GA major application...

[Aram Kalast]

So today I received this:

Evening!
So, we're prepping up to go Major. Our application is ready to go on the 15th. We're working on setting up our worlds, clearly Sullust is going to be our capital. A few worlds have been suggested as the rest of our 'requested worlds,' including Eriadu.

Now I know the First Order is basing out of Eriadu, which brings me here.

We'd like to involve the First Order in a campaign. The world is a very important industrial and trade world, so it would make sense for us to go for claiming it.

What I'd like to know is whether the First Order would be game for a campaign for the world, that may result in a dominion for the Alliance.

Now...we knew it was coming. Still kinda annoying. So let us discuss, plot and work out an angle.

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Crush them, we must.

 

[Ludolf Vaas]

Before I make any comments, is there any existing rule or policy that affects how major factions go after worlds claimed by minor factions?

 

[Kamon's OOC]

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]
To my knowledge the answer is no, but I could be wrong. We could check with an RPJ?

 

[Aram Kalast]

I've just read the rules backwards and forwards and their is no mention of it. Honestly, I feel that being a minor faction we can just get walked over in this case. It happened to the Remnant by the One Sith with Crina.

Now we have some decisions to make, first is what we want from this. We can make some terms and hopefully create a scenario that will suit our own goals or we can kick up a fuss and see if stamping our feet loudly enough will come through with anything.

One scenario i've had in my head is allowing it but only if the First Order 'win' the conflict. Route the GA considerably before relocating out of want not need. There is a nice large Faction-less, empty hole near Hoth/Anoat etc that we could head towards...

[member="Silas Ren"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Ludolf Vaas]

[member="Aram Kalast"]
[member="Silas Ren"]

Yeah, it seems that regardless of how it plays out the best option is to relocate at this point. I don't think any of us want to deal with GA being a constant thorn in our side, and since they've taken up a considerable amount of the best real estate in the area it's not even worth staying there anymore. The whole reason why we chose to stay was Eriadu, and now they're snatching that too. I don't like this move by them, but it seems like there's nothing we can do.

If you can pull out favorable terms from them, that would be great. If they would allow us to rout them I would be truly surprised but wouldn't complain one bit. I would even take a stalemate battle. Maybe a tactical FO victory where we "win" engagements and hold our own but retreat, resulting in a strategic GA victory where they eventually claim the planet.

Or to spice things up - we win several engagements but are eventually beaten, several of our leaders get captured, but are then broken free in a heroic operation by our other members and we make a daring escape to another part of space...

 

[Kamon's OOC]

I'll comment further this evening but I like the last scenario that Ludolf mentioned.
[member="Aram Kalast"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Ok, so yeah, this is kind of a dick move by the GA. I remember when I was starting the Imperial Remnant, before we went major, we made sure not to take planets that were owned by other factions, even if they were claimed by a minor faction. It's just not good etiquette. Considering Eriadu is the canon home of the Order, it kind of sucks that we might lose it.

On the other hand, we could launch into a campaign to go major and take back Eriadu from the Alliance. I liked what Ludolf proposed. After a series of battles, we end up defeated, and some of our leadership is captured. A daring raid by some of the best and brightest gets those leaders back and we escape to another world in a largely unoccupied part of the map. We begin rebuilding (again) and begin planning how to destroy the Alliance.

Sounds like a good plot. Still sucks that we're likely getting kicked off of Eriadu.

 

[Aram Kalast]

Okay so had a solid think about it today.

So I feel what we should propose is three threads.

First the GA come to Eriadu and we kick them off. Not prepared for how awesome we are.

Second thread is their counter attack...this one does a bit more damage to us then them and see's the GA gain some ground.

Third thread is our retreat...tactical of course and leaves a giant hole in the GA. We head to another planet which has secretly always been our base while Eiradu was merely a plot device for the Supreme Leader to test this 'Rebel fleet massing at Sullust.' mwhahaha

 

[Natasi Fortan]

I could be persuaded that this could work. Would they allow it?

 

[Kamon's OOC]

[member="Natasi Fortan"]
Mostly depends on who's running the show there. Though, they did approach us about it, so that's a bit of credit to them. Most would just take it.

 

[Ludolf Vaas]

[member="Aram Kalast"] if they are willing to space it out over three threads then that would be fine, though it might make sense to condense it a little bit. Maybe one thread for the battle and one thread for the rescue was what I was thinking. But I like the overall arc of the story.

I don't think we need to say that Eriadu wasn't our "real" base though. That seems a little too handwavey for me. "JK noobs, this wasn't our real base, joke's on you suckaz!" ... I dunno, I feel like we shouldn't answer one low blow with another, haha.

Seriously though, who cares. Let them take our main base. A base is just a building, and Eriadu is just a planet. The First Order is more than just a fortress or a piece of land... we're a people an an idea. A social and political movement. They may slow us down, but they won't extinguish us. And we can use this event to further our political cause. How many dictators and political movements were suppressed - even imprisoned - before they rose to power? It's kind of funny throughout history when you try to violently suppress something, it usually has the opposite of the intended effect.

This is a good story for us, and the adversity we need to give us a little character. The more they try to suppress us, the more powerful we grow.

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

Apologies for my absence, folks.

[member="Silas Ren"]

I happen to know the people running the show over at the GA, and they're a very accommodating bunch. As it is in all cases, campaigns such as what's proposed are a boon for both sides. It's a chance for both sides to show how they play, ICly and OOCly. Be friends with their leadership OOCly, and enemies ICly, form an excellent, non-dramatic working relationship and you'll have the time of your lives.

The Lords of the Fringe and the Omega Protectorate had such a relationship, and it was such that when doing a dominion race for Eriadu during the last event... there was no butthurt, and everyone had the most fun they'd had, in some cases, in months on the board.

Be glad they're willing to work with you, and turn this into an excellent opportunity with potential for long-term RP between factions. It doesn't get much better than that, believe me, and it's so worth it. Most factions wouldn't bother to give you the time of day, and would just take and take.

As for rules - minor factions can't hold territory, so the GA does have the upper hand in terms of claiming the planet, when they go Major, which as I understand it, is imminent. Do let me caution you, however, on rushing into going Major.

 

[Kamon's OOC]

[member="Inkara Liet"]
Like I said, they did approach us instead of just steamrolling us. I don't need a lecture on the merits of story. I've been doing this long enough to know the merits.

 

[Aram Kalast]

The GA have decided not to go with Eriadu, however I would still like to offer it as a dominion to them as a show of good faith.

We will do as stated and live on as our ideal.

I'm thinking Hoth, Anoat, Bespin.

[member="Silas Ren"][member="Inkara Liet"][member="Ludolf Vaas"][member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

I like Hoth. Remote, uninhabited, good place to build in silence.

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

[member="Silas Ren"]

My apologies if I came across as belittling. I've been short of sleep as of late, and missed where you said what you did. My bad, this was not my intention, but impact versus intent, I'm well aware... so I'm a damn fool and I should try to keep my sleep-deprived contributions to a minimum.

Now, back to the topic at hand. Yes, I'm aware I may be preaching to the choir here, that all of you have probably fact-checked every one of these planets on the wook - typing these things out is more of my thinking out loud and getting my thoughts in order, so please don't take it the wrong way. Here goes.

• Hoth is great, because of the strength of movie canon; it's sufficiently distanced both from the intentions of the Galactic Alliance and the One Sith. Those of us who are FUs would do well to pick up Tapas if we haven't, already.
• Bespin is good, resource-wise, because of tibanna, and again because of movie canon. A lot of people really dig movie canon.
• Anoat doesn't have much going for it, and is fairly inhospitable, to boot.

Arguments aside, I know we can exact our own canon on these planets and make them valuable, but I believe in the concept of 'work smarter, not harder'. So... mainly, the issue I see with the general selection of these three planets is that they're too close together. When we get put on the map, that's likely going to make our initial blob on the map rather small, as far as I'm aware... but who am I to presume to know the mind of Tef? Regardless of that, it'll probably only make things harder for us when we go to gain territory, as we'd have less initial reach.

My suggestion, take it or leave it, is to keep Hoth and Bespin, but select a third planet that's a little further afield from those two. To that end, here's my planet suggestions:

• If you want to keep on the movie canon train, Mustafar is a good option, as volcanically active as it is.
• Belsavis has pretty much always been a prison planet, if that tickles your fancy. It's ice and snow, though not quite as as bad as Hoth, from my understanding.
• For strategic value, due to its particular placement on the map (and the fact that it's lush and green, for a change of pace), my third suggestion is Karfeddion. This planet sits on the line between two hexes, which by general consensus would put us within one-hex reach of Eriadu, for the purposes of potential plans with the Galactic Alliance, as well as Sluis Van and Elrood... just sayin'.

Like I said, take it or leave it.

 

[Aram Kalast]

Okay so here is what I’m going to forward to the GA:

Thank you for your patience on this one!
I’d also like to say thank you for avoiding Eriadu while we discussed this matter, it was a situation that we greatly appreciated seeing.
We know that as a minor faction we can’t hold territory and most of us are GA supporters at heart (I love the idea of the faction) and really want to build a healthy rivalry between yourselves and the first order.

As such we would like to aid you with a domination of the planet by offering ourselves as competition that would add to the post count as well as weaving a fantastic story of good vs evil.

What I had in mind was a two faced plot, where the GA come to Eriadu in search of adding it to their influence. Not expecting what awaits them they are hit back hard initially by the First Order who have the element of surprise against a smaller and less established GA force.

However the attack causes something in the local populace who begin to attempt elements of rebellion against their First Order overseers. The Supreme Leader projects a message across the planet condemning these activities and the First Order begin their policing of the populace.

This brings about the ‘Genocide of Eriadu’ an event that sees the First Order ‘police’ eradicating every element of resistance they believe exist. Mass shootings and city burning commence as the First Order take out their frustration on the planet they initially claimed to save.

This will give the GA time to amass reinforcements and engage the First Order directly. Basically this will be the ‘dominion’ and will see the First Order issue a retreat from the planet and flee deep into the outer-rim where they can rebuild and allow the GA to help Eriadu recover from a genocidal act.

During this we are thinking about having a key or several First Order leadership captured by the GA to allow for a link into future plot lines between the two factions.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Nicely put [member="Aram Kalast"].

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Very supportive of this plan! Lots of storytelling opportunities.

Also (and I can't remember if I mentioned this before) the Techno Union would be willing to help the First Order set up shop near our space in return for trade, helping with dominons and/or just generally being allies until the time wasn't right anymore. I'm pretty sure the TU will be attacked by the GA (over Naboo most likely), and we always have skirmishes going on which we need military help with.

Let me know if you're interested, and we can talk about a planet which may work.

[member="Aram Kalast"] [member="Natasi Fortan"] [member="Ludolf Vaas"] [member="Inkara Liet"]