Cray
03/02/02 05:14 PM
12.91.118.164
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...over 1000 people died in the Euro-English Automotive Chunnel when a bomb done went boom.
The cause for this, as known for many years, was Black December. Black December was a militant resistance group that had gathered quite a following on Terra demanding complete Terran independence from even Comstar. After the better part of a century under Comstar's benevolent guidance (re-education camps, forced mysticism, and all), Terra was finally waking up. It wanted free. Black December was not the only militant resistance group. There was also the Terran Liberation Front. There were non-violent resistance groups, too.
The bomb had "clearly" targeted at Jerrold Komandi, Precentor New Earth, who was visiting to give a speech in London. Bombings were, indeed, the hallmark of Black December. Previously their bombings had been targeted at ComStar re-education centers and other facilities. There could be no doubt the action was by Black December. As Black December normally did, it promptly took credit for the bombing to confirm it was a legitimate BD attack. Support for the "liberation" movements fell to zero - the Terran public wanted no part of a movement that killed 1000 bystanders just to get one "legitimate" target.
What if the news that this bombing was a ROM operation meant to undercut anti-ComStar groups got out immediately, rather than in the 3050s when Focht unsealed the records?
ComStar, benevolent ruler of Terra, just butchered 1000 innocent civilians to make resistance groups look bad. All of Terra gets the news; most believe it. Heck, let's say the word even reaches the Houses.
What happens next? Can ComStar rally from this loss? Can an independent Terra survive in the Third Succession War era? Feel free to explore several possible results of this change.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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NathanKell
03/02/02 07:32 PM
24.44.238.62
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{churn, churn, churn}
I knew ROM was bad, but that is...startling.
While I'm setting my Mark 1 Mod 1 AH processors whirring, let me throw another little Comstar-related gem out there (see Hollings York thread, as I'd rather not hijack this one...)
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Cray
03/02/02 11:18 PM
12.78.124.42
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Have you heard of Operation Holy Shroud, the assassination of 300 leading scientists in the Inner Sphere?
Comstar attempted to re-ignite the Succession Wars both after the 1st and 2nd Wars ended; they pretty well succeeded after the 2nd was over. They were getting worried the Inner Sphere might recover its lost technologies in about 3 decades.
Reading the old Comstar sourcebook is...horrific.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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NathanKell
03/03/02 12:29 AM
24.44.238.62
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Indeed it appears that way, even from the bits I've heard of.
I was aware of Holy Shroud via FM CS. It didn't leap out at me as this did, however, probably partly because it seemed that
1. Killing science (and thus scientists) was (one of) ROM's main mission(s).
2. They were, though certainly not military targets, related to military power.
This, however, had purely civilian targets, and on a far (well, 3x) larger scale.
And at once, vs. over time.
I guess also there's the gut reaction of ROM doing this to other houses, vs. doing it to one's own...
Anyway, not a pretty subject.
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
NathanKell
03/03/02 12:35 AM
24.44.238.62
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Hmm...when was that big Com Guard expansion?
ComStar can probably hold on to control of Terra if it really wants to, but that's not nearly as interesting as...
An Independent Terra
Assuming that Terra shakes off the yoke, and loses neither its large population nor (nearly Star League-era) industrial base...and perhaps even manages to seize, if not CS equipment, then data...
It seems not far-fetched at all to come to the conclusion that Terra can withstand even a major assault from a House. I mean, with all those mint factories you could churn out something like a battalion a week! And with a high-tech population, presumably raised on Mech arcade games (see one of the Capellan Solution books) there would be a sea of recruits.
Plus you have the rest of the Sol system's facilities...the War Academy of Mars, frex, or the Titan (Warship!!!) Yards...
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Greyslayer
03/03/02 12:54 AM
63.12.147.88
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'And with a high-tech population, presumably raised on Mech arcade games (see one of the Capellan Solution books) there would be a sea of recruits.'
Oh please, no need to be reminded of the stupid Arcade Rangers. I've played Tank simulators and driven real armoured vehicles the simulator is hardly a training aid for personnel at a gaming level. Proper 'Pod simulators' could assist in given recruits close to mech time but they wouldn't even be close to be classed as green if all they have done is play arcade games (probably why they have BV tables go out to 7 gunner and 7 piloting).
The Cappellan Solution is in fact urine in colour, smell and thank goodness I didn't taste it!  .
Greyslayer
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NathanKell
03/03/02 01:23 AM
24.44.238.62
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A sea of recruits, is what I said. I never said they'd be any good  What I was more worried about was simply that they'd think mechs were "cool" and want to be mechwarriors. After all, those mechs would be pretty useless without people in 'em...
And better for the people in them to be half-trained patriots, rather than experienced mercenaries.
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Greyslayer
03/03/02 02:22 AM
63.12.147.88
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Well at least mercenaries would have some technicians with them to start with. You can't fight a war if you can't even put the gear together to start with!
Greyslayer
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NathanKell
03/03/02 02:29 AM
24.44.238.62
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And who do ya think staffs the factories?
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Greyslayer
03/03/02 02:35 AM
63.12.147.88
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The people who are too silly to think for themselves. Remember nearly all their factories were either craters or mothballed.
Greyslayer
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Cray
03/03/02 09:37 AM
12.91.129.75
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It's entirely possible the Terrans could pick up a good chunk of Comguard mechwarriors - a lot were probably born on Terra and have Terran leanings, while others will be upset at the abuses Comstar has wrought on Terra.
Plus, Terra can probably afford mercs. I mean, it has the mechs already, lots of SL-era mechs. It just needs mechwarriors (hello, dispossessed.)
And Terra does have some fine training academies. Sandhurt, WAM (okay, on Mars, but...), Westpoint, etc.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Spartan
03/03/02 10:15 AM
172.138.3.37
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>> And better for the people in them to be half-trained patriots, rather than experienced mercenaries.
And what's wrong with mercs? If we can afford (or are given) decent mechs we can kick butt. And we have fierce loyalty...after a fashion.
But at the very least we'd have combat training and combat experience, which trumps training IMHO, though only if you take away the right lessons from it. And survive. You have to survive to learn. 
But also, if the invaders saw us as the weaker troops more likely to break you can use that to your advantage. Did you see Mel Gibson's "The Patriot"? The final battle where the militia "breaks" and runs only to use that to set up a trap? Alexander the Great used a similar tactic to draw enemies in against his best troops, I just can't remember which battle.
Spartan
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.
(I refer you to what Nightward said)
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Greyslayer
03/03/02 05:11 PM
63.12.141.57
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At the time of 2877 ComGuard itself was not an established military force. It would hardly require the multiple advanced training institutes of which you talk about especially given the downgraded size of the House Military Machines at the time (what were once divisions are now regiments and so on).
I was going after Nathan purely on that, playing computer games would not count as real training and they lacked the facilities to assemble and send into combat large numbers of personnel. As for having enough money to hire dispossed or Mercs. Of that I have no doubt they could've.
Greyslayer
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Karagin
03/03/02 10:55 PM
63.173.170.113
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Two things:
One how and who would allow the news that it was ROM agents who did the bombing leak out?
Two: given ComStar's control over the meda on Terra, they could paint any picture they wanted to cover up the leak so I don't see anything really changing...
As for a non-CS Terra taking on the houses...well given time and lots of effort maybe they could pull it off by the year 3050...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Cray
03/04/02 08:49 AM
204.245.128.3
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>One how and who would allow the news that it was ROM agents who did the bombing leak out?
I don't know. It just did - that was a given for the "what if". What would you suggest? I was thinking a ROM agent with a severe conscience attack.
>given ComStar's control over the meda on Terra, they could paint any picture they wanted to cover up the leak so I don't see anything really changing...
It's too late. Comstar's image has gone in the toilet. Per the "what if," the news is out and Terrans are outraged at Comstar. Note there are a lot of Terrans IN Comstar, particularly the entire Bureau of Terran Affairs (including the planetary police) and media branches.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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