Theemile wrote:Weird Harold wrote:Military Assistance Packages from the GA (or other arms merchant or would-be empire.)
...
And for the GA, Does it have the ability do give away a DN load's worth of missile pods to 2000 verge and protectorate systems?
...
And, after they install various levels of Moriarty in the ~150 Haven systems, ~55 Manty systems and ~50 Alliance systems, we will see the hardening of Erewhon, Maya, the ~150 former Haven systems, and the ~60 Andermani systems.
Then, perhaps there will be time for the verge. Yes, 1 or 2 might be done here and there, but 2000 worlds is a lot to defend.
1: The GA doesn't have a "responsibility" to defend all 2000+ former league members. They only have a responsibility to assist those systems that sign mutual defense treaties and trade agreements with Manticore, Haven, Grayson, or the GA as a group.
Anyone who doesn't sign on as at least a trading partner doesn't get Military Assistance. How much Military Assistance any particular system gets depends on the wording of the treaties they sign and their strategic value to the GA.
2: Haven has a few billion missiles that are better than anyone except Manticore's. Since they are going to be upgrading their front-line systems to Mk23 and/or Apollo with the "GA Specials" being built at Bolthole and finished at Beowulf (with KHII), they are going to have a LOT of surplus to pass out (or sell cheaply) in the near future. Manticore/Grayson aren't the only source of missiles, LACs, or hyper-capable warships. Erewhon, for example, is going to get rich selling "Manticore Lite" ships and ERMs.
3: The GA doesn't need to provide missiles, pods, or Moriarty command modules. Plans are much easier to distribute; plus royalties on license built Havenite level tech is a positive income instead of a drain on resources. For particularly capable systems, vetted as reliable partners, plans for all-up RMN tech might be distributed as a way of diversifying re-supply logistics. If GA/RMN forces can re-supply without a months long supply line, they can cover more territory and protect more systems.
4: The GA is NOT going to be the only source of Military Assistance. The Andermani are going to stick their oar into troubled waters--whether reverting to mercenaries or absorbing troubled systems. The Erewhonese are already selling ships and missiles to one break-away OFS sector. They're not going to balk at making money from others.
Whatever else happens to them, Technodyne (and probably other SLN suppliers) is still going to be the well-known and trusted arms supplier to the Solarian League. Members with substantial SDFs are going to be looking for re-supply of SLN tech and whatever upgrades Technodyne (and others) can come up with.
The Renaissance Factor is going to be actively "recruiting" new systems, and providing below-cost "RF tech" system defense installations is a logical first step in assimilating skittish prospective members.
tl;dr The GA isn't going to be providing just RMN tech to treaty partners, they're going to be pawning off old RHN tech as Haven upgrades. They're not going to be the only providers of Military Assistance/arms either.
runsforcelery wrote:Thanks for making the point before I had to. Trust me, the GA is only too well aware of the dangers involved in letting their top tier tech out where Bad People can get a gander at it for freebies.
They might --- might --- eventually offer it in an "export version," the way the SLN's done for centuries, but even that's unlikely when they don't even know which rock to turn over looking for the Alignment.
Isn't Erewhon already shipping "Export Versions" of RMN tech? The GA has to put some of their tech out there, if only to prevent someone bright from coming up with something they don't know how to counter. If they let the tech out in measured doses they sort of control the line of thinking by innovators trying to improve on their tech; sort of like Grason's "apprentice Effect" on compensator efficiency.
.
.
.
Answers! I got lots of answers!
(Now if I could just find the right questions.)