So. I know it's a bit too early, and I apologize if it's already been discussed, but catching up on the thread has produced an idea.
The idea was inspired by this post (sorry for necro'ing, NinjaMaster):
What I'm thinking about is how Hover-tech would change Intermodal Shipping.
As someone who occasionally sees the parts of wind turbines being transported on their absolutely insane transportation vehicles, and passes several areas where trains haul military vehicles around, and keeps seeing those house segments and other oversized loads, I can't help but wonder what the transportation industry would do with what's basically a cargo helicopter with almost none of the downsides, and what new downsides it would come with.
Do you honestly think any heavy industry would pass up the chance to have the transportation costs of moving around oversized equipment drop to practically nothing? Even if the Hover-Haulers cost tens of millions of dollars, it would still pay for itself in one trip, if the regulations are sorted out, like Vanessa just did. (It concerns trade between states, so it's firmly under Congress's control, no matter how much they complain.) Seriously, they can spend that much and can take years to plan out moving oversized equipment down roads, under powerlines, moving powerlines, under bridges, moving bridges. And that's not even scratching the surface of how much it would change just this one aspect. There's all these other considerations in heavy industry that are all bottlenecked by how large the parts of certain machinery can be and still be assembled at the other end. Sometimes they make entirely new, single use, manufacturing facilities for parts they use at facilities all over the world, just because the final piece can't be welded together from components small enough to transport, even though the infrastructure for air-dropping tanks exists. So many things just out of reach have became possible in so many industries.
Seriously, while the rest of the update is mostly amazing, Daddy's Little Girl just changed the world.
You know that quote where amateurs study tactics and professionals study logistics? Over the years, we have assembled a bunch of options that concern logistics - ACME, Flubber anti-grav and mass-producing diecast robots - and putting them all together in a single package would make us completely unbeatable when it comes to infrastructure. We can transport goods anywhere and anytime regardless of distance, volume, scale, weight,
anything, and no other King can compete with us on this. The only one who'd even come close is Shere Khan, and he deals with international shipping - planes, ships etc., which means we would be providing a service that anyone worth their salt would have to use, and no one would be able to do it as bullshit good as DEI.
A potential plan for this would involve the options below - they should still be available after restructuring, and if nothing explodes we should be able to do them in a single turn.
[ ] Establish corporate ties with Khan Industries
Shere Khan's bread and butter is international shipping. This action is not necessary, strictly speaking, but our technology would be of immense value to him, and not cooperating would make him an enemy purely because DEI would be cutting directly into his profits. Perhaps we could even trade for the secrets of fusion power down the line...
[ ] Comedize Your Supply Chain
ACME can deliver
anything in an instant, so long as it's funny. Arranging for the delivery to be hilarious without the goods getting damaged is infinitely easier than the usual logistical concerns, and once we can do it reliably, companies will be tripping over themselves (likely literally) to use ACME services.
[ ] Study Diecast Robotics
The option says it will improve our supply chains, and it's not hard to see why - these little buckets are sturdy, versatile, easily manufactured in bulk and, most importantly,
cute. We can use them in urban centers to deliver personal goods, mail, food, anything that does not require the industrial scale, and people will love the buggers. Obliterating the cancer that is gig economy will be a pleasant bonus.
[ ] Research Flubber Antigravity
The quoted post outlines just how revolutionary Flubber can be to logistics - we can completely bypass the physical concerns that usually plague shipping and delivery, and unlike ACME, there will be no shenanigans involved. Contracting for the US Government alone will have us swimming in cash
Scrooge Glomgold-style.
Logistics are vital to everything, especially where megacorps are concerned. Going through with this, DEI will have an unsurmountable advantage over everybody else in the setting - we are the only ones employing Toons on the wide scale, we are the only ones researching Flubber and there are no immediate counters to either of these things. Other Kings will be coming to
us, putting offers on the table just to get our services for themselves. And when Doom or Toffee decide to make a move against us, siding with them over DEI will not just be dangerous and unreasonable.
It will be
unprofitable.