Several good points. I do disagree on a couple of things.
At no point did I think this would be an Adder lead invasion. Before the Revival Trials, Leo Showers had already been elected ilKhan, and Elias Crichell had already positioned him as one of his closest allies. What I was purposing was the clans going with Cassius N'Buta's plan to invade in force. Khan N'Buta wanted to position the Adders in a leading roll of advisers and trying to help guide the invasion. But I have always saw this as an invasion by the Clans as a whole, lead by the ilKhan and dictated by the Grand Council. The Adders weren't looking to change the other clans, only to help direct the Invasion as Crusaders they believed was the correct course for history.
As for the War of Reaving there are parts I would agree with on and things I don't. While I do believe there would be a inter clan war at some point, I do believe it would be much different. The WoR was a perfect storm of events that coincided to create the right conditions for war. There is mainly 4 points that were a major factor in the WoR; the Burrock betrayal, the Homeworld/Invader divide, the Caste revolt by the Scientist Caste and Brett Andrews. Lets look at each of these points.
- The Burrock betrayal was caused by one chain of events. After Revival started, the Khans of Burrock were trying to cover up evidence of their predecessors dealings with the Dark Caste, this cover up led to the Adders finding this evidence which led to the Absorption of the Burrocks by the Adders. Because of the almost whole sale absorption of Burrock warriors, many did not acclimate to becoming Adders and instead of addressing this problem the Adders through them all in Upsilon Galaxy to be forgotten. This allowed Burrock to begin again and turn to the Dark Caste for help. I argue that this line of events would have never accrued. With both the Adders and Burrocks involved in the invasion nether of the events that lead to the Absorption would have happened and more than likely the Burrocks dealings with the Dark Caste would have been business as usual atleast until after the invasion was complete. Burrock might have played a part in a later Caste revolt just due to both's connection with the Dark Caste, but I don't see it happening as quick, or as effective. Instead of having all the Burrock collaborators in one unit, you would have them split over a full clan, that was never 100% in with the Dark Caste.
- Another major factor was the Homeworld vs Invader divide that came after the Battle of Tukiyyad. The Invaders had gained a lot of power and the Homeworld clans were jealous of that power. This increased the rate of Trials between the two groups. Then add on that in the space of 15 years you have a Clan absorbed, another fractured in two, one annihilated by the Inner Sphere, another abjured to join the Inner Sphere, one up and leaves the Homeworlds to form a new nation in the IS and finally one gets kicked back to the Homeworlds in humiliation. The societal change and power vacuum this caused was devastating. This alone was already starting to tear the clans apart. For the most part giving the clans a single focus would have helped unify them in this regard and stopping most of these issues at least for the short term.
- For the Caste Revolt and the Bloody ilKhan I'll put these together as one point. For the most part I don't believe the Society would have been changed much by a unified invasion over the original one. But I do believe their actions would have changed. Up until the WoR the Society was content to continue its research and work to a future where they could lead. It was never their choice to revolt when they did, they felt they were pushed into it by the declaration of Brett Andrews and his call for Trials of Reaving on any Legacy he deemed tainted by the Inner Sphere corruption. This was the spark that launched the Society to start their war.
So what does homeworlds look like in a post successful Revival look like? Looking a Revival planed and administered with foresight of N'Bute I believe it would unfold as such. For the first 2 to 4 waves of the your looking at primarily Front Line Galaxies only. Your using your best troops to take and conquer worlds, with most garrison forces your facing in the first phase unprepared for front line troops. By the 4th wave, the Combine and Commonwealth are moving troops forward and are working on counter attacks. By this time, Clan second line Galaxies have been moved up from the homeworlds, likely 3 to 6 months behind the front of the invasion. Your using the second line troops to garrison your conquered worlds and taking care of the uprisings that are being formed on these worlds. Your more than likely also moving up scores of Civilians to administrator the world's own Civilian population, Technicians, Merchants, and Scientists.
In the homeworlds you've got 3 main groups;
- Warriors from Solahma Clusters and PGCs to protect the homeworlds from Dark Caste raids.
- Sibkos and the Scientist/Warriors training them
- And the Civilians that could not be moved to keep the Homeworlds operational.
I'm pretty sure if they have reached and taken Terra the Homeworlds would have been abandoned. The bigger question is would the Clans care about moving their remaining civilians and forces from the homeworlds? Would those left behind form the Society at this point?
From an AU stand point I believe the Clans at this point are more Stable then they were during the WoR. You have an Inner Sphere split between 17 factions with multiple worlds requiring integration. The inter Clan fighting would be at a minimum at this point as they have more internal problems to deal with. I do believe this would be troubling times and see more than a few clans fall as they are unable to integrate with their new civilians. But that is the fun of an AU, looking at where things could go.