Verge Nations Post-Uncomprising Honor

What does everyone think happened in the Verge nations formerly subjugated by local regimes and the Office of Frontier Security once the League was defeated by Manticore?

I would like to think the people in Loomis at least got revenge on their local regime.

There might be as many as a couple of thousand Verge systems, each of which will have their own, different, story. I would imagine every outcome that a person could think of would happen in one or the other of those systems.

You might want to imagine that. But in general, the local dictator is probably nicer than the next guy who shows up to take ownership now that there are thousands of undefended systems out there for the taking.

kzt wrote:You might want to imagine that. But in general, the local dictator is probably nicer than the next guy who shows up to take ownership now that there are thousands of undefended systems out there for the taking.

We do have to wonder how many such dictators will be able to survive without Frontier Security providing the military support to keep them in place. No intervention battalions to suppress rebels, no Frontier Fleet to threaten kinetic strikes for those rebels the intervention battalions can't handle. And very likely neighbors willing to help remove such undesirable governments in the interests of local stability.

But after Maya and Madras sectors pave the way for regional units of similar development level, you may see that happening elsewhere too. Each individual system is unlikely to have enough clout to defend itself and negotiate trade deals, but a grouping of them might. That's what the Rembrandt Trade Union did prior to the discovery of the Lynx terminus.

Of course, that opens up for the possibility that one of those systems will dominate the others. That's why they have to be of comparable development levels. We don't know whether the Madras and Talbott sectors were typical or not.

If you are depending on SLN naval units for KE strikes that means you have NOTHING in space with a popgun. So the first guy who shows up with an 80 y/o DD can do whatever they want. And take whatever they want.

kzt wrote:If you are depending on SLN naval units for KE strikes that means you have NOTHING in space with a popgun. So the first guy who shows up with an 80 y/o DD can do whatever they want. And take whatever they want.

That's basically what we see in the systems which have been described. Most aren't going to have more than a few massively outdated LACs for customs and law enforcement. Give it 20 years or a few horrible examples and that will change. Even then it wouldn't stop your system from being another Marsh if someone shows up with something heavier.

That's why I mentioned helpful neighbors. No one wants to live next to a Warneke any more than they want one in their own system. The possibility of a neighboring system being able to call in a battlecruiser squadron from one of the major powers would keep such events to hit and run tactics rather than long term occupations. Because the GA, the Andermani, the Erewhonese, the Mayans, etc. have commercial interest in stepping on any Warneke-wannabes that might show up.

kzt wrote:If you are depending on SLN naval units for KE strikes that means you have NOTHING in space with a popgun. So the first guy who shows up with an 80 y/o DD can do whatever they want. And take whatever they want.

A lot of Verge systems are going to be ruled by former SLN Captains or Admirals who moved in to "conquer" them. Think Gustov Anderman. I am of course thinking of some of the short stories in Jery Pournelles's THERE WILL BE WAR series. I can't recall titles or the author, but the "tyrant" not only had a tank, he was the only man around who was still fertile.

I found it!

https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/ ... 7727417/bd

Naturally, I was inspired by the Master of the First.

TFLYTSNBN wrote:

A lot of Verge systems are going to be ruled by former SLN Captains or Admirals who moved in to "conquer" them. Think Gustov Anderman. I am of course thinking of some of the short stories in Jery Pournelles's THERE WILL BE WAR series. I can't recall titles or the author, but the "tyrant" not only had a tank, he was the only man around who was still fertile.

I found it!

https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/ ... 7727417/bd

Naturally, I was inspired by the Master of the First.

Don't forget the RMN, through Honor, announced a policy that they'll treat SLN ships operating outside League space as pirates. Be pretty rough on those former SLN Captains or Admirals if an RMN unit wanders by and applies that policy to them and their ships.

(Though admittedly the Verge is just too large for the RMN or even the entire GA to closely police - so odds are against a GA force randomly stopping by. (But if someone manages to get word out...)

Former SLN ships full of former SLN officers and crew who show in in the Verge or elcewhere to either raid shipping or take over systems are going to be in for a rude shock eventually.

Just how difficult is it for someone to get word of such operations to a representitive of SEM, Haven, Erwhon, or the Alderman- depending on where it is occurring ? None of these Star Nations will put up with piracy where either their merchant shipping or Naval vessels are.
Somebody take over a planet from the outside and word is going to go out with any merchant shipping that can reach someone who will do something about it.

Not immediately perhaps but I can see the GA and other interested parties going to take a look. From the same perspective, I can imagine Kingsford making a point of trying to both get back into the shrinking/shifting SLN areas and wanting to pass the word to the GA of any ships/officers who have gone AWOL and are causing problems.
Why? Because one of the last things he needs is the GA blaming the SLN for the people who have gone rogue and set off to be pirates or local warlords.
Remember that for all that is left of Battle Fleet, it is still Frontier Fleet that has the people with the best experience and most usefull ships. Anybody that takes off with SLN ships is going to cause the SLN and the League a lot of trouble, particularly if the GA takes the position that SLN can't control it's people.
That is without even getting into the discussion of SLN and what is going to shape out of the SL 2. getting rid of both Alighment agents, general incompetents (political, military, etc) and "dealing" with the OFS managers and operatives who have been abusing the OFS.
So, particulraly if Kingsford knows he has had people take off as independent contractors in the warlord or pirate business he is going to want to get the GA involved as soon as possible to deal with them--particularly since the SLN isn't going to allowed to go chasing them out of it's narrower boundaries