Weird Harold wrote:lyonheart wrote:Oh please.
Technically you're correct at this very moment, but tactically or strategically, does anyone think the IAN is going to fight the GA?
That they aren't [wink, wink] allies under the table?
The Anderman Emire is most definitely "Neutral In the GA's Favor" but I don't think that constitutes "allies under the table."
lyonheart wrote:The has been considerable speculation here as to when the IAN shows up at Mesa, so does anyone think they'll start shooting at Mike to stop her etc?
Now you're just being silly. Although, there are a lot of IAN commanders who would like to do just that, there's no way Gustav and the high command will authorize any action that weakens the RMN, RHN, or any member of the GA.
[**[Yup.
But some of the comments above seemed to imply it was possible.
I'm sorry my facetious remark was taken so seriously.
Given Chien-lu will obviously be in command of the Mesa TF, the idea it would be given to a SEM hater when Mesa's next door to the TQ and Mike is already doing what they intended is ludicrous.**]
lyonheart wrote:Given how smart Gustav XI is, I suspect he too sees the potential of eventually being squeezed between different lobes of the SEM that Benjamin and Elisabeth discussed, so he is going to add as much real estate as possible, as soon as possible; especially desperate defenseless SL members of the shell that are already industrialized, besides protectorates that evidently have some useful export commodity or strategic value, and allying with whoever he can't convince to accept the first two options.
The Anderman Empire has a history of digesting new conquests before taking on more "protectorates;" they've taken a larger bite than normal in Silesia, so I doubt that they're looking for more territory in the direction of the SL. The whole point of not including them in the GA was to keep them free of conflict with the League.
[**The fact that Gustav XI didn't refuse the SEM's offer indicates they're quite willing to grab all they can when no one will stop them, which is also going to be the case with the SL soon, and the GA will certainly be encouraging the AE to be all that it can be
, so there will be combat with the SLN, but nothing to worry the AE or IAN.
I've suggested several times that since the AE has far more experience integrating systems into its empire that the SEM has sent a lot of students and bureaucrats to study not just at the various universities and institutes that train the AE's system administrators, but the whole AE organization, because the SEM is so clueless on so many levels of what it needs to know and do in Silesia and the TQ, despite taking a rather different approach to empire.**]
That won't stop Gustav from making a lot of new friends in successor states and making a mint selling arms and or renting out warships/squadrons of the IAN. Just as Neutrality won't stop Erewhon and other former Manticoran Alliance members from selling "Manticore Light" ships and missiles to successor states, or the Renaissance Factor and other successor states offering alliances and selling arms.
[**From ToF, one of the chapter prefaces of a future history book looking back stated it was the industrial strength of the Maya Sector that swung the balance in the GA's favor against the RF in the post-SL chaos, so Maya won't just be selling warships.
If the collapsing chaos is going to be as bad as the MAlign expected, there will be lots of systems who won't wait for the successor states to form, who will want some more sure security much more immediately than a couple month's or years from now, which the GA won't be able to service due to the sheer number NTM stellar geography etc, who will be quite willing to join the AE to avoid being victimized by their neighbors.**]
lyonheart wrote:None of which conflicts at all with the Harrington doctrine that's the basis of the GA's policy and plan toward the SL.
Nope, no conflict with the Harrington Doctrine in any of that. As long as the SL breaks up, every system that looks to the Andermani, Phoenix Cluster, Jewish League, or any other old or new Politi for mutual defense and trade alliances is one more that the GA doesn't have to find resources protect or prop up economically.
[**Yup, that's what I said.
**]
lyonheart wrote:Given his opposition to the slave trade, and having been briefed on everything the GA knows about the alignment, he may not have signed on immediately, but he is doing as the GA wished, ie acting like an ally, of the silent pardner type, which I thought everyone understood.
Being "Neutral in the GA's favor" isn't the same as "acting like an ally." If there is any "doing as the GA wished" it is in pursuing the MAlign's Onion
and staying out of the war with the League. Which is why you CANNOT count IAN assets in computations of what is available to fight the SLN and League. The IAN is NOT going to fight the League in coordination with the GA.
[**Not immediately, no.
In the first place, the relative addition of the IAN to the GA isn't that great, and RHN construction has probably matched or replaced the whole IAN since the war began, NTM we don't know how accelerated the RHN's SDP commissioning rate has been since First Manticore in Haven and her 2-3 daughter colonies, it may have exceeded the 100-200 SDP's the IAN has etc.
But once the AE recognizes the new paradigm, ie how nearly invincible the IAN is against the SLN, I suspect the court will be demanding to take advantage of this unique opportunity before its surrounded by the SEM etc.**]
At best, the IAN will defend mutual defense partners in the successor states.
and, Mangy Fur the Smart Alick Spacecat.