I think @Genolution 's analysis is potentially not being completely grasped by people here.
The reason why the IS hasn't reindustrialized is that they have generated a culture and environment in which the steps required to rebuild and prioritize rediscovery of knowledge... just aren't at all a part of the nobility's worldview. So long as they have that worldview that will prevent them from taking the steps necessary to seriously reindustrialize, they won't do it because they won't have the same internal imperatives that will drive them to the same conclusions as those of us looking in. The IS is led by a class whose existence and purpose depends on it, and so long as that class remains in power they will not be able to leverage their significant advantages in clay and manpower to replicate the industrial capabilities of the society we have created on a grand scale.
A society where the noble class is inherently privileged in every aspect of life is one in which the desire to work and learn is systematically crushed out of everyone else. If a noble and a non-noble have a disagreement, the noble will be right (because they can shoot the mek gud). If a noble and a non-noble have a copyright disagreement, the noble wins (they shoot mek real gud). If there's an opportunity to learn a skill like engineering or medicine, who gets to learn: the talented and driven commoner, or Junior Shoot Mek Extra Gud?
This extends further. Will a society run by nobles, to the sole benefit of themselves, learn how to prioritize things other than themselves? A big industrial economy has to have a very large class of people who have specialized skills with inherent value, like engineers or machinsts. Those people must be grown in a society that educates them from an early age and fully educates them well into their majority to provide technical skills for industry. Are nobles able to grasp the concept of putting the education of the commoners at a very high priority, and spending the huge sums required to organize society towards rearing and educating a class of people that will organize and demand both wealth and social recognition for their important skills, or will they see them as either a threat or unworthy of investment?
To simplify... IS society is run by the Haves. But to industrialize, the Haves need to turn over resources and power to the Have-Nots, when their entire guiding principles are entirely contrary. What do you think is going to win: the Haves remaining the Haves, or the Haves empowering the Have-Nots to become Have-Somes while the Haves become the Have-Somewhat-Mores? It is possible to break that paradigm, but due to the feudal nature of IS society the response is almost certainly noble-led civil war against the ruler who attempts to impose vast societal change. Or, like the Lyrans and FWL, the small nobility go off and drag everybody else into yet another knock-down drag-out war where all possible resources are devoted to blowing up mek gud.
ComStar might be a part of this, if only because they gently shape society by their existence. Withholding HPG services by restricting bandwith and message speed also causing fracturing within polities, as an example. But I think their importance is significantly overstated. More here than OTL because the WOBbies are sorting themselves out early.
I addressed this when I pointed out that even at the height of the Star League and during the Age of War, the Inner Sphere's social structure was the same herd of regressive neofeudal reactionaries.
The Inner Sphere had centuries before ComStar was even a twinkle in Jerome Blake's eyes to create a modern industrial society and failed.
I think @Genolution 's analysis is potentially not being completely grasped by people here.
The reason why the IS hasn't reindustrialized is that they have generated a culture and environment in which the steps required to rebuild and prioritize rediscovery of knowledge... just aren't at all a part of the nobility's worldview. So long as they have that worldview that will prevent them from taking the steps necessary to seriously reindustrialize, they won't do it because they won't have the same internal imperatives that will drive them to the same conclusions as those of us looking in. The IS is led by a class whose existence and purpose depends on it, and so long as that class remains in power they will not be able to leverage their significant advantages in clay and manpower to replicate the industrial capabilities of the society we have created on a grand scale.
A society where the noble class is inherently privileged in every aspect of life is one in which the desire to work and learn is systematically crushed out of everyone else. If a noble and a non-noble have a disagreement, the noble will be right (because they can shoot the mek gud). If a noble and a non-noble have a copyright disagreement, the noble wins (they shoot mek real gud). If there's an opportunity to learn a skill like engineering or medicine, who gets to learn: the talented and driven commoner, or Junior Shoot Mek Extra Gud?
This extends further. Will a society run by nobles, to the sole benefit of themselves, learn how to prioritize things other than themselves? A big industrial economy has to have a very large class of people who have specialized skills with inherent value, like engineers or machinsts. Those people must be grown in a society that educates them from an early age and fully educates them well into their majority to provide technical skills for industry. Are nobles able to grasp the concept of putting the education of the commoners at a very high priority, and spending the huge sums required to organize society towards rearing and educating a class of people that will organize and demand both wealth and social recognition for their important skills, or will they see them as either a threat or unworthy of investment?
To simplify... IS society is run by the Haves. But to industrialize, the Haves need to turn over resources and power to the Have-Nots, when their entire guiding principles are entirely contrary. What do you think is going to win: the Haves remaining the Haves, or the Haves empowering the Have-Nots to become Have-Somes while the Haves become the Have-Somewhat-Mores? It is possible to break that paradigm, but due to the feudal nature of IS society the response is almost certainly noble-led civil war against the ruler who attempts to impose vast societal change. Or, like the Lyrans and FWL, the small nobility go off and drag everybody else into yet another knock-down drag-out war where all possible resources are devoted to blowing up mek gud.
ComStar might be a part of this, if only because they gently shape society by their existence. Withholding HPG services by restricting bandwith and message speed also causing fracturing within polities, as an example. But I think their importance is significantly overstated. More here than OTL because the WOBbies are sorting themselves out early.
The problem with this analysis, however, is that it is complete nonsense. Many of the most powerful nobles in the Inner Sphere are the ones who control strategic industrial worlds and own the armament companies. It is the different between being Duke of, say, Hesperus II, and being Duke of Podunk and seeing a jumpship every six months.
Industrialization is literally the best way to compete against other nobles, if you can afford it, because doing it will also easily gain you favors from the army and your ruler by the simple expedient of selling your products, on top of the sizeable monetary rewards which can be channeled straight to your dynasty by maintaining majority ownership, while doling out some to your key supporters if required. Its just people cannot afford it, because it requires extremely expensive equipment and human capital, even before you account for the cost of defending it against the inevitable enemy raids. And if you fail at the latter after you paid for the former then you'll be extremely broke.
The problem with this analysis, however, is that it is complete nonsense. Many of the most powerful nobles in the Inner Sphere are the ones who control strategic industrial worlds and own the armament companies. It is the different between being Duke of, say, Hesperus II and being Duke of Podunk and seeing a jumpship every six months.
Industrialization is literally the best way to compete against other nobles, if you can afford it, because doing it will also easily gain you favor from the army and your ruler by the simple expedient of selling your products, on top of the sizeable monetary rewards which can be channeled straight to your dynasty by maintaining ownership. Its just people cannot afford it, because it requires extremely expensive equipment and human capital, even before you account for the cost of defending it against the inevitable enemy raids.
but at the same time the Duke of Hesperus II will happily punch down on other nobles to keep his power from being diluted and border worlds will keep getting their industrial efforts raided.
The problem with this analysis, however, is that it is complete nonsense. Many of the most powerful nobles in the Inner Sphere are the ones who control strategic industrial worlds and own the armament companies. It is the different between being Duke of, say, Hesperus II, and being Duke of Podunk and seeing a jumpship every six months.
Industrialization is literally the best way to compete against other nobles, if you can afford it, because doing it will also easily gain you favors from the army and your ruler by the simple expedient of selling your products, on top of the sizeable monetary rewards which can be channeled straight to your dynasty by maintaining majority ownership. Its just people cannot afford it, because it requires extremely expensive equipment and human capital, even before you account for the cost of defending it against the inevitable enemy raids. And if you fail at the latter after you paid for the former then you'll be extremely broke.
The Duke of Hesperus II, who's industrial power rests largely (entirely) on a Battlemech factory built up over generations that the Republic managed to equal in less than a decade? The factories that were largely built up during the largesse of the Star League era and which have gone unreplicated in the rest of the vast, untouched interior of the Lyran Commonwealth? The Duke of Hesperus II, the Brewer family, who didn't actually build Hesperus II themselves? The Duke of Hesperus II, a planet that is known as one of the most industrialzed worlds in the Inner Sphere largely (solely) because of military production? Having an industrial society is more than just being able to make guns in a factory. The Duke of Hesperus II has some industry. I challenge the Lyran Commonwealth as a whole to find the infrastructure, educated working class, and investment to create a society where Hesperus II is not almost mythological in terms of industrial development, and where Hesperus-equivalent industry is not solely dedicated to weapons.
The Duke of Hesperus II, who's industrial power rests largely (entirely) on a Battlemech factory built up over generations that the Republic managed to equal in less than a decade? The factories that were largely built up during the largesse of the Star League era and which have gone unreplicated in the rest of the vast, untouched interior of the Lyran Commonwealth? The Duke of Hesperus II, the Brewer family, who didn't actually build Hesperus II themselves? The Duke of Hesperus II, a planet that is known as one of the most industrialzed worlds in the Inner Sphere largely (solely) because of military production? Having an industrial society is more than just being able to make guns in a factory. The Duke of Hesperus II has some industry. I challenge the Lyran Commonwealth as a whole to find the infrastructure, educated working class, and investment to create a society where Hesperus II is not almost mythological in terms of industrial development, and where Hesperus-equivalent industry is not solely dedicated to weapons.
The point, is that it is not in fact the noble class by their very nature opposing industrialization because apparently they do not like money. The point, is that industrialization in Battletech has costs. Ridiculous costs. And is extremely, one might say incomprehensively vulnerable.
You might not find it realistic but the setting operates in a certain way, and that way is that even in the peak of the Star League era the Star League itself was systematically murdering researchers and somehow making a dent in what should have been millions of people working to crack their technological advantages. Comstar only stepped up this work by using the Succession Wars as an opportunity.
And in this time period, well everyone would happily be the next great industrialist. In fact, several industrial concerns are founded or expanded upon in this time period, and all these successful magnates are greatly rewarded. The issue is of course what is necessary to start, not least the fact that those necessities generally include some manner of salvaged 300 year old industrial tooling because you cannot just buy new.
The point, is that it is not in fact the noble class by their very nature opposing industrialization because apparently they do not like money. The point, is that industrialization in Battletech has costs. Ridiculous costs. And is extremely, one might say incomprehensively vulnerable.
You might not find it realistic but the setting operates in a certain way, and that way is that even in the peak of the Star League era the Star League itself was systematically murdering researchers and somehow making a dent in what should have been millions of people working to crack their technological advantages. Comstar only stepped up this work by using the Succession Wars as an opportunity.
And in this time period, well everyone would happily be the next great industrialist. In fact, several industrial concerns are founded in this time period, and all these successful magnates are greatly rewarded. The issue is of course what is necessary to start, not least the fact that those necessities generally include some manner of salvaged 300 year old industrial tooling because you cannot just buy new.
The problem with this analysis, however, is that it is complete nonsense. Many of the most powerful nobles in the Inner Sphere are the ones who control strategic industrial worlds and own the armament companies. It is the different between being Duke of, say, Hesperus II, and being Duke of Podunk and seeing a jumpship every six months.
Industrialization is literally the best way to compete against other nobles, if you can afford it, because doing it will also easily gain you favors from the army and your ruler by the simple expedient of selling your products, on top of the sizeable monetary rewards which can be channeled straight to your dynasty by maintaining majority ownership, while doling out some to your key supporters if required. Its just people cannot afford it, because it requires extremely expensive equipment and human capital, even before you account for the cost of defending it against the inevitable enemy raids. And if you fail at the latter after you paid for the former then you'll be extremely broke.
Yes. They inherited those as the equivalent of priceless relics from prior generations that build them that they then squat in. The human capital is so priceless and so rare because the system that builds it is a broken relic in the IS that produces dribbles of technical specialists where it should be a flowing river. The equipment that it takes to stand up an industrial system is so expensive and so rare because the necessary technical specialists to build it are rare, the relics maintained in patchwork that build it can only build so much, and the nobles would rather play power politics and raid eachother with the Shoot Gud Meks than cooperate to build eachother up. The Magistry has literally the most advanced medical system in the entire Sphere and they perpetuate it through a literal apprenticeship cottage industry system where knowledge is secret power.
It has been over two hundred and fifty years since the First Succession War. Yet somehow, nobody has rebuilt the technical specialist production system on a world deep inside a polity's interior and quite safe from raids. Nobody has downteched, built tools to make tools to make tools on one of those worlds, and rebuilt the relics. In a timeframe comparable in length to the entire Industrial Revolution on Earth, the only thing that has happened has been industry and technical knowledge being bled away for nothing until someone handed the Great Houses a packet of cheat codes (And inevitably they went after ways to Make Mek Shoot Gud first and foremost).
The entire point being made is that the reason that the Helghan Republic is able to do what it does comes down entirely to culture in ways that cannot be replicated by the IS without literal revolutionary change. Congratulations, we agree completely.
The entire point being made is that the reason that the Helghan Republic is able to do what it does comes down entirely to culture in ways that cannot be replicated by the IS without literal revolutionary change. Congratulations, we agree completely.
Yes. They inherited those as the equivalent of priceless relics from prior generations that build them that they then squat in. The human capital is so priceless and so rare because the system that builds it is a broken relic in the IS that produces dribbles of technical specialists where it should be a flowing river. The equipment that it takes to stand up an industrial system is so expensive and so rare because the necessary technical specialists to build it are rare, the relics maintained in patchwork that build it can only build so much, and the nobles would rather play power politics and raid eachother with the Shoot Gud Meks than cooperate to build eachother up. The Magistry has literally the most advanced medical system in the entire Sphere and they perpetuate it through a literal apprenticeship cottage industry system where knowledge is secret power.
It has been over two hundred and fifty years since the First Succession War. Yet somehow, nobody has rebuilt the technical specialist production system on a world deep inside a polity's interior and quite safe from raids. Nobody has downteched, built tools to make tools to make tools on one of those worlds, and rebuilt the relics. In a timeframe comparable in length to the entire Industrial Revolution on Earth, the only thing that has happened has been industry and technical knowledge being bled away for nothing until someone handed the Great Houses a packet of cheat codes (And inevitably they went after ways to Make Mek Shoot Gud first and foremost).
Indeed. And that is not because of some nonsense cultural difference, it is because of the practical challenges, not least among them the frankly ridiculous ability a certain faction has to just kill every scientist.
Otherwise we would have to accept the idea that anyone could have won the Succession Wars by just investing more money into a particular thing.
Are we really trying to find a reasonable explanation for the way things are in the Inner Sphere? Because the only important thing about the stagnation is the fact that it lets FASA and FanPro sell models and gamebooks, and if the status quo is ruined, they won't be able to sell any more.
Actions You have 9 out of 10 Action Points to spend. This list of available actions is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to suggest more actions or variations on the actions listed below.
Federated Suns
[] Arms Sales: With the Federated Suns at war, they may be willing to purchase items up to and including formerly LosTech ammunition from the Republic. Given the distances involved, such shipments will be difficult until efforts are made to improve the backend logistics. [-3 influence]
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Federated Suns information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
[] Expand FedSuns intelligence network: Having placed a large number of agents within the lower levels of FedSuns society, now would be a good time to capitalise on the effort and expand the Republic's reach.
[] Infiltrate Civil Administration [Medium]: By infiltrating the civilian leadership, we can improve our ability to ferment dissent amongst the populace.
[] Ferment Dissent [Medium]: By producing and spreading certain forbidden materials throughout the people of this faction, our agents can potentially incite dissent against the powers-that-be.
[] Infiltrate Military [Hard]: By infiltrating the military, we can more easily raid targets of opportunity, stage incidents, and gather intelligence on deployments.
[] Steal research [Hard] [TARGET RESEARCH]: Utilising our agents in research centres and laboratories, we can "acquire" valuable research data.
[] Stage diplomatic incident [Hard]: Through agents in positions of power, we can stage border incidents justifying military response.
[] Orchestrate Coup [Very Hard]: By training and arming those whose beliefs align with those of the Republic, we can remove those in charge and install elements friendly towards us. [Progress: 0/15 turns] [-10,000,000 C-Bills/turn] [Effectiveness increases and time decreases with dissent/support of Republic ideology]
[] Write-in
Free Worlds League
[] Arms Sales: With the League now at war, they may be willing to purchase items up to and including formerly LosTech ammunition from the Republic. Given the distances involved, such shipments will be difficult until efforts are made to improve the backend logistics. [-3 influence]
[] Licence Production of Advanced Ammunition: Giving the League blueprints for the construction of specialist ballistic rounds and missiles will allow them to produce a number of projectile types for use by their military. Though the nation lacks the kind of facilities needed to construct these in large quantities, enough could be produced to provide a notable benefit. [-2 influence]
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Free Worlds League information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
[] Expand Free Worlds League intelligence network: Having achieved decent success last quarter and eager for more detail on the progress of its war against the Commonwealth, infiltrating the Free Worlds League would not be a waste.
[] Infiltrate Civil Administration [Medium]: By infiltrating the civilian leadership, we can improve our ability to ferment dissent amongst the populace.
[] Ferment Dissent [Medium]: By producing and spreading certain forbidden materials throughout the people of this faction, our agents can potentially incite dissent against the powers-that-be.
[] Infiltrate Military [Hard]: By infiltrating the military, we can more easily raid targets of opportunity, stage incidents, and gather intelligence on deployments.
[] Stage diplomatic incident [Very Hard]: Through agents in positions of power, we can stage border incidents justifying military response.
[] Orchestrate Coup [Impossible]: By training and arming those whose beliefs align with those of the Republic, we can remove those in charge and install elements friendly towards us. [Progress: 0/15 turns] [-10,000,000 C-Bills/turn] [Effectiveness increases and time decreases with dissent/support of Republic ideology]
[] Write-in
Lyran Commonwealth
[] Arms Sales: With the Commonwealth now at war, they may be willing to purchase items up to and including formerly LosTech ammunition from the Republic. Given the distances involved, such shipments will be very difficult until efforts are made to improve the backend logistics. [-1 influence]
[] Licence Production of Advanced Ammunition: Giving the Commonwealth blueprints for the construction of specialist ballistic rounds and missiles will allow them to produce a number of projectile types for use by their military. Though the nation lacks the kind of facilities needed to construct these in large quantities, enough could be produced to provide a notable benefit. [-1 influence]
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Lyran Commonwealth information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
[] Expand Lyran Commonwealth intelligence network: Having placed a large number of agents throughout Lyran society, now would be a good time to capitalise on the effort and expand the Republic's reach.
[] Infiltrate Civil Administration [Medium]: By infiltrating the civilian leadership, we can improve our ability to ferment dissent amongst the populace.
[] Ferment Dissent [Medium]: By producing and spreading certain forbidden materials throughout the people of this faction, our agents can potentially incite dissent against the powers-that-be.
[] Infiltrate Military [Hard]: By infiltrating the military, we can more easily raid targets of opportunity, stage incidents, and gather intelligence on deployments.
[] Steal research [Hard] [TARGET RESEARCH]: Utilising our agents in research centres and laboratories, we can "acquire" valuable research data.
[] Stage diplomatic incident [Hard]: Through agents in positions of power, we can stage border incidents justifying military response.
[] Orchestrate Coup [Very Hard]: By training and arming those whose beliefs align with those of the Republic, we can remove those in charge and install elements friendly towards us. [Progress: 0/15 turns] [-10,000,000 C-Bills/turn] [Effectiveness increases and time decreases with dissent/support of Republic ideology]
[] Write-in
Draconis Combine
[] Arms Sales: With the Combine now at war, they may be willing to purchase items up to and including formerly LosTech ammunition from the Republic. Given the distances involved, such shipments will be very difficult until efforts are made to improve the backend logistics. [-5 influence]
[] Licence Production of Advanced Ammunition: Giving the Combine blueprints for the construction of specialist ballistic rounds and missiles will allow them to produce a number of projectile types for use by their military. Though the nation lacks the kind of facilities needed to construct these in large quantities, enough could be produced to provide a notable benefit. [-3 influence]
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Combine information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
[] Infiltrate DC Society: Sending intelligence operatives to infiltrate Combine society will allow us to carry out subversive activities.
Capellan Confederation
[] Arms Sales: With the Confederation's neighbours distracted by their own conflicts, the Confederation may be willing to buy equipment to help rebuild their military. Given the distances involved, however, such shipments will be difficult until efforts are made to improve the backend logistics. [-2 influence]
[] Licence Production of Advanced Ammunition: Giving the Confederation blueprints for the construction of specialist ballistic rounds and missiles will allow them to produce a number of projectile types for use by their military. Though the nation lacks the kind of facilities needed to construct these in large quantities, enough could be produced to provide a notable benefit. [-2 influence]
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Confederation information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
Periphery
[] Contact the inhabitants of Herotitus and Lyreton
[] Contact the inhabitants of Gaucin
[] Contact the inhabitants of Cassilda
[] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
Taurian Concordat
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Taurians information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
Magistracy of Canopus
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Magistracy information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
Aurigan Coalition
[] Tech for Tech: By offering the Coalition Information on [write-in] in exchange for what they know about [write-in], we may be able to bypass the costly and difficult effort of researching it for ourselves… provided they agree.
Helghan Republic
[] Construct a military defence station over [LOCATION]
Locations available:
New Oslo
[Can be taken multiple times in a turn]
[] Upgrade a military defence station at [LOCATION]
Available stations:
[Can be taken multiple times in a turn, but you can only upgrade a single station once per turn]
[] Hire Commercial Jumpships: By hiring commercial jumpships throughout this part of the Periphery at rather exorbitant rates, we can increase our shipments to the Inner Sphere substantially. [-1 AP for 3040]
Marian Hegemony
[] Ferment Dissent [Easy]: By producing and spreading certain forbidden materials throughout the people of this faction, our agents can potentially incite dissent against the powers-that-be.
[] Sabotage war industry [Easy]: Through the use of subtle and widespread sabotage, we can disrupt the flow of essential war materials to Hegemony forces defending against us.
[] Survey Alphard's defences [Medium]: Using agents already embedded in the Hegemony's capital, we can survey their defences ahead of time and dramatically improve our odds against the HAF.
[] Sabotage Alphard's infrastructure [Medium]: Using Republic operatives to take out planetary infrastructure across the capital will doubtlessly hamper the HAF's ability to respond to our impending assault
[] Attack defenders morale [Medium]: By directly targeting Alphard's defenders with propaganda designed to weaken their morale, we can hopefully induce personnel to flee even before we attack.
[] Disrupt Alphard's Command and Control [Hard]: By assassinating and otherwise knocking out key personnel on Alphard, we can disrupt the flow of orders from HAF command to those on ground level.
[] Orchestrate Coup [Very Hard]: By training and arming those whose beliefs align with those of the Republic, we can remove those in charge and install elements friendly towards us.
ORDI
[X] Expanded Anti-Pirate Operations: With a major war once again raging corewards, pirates will undoubtedly move to avoid the fighting and take advantage of reduced garrisons. To prevent this from biting the ORDI nations, we should cooperate to temporarily increase anti-piracy patrols and operations. [Locked Until Cancelled]
Operation Selene
Naval Support Capacity: 9/9 (use the naval upkeep values)
Ground Support Capacity: 0.75/0.75 (use the transport size value)
[] Construct additional waystations: By using the Republic military engineering corps to build additional waystations throughout Magistracy space, we can further increase the number of troops we can effectively support albeit at the cost of some bruised civilian egos [-3 influence, +0.25 ground support capacity]
[] Preplaced Petrusite Supplies: By moving Petrusite stocks ahead of the Republic's forces and building depots in strategic areas, we can more effectively support both naval and ground forces. [+0.125 Ground Support Capacity, +1 Naval Support Capacity]
[] Prioritise Naval Supplies: By prioritising the shipment of naval supplies over those for ground troops, we can further improve our ability to deploy naval forces to the Hegemony. [+1 Naval Support Capacity, -0.125 Ground Support Capacity]
[] Prioritise Ground Supplies: By prioritising the shipment of supplies for ground troops over those of the navy, we can further improve our ability to deploy ground forces to the Hegemony. [+0.125 Ground Support Capacity, -1 Naval Support Capacity]
[] Reinforce Helghan Units (specify the forces being deployed): Deploy additional forces to assist with Operation Selene
=============================== Military Requisition And Design You have 3 out of 3 Requisition Points to spend on upgrading Helghan's ground forces. These upgrades are given to all active armies at once, though the more armies you have the longer it'll take to roll out changes.
Note: I'm still tweaking values for the prototype and primitive Pulse and ER lasers, but the standard variants are solid.
Requisition
[] HDC 'Harbinger' Rotary Machine Gun: Developed by the Helghan Defence Corporation out of Bloemfontein, the Harbinger Rotary Machine Gun is a massive multi-barrel machine gun designed for power armour-equipped infantry and dropship platforms. Firing standard rifle rounds at over 2000 RPM, the Harbinger is a devastating weapon to bring to bear against infantry and light vehicles but can only fire when its barrels are in full spin and therefore requires a brief windup period before firing.
[] Raptor Sub-Capital Missile: Weighing more than some armoured vehicles, the Raptor class sub-capital missile is a dual purpose weapons system intended for use against both aerospace fighters and dropships. Having traded fuel capacity for explosive yield, the Raptor has a significantly shorter range than both the Falcon and Kite but more than makes up for it by being able to deliver catastrophic damage to any target it hits.
[] Eagle Sub-Capital Missile: The largest anti-ship missile the Republic has yet designed, the Eagle is primarily intended for use against enemy dropships but can also pose a significant threat to both warships and aerospace fighters. Weighing almost as much as a Seydlitz aerospace fighter, the Eagle features both the shortest range out of all of Helghan's sub-capital missiles and the largest warhead.
[] LB-X Autocannon: A derivative of traditional autocannon designs requiring a specialised barrel lining to work and several other modifications besides, the Large Bore-eXtended (or LB-X) autocannon is essentially a mech-scale shotgun capable of firing both standard autocannon rounds and purpose-made anti-mech cluster rounds. Fragmenting mid-flight to pepper their target with hundreds of submunitions, the cluster rounds fired by an LB-X weapon are highly effective at tearing up a mech's internals, sending up a wall of flak to defeat aircraft, and mulching infantry.
Design
OOC: This will be replaced in the yearly turn, FYI
[] Battlemech Design: (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] Combat Vehicle Design: (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] ASF Design: (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] Dropship Design: (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] Power Armour Design: (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] Design write-in: Order your teams to design a solution to a capability gap. (tell me what you're trying to design)
[] Contact the inhabitants of Herotitus and Lyreton
[] Contact the inhabitants of Gaucin
[] Contact the inhabitants of Cassilda
[] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
[] Construct a military defence station over [New Oslo]
[] Survey Alphard's defences [Medium]: Using agents already embedded in the Hegemony's capital, we can survey their defences ahead of time and dramatically improve our odds against the HAF.
[] Preplaced Petrusite Supplies: By moving Petrusite stocks ahead of the Republic's forces and building depots in strategic areas, we can more effectively support both naval and ground forces. [+0.125 Ground Support Capacity, +1 Naval Support Capacity]
[] Contact the inhabitants of Herotitus and Lyreton
[] Contact the inhabitants of Gaucin
[] Contact the inhabitants of Cassilda
[] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
[] Construct a military defence station over [New Oslo]
[] Survey Alphard's defences [Medium]: Using agents already embedded in the Hegemony's capital, we can survey their defences ahead of time and dramatically improve our odds against the HAF.
[] Preplaced Petrusite Supplies: By moving Petrusite stocks ahead of the Republic's forces and building depots in strategic areas, we can more effectively support both naval and ground forces. [+0.125 Ground Support Capacity, +1 Naval Support Capacity]
[] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
Ths seems to be referencing the Lothian League.
They're pretty isolationist so I dunno if they'll meet wth us
[] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
Ths seems to be referencing the Lothian League.
They're pretty isolationist so I dunno if they'll meet wth us
[] LB-X Autocannon: A derivative of traditional autocannon designs requiring a specialised barrel lining to work and several other modifications besides, the Large Bore-eXtended (or LB-X) autocannon is essentially a mech-scale shotgun capable of firing both standard autocannon rounds and purpose-made anti-mech cluster rounds. Fragmenting mid-flight to pepper their target with hundreds of submunitions, the cluster rounds fired by an LB-X weapon are highly effective at tearing up a mech's internals, sending up a wall of flak to defeat aircraft, and mulching infantry.
I like the idea of getting this to get a head start on anti-PA weapons and tactics now that our potential enemies are investing in the tech. Plus we can probably use our better targeting systems and electronics to create something like the programmable flack munitions Germany worked out. I would very much like to mount guns that swat ASFs and LRM swarms on several platforms.
Are we really trying to find a reasonable explanation for the way things are in the Inner Sphere? Because the only important thing about the stagnation is the fact that it lets FASA and FanPro sell models and gamebooks, and if the status quo is ruined, they won't be able to sell any more.
That's the Doylist reason, sure, but seeing as we're playing a quest where we're stuck in the setting, we kind of also have to find a sensible Watsonian reason as well beyond there being a sphere-wide gas leak that was discovered and dealt with the instant the Super Friends were born in the canon timeline.
Sure, but it's also an angle to get in and subvert them if we so desire, just as we ended doing in Portland and in the Directorate. Also, we associate with or associated with a lot of powers that looked even worse. The Niops Association is small enough that we can keep our dealings limited and on our terms and maintain a level of information control over said dealings.
-[X] Expand FedSuns intelligence network: Having placed a large number of agents within the lower levels of FedSuns society, now would be a good time to capitalise on the effort and expand the Republic's reach.
-[X] Expand Free Worlds League intelligence network: Having achieved decent success last quarter and eager for more detail on the progress of its war against the Commonwealth, infiltrating the Free Worlds League would not be a waste.
-[X] Expand Lyran Commonwealth intelligence network: Having placed a large number of agents throughout Lyran society, now would be a good time to capitalise on the effort and expand the Republic's reach.
-[X] Hire Commercial Jumpships: By hiring commercial jumpships throughout this part of the Periphery at rather exorbitant rates, we can increase our shipments to the Inner Sphere substantially. [-1 AP for 3040]
-[X] Investigate rumours: If you believe the hushed whispers and bar room tales told near the Marian Hegemony, there exists a technologically developed civilization somewhere spinward of the slave-state that has been left alone since before the Succesion Wars. While out of the way, securing some sort of relationship with any such power (should it exist) could only benefit the Republic.
-[X] Construct additional waystations: By using the Republic military engineering corps to build additional waystations throughout Magistracy space, we can further increase the number of troops we can effectively support albeit at the cost of some bruised civilian egos [-3 influence, +0.25 ground support capacity]
-[X] Prioritise Ground Supplies: By prioritising the shipment of supplies for ground troops over those of the navy, we can further improve our ability to deploy ground forces to the Hegemony. [+0.125 Ground Support Capacity, -1 Naval Support Capacity]
-[X] Ferment Dissent [Easy]: By producing and spreading certain forbidden materials throughout the people of this faction, our agents can potentially incite dissent against the powers-that-be.
-[X] Attack defenders morale [Medium]: By directly targeting Alphard's defenders with propaganda designed to weaken their morale, we can hopefully induce personnel to flee even before we attack.
_-_-_
-[X] Design: Designated Marksmen Laser Rifle – With the phenomenal advances of Helghan Laser tech over the last decades, it is now long past time to invest in applying this advantage to infantry weaponry. This high-power, potentially anti-Power Armor rifle, is designed to be optionally powered by a backpack-like military power pack by regular infantry and compatible with current generation Power Armor.
-[X] Requisition: Experimental Helghast Bombast Laser – With this new generation of Laser weaponry, Helghan engineers are prototyping ways to increase the damage output of our already hyper-long ranged Laser cannons. Engineers promise (or hope) that the advanced target computing and AI sub-processors will allow this slow charging Laser Cannon to be competitive on live active battlefields.
I'm torn on the bombast laser, its mean role is that of a head capper which we largely use P-cannons for and its heat curve means you only want it on mechs or ASF.
I think it maybe worth setting up an intel network in the Draconis Combine we may have a agents within the FWL, CM and FS as well the LC but I think we should rectify this blind spot and put asserts in place inside the DC.
