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TFT Snippet #2

This fascinating series is a combination of historical seafaring, swashbuckling adventure, and high technological science-fiction. Join us in a discussion!
Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by Isilith   » Thu Jul 05, 2018 7:05 pm

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Randomiser wrote:We haven't actually got enough information about the role of Attack Shuttles to say anything very much about the extent of their capabilities. Just sayin'

One could imagine they were used by marines, but what on earth for? Indeed, what would you use marines for? Nimue Chweriau thinks somewhere, I think it's around slapping down that uppity, misogynist guard officer, that a humongous proportion of the TF forces were Marines (IIRMC it's 1/4) What their tasks were in a space war against an enemy that had no interest in conquering, as opposed to destroying, any ground area, is never explained.


Well, the books did state that the federation ( in their initial counterattack ) pushed into Gbaba territory and took captives/planets from them... BEFORE the full Gbaba fully mobilized. Point being, taking planets takes a ton of ground units.
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by C. O. Thompson   » Fri Jul 06, 2018 10:50 am

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Isilith wrote:
Randomiser wrote:We haven't actually got enough information about the role of Attack Shuttles to say anything very much about the extent of their capabilities. Just sayin'

One could imagine they were used by marines, but what on earth for? Indeed, what would you use marines for? Nimue Chweriau thinks somewhere, I think it's around slapping down that uppity, misogynist guard officer, that a humongous proportion of the TF forces were Marines (IIRMC it's 1/4) What their tasks were in a space war against an enemy that had no interest in conquering, as opposed to destroying, any ground area, is never explained.


Well, the books did state that the federation ( in their initial counterattack ) pushed into Gbaba territory and took captives/planets from them... BEFORE the full Gbaba fully mobilized. Point being, taking planets takes a ton of ground units.



Perhaps it is more accurate to say the "holding planets" takes a ton of ground units though I have the impression that most of the planets were taken back.
I also have no idea what the Gbaba did with anyone who was on the planets they took but, earliest indication was that they just killed them.
Not saying humans would have done the same but we don't have the data.
Just my 2 ₡ worth
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by Dauntless   » Fri Jul 06, 2018 2:53 pm

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also are they attack shuttles or are they assault shuttles?

I thought the one we saw in the cave was an assault, and to me at least they do very different jobs.

attack are basically ground/orbital attack craft with the ability to drop of some marines.

where assault are mainly troop carriers, though uparmed and armoured to increase the odds of delivering their charges successfully.
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by Randomiser   » Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:57 pm

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Well, that's what they would be if you named them ... :twisted:
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by evilauthor   » Fri Jul 06, 2018 7:08 pm

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Dauntless wrote:also are they attack shuttles or are they assault shuttles?

I thought the one we saw in the cave was an assault, and to me at least they do very different jobs.

attack are basically ground/orbital attack craft with the ability to drop of some marines.

where assault are mainly troop carriers, though uparmed and armoured to increase the odds of delivering their charges successfully.


They're CALLED assault shuttles and when asked by Cayleb, Merlin described them as being like the landing craft used by Charisian marines.

So yes, they're supposed to deliver troops. Possibly through hostile defensive fire.
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by Erls   » Sat Jul 07, 2018 8:01 pm

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Approaching this from a "what would be the most interesting plot line" perspective, I have to say that sneaking a ship (and people?) past the OBS to build some great attack craft would be an absolute buzzkill. I'll go further, it would probably turn me off the rest of the series completely. Wait, I'm 99.5% sure it would cause me to quit the series. Sure, if successful it is the quickest, easiest, and surest way of winning quickly and getting after the Gbaba. But it would just wreck (in my opinion) the whole character of the universe that RFC has created (almost as badly as Disney has destroyed Star Wars - but that's another rant for another day).

One of the most interesting parts of this series is the always present threat the OBS creates. It has effectively put a ceiling on the types of technology that Charis can introduce, and forces the characters to find other ways to bring about change.

Oh yeah, one final thing. Read the damn snippet (again). The entire first part of it is focused on the tech limitations faced by Charis and how their best bet is to widely spread the Charisian tech and scientific thought around Safehold so that when whatever is under the Temple does return it is faced with destroying everything or standing down. That does not, in any possible way, suggest some mad dash to space like being argued.

Oh, another thought. I can all but guarantee that any OBS platform has some ability to move around. You know, basic thrusters to allow it to move out of the path of, idk, a random asteroid that swings by. That kind of seems like the type of thing the TF would have deemed routine - required even - for space installations. Especially installations designed to cover an entire planet. So, good luck with the whole kinetic strike concept. If the OBS doesn't blast it out of space it'll just move 3 km out of the way and watch it zoom on past.

Oh, and another thought. We're talking about Orbital Bombardment Station(s). You know, the type of thing that is probably protected with meters of the best battle steel the TF was making. You know, the same material that allowed TF ships to at times survive combat with the Gbaba. Sand/gravel/anything small is going to bounce right off and maybe scratch it or take out a sensor or 3..

Can we return to the realm of the plausible?
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by jeremyr   » Sun Jul 08, 2018 8:08 am

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Erls wrote:
Oh, and another thought. We're talking about Orbital Bombardment Station(s). You know, the type of thing that is probably protected with meters of the best battle steel the TF was making. You know, the same material that allowed TF ships to at times survive combat with the Gbaba. Sand/gravel/anything small is going to bounce right off and maybe scratch it or take out a sensor or 3..

Can we return to the realm of the plausible?


I disagree that the OBS would be covered "with meters of the best battle steel the TF was making". It certainly wouldn't need it to protect itself from any emerging technology from Safehold. And it would add too much mass to easily move it around the planet or dodge the odd meteoriod with thrusters. Not saying it's totally unprotected.
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by Dilandu   » Sun Jul 08, 2018 8:24 am

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jeremyr wrote:
I disagree that the OBS would be covered "with meters of the best battle steel the TF was making". It certainly wouldn't need it to protect itself from any emerging technology from Safehold. And it would add too much mass to easily move it around the planet or dodge the odd meteoriod with thrusters. Not saying it's totally unprotected.


Must point out, that OBS was protected NOT against "any emerging technology on Safehold". If technology "emerged" for the level, when it could endanger the Rakurai Array, then the Genie is already out of bottle and radio waves are already signalling the Safehold presence to the Galaxy.

The OBS was protected against the Fallens and the possibility that they might obtain access to some space-grade weaponry or launch capabilities. Not only during the War, but also after it - Archangels could not completely discharge the possibility, that some Fallen might try cryogenic or digital personality trick to out-live them, and then took out the OBS. So, the system is probably protected against at least potentially possible Federation-grade weaponry.
------------------------------

Oh well, if shortening the front is what the Germans crave,
Let's shorten it to very end - the length of Fuhrer's grave.

(Red Army lyrics from 1945)
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by n7axw   » Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:21 pm

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The OBS has some protection, at least in the form of the lasers that destroyed Owls probes. But battlesteel in all probability was not something they could have manufactured at that point. Nor would it have been needed against the known and probable threat... if at that point there would have a threat at all.

Don

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When any group seeks political power in God's name, both religion and politics are instantly corrupted.
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Re: TFT Snippet #2
Post by n7axw   » Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:38 pm

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I must say that I am a bit surprised at the notion of Eastshare being in the know. I always saw him in the same category as Grey Harbor and Green Mountain as having their faith bred a bit too deeply in the bone for the full truth.

Don

-
When any group seeks political power in God's name, both religion and politics are instantly corrupted.
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