Fall of the Aurigan Coalition

[Colt Ward]

Problem is later on some of their worlds and sphere of influence ends up with a listed faction.  This is what leads to the assumption that something happened between the end of the game (and now the follow up fiction) and when we see developments in that region in the 3050s when the New Colony Region/Fronc Reaches becomes important enough to make the maps.

ComStar could have also been working to keep the Houses and even other big Periphery realms from moving in or taking a interest in the area, the Coalition was positioned where the Star League had sort of set up their own zone for a nodal force to respond to either MoC or TC before the revolt kicked off.  What we really do not know is if that region is normal or abnormal for Star League remains because AFAIK the Coalition worlds and even transit systems is the most detailed small region in BTU.  Sure we get a lot of worlds that have more history and detail but their immediate neighbors?  No, we get details on worlds/systems 5-10 jumps away with a intervening blank space.  SO does ComStar downplay the region because the sudden explosion of lostech materials and facilities found in the late 3020s and they want to sanitize the area?  Or is it a normal representation of a Star League 'armor belt' (think US rust belt) that can be found in the periphery outside the borders of the SL-era Periphery realms?

As a power they also raise the question of what does it take to rise above ComStar's periphery bias.  Good old Blake had a prejudice against the Periphery and it lived on in his organization while also being useful for old ComStar's manipulation of the Inner Sphere.  Pirates, out of sight R&D worlds, places to build secret armies . . . ComStar has used the Periphery as a covert playground for what they spring on the Houses.

[Caedis Animus]

Unfortunately, it also looks like they have Kamea perhaps dealing with the stress badly?  believing the ends justify the means- IE continuing her uncle's policies?

That sounds like a pretty clear-cut misreading regarding Kamea's speech at the end of the game or even the plot in and of itself-considering she seems very much a means-justify-the-ends sort, regardless of what her original reasons (Getting cheated out of it by betrayal) for wanting the throne back were. While I get the in-universe Kamea isn't exactly the same, her changing as a person and genuinely going out of her way to be a benevolent ruler even unto annihilation makes far more sense.

[Adventwolf]

From what we are given she maintained the centralization of power in the High Lordship/High Ladyship but did not keep the repressive and police state actions that the Directorate used. She generally has the support of most of the worlds and their ruling Houses.

She also gained control of all of House Espinosa's assets and their world, giving her complete control of the most populated system in the Reach, which is also one of the most technologically and industrially developed. She also has Guldra and House Maderia more or less completely in her pocket which gives her the Breadbasket of the Reach. And Smithon lost its ruling House so that is also de facto under her complete control. She has most of the power in the Reach no matter what she decides to do.

The outer worlds are the ones she loses in the decades to come and those were fairly recently added to the Aurigan Coalition. And it is likely ComStar just removed them from the maps anyways. Since no one recognized them as a legitimate state no reason to mark the maps with them. And since most of the worlds are also marked as uninhabited they don't actually count as being part of whatever color border happens to go over them.

[ANS Kamas P81]

How many systems do the Aurigans add to the map anyway?  I recall, probably incorrectly, that that area was kind of barren before HBS took it up.

[Adventwolf]

How many systems do the Aurigans add to the map anyway?  I recall, probably incorrectly, that that area was kind of barren before HBS took it up.

It is the opposite in fact. All the systems that are part of the Aurigan Reach already existed. There was just little information on them. The systems were there and that was about it. The reason the game and book is set there was to add to the lore without contradicting anything that came before.

[truetanker]

So in a sense, a micro- House in a House Realm...

Hmm...

Wonder if CGL would create others or more appropriate, flesh out more realms. Mica, Niops and any other micro state that has a one liner.

Even in a PDF format...

TT

[Colt Ward]

So in a sense, a micro- House in a House Realm...

Hmm...

Wonder if CGL would create others or more appropriate, flesh out more realms. Mica, Niops and any other micro state that has a one liner.

Even in a PDF format...

TT

Return on Investment . . . the only reason we got this was they harvested video game data that did not conflcit and enough people had played/were interested that it was not a loser to back the project.

Honestly, we would be more likely to get a Kentares SB (MW4 & sequels), something about the worlds of MW4 Mercs, or wherever MW5 takes place.  The latter is most likely as it is most recent.

[Adventwolf]

The Aurigan Reach is actually still a decent place to set more stories in. Go into why or how they lost some of their outer colonies to the Concordat. Show how that is being dealt with. Maybe follow the story of a new House rising to replace either the place of House Espinosa or House Karosas. Could also go further into the past and see the Aurigan Coalition be built from the Old Trade union. Another story could be in the time post 4SW up to the Clan Invasion. The Aurigans trying to get recognition or dealing with pirates and the fallout of the Capellan being smashed.

[Colt Ward]

Karosas will IMO be replaced by the regent Kamea appointed, it is a common enough story though history.

After the Clan Invasion they have a real problem . . . all their neighbors join into a alliance, and the region between gets dealt with like it is a dependency- see what happens with New Colonies Region/Fronc and Detroit.

Now the Jihad would open up opportunities, the Taurians pulled out of the Trinity and split in two . . . it would be interesting to see Kamea's successor & that whatever for that state was in ally with the Taurians.

[Adventwolf]

Karosas will IMO be replaced by the regent Kamea appointed, it is a common enough story though history.

After the Clan Invasion they have a real problem . . . all their neighbors join into a alliance, and the region between gets dealt with like it is a dependency- see what happens with New Colonies Region/Fronc and Detroit.

Now the Jihad would open up opportunities, the Taurians pulled out of the Trinity and split in two . . . it would be interesting to see Kamea's successor & that whatever for that state was in ally with the Taurians.

The Regent isn't doing anything. They were also just put there because they needed someone to be there. So all the Regent does is follow whatever Kamea tells her to do. They are also looking for anyone that could have a blood tie to take over the House.

The development of the Trinity alliance would actually be a boon for whatever was left of the Aurigan Coalition. Along with the New Colony Region as well. Those things would create a major increase in traffic and trade along the entire area which is what the Aurigan Reach lived off of. So jumpships and convoys going through their territory to get to one of the fours areas.

When the Taurians break the alliance during the Jihad I could see the Aurigans going to either the Capellan or Taurian sides. At least, at first, for the Taurians before they go super crazy with their blatant war crimes. The Aurigans would ally with the Taurians mostly out of self-preservation because the Taurians might decide to attack them if they don't. The Capellans might provide tech and more money in an alliance but they are also far less likely to even try and help the Aurigans if they were attacked. The Fronc Reach is a bit too weak, The MoC and Protectorate too far and/or an enemy of the Concordant that would just cause an Invasion. With the FedSuns having the same problem of the Protectorate being an enemy only on a bigger scale.

[Colt Ward]

Lol, I meant it when I suggested check out what happens in history with regents for nobility . . . the de jure power of the regent becomes, at some point, official de facto power of the regent.  King Henry VIII selected his in-laws to be Edward's heir for a reason- they could not gain the power of the Kingship in their own names, but by ensuring his survival and being crowned it would be the means to their having access to power & it's economic benefits.  For an example of how it goes badly you merely need to look at the infamous case of the Two Princes of the Tower- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower.  The longer such a regency exists, the more likely the regent is to take the actual power into their hands.  BT's own regencies have problems- look at what happened with the Camerons, it is how Aramis was able to reach the levers of power due to a vacuum around the throne.  Kerensky failed in his duty as regent, he should have handed over the regular operations of the SLDF when he became Regent- it was no longer his primary duty.

The Karosas regent could even be more zealously following Kamea's instructions in the hope of ascending the vacant seat.  Besides . . . overseeing the official investigation into finding possible heirs is a great way to to either disqualify candidates or make sure they have tragic accidents . . .

Trinity Alliance did not help the New Colony Region- they LOST Detroit with it's industry and just restored mech production.  The area was a economic doormat to the Trinity powers w/o any recourse or political leverage.  Sun-Tzu was interested in restoring everything to the Capellan Confederation they once owned, some of the planets in that region were under Cappies auspices during the Star League era.  They would not have received the attention of the Chaos March, but the Trinity Alliance allows all parties to extend spheres of influence into the un-aligned worlds without the risk of setting off a neighbor.

[Adventwolf]

Lol, I meant it when I suggested check out what happens in history with regents for nobility . . . the de jure power of the regent becomes, at some point, official de facto power of the regent.  King Henry VIII selected his in-laws to be Edward's heir for a reason- they could not gain the power of the Kingship in their own names, but by ensuring his survival and being crowned it would be the means to their having access to power & it's economic benefits.  For an example of how it goes badly you merely need to look at the infamous case of the Two Princes of the Tower- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower.  The longer such a regency exists, the more likely the regent is to take the actual power into their hands.  BT's own regencies have problems- look at what happened with the Camerons, it is how Aramis was able to reach the levers of power due to a vacuum around the throne.  Kerensky failed in his duty as regent, he should have handed over the regular operations of the SLDF when he became Regent- it was no longer his primary duty.

The Karosas regent could even be more zealously following Kamea's instructions in the hope of ascending the vacant seat.  Besides . . . overseeing the official investigation into finding possible heirs is a great way to to either disqualify candidates or make sure they have tragic accidents . . .

Trinity Alliance did not help the New Colony Region- they LOST Detroit with it's industry and just restored mech production.  The area was a economic doormat to the Trinity powers w/o any recourse or political leverage.  Sun-Tzu was interested in restoring everything to the Capellan Confederation they once owned, some of the planets in that region were under Cappies auspices during the Star League era.  They would not have received the attention of the Chaos March, but the Trinity Alliance allows all parties to extend spheres of influence into the un-aligned worlds without the risk of setting off a neighbor.

Except the "regent" doesn't do anything. That is her entire character she makes no moves and only follows orders to watch over the planet. She is also not involved at all in looking for a new heir.

I didn't say the trinity alliance helped the NCR. I said that with the alliance and the New Colony region that trade in the whole area would be increased because traffic would be growing through there as the shortest route to get to each other.

And yet not one of the planets was ever taken by the Capellans at any point. They are all marks as uninhabited not as controlled by the Capellan. Unlike the systems that were marked as being taken over by the Taurians. Again the color around them doesn't matter unless the planet is marked.

[Colt Ward]

Lol, if the Regent does nothing overseeing the day to day operations for the House then there is no point in having one- that is the de jure/de facto power slip point.

[Adventwolf]

Lol, if the Regent does nothing overseeing the day to day operations for the House then there is no point in having one- that is the de jure/de facto power slip point.

I didn't say they don't deal with day to day. Though the one put doesn't really. They are straight up noted and described as nothing more than competent and does nothing more than give status reports to the council. No power play no attempts to curry favor. Not even working with the other council member besides taking orders from Alexander. Not excatly the best person for the job nor one that would make a satisfying storyline to follow.

[Elmoth]

I see a clear plot point though. A real schemer wull send really bland  boring and matter of factoy reports to the council. And at the same time he wull be building a local power base.

[Adventwolf]

I see a clear plot point though. A real schemer wull send really bland  boring and matter of factoy reports to the council. And at the same time he wull be building a local power base.

Were it any other planet that might have worked. But Kamea made it a point of making sure Smithon and Panzyr in particular were being rebuilt as best as she could. Those two and Smithon more so would be under a lot more scrutiny for the regent to try that. And with either Kamea or Alexander being in charge they wouldn't really be able to hide that. The regent specifically doesn't try to rock the boat because she is only temporary and also because the planet is kind of bad.

She might be doing that but for what purpose would she get out of it. All she would accomplish is pissing off the much more powerful overlords and new peers by that action. So not a smart move for her to take.

Like I said a better story would be to go further back in time to the founding and initial expansion of the Aurigan Coalition. Show what they did and how they won over the region. Hell follow House Espinosa and show why they were the right hand of the High Lords.

[BrianDavion]

Lol, I meant it when I suggested check out what happens in history with regents for nobility . . . the de jure power of the regent becomes, at some point, official de facto power of the regent.  King Henry VIII selected his in-laws to be Edward's heir for a reason- they could not gain the power of the Kingship in their own names, but by ensuring his survival and being crowned it would be the means to their having access to power & it's economic benefits.  For an example of how it goes badly you merely need to look at the infamous case of the Two Princes of the Tower- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower.  The longer such a regency exists, the more likely the regent is to take the actual power into their hands.  BT's own regencies have problems- look at what happened with the Camerons, it is how Aramis was able to reach the levers of power due to a vacuum around the throne.  Kerensky failed in his duty as regent, he should have handed over the regular operations of the SLDF when he became Regent- it was no longer his primary duty.

The Karosas regent could even be more zealously following Kamea's instructions in the hope of ascending the vacant seat.  Besides . . . overseeing the official investigation into finding possible heirs is a great way to to either disqualify candidates or make sure they have tragic accidents . . .

Trinity Alliance did not help the New Colony Region- they LOST Detroit with it's industry and just restored mech production.  The area was a economic doormat to the Trinity powers w/o any recourse or political leverage.  Sun-Tzu was interested in restoring everything to the Capellan Confederation they once owned, some of the planets in that region were under Cappies auspices during the Star League era.  They would not have received the attention of the Chaos March, but the Trinity Alliance allows all parties to extend spheres of influence into the un-aligned worlds without the risk of setting off a neighbor.

you act like every regency has resulted in a hostile take over of the throne, this isn't true at all.

[Daryk]

The entire purpose of a regency is to enable take over of the throne.  It's not at all surprising that the take over in question results in something other than the intended ward assuming the throne...  ^-^

[Colt Ward]

you act like every regency has resulted in a hostile take over of the throne, this isn't true at all.

Forgot about this . . .

Not every, but they happen often enough in history . . . and THIS regency has the problem that they are TRYING to find a proper heir rather than having one waiting in the wings.  Which is why I said it could end up "Well, we looked and could find no one . . . but I will keep doing the job until we do."

I mean the Steward of Gondor ring any bells?

[StCptMara]

Forgot about this . . .

Not every, but they happen often enough in history . . . and THIS regency has the problem that they are TRYING to find a proper heir rather than having one waiting in the wings.  Which is why I said it could end up "Well, we looked and could find no one . . . but I will keep doing the job until we do."

I mean the Steward of Gondor ring any bells?

Well, in that case it was: The Kings of Gondor put the Stewards in charge until the Kings returned. It was meant and intended to be a long term Stewardship, not a single generation Regency....

[Colt Ward]

yes, and when the king returned the Steward did not want to release his hold on the power.

[Elmoth]

There are cases where this happened, with the prospective king having an early meeting with lady death. Cassander and fhe sonnof alexander the great, for example. However, there are also cases where this was NOT the case. Jaume I of Catalonia, for example, or the tetrarchy system that Richard the Lionheart put in England (led by william marshall) working well enough.

[StCptMara]

yes, and when the king returned the Steward did not want to release his hold on the power.

But Denethor was also completely crazy by that point. Faramir had no problem with letting Aragon reclaim the throne.

[Hammerhead]

Well, House Arano and the Aurigan Coalition has showed up in fiction again . . . though not sure what is up with Harbinger Company or Kamea's attitude towards increasing the nation's mech numbers.  I could have done without the heavy dumping of Polynesian culture into the story rather than introducing lighter amounts.  We had not gotten any beyond a bare overlay in the previous story and this one had all sorts of things thrown in.

Can I ask where to find said fiction?

[Luciora]

AURIGA FALLS NO MORE!

Sorry, had that stuck in my head for some reason.   ;D

[Colt Ward]

Can I ask where to find said fiction?

Sharpnel

[Daryk]

Sharpnel the poster, or Shrapnel the magazine? ???

[tassa_kay]

Sharpnel the poster, or Shrapnel the magazine? ???

You damn well know what he meant. Come on now. ::)

[Daryk]

Actually, I don't.  I spend a lot of my time in the Fan Fiction section, and I see Colt down there too.

[tassa_kay]

Actually, I don't.  I spend a lot of my time in the Fan Fiction section, and I see Colt down there too.

I thought the context clues of him describing the Shrapnel story's details, plus the fact that we aren't in the Fan Fiction setting, were enough to make it fairly obvious.