And we boldly step forth into a new realm!

[AirmanR]

A better realm!

What better way to start a new forum then posting in the Periphery section? hehehe I love the imagery.... untamed and unspoiled yet by dozens of Spheroids or Clanners. Just honest men and woman in the region of space where men are men, women are women, and... well... beer is beer!

On topic though, I had made a post regarding the Raven Alliance on the old boards, and it was starting to gain a little bit of traction, and I was thinking: how do the mostly pacifistic Outworld's Alliance, with their fairly simple and straightforward political system ever hope to survive as equals with Clan Snow Raven?

CSR is often described as Machiavellian, and although scavengers par excellence, and wardens, they are still a Clan, and are still focused on a strict caste system, with the military on top!

I am really curious to see how two completely opposite cultures can merge and thrive, to the point where the Raven Alliance even goes on the warpath.

Anyone else have thoughts? Frankly, I see the Calderon's merging with the Alliance, and taking over the entire Inner Sphere. To bad for the Hegemony :)

AirmanR

[Medron Pryde]

One step for man...

One giant bloody leap for freedom of all kinds.   8)

[Darrian Wolffe]

One step for man...

One giant bloody leap for freedom of all kinds.   8)

It wouldn't BE bloody if you Taurians didn't nuke everything that moved...  ;)

As for CSR and the OA merger, I can't actually see it going all that badly for CSR.  Military might aside, the OA and CSR just seem to "click" in their attitudes.  It's somewhat similar to the way that the FRR and CGB have really taken off.  I don't think it's an issue of "separate but equal" entities in the Alliance; I think it's much more like a full-on merger.  What's the phrase?  "Opposites attract"?

[Maelwys]

If I had to guess, I would suggest that they manage to exist by the Outworlds Alliance planets ignoring the Ravens as much as possible. I wouldn't think the OA has had much of a strong central government, so as long as each planet is left alone to decide what's best for themselves (for the most part), I doubt that many on Planet A care that the people on Planet B are providing land and workers for the Snow Ravens, just as long as the Snow Ravens and those from Planet B don't expect the people from Planet A to do the same thing.

Consider the Ravens as just another planet in the OA, with perhaps a bit more influence than most planets, and you can see how it works. As long as the Ravens don't try to force themselves on all the other planets, it shouldn't be that bad.

Of course, we don't really know how it works in the MWDA period.  We only see the smallest hints of it. And this laid back attitude only really works in periods of relative peace. When War starts up again (and it always does), then the rest of the OA has to worry about what the Ravens might drag them into, and that should be interesting to see how it plays out.YW

[haesslich]

AirmanR: I'd have to say that... well, technically the Outworlds Alliance DIDN'T survive their Raven neighbors, not if the 'Raven Alliance' which ended up on the Dark Ages maps some sixty years afterwards is anything to go by.  Michael Avellar's daughter was correct to fear the semi-union between the two nations would go well than well for the pacifistic arm of the Alliance; although, in retrospect, I'd have to say that the OA was doomed with the way things were going during the days of the Second Star League and the Jihad which followed.  At some point, either the Lyrans would look towards their newly prosperous neighbor with envy, or maybe the Black Dragons or some of the later Kuritas would decide to start making attempts to annex them as now they had more than farms and the Omniss cult to their name.

Especially in the Cold War-like 'detente' which followed the Jihad period - with their ability to overtly attack their fellow Successor States blunted by the watchful eye of Devlin Stone (who would have taken any excuse to act against any overly aggressive nations in the name of 'the people'), the Periphery states which had begun to develop upwards towards their pre-Star League levels of tech and wealth would have been tempting targets for the Great Houses, much less pirates who probably count a fair number of Smoked Jaguars, Dark Caste, or renegade mercs with WoB hand-me-downs among them.

[AirmanR]

Interesting thoughts all around. See, I don't think the merger would be peaceful... though it does depend on the world. The primary problem I see is political: the pacifistic forces in the OA are powerful politically, and have not enjoyed the military build up of the Alliance, even in the face of increased pirate aggression.

Where I see it working is on the planets most impacted by pirates. A Clan Snow Raven cluster wipes out a bunch of pirates calmly and efficiently and smiles politely at the local folks and says "Sorry for the mess, have a  nice day." I can see the local people going "Well now, those Raven types might be a tad strange, but they okay folks." And the other two flannel wearing Maine residents will nod and go "Ayup." Sorry, I live near Maine so I have to make fun of them once in a while! :)

Anywho, in terms of the Dark Ages after the Alliance is fully going.. true, we don't know much and I haven't really seen any DETAILED maps, though I might go looking for some at my FLGS, however, I see the Raven touman being a powerful check, even after the Jihad. Without knowing how their forces are spread out, and only knowing that at some point the Alliance picked a fight with the Dragon, we can speculate either way. However, I am thinking that the Ravens, being great scavengers, and the Alliance side, being used to working with poor and outdated equipment, will be able to combine their skill sets into one powerful military force in the Dark Ages period.

[Nibs]

There are enough WarShips in the hands of the Raven Alliance to cause grief to any Successor State!  8)

[AirmanR]

If it is war that they want, then it is war they shall have! :D

I kind of like the Alliance having some muscle. Now they just need enough heavy metal so they can go stomping around the neighborhood, maybe kick some trashcans and stomp some flower pots!

[Flaresnake]

the Alliance merging with the Ravens destroyed what was unique about them. it's the worst thing they did to the periphery.

My favorite is the Marians pure periphery upstart thats going places. everyone else going is down hill in coolness. 

[AirmanR]

HA! I detect jealousy that the predicted Marian take over of Terra might be stopped by another Periphery power! :D

[ShockaTime]

Medron, I'm diggin' the new avatarO0

[Niopsian]

"We're making a better world - all of them, better worlds."

Happy days, fellow Peripherants!

[timp77]

the Alliance merging with the Ravens destroyed what was unique about them. it's the worst thing they did to the periphery.

My favorite is the Marians pure periphery upstart thats going places. everyone else going is down hill in coolness.

I agree 100% on the Marians  [rockon]

[Medron Pryde]

Medron, I'm diggin' the new avatarO0

Thanks.  I had fun ginning it up.  I'm a fan of Full Metal Alchemist and I started thinking a while back that their blue uniforms are actually very similar to the old Taurian Dress Blues that have since been removed.  And me being a fan of the old-school Taurian Concordat...well...what can I say?  It just does so much.

Also...I like Mustang and Hawkeye.  :)

[Kit deSummersville]

At some point, either the Lyrans would look towards their newly prosperous neighbor with envy, or maybe the Black Dragons or some of the later Kuritas would decide to start making attempts to annex them as now they had more than farms and the Omniss cult to their name.

Lyrans? They're on the other side of the sphere.

[Nibs]

At some point, either the Lyrans would look towards their newly prosperous neighbor with envy, or maybe the Black Dragons or some of the later Kuritas would decide to start making attempts to annex them as now they had more than farms and the Omniss cult to their name.

Lyrans? They're on the other side of the sphere.

Or they've become bold and successful expansionists.

Or the Feddies did some re-branding.

[haesslich]

At some point, either the Lyrans would look towards their newly prosperous neighbor with envy, or maybe the Black Dragons or some of the later Kuritas would decide to start making attempts to annex them as now they had more than farms and the Omniss cult to their name.

Lyrans? They're on the other side of the sphere.

Davions even. 

[Scotty]

* Scotty wanders in.

So... who're you people?

* Scotty ducks the thrown refuse.

But seriously.  I've never gotten much out of the Periphery states.  Who are they even?

[StCptMara]

Actually..I think the Ravens and the Outworld's pacifists can get along quite well.
You see, before the Ravens, the OA had to rely on local people willing to put aside the pacifism
to defend their worlds. Sure, there were plenty of patriots willing to do this, but...how were they
viewed by your typical Outworlder? Now, along come the Ravens. First, they help upgrade the tech
of the Patriots, they give those people a place to go where they can be accepted. Second, the Ravens
bring a process for making more Warriors without having to perform recruitment drives.  The Ravens,
of course, need food and materiel support for their Warriors. Something that the mostly agrarian OA
is perfectly able to provide. So, you have peaceful people, living the lives they likely would have, anyway,
while the Ravens provide a military that can defend the Alliance.

To me, it seems the perfect sort of arrangement.

[Dan]

Yeah, that's right. Benefits them both.

[Medron Pryde]

* Scotty wanders in.

So... who're you people?

* Scotty ducks the thrown refuse.

But seriously.  I've never gotten much out of the Periphery states.  Who are they even?

The Periphery is the most interesting place to play around in.  It is 3025 BattleTech where 'Mechs are rare, ICE vehicles are the standard, where men are men if they want to survive, and so are women.  ;)

It's the Old West of BattleTech, where a lance can still slag a city, a company can hold a world, and a battalion is a major collectioni of kick buttness.  :)

[Moonsword]

It's the Old West of BattleTech, where a lance can still slag a city, a company can hold a world, and a battalion is a major collectioni of kick buttness.  :)

Ease off the throttle there, Tex, your romanticism is obscuring the facts.  A lance of decent-sized 'Mechs is still able to do that just fine against undefended cities... which are still there anyway, even in the IS, because force levels simply aren't high enough to station everywhere.  The idea that a single unsupporte company could ever hold a world with a reasonable population - even as little as twenty or thirty million - is ridiculous, however.  If the population wants a company gone, they will find a way to dispose of them.  It's really not that hard.  What they may be able to do is sit on the spaceport or HPG, but that's a different matter than entirely denying the use of the place to an opponent, which a compancy simply can't do.  And a battalion, especially these days, is still a major concentration of force in this game.

[Medron Pryde]

Yes...if a planet wants the company or battalion or regiment or WHATEVER gone, it WILL be gone.

I'm talking about what holds a planet against ENEMIES, not against the local population.  ;)

[Moonsword]

Mainly because no one really cares enough to send enough force at you.  Even in the Periphery, significant worlds have more than a single company sitting around for garrison duty.

[durant]

Yep the periphery was a great place to be in 3025 ! [rockon]
Today all this pretty kingdoms things seems to me like the old sphere with powerfull army and industry... ;)

[Guardsman]

I miss the simpler times of yesteryear, when all you needed was access to a stolen JumpShip, a stolen DropShip, and a lance or two of deserters, and you could be a King on your own world.

[Nibs]

I miss the simpler times of yesteryear, when all you needed was access to a stolen JumpShip, a stolen DropShip, and a lance or two of deserters, and you could be a King on your own world.

A King on a pathetic, barren world, scratching to survive, but a King nonetheless.  :P

[StCptMara]

A King on a pathetic, barren world, scratching to survive, but a King nonetheless.  :P

Better to rule in Hell....

[Nibs]

Better to rule in Hell....

Touché.  :D

[Guardsman]

Touché.  :D

Just about every monarchy in history began the same way. A strongman or woman, seizes power over a group of people. Everything progresses from there. Some are just a little closer to their roots than others.