What ever happened to ComStar

[Rainbow 6]

I'd like to see Comstar back as well either as the older 3rd/4th Succession War era Comstar or as the Focht era 'peacekeeper' Comstar.

[Jerome]

I'm a big ComStar fan myself, also mainly the old one, but also the new Dark Age era one with its secrets... That's why I've been a bit worried since one Battlechat in last September:

[03:18] <Scotty> Does ComStar figure to once again become a legitimate political and military power within the Inner Sphere?  They seem to have… lost a little bit of their luster, since the Jihad.
[03:20] <@Habeas2> Scotty – ComStar’s days are numbered.

[Knightmare]

I'd like to see Comstar back as well either as the older 3rd/4th Succession War era Comstar or as the Focht era 'peacekeeper' Comstar.

Unlikely to happen without dominion over Terra and/or a complete makeover...

"We're not the old ComStar, we're the new new ComStar! (But really, we're the old ComStar. Ssshhh...just don't tell anyone or we'll black bag your whole family and blame it on someone else while we hymn our troubles away.)

[Rainbow 6]

Unlikely to happen without dominion over Terra and/or a complete makeover...

"We're not the old ComStar, we're the new new ComStar! (But really, we're the old ComStar. Ssshhh...just don't tell anyone or we'll black bag your whole family and blame it on someone else while we hymn our troubles away.)

I can live with that  O0

[ClarkeMarek]

Unlikely to happen without dominion over Terra and/or a complete makeover...

"We're not the old ComStar, we're the new new ComStar! (But really, we're the old ComStar. Ssshhh...just don't tell anyone or we'll black bag your whole family and blame it on someone else while we hymn our troubles away.)

I guess that'll work. 

[Dragon Cat]

In the last (ever) Battlechat, I asked Herb and his answer was "Bwahahahahahahahaha!"

Last ever?

[snewsom2997]

Last ever?

There was an unpleasant exchange. So no more.

[Cyc]

Both those responses is always why I avoided the Battlechats. As the Blessed Blake once said, ignorance is bliss...

[Mecha82]

I'd like to see Comstar back as well either as the older 3rd/4th Succession War era Comstar

That is my favorite version of ComStar. They were so sneaky. Plus what also helps is that they gave my favorite Succession State some Lostech toys to repel FedCom invasion with.

[Knightmare]

Honestly, ComStar, much like the first Star League, will never truly disappear from the BattleTech universe. Its influence will be felt throughout the Inner Sphere for generations even if it might not be a major mover and shaker.

[Rainbow 6]

Just the occasional terrorist nuking?

[Gunslinger]

I was so delighted when I read how Tucker Harwell talked about the old-school ComStar chants and hymns that are frowned on but have quite a firece following. I was even more delighted when he tells someone that he heard disgusting rumours that some acolytes started praying to their HPGs again, just to have that contrasted by those hymns and chants actually being useful technical manuals and encrypted formulas. That´s the little things that repainted CS for me, from "odd little idea" to "well, nice espionage setup". I think a heavy dose of blakeism is needed to keep ROM alive and going, as that kind of loyality needed for that kind of job depends a bit on fanaticism. So please, bring back toaster lovers.

I suddenly have visions of acolytes slowly walking through the halls chanting "To bring Rebirth is to control.... alt... and delete.." in a low-pitch repetition...

[Captain of C-21]

You know, I wonder if there is any connection between the Illuminati information broker group that appeared in Sword of Sedition and Fortress Republic, and Comstar/ROM.  Comstar really just does not have the base to be a power; it only survived as an independent entity into the Dark Ages because Devlin Stone allowed them to hunker down in the Republic and convinced the other states to allow them to maintain the HPGs.  By 3132, they've become nothing more than a huge interstellar company rather than a political power (I doubt interdiction threats would ever work anymore) that has its HQ on Terra.  Yes, there is a secret faction within Comstar trying to return it to what it once was, but as seen in Bonfire of Worlds, the Republic can handle them pretty quickly.  At this point, what is Comstar just completely becomes an intelligence brokerage firm, ala the Illuminati company?  When the HPGs all worked they had all that information to access.

I think it is more likely Comstar will fade to nothingness following the IlClan or will evolve into the secretive information group.  The time of them being an independent power with their own military is largely passed.

[Strike05]

Comstar won't go down that easily, they have massive influence over the Inner Sphere while in control over one planet only. The  Word of Blake came from a mere splinter group of Comstar and look what they have done. Their fate depends on the choices they make, the abilities they have, and the people they can control, and no one else knows about HPG tech than them.

[PsihoKekec]

The thing is that, between Scorpion and Jihad, their secrets were exposed, they will never be trusted again, governments will always be looking at the signs of perfidy when dealing with them. They can try their at the old way of machinations, but it will be much much harder than before.

[Knightmare]

The thing is that, between Scorpion and Jihad, their secrets were exposed, they will never be trusted again, governments will always be looking at the signs of perfidy when dealing with them. They can try their at the old way of machinations, but it will be much much harder than before.

...and it all has to be done without the security, resources and awesomeness that is Terra.

Then again, I'm convinced this is just the longest end-game operation of all time. ComStar is really just luring the Inner Sphere into a false sense of security while the "real" Third Transfer gets underway.  #P

[jklantern]

...and it all has to be done without the security, resources and awesomeness that is Terra.

Then again, I'm convinced this is just the longest end-game operation of all time. ComStar is really just luring the Inner Sphere into a false sense of security while the "real" Third Transfer gets underway.  #P

"Hi guys.  So, yeah, you know how the map said that Terra was riiiiiiiiiiiight in the middle this entire time?  About that..."

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Definitely a fan of old ComStar as they really reminded me of the early years of The First Foundation (always been a big Asimov Foundation-series fan). Of course, Word of Blake is kinda the enemy you love to hate (not that the old ComStar wasn't capable of being amoral).

[Cowdragon]

threadnomancy!

Anyway, rereading through this amazing thread, and I missed the part about Herb saying that Comstar's days were numbered. I vote no. He keeps killing my factions. Comstar is like the 5 great houses. It's a staple. c'mon!

[Stormlion1]

Comstar isn't gone, hurting big time but not gone and I don't see the Successor States letting the RoTS run Comstar in there territory's. Plus WoB is still out there so a part of Comstar still exists, the old, sneaky, political, version of Comstar. I'm more annoyed the Comguards are gone than anything else. Blamed for WoB they bought the farm.

[Cyc]

ComStar being a branch of the Republic doesn't mean spit really aside from perhaps doing away with the Primus and the First Circuit, and we don't even know if they do that much as the Republic were keeping the whole Acyolte/Adept/Precentor rank system. Republic thought it could keep a tight reign on ComStar before, I believe they will do just as badly this time around.

Bigger problems are of course no working HPG and the (as unknown) fate of the Republic in the wake of the ilClan book. No HPGs means no cash/notable role for ComStar, and bit hard to try for long games again if the host your incubating in is possibly not long for this world...

[Cowdragon]

I want them to get Terra back. they did the best job of holding it for all these years, with Focht making the poor decision to let the WoB keep it originally. Grrr

[ds9guy]

I'm curious to see what's up with Comstar post the 3145 era report. 

[cavalier1645]

I want them to get Terra back. they did the best job of holding it for all these years, with Focht making the poor decision to let the WoB keep it originally. Grrr

Have to agree there they did a much better job then ROTS is doing with it. But we will see after IClan book (Groan)

[Stormlion1]

Focht letting WoB keep Terra was the biggest mistake he could have made. Retaking Terra should have been Childs Play for the Comguards and there fleet. They even would have had FedCom Aid, it was offered and could have been used to retake Mars rather than used against Terra itself.

[Knightmare]

I'm more annoyed the Comguards are gone than anything else. Blamed for WoB they bought the farm.

The surviving Com Guards joined the RAF/Republic of their own accord. As for Buhl's "Blessed Order," the WoB didn't kill them. They killed themselves.

[Cyc]

The surviving Com Guards joined the RAF/Republic of their own accord. As for Buhl's "Blessed Order," the WoB didn't kill them. They killed themselves.

Be interesting to ponder how Buhl's Neo-Com Guard would have fared without Grey Monday or heck even without Fortress Republic...

[Stormlion1]

Buhl would have debuted them to a shocked Inner Sphere and used the argument that the Great Houses or the RoTS had been unable to protect HPG assets so the Comguards would retake there ancient duty again. And by definition Comstar does have the right to protect its assets with mech forces. Be they mercs or white painted mechs calling themselves Comguards.

[Archangel]

Buhl would have debuted them to a shocked Inner Sphere and used the argument that the Great Houses or the RoTS had been unable to protect HPG assets so the Comguards would retake there ancient duty again. And by definition Comstar does have the right to protect its assets with mech forces. Be they mercs or white painted mechs calling themselves Comguards.

But without Gray Monday, what threat would the Great Houses or the RoTS have failed to protect the HPGs from?  After all, without Gray Monday, the supplemental targeted attacks would likely also not have taken place as they would have served no purpose by themselves.

[False Son]

Buhl would have debuted them to a shocked Inner Sphere and used the argument that the Great Houses or the RoTS had been unable to protect HPG assets so the Comguards would retake there ancient duty again.

Patricia Harwell/Malcom Buhl's group was formed before Gray Monday.  They also had no knowledge of the cause of the black out.  The existence of the 1st Division and the occurrence of the black out are cooincidental.

And by definition Comstar does have the right to protect its assets with mech forces.

No, they don't.  After Stone bailed them out the security of the HPG sites was tasked to the hosting nation.  End Transmition spells it out, Comstar can't even claim sovereignty of their HPGs when there is a security threat, as HPGs are considered strategic assets to the hosting nation. 

Be they mercs or white painted mechs calling themselves Comguards.

Or illegal paramilitary forces formed and trained in secret that committed murder of Republic officials in a boldfaced attempt to hide their existence, who also did not surrender when cornered by the RAF, and chose to fight to the death rather than yield to the authority of law, military pragmatism or self preservation instincts.