drop dead gorgeous, a master of the Kama Sutra and exuding sexuality with a sex drive more powerful than a Shelby Cobra is a secret concoction that can bring a world to its knees. Pinky."

Complete her with a pair of the most powerful weapons known to man, and call her 00-44-DD.

A genengineered Helen of Troy bred to topple governments.


Designation: ABSS-DD
Blondes built to really have some fun.

saber964 wrote:

cthia wrote:In the last King Kong movie, it was demonstrated that killing Kong was a bad idea, because he was at the top of the food chain on the island, and without him, some real nasty creatures surfaced that were much worse than Kong. Without their natural predator the 800# gorilla to keep them in check, will the criminal element let loose?

Pretty much what the MAlign is counting on.

The SL was pretty much the criminal element let loose.

That would be the Mandarins. Criminal activity will get much worse with RF instigation. To the civilized sector, post League, reality may become rabid without the League as a police -- corrupt or no.

Isn't manifesting disorderly conduct the MA's plan, so the RF can altruistically and timely make it orderly again?

cthia wrote:
That would be the Mandarins. Criminal activity will get much worse with RF instigation. To the civilized sector, post League, reality may become rabid without the League as a police -- corrupt or no.

Isn't manifesting disorderly conduct the MA's plan, so the RF can altruistically and timely make it orderly again?

It's going to be interesting what the RF does relative to the Alignments Eridani violations. Will they continue lockstep with the Alignments goals or will they decide that discretion is the better part of valor and choose to develop as a regular star nation leaving Darius and the Alignment isolated...


Don

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n7axw wrote:

cthia wrote:
That would be the Mandarins. Criminal activity will get much worse with RF instigation. To the civilized sector, post League, reality may become rabid without the League as a police -- corrupt or no.

Isn't manifesting disorderly conduct the MA's plan, so the RF can altruistically and timely make it orderly again?

It's going to be interesting what the RF does relative to the Alignments Eridani violations. Will they continue lockstep with the Alignments goals or will they decide that discretion is the better part of valor and choose to develop as a regular star nation leaving Darius and the Alignment isolated...


Don

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It makes far more sense in the short-run for the RF to show discretion. They don't really want to be noticed. And it would be better for them to infiltrate than conquer.

They went over half a millennium with a plan that went nowhere. Why rush into a new plan that could lead to even worse disaster?

n7axw wrote:

cthia wrote:
That would be the Mandarins. Criminal activity will get much worse with RF instigation. To the civilized sector, post League, reality may become rabid without the League as a police -- corrupt or no.

Isn't manifesting disorderly conduct the MA's plan, so the RF can altruistically and timely make it orderly again?

It's going to be interesting what the RF does relative to the Alignments Eridani violations. Will they continue lockstep with the Alignments goals or will they decide that discretion is the better part of valor and choose to develop as a regular star nation leaving Darius and the Alignment isolated...


Don

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I was under the impression that the original plan was to feign ignorance of the MA, that the RF will certainly maintain separation. To show that they are one and the same would invite reprisals for the seeds of past deeds of murder and mayhem.

ldwechsler wrote:
It makes far more sense in the short-run for the RF to show discretion. They don't really want to be noticed. And it would be better for them to infiltrate than conquer.

They went over half a millennium with a plan that went nowhere. Why rush into a new plan that could lead to even worse disaster?

But did it go nowhere? The Solarian League was everyone knew it is... gone. Hypatia and Beowuld, and several other core members (and allied worlds) are gone and not going back. The book ends on the calling for the convention for a new constitution.

Add the RF. we were assuming that they would be the calm ports in the storm as the SL shattered. What if, instead, they are the rock on which it breaks? They, and their allies, can form a vocal bloc in the constitutional proceedings, one perhaps that keeps the new constitution from ever coalescing. One that sows discord and breaks concession and compromise?

What would you get? A prolonged multi year process where each world slowly feels more isolated and naked with every day that passes. If the pot is stirred enough, worlds (especialy the shell) will continue to shed into the black. Eventualy a constitution would be signed, but the resulting SL would be much smaller, and probably without the RF and Allies.