SharkHunter wrote:Hola all, returning to hopefully more regular posts soon as I finish my degree this month...
Anyway, had a realization today of the other thing that makes Laccoon II so deadly to the Solarian League, given that space is big AKA no instantaneous flow of information -- which is that we're told that a HUGE part of Manticore's advantage due to the wormholes is "financial transaction" related, that is -- a heavy concentration of banks/bank data passed through the MWHJ -- and likely the wormholes on the list.
Picture the effect if NYC, London, Bonn, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and probably the Swiss banks and any other major exchanges were suddenly able to communicate with each other except by supertankers. While whatever "good guy controlled" network still included airline jets...
This is one of the factors that will drive the Core systems against the Mandarins. If the prospects of a prolonged war or harsh peace terms becomes the alternative to surrender, many Core and Shell worlds would break with the SL for no other reason than to participate in that improved information flow. Not being part of that would cost them far more than bucking the Mandarins. This assumes that they ave sufficient local defenses to deter the SLN. Considering that the star nations most moved to participate in the WHJ information network are likely the wealthiest systems, sniping them early would be devastating to the Solarian League central government.
Of course, if they are willing to go that far, these star nations will most likely ask Beowulf and therefore the SEM for some sort of aid.