Ad Securitas Per Unitas: The Republic of the Sphere

[Xtrahmxwohld]

What's not to be excited about?  O0

[Deadborder]

I'm hoping for a full list of units involved in taking down the Super Secret Comguard. Also hoping for a colour scheme for the latter, even if it is just a reiteration of "Comguard white"

More to the point, I'd be interested to see such things as the breakdowns of a post-Fortress RAF unit, we well as the sort of tech that was availbile to the new Comguards. While I've been following the FM3145 guidelines for the Comstar RAT, I'm hoping for a dedicated one in the OTP

[Knightmare]

I'm hoping for a full list of units involved in taking down the Super Secret Comguard. Also hoping for a colour scheme for the latter, even if it is just a reiteration of "Comguard white"

Still white.

While I've been following the FM3145 guidelines for the Comstar RAT, I'm hoping for a dedicated one in the OTP

You may get your wish.

[Pa Weasley]

Have you ever wanted to see a Poseidon painted in a jaw-dropping Stone's Fury scheme? Your wish has been granted!

http://www.camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=7223

[RotS fan]

Have you ever wanted to see a Poseidon painted in a jaw-dropping Stone's Fury scheme? Your wish has been granted!

http://www.camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=7223

so beautiful  [drool] [drool] [drool] [drool] [drool] [drool]

[Deadborder]

Have you ever wanted to see a Poseidon painted in a jaw-dropping Stone's Fury scheme? Your wish has been granted!

http://www.camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=7223

*Sheds a manly tear at the beauty of it*

[RotS fan]

Ben H. Rome ‏@bhrome  2 h
Sao-wei Nilyavich worked beside DCMS counterparts during part of the recent Capellan-Combine joint invasion of Republic space #TRO3150

My poor Republic! At least the fight is going to be good  :D

[Louie N]

There is nothing to say that the invasion was successful. 

The sentence after the teaser may say "before being wiped out by overwhelming numbers of super heavy assault mechs in pitiful fashion." 

It can happen.   ;)

[Istal_Devalis]

I hope so. It'll suck to have BOTH my current factions wiped out.

[Jayof9s]

I hope so. It'll suck to have BOTH my current factions wiped out.

Maybe you're just bad luck. People should start paying you to support factions they don't like.  ;)

[Pa Weasley]

Ben H. Rome ‏@bhrome 46m46 minutes ago

Preparations have been made, traps have been set, deals have been struck. I do believe in Devlin Stone now...

Everyone clap your hands three times if you believe in Devlin Stone!

Honestly, this is one of the most Republic-positive tweets that has gone out.

[Istal_Devalis]

Here's to hoping.
Death to the enemies of the Republic! Kill em all and let Devlin Stone sort them out!

[Deadborder]

So I had this really crazy idea based on that last "I believe in Devlin Stone" tweet.

What if the Republic lets its enemies know the walls are down?

See, we know the Republic has the ability to let its forces cross the Wall. Logic says this comes from an ability to raise and lower the wall (or parts of it) at will. Their enemies know that trying to cross the wall results in Jumpships being destroyed in horrible, mind-numbing ways. That seems to be an effective deterrent, but we also know there are plenty who want to get at the Republic. Ben Rome's tweets mention a joint Combine-Capellan task force in the Republic.

So what if this is part of the plan? The Republic deliberately drops the wall, then lets its enemies come in. Then the walls go back up and maroon those forces inside. They're cut off from reinforcements and supplies, and if they try to flee they'll end up being destroyed by the Horrible Secret of Space. Then the Republic can deal with them as they wish, drawing down their forces as they see fit.

Or I could be completely wrong. Just a thought

[Nav_Alpha]

As a long as the Republic can turn the Wall back on afterwards. Otherwise, they've just opened the flood gates.
We don't really know much about the mechanics of the Wall - ie: Is it turned off to let the raiding groups out or do they move through it by jumping on a certain frequency, etc

[Louie N]

Deadborder,

It as plausible as any other theory.  We will see in time.

[Archangel]

Several problems with Deadborder's plan:

-It would take time for the enemies to realized the "wall" is down, to decide how to react (especially with the HPG network being down) and to organize an invasion force.  The longer the wall stays down the more intelligence agents, sabotage teams, etc can infiltrate the Republic.  They could potentially uncover the truth that the "wall" is in fact just a blind and discover how to penetrate it.

-While some enemies are ready to launch a full invasion (Jade Falcons and Wolf Empire), other enemies are otherwise preoccupied (DCMS and CCAF).  Most of the DCMS and CCAF are occupied either along the FedSuns front or defending vital worlds/hostile fronts and can't quickly or easily deploy against the Republic without compromising some of their positions.  Not to mention adjusting supply lines from the FedSuns to the Republic without compromising the FedSuns front.

-The forces that do penetrate the Republic could intentionally or accidentally cause critical damage to the Republic's future prospects.  For example, if a Clan Galaxy moves to seize the military production facilities on Devil's Rock, the facilities are supposed to be destroyed.  Even if the Clanners are subsequently destroyed, those facilities are still gone.  While the Republic could replace it, that takes time and resources to get a new facility up and running not to mention all the lost production.

None of this means that it won't happen but makes it more unlikely.  However, given the questionable decisions the developers have made over the years, the unlikely may happen.

[Øystein]

However, given the questionable decisions the developers have made over the years, the unlikely may happen.

And pray tell, what questionable decisions are those?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

And pray tell, what questionable decisions are those?

Are you counter-proposing that the developers, including past developers, have never made questionable decisions?

[Weirdo]

Absolutely nothing in his post implies that. The sentence is simply asking what decisions Archangel finds questionable. Are you proposing that developers are not allowed to seek out clarification or constructive criticism?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Absolutely nothing in his post implies that. The sentence is simply asking what decisions Archangel finds questionable. Are you proposing that developers are not allowed to seek out clarification or constructive criticism?

Maybe that's what you saw. I saw thin skin being chafed.  However, I make no presumption that I'm right and you're wrong on that, since I'm not Oystein. 

Personally, I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that there has never ever been mismanagement even under prior regimes.  Jason Knight, anyone?  The infamous "FASA-two step" ring a bell?  But you can't change the past, and I think everyone (even you) agrees about the errors of the past.  It's fair to poll your playerbase for constructive criticism about your ongoing efforts, if that's what you meant to do.

I'd list my own gripes with CGL's management of the brand but:

I wasn't asked.

I don't trust this forum as a venue to have an open and honest conversation.

My list of CGL's failings is fairly short and measured against its successes, basically insignificant.

[jackpot4]

Since jumping through space makes it fold the distance and go through I wonder if the wall is based on some sort of machinery that can stay inside the folded part of space and actually create a solid (or energy field variant) wall that the ships just slam into?

Like when watching the movie interstellar: (SPOILERS)



When they travel through the black hole it is envisioned as a tunnel and in most sci-fi it is that way.  I don't think I have actually read a description of what it looks like outside the ship when they jump in the BT universe, but if this is the same thing, maybe the Republic has the means to create a solid obstruction and/or weaponry in that fold.  (Yes I kind of repeated myself, but I think it helps make my thought more clear.)

Maybe anyone can get through if they just fly through space without jumping. 

Perhaps another option is the Republic knows exactly where the wall is located that they can jump to the wall, stop, fly past it regularly, then jump to their destination?

[Archangel]

And pray tell, what questionable decisions are those?

Where to begin?   ^-^

To keep with the thread's focus how about the fact that despite plenty of evidence that Daoshen Liao was never going to give up trying to reclaim "his" worlds, the Republic is portrayed as being taken by surprise each time.   Either the Republic intelligence or the Republic High Command are portrayed as incompetent by either missing the Capellan buildup completely (military production not tapering off but thousands if not hundreds of thousands of tons of equipment going missing?) or discovering the buildup (even if only a portion) and yet effectively doing nothing to counter it (one has to know that eventually they are going to be deployed against the RAF).  ::)

I understand that the developers wanted to get to a certain point in the pre-determined story, but seriously there must have been a better way of getting there without portraying the Republic (or the FedSuns) as effectively being brain-dead.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

In regards to the conversation above (which should probably not continue because bad things might happen to people/threads/and other things)

Wolverines?

And now for something completely different:

How do our Republic fans like the new XTRO material coming out and in particular the Castrum PWS? Cause I saw that thing and went "damn......" And immediately thought how to attach twelve to a Potempkin.

[Nerroth]

So, it's not looking good for the Republic as of 3150...


Although, as mentioned elsewhere, I wonder if there might bee a twist in the tale.

There was a mention in TRO:3150 of deals being struck, in terms of what Stone has planned for the rest of that year. There had been speculation about who this might refer to - the Sea Foxes, for example.

But what if the "deal" is with none other than Alaric himself?


Perhaps Stone, after reviewing the contents of Field Manual: 3145, and seeing the course of events as of the TRO:3150 report, came to the conclusion that the Republic itself was doomed. Were the RAF to fight on, it would end up being overwhelmed by the four invading armed forces surrounding it - but at the same time, the high price in blood and treasure it may extract would leave Prefecture X shattered and broken, risking the kind of chaos that consumed the Terran Hegemony during the First Succession War. Only this time, with no "neutral" actor to secure the Sol system itself.

Of the four primary threats to the Republic, three - the Falcons, Confederation, and Combine - are both anathema to the RAF and to the hard-won way of life on the world involved. But while the Wolf Empire is no less deadly a threat to the Republic as an interstellar entity, Alaric's restraint over the Marik and Steiner worlds currently held by the Wolf Empire - going so far as to allow the games on Solaris VII to remain open, and to style himself as the "Archon", not Khan, of his Spheroid populace, makes him the best shot at allowing the people of Terra and the former Fortress Republic to maintain their individual liberties.

So, perhaps the plan might be to stage a Trial of Absorption on Terra itself, with the ultimate prize of humanity's homeworld at stake - but involving only a key portion of the RAF and of the Wolf Empire touman respectively. If/when the Wolves win, they agree to absorb thee remaining RAF into the Wolf Empire/IlClan touman, giving the resulting IlClan Wolf the resources and numbers it needs to kick the Falcons, Dracs, and Capellans out of the space around Terra.


In a sense, the Republic itself would die, but its legacy would live on, after a fashion, as a part of the IlClan.


But still, there's always the Terran Supremacy to (mis)jump over to, I suppose...

[False Son]

So, it's not looking good for the Republic as of 3150...

I dunno.  I plan on being the last sad drunk at the party.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

I'm not snarking when I theorize that the RotS could become the ilClan and Stone the ilKhan.  I seriously think they have at least a good shot as the Wolves or Falcons do, at any rate.

[Nerroth]

From the IO beta:

SUB-ERA: LATE DARK AGE (3131-3150)
The later Dark Age years are the period that actually deserves the name “Dark Age.” Though it effectively begins a year before the interstellar communications breakdown, this time followed Devlin Stone’s retirement from the leadership of the Republic and his mysterious disappearance amid a resurgence of rising social tensions. With the collapse of faster-than-light communications, people across the Inner Sphere feared the worst and quickly armed themselves after decades of peace, anticipating a wave of wars that steadily escalated until the Republic itself was consumed in the onslaught.

Notably, the back cover shows both RAF and Wolf Empire forces - perhaps a nod to the recent Gencon scenario set on Terra, and/or the larger events around which said battles will take place.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Granted we're seeing hints that Stone's creation doesn't survive as it was during the Pax Republica.  But my point that he can still forge/evolve a successor that comes to be called the ilClan stands.  Just because there's something coming called the ilClan doesn't mean it's a Clan that becomes the ilClan or that a Clan ever conquers Terra. 

Again, granted, it might mean exactly that, but it doesn't have to mean that.

[Nerroth]

I dunno. I feel that, from a design perspective, it almost makes too much sense to kill off the Republic at this stage.

In terms of real-world years, more than a decade's worth of material has been dominated by the Republic of the Sphere; from the onset of MechWarrior: Dark Age/Age of Destruction and its associated novel line, to the myriad effects which that now-defunct game system has had on "classic" BattleTech (being "parked" at 3067 for several years, and obliged to slowly build its way through the Jihad era before making it to the "present day" of 3145).

While this process has thrown up some "new" events or CGL to call their own, most notably the Wars of Reaving (which was able to happen as it did only because WizKids themselves had avoided the topic the first time around), we are still only beginning to see BT (to include the likes of Alpha Strike) step out of the shadow of the last "great leap forward" - one which was spearheaded by someone else's company.

Even if the "3250" idea may not happen (or at least not in the way it had been discussed a while back), it may be all too easy an option to define the new era of BattleTech - an era which will stand or fall on CGL's efforts alone - by killing off the poster faction of the last one. (A move which, on a more cynical level, might appeal to some who were opposed to the Republic's existence to begin with.)


But if the worst comes to the worst, there's still the Supremacy over in the Empires Aflame timeline to turn to. Even if that setting is trapped in amber, so to speak, one might hope that, someday, there might be a chance to move that alternate universe past its drop-in point of alt-3095. (That said, I don't like the idea of using EA as a bolt-hole from the Prime timeline - I would rather it be treated as a viable and worthy setting option in its own right.)

[Knightmare]

I think we'll all just have to wait and see how 3146-3150 develops. I speculate that the Wolf/RAF GenCon diorama was only the first chapter in a larger story that will inevitably involve more "peripheral forces." I think there's a reason why the Ghost Bears haven't been as active as their neighbors, and we'll soon find out why...

At least, I hope we will.