OBT Forum

I assume that with the additional use of WMD during the Succession Wars and following conflicts that there are a lot more dead worlds compared to canon?

A considerable amount. World totals are closer to the 2596 map than the original 3025.

Is there a comparison either list or map showing which worlds are dead?

I'm finishing the map as we speak. Sadly, I've gone through close to fifteen revisions.
 

Also is there a list of active shipyards - obvious one being active is Titan and I think you mentioned the Gibbs yards in Lyran space?

A complete list will be made available. Individual faction files have more detailed maps showing the disposition of owned assets.

I would get away from the old Successor State names like the Draconis Combine for example.

I think you're forgetting there is always at least one faction (outside of the former FWL) that's going to claim a direct connection to a Great House as an inheritor. Try to remember that names carry weight and therefore power. The Council Lords all claimed the title of First Lord because to claim anything different would undermine their legitimate claim for the Star League's throne.

You can't say you want to be First Lord by calling yourself the Emperor. 

By the same token, if the Prince of New Avalon continues to call his nation the Federated Suns he's staking his claim as the legal titular leader of a Great House. He's claiming historical precedent to own something with a very long history and strong heritage. Claiming a title is the first step in claiming legitimacy. It's like planting your flag in the dirt. There is no mistaking your intention.

However, Member Developers are free to change the name of their faction. They only need to explain it! 

If you were going to play this (as in on OBT) I think players would need to work on various nations to get it up and running.  Being restricted to a single nation would have players too isolated from each other.

Shame Northwind isn't part of a state (according to the map I have anyway)  I'd take that one otherwise it would be

Federation of Skye
League of Gibson
Capellan Marches (indulge my inner Varnay)

Warrior Fiefdoms (2858)
Sendai Trade Alliance (2953)
Terran Free States (2847)

Early, but noted.

Ooops. I misread.

Okay, first and foremost, great job KM.  This AU is becoming far more than I had envisioned back in the day.  I love the direction it is taking and a lot of things are pretty spot on.  I love how you handled the disassembly of some of the places we had seen troubles with(notably the FedSuns, though the Capellan March was easy, dislodging Robinson peacefully is a nice touch)

Okay, here goes.  The questions.

First off, Mercenaries.  I would figure they would exist in droves in this type of environ.  I could see them being very prolific in smaller units.
With the lack of Jumpships being privately commanded, i can't see Wolf's dragoons or Northwind Highlander like numbers(or even many regimental commands at all for that matter) in this AU.  I'm seeing Battalions being rule of the day for as big as it gets due, quite simply, to the sheer lack of transport for the average soldier of fortune.  is this an accurate representation or are there plans for bringing larger mercs to bear?  I've always been a proponent of the mercenary, it's kinda my thing.  I could see, with the balkanization effect, mercenaries not needing to travel far to find employment at the end of a contract, and an MRBC of sorts popping up to keep track of what Mercs are operating in various theatres.  With the huge numbers of potential employers, the galaxy has become a very profitable place for their kind.

I guess what I'm saying/asking is what are the plans for the mercs?   Are we going to see a lot of company and lance sized units making names for themselves over the huge multi-regimental commands we see in canon?

Now, onto something else I love, Solaris 7 and the games.  i'd be very willing to contribute in any of the areas I am posting on btw.  The games are an important part of CBT lore, and their framework had been established well before hte succession wars.  With the breakups, wee see stables that may have been sponsored by the same house now  each representing an individual proto state.  I believe you stated the militaries, though broken up into smaller lots, would look similar here to 3025, that still leaves 'Mech production at a relatively decent level, one that can support the idea of a neutral, free world with nothing to offer except simple entertainment as it's export, one everyone has a presence on.

Next up, Comstar being the center of the universe(in their eyes, yes) and their relations.  As was commented(and explained) their bringing on the HPGs isn't always beloved, and the information trade is not theirs alone anymore.  With the breakdown, do we see the development of black box tech a la the FedSuns in canon?  A means to transmit messeges over short distances incredibly quickly, but over long distances a jumpship may prove faster?  I would think with the lack of the HPGs, we'd see enterprising companies/research facilities working on the tech, such as the NAIS for example(if it's not completely gutted).

Point 3, Star league memory cores.  I assume at some point we will see the proliferation of LosTech, but with the sheer brutality and length of the Succession Wars in this AU, are we going to see partial Cores popping up?  And classic canon ComStar repression of?


Onward here, more questions, some of which might be sent via PM, but these are things I think publicly we the potential players could get away with knowing:)  I guess my last part of my last question could depend o nthe C* player.

I've been kicking this idea around for a while. Most of it depends on finding a profitable way of distributing content. Without the HPG network it could take months, maybe even years for the games to travel across the Inner Sphere. There are very few wealthy, and safe planets, so the common citizen may not care for the Solarian games on their own, or be able to afford paying JumpShip captains sufficient funds to transport game/game results in a reasonable amount of time.

That said, I'm open to suggestions. I thought about the SBC incorporating the world and setting up regional games, but that's about it. 

You got it: Planet Games but nothing more until we have a good way to distribute content.

I don't really know how far/fast info can be sent without HPG.
Any clue on this?

I like the idea of regional games

Ie the Champion of the Federated Suns is crowned on Defiance people travel from across the Suns to see them

You could make Solaris the venue of the Inner Sphere champion of champions tournament where visitors who have won games around the Inner Sphere meet to fight it out for the Grand Prize

That would make games popular around the Inner Sphere but still keep Solaris very important

I'd also suggest various different ways of games is paint for less blood thirsty nations or powered down weapons while others use full on live rounds showing the differences

Although this isn't a live game I must admit its catching the imagination I've had ideas for about 10 of the nations so far