Requiem
11/27/23 08:41 PM
1.158.235.121
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It is well known that ComStar is an independent organization who serves the entire Inner Sphere, however, it also should be known that with a large enough bribe they are willing to part with valuable information.
And as such they have the ability to manipulate (and control) the Inner Sphere from behind the scenes …
Whist ComStar’s top echelon members enrich not only ComStar’s coffers they also enrich their own through an appearance of opulence …
A win win scenario ….
Question is why didn’t TPTB ever consider this scenario?
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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Frabby
11/29/23 02:42 AM
84.185.66.250
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They have a monopoly on FTL communication and are a pivotal supranational pillar of banking, shipping coordination, and a lot of other things. Basically, it’s them who keep the show running. To the point where they are demonstrably vastly more powerful than any single Successor State, as they can (and have) bring Successor States to heel with an interdics (House Marik, Houses Steiner/Davion) or even the threat of one (House Kurita).
They make the rules. The balance of power is tilted to ComStar to such a degree that they are simply above bribery; they do their own thing (or make you do it).
You don’t bribe ComStar. And ComStar doesn’t bribe you, though they will twist your arm if they have to.
And inside ComStar you’re in an in-for-life meta-religious order that is well organized and has its own secret service, internal police and religious teachings subdivisions. That doesn’t exactly strike me as an environment where a monkish robed Acolyte or Precentor dares or even gets much of a chance to step out of line and accept bribes.
Canonical example would be Precentor Roderick on Oberon VI who worked with Hendrik Grimm III (though it’s unclear if he really went rogue or if this was just a ComStar charade to keep tabs on Hendrik).
An apocryphal example would be Precentor Cyrillo from the Blackthorne comics who really went rogue - and was promptly shot on the spot by his own staff when it came out.
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Requiem
11/29/23 04:00 AM
1.158.235.121
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Sorry Frabby, I disagree that …
Quote:
They make the rules. The balance of power is tilted to ComStar to such a degree that they are simply above bribery; they do their own thing (or make you do it).
Remember who and what they are … in the open light they a quasi-religious organisation dedicated to the ideals of the pacifist.
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/ComStar
“Beneath its benign, pacifistic façade though, ComStar itself was an antagonistic player in the Succession Wars, pitting the sides against each other for its own purposes”.
Also remember what the interdictions were regarding … putting a tax on comstar … not allowing a member of the Draconis Combine’s royal family join comstar … penalizing a Great House for attacking a HPG station …
Remember everything is done in the shadows – eg Operation Holy Shroud – where ROM was utilized to prevent the rediscovery of technology lost during the First and Second Succession Wars. It did not just state to every house that all future R&D was now prohibited!
Also, basic psychology … allow a person to believe they are obtaining an advantage over another through bribery they are more likely to believe the information. Especially when you provide accurate information … then insert half truths and out right lies to get them to do what you want …
How many times has the person behind the throne manipulated the throne (or any gullible person who believes in oney) to do what they want?
As we are all after the money, and the supposed power it brings … as most people believe in money to obtain the truth!
And if they only see a bribe able priest who wants the good life they will always believe they have the one up and thus believe in the information provided!
And in so doing manipulate the universe … through a protocol of approved bribery …
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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ghostrider
12/01/23 01:03 PM
45.51.181.83
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So what happened with the DC attack on the station the Dragoons took over in order to send the messages to the other units when the Combine tried to destroy them? The DC suffered no punishment for the damage they caused trying to kill the 7th Kommandos team, or at least there was nothing said about it.
There are a few more stories where Comstar refused service to units that were being hunted by the houses. The Dragoon one is the first one that comes to mind. Is it just the local manager that took a bribe? Or was that decided by others, like the first circuit?
Comstar is like other companies. It is just they require so much to be tempted by a bribe.
Now it is possible they were going to do certain things, but 'allowed' others to pay them to be on their side. This would give them the excuse if someone finds out.
"The local manager was found to have accepted a bribe, and has since been dealt with." scenario would play out, and anything from killing the person to saying they are dead, while moving them to a station on the other side of the IS could be done. Not sure how many of these are used, but the few stories look like bribes to Comstar in general.
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Requiem
12/02/23 01:01 AM
1.158.235.121
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Sarna -Wolf’s Dragoons – 6th employer: House Kurita
Quote:
Finding themselves suddenly fighting an intense and taxing shadow war against their own employer for the second time, Jaime Wolf enacted a contingency plan that had been developed after the experience with Anton Marik. In a suicide mission, a small group of dedicated Dragoon soldiers and technicians fought their way into an HPG compound in Cerant, An Ting, on the night of January 3, 3028, and sent a coded message to the scattered Dragoon forces, ordering them to withdraw and regroup on the ice planet Misery.
So how does a normal transaction from a standard client – requiring a normal transaction fee have anything to do with bribery – as the local manager only took a normal payment? As they have not been declared an illegal force by the mercenary review and bonding commission (a neutral arbiter of inter-House dealings).
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Comstar is like other companies. It is just they require so much to be tempted by a bribe.
Sorry but this is not accurate.
There has never been any “corporation” like that of ComStar.
Their objective is to “MANIPULATE” all the Houses – from their ruler to their most lowest of civilian.
So what method could be considered the most efficient means to manipulate these individuals?
Bribery and rumour comes to mind – whispering into the ears to promote dark thoughts and deeds.
Quote:
"The local manager was found to have accepted a bribe, and has since been dealt with."
So, you just replace her/him with someone who is better at playing the game.
Quote:
few stories look like bribes to ComStar in general.
And this is where TPTB should have used ComStar to manipulate the gullible power hungry.
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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Cray
12/02/23 06:09 PM
71.47.208.18
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Quote:
Question is why didn’t TPTB ever consider this scenario?
That's just what MIIO was doing to ComStar after the Fourth Succession War, besides assassination, interrogation, and infiltration. After 3030, every House knew ComStar was playing its own game rather than being neutral techno-monks, and began exploiting ComStar. Some Houses had it easy, since ComStar bent over backwards to give Kurita everything it needed before the anticipated Fifth Succession War, while others went after ComStar with everything their spy agencies had.
Corruption of ComStar was a major plot point affecting the War of 3039. I'm surprised you forgot about that.
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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ghostrider
12/02/23 07:46 PM
45.51.181.83
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I can see that being the truth with WOB as well. Especially once they started taking over more of the com systems. They even turned against the FWL in a few cases. The full scale attacks on other nations during the Jihad would be a prime example of corruption from WOB.
Granted, that era is not liked by most.
Comstar was known to be non neutral even before the 4th war. It was difficult to prove. The attack on NAIS as well as multiple attacks on scientists making headway with things like HPG tech was showing that. The interdiction of the FS during the 4th war was solid proof to the FS.
If I know right, the attack on the HPG during the 4th war was known to be fraud, as the units that were supposed to have done so, were reassigned before that invasion took place. Something Comstar didn't know at the time.
This is in the wiki
They faked an AFFS attack on the HPG on Sarna and used the "incident" as the excuse they needed. Unbeknownst to ComStar, Hanse Davion had changed the units he used to assault Sarna at the last minute, alerting him to ComStar's duplicity.
Edited by ghostrider (12/02/23 07:49 PM)
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Requiem
12/03/23 01:53 AM
1.158.235.121
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pitting the sides against each other for its own purposes … so how do you go about this to achieve your own ends?
Quote:
After 3030, every House knew ComStar was playing its own game rather than being neutral techno-monks … Corruption of ComStar was a major plot point affecting the War of 3039. I'm surprised you forgot about that.
3030 / 3039 – Sorry but it was way earlier than that! Their action then was just an extension of previous policies and procedures … e.g.
For the Lyran Commonwealth it was 2820
Archon Richard Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth … Tensions between the Commonwealth and the Blessed Order only increased after this, with the Archon often openly questioning ComStar's neutrality and Toyama's motives, hinting that he suspected the organization was a front for an eventual takeover of the Inner Sphere.
And the first use of an interdiction …. 2823 … the Exclusion of Tharkad Act … which should have been a red flag for the entire Inner Sphere ….
And as for the Free Worlds League it was 2830 …
This is in the Wiki
Charles Marik used the information he was getting from ComStar in 2830 … Charles would only realize years later that he unwittingly played into the hands of Primus of ComStar Conrad Toyama … as … he did not realize that Jeannette would immediately inform the Primus of his request … Toyama provided her with a document supposedly from the Lyran high command containing plans for the invasion of Graham IV, Castor and Callison. Jeannette passed on the seemingly important transmission to her brother in mid-June, never questioning its authenticity Charles refused to accept Lyran denials that such attacks weren't planned and ordered his troops into a state of readiness to launch his own attack against House Steiner, forcing the LCAF to respond in kind and create the threat the faked documents claimed … found a virtually abandoned world. Charles Marik had confirmed his suspicions, and worse, had proven that his own sister was likely party to the betrayal …
And as for the Fourth Succession War … the attack upon the HPG station was confirmed to be that of ComStar – Just as ghostrider proved!
So … Jeannette passed on the seemingly important transmission to her brother … proves without a doubt that that ComStar provided information for its own ends.
Bribery is just an extension of that Policy and Procedure implemented by Conrad Toyama in early 2800’s!
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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