CCW comes to Rifts Earth

[DracoMagus]

OK, this is a question I've had bouncing around in my head for a while. Lets say several CCW ships arrive in the Sol system. I don't have my books handy so I don't have specifics so lets say there is at least a cruiser and a couple smaller ships for support. They rift into the system near Mars and soon make their way toward Earth. What would be the reactions to their presence, firstly between them and the CCW. Next between then and any of the societies on the planet they might make contact with.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Chances are the orbital community would follow their standard MO and attack, then the CCW ships would either obliterate them or retreat. It would really depend on how much intelligence the CCW captains gathered before making contact.

Of course, appearing in the vicinity of Mars also opens the option of conflict with Arkhon forces. The crippled remnants of the Arkhon fleet are probably not up to taking on fresh, undamaged CCW ships, but they could make a nuisance of themselves, considering their own rate of attrition against orbital Earth forces and the rigors of attempting to settle on Mars.

Getting to the planet can either be very simple or outright impossible, depending on which theory explaining Earth's continued isolation you choose to acknowledge. There's the "space debris + deliberate ongoing quarantine of Rifts Earth" option, which should present little to no problem to the CCW forces, but there is also the "Rifts Earth currently exists in some sort of pocket dimension/warped space that makes orbital entry/exit some combination of impossible or extremely hazardous" option.

How the societies on Rifts Earth react would depend on which nation state, kingdom, etc., the CCW decided to interact with. Basically any desired outcome can be selected by choosing your preferred government.

[taalismn]

The Orbitals are xenophobic and would go to full alert. Even if the CCW ships broadcast video showing human crews, the Orbitals are going to be very suspicious...after all m video is easy to fake, and the Orbitals would suspect a trap, either by the Arkhons or some other unknown. At best, if the CCW got past the 'stay away' warning phase, they'd be ordered to a face-to-face at some neutral ground, like an indie space station or the Lagrange debris belt, under the guns of the combined CAN/Orbital alliance(killsats, orbital mines, and the few warships the alliance is able to muster). THe Outcasts MIGHT decide to try to crash the party, and make contact first, ignoring everybody else in order to make themselves heard(ESPECIALLY if the CCW announces they'd like to negotiate and trade, implying they come bearing goodies). .

[DracoMagus]

Getting to the planet can either be very simple or outright impossible, depending on which theory explaining Earth's continued isolation you choose to acknowledge. There's the "space debris + deliberate ongoing quarantine of Rifts Earth" option, which should present little to no problem to the CCW forces, but there is also the "Rifts Earth currently exists in some sort of pocket dimension/warped space that makes orbital entry/exit some combination of impossible or extremely hazardous" option.

I'm assuming the orbital debris field/ enforced quarrantine. I'm supposing that the possible encounters would be the major tech centers. Coalition States, Triax/NGR, Sovietski/ Warlords, Republic of Japan, South American places (can't remember them all right off).

[KLM]

Hmm... Rifts Earth is left to itself (under the supervision of Lord Splynn), if memory serves.

So, it might be possible, that the CCW fleet commander after conducting a scan, calls a NE amployee on surface to negotiate a ride home. That is, if they do not have sufficient magic capability aboard.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Hmm... Rifts Earth is left to itself (under the supervision of Lord Splynn), if memory serves.

So, it might be possible, that the CCW fleet commander after conducting a scan, calls a NE amployee on surface to negotiate a ride home. That is, if they do not have sufficient magic capability aboard.

Sorry, your memory doesn't serve in this case.

Splynncryth controls Atlantis with an iron tentacle, but little else. The books specifically mention that he/she/it hasn't attempted to conquer the entire planet due to the interests of other so-called higher beings - gods, alien intelligences, ancient dragons, etc -that would be offended and obliged to defend their own territories from aggression. No one wants to turn such a prime resource as Rifts Earth into a wasteland due to a seventeen sided inter-dimensional war.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Sorry but your are wrong, no one is stopping Splynncryth but himself. He knows the planet is to chaotic to keep control of due to all of the rifts and dimensional anomalies that occur. No beings are stopping him according to world book two, just himself.

Check out WB2: Atlantis, page 18, 3rd paragraph down. Read carefully.

[say652]

I am sure the spluggies, for a reasonable price anyway, would gladly help the ccw get into Rifts earth. Just to show them that their hardhearted ways ARE required in such a violatile place like RIFTS Earth, "See this is not a the civilized place like the 3 galaxies my friends, BE WEARY BE CAUTIOUS and Most important Travel Splynn dimensional ways NOW offering a 7% discount on travelers coming from Center "

[taalismn]

Why even bother being polite? Once the Spluggies can ascertain that the CCW expedition is lost, hasn't contacted anybody, or came here by accident, attack, take over, and add the material(including crew) to the auction block. Only if it's apparent that the CCW's rival isn't a fluke and that follow-up is likely to arrive(and a reliable alternate means of reaching Rifts Earth is possible) would the Splugorth be inclined to accommodating to the CCW. Otherwise, it's "oh, sorry to hear about your lost ship, wonder what happened to it?"

[say652]

Why even bother being polite? Once the Spluggies can ascertain that the CCW expedition is lost, hasn't contacted anybody, or came here by accident, attack, take over, and add the material(including crew) to the auction block. Only if it's apparent that the CCW's rival isn't a fluke and that follow-up is likely to arrive(and a reliable alternate means of reaching Rifts Earth is possible) would the Splugorth be inclined to accommodating to the CCW. Otherwise, it's "oh, sorry to hear about your lost ship, wonder what happened to it?"

political motivation "Splynn for President" "A leader you can trust" " Vote splugorth at for 3419"

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Sorry but your are wrong, no one is stopping Splynncryth but himself. He knows the planet is to chaotic to keep control of due to all of the rifts and dimensional anomalies that occur. No beings are stopping him according to world book two, just himself.

Check out WB2: Atlantis, page 18, 3rd paragraph down. Read carefully.

You may wish to reread that carefully yourself, it states that to many beings and dimensional anomaly make it impossible to hold not to conquer rift earth.

Splynncryth realizes that it would be virtually impossible to conquer and hold the earth as a part of his territory.There are just too many powerful beings who covet the planet's rich mystic and dimensional resources and too many dimensional fronts to adequately defend

no where does it state they are stopping him but it does clearly read that he is the one stopping him from attempting to conquer Rifts. He is happy to hold Atlantis SO as I said the only thing holding him back from going to war to hold or attempt (failing I might add) to hold Rifts earth is he himself.

I'm not sure where the disconnect is. Maybe you didn't read my earlier post entirely. I didn't say that anything was stopping Splynncryth from trying to take over the planet. I said he couldn't do it without turning it into a war with other powerful beings with their own interests at stake. You're not even disagreeing with me, Ninja. We're both disagreeing with KLM's initial assertion that Splynncryth rules Rifts Earth.

[taalismn]

To anybody who doesn't know any better, Splynn could just say that he does indeed rule the Earth, in that he's the most powerful single organization on the planet and would be most likely to identify the CCW flotilla for what it is and where it came from, and would be quick with a line of banter to impress them. It's his way of telling everybody else in his social circles 'Hands/tentacles off, this is MY domain to exploit." If he's feeling inclined to be generous and helpful to the CCW wanderers, he'll quickly ;ay down strict navigation protocols, and get them sequestered away before they can interact with anybody else, and deflect any questions about his 'properties'. Of course, anybody doing any digging or scouting around will quickly realize that just isn't the case.

[DracoMagus]

I'd forgotten about the fact that the CCW has had "dealings" with the Spulgorth back home.

[Alrik Vas]

There are some elements from the Phaseworld setting that would recognize the CCW ships, but i think the majority of their contact would be with the idiots in orbit.

Though Splynncryth couldn't totally tenticle slobber all over the earth if he wanted to. He'd just owe some favors to a few of his cousins.

[KLM]

We're both disagreeing with KLM's initial assertion that Splynncryth rules Rifts Earth.

I used the word "supervise", which is not the equivalent of ruling.

However, if some force would try to conquer Rifts Earth, Lord Splynn would be the one, who tries to stop it, and if it fails, calls in megaversal help (from his kin, of course).

Also, he (?) does some "social engineering" - ie. supporting the gargoyles or other forces, which can keep forces of humanity at bay, but also dispatched squads against
the four apocaliptic riders in Africa as well as the Mechanoid "invasion".

Adios
KLM

[KLM]

Yepp.

I'd forgotten about the fact that the CCW has had "dealings" with the Spulgorth back home.

This also opens a topic, whether or not the sploogies AS A RACE act as megaversal force?

True, they do some backstabbing, both against the assets and the life and limb of their kind, but...

[DracoMagus]

OK then, I guess the question oughta mutate into "How large of a force from the CCW would it take for them to come into the area and start trying to make Earth into a world that starts working to their standards?" This'd be assuming that such a force was given a sufficient reason to do so.

[Nightmask]

OK then, I guess the question oughta mutate into "How large of a force from the CCW would it take for them to come into the area and start trying to make Earth into a world that starts working to their standards?" This'd be assuming that such a force was given a sufficient reason to do so.

I think you've got the CCW confused with some other star empire, they don't go around conquering and forcing others to follow their rules like that. If you're a member they might if you're engaging in egregious enough behavior but Earth and its solar system obviously isn't and they've work enough in their own galaxy let alone to go around conquering out of the way worlds and forcing them to play by their rules (which given their rules include things like autonomous control such conquering would be contrary to their rules).

[DracoMagus]

OK then, I guess the question oughta mutate into "How large of a force from the CCW would it take for them to come into the area and start trying to make Earth into a world that starts working to their standards?" This'd be assuming that such a force was given a sufficient reason to do so.

I think you've got the CCW confused with some other star empire, they don't go around conquering and forcing others to follow their rules like that. If you're a member they might if you're engaging in egregious enough behavior but Earth and its solar system obviously isn't and they've work enough in their own galaxy let alone to go around conquering out of the way worlds and forcing them to play by their rules (which given their rules include things like autonomous control such conquering would be contrary to their rules).

I actually Did think of that, which is why I said something about "assuming that such a force is given sufficient reason to do so". There is also not just the military blast and conquer, there could also be they set up a colony on the planet that is up to their societal standards and they start introducing other nearby peoples to the way of their society.

Hopefully this clarifies my question some.

[taalismn]

The CCW wouldn't engage in open warfare against the/a Splugorth unless a) there's a clear threat to CCW interests, b) the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the CCW from the onset.

Splynncryth's got homefield advantage from the CCW's standpoint; he knows the ground and the players, and he's sitting on the largest best-organized dimensional nexus region on the planet, which means he can reinforce faster than the CCW could pour ships into the system, or retreat faster than the CCW can break down his door. As is, the CCW wouldn't launch the sort of first-strike that could potentially decapitate the local Splugorth resistance and stop Splynncryth from bugging out.
Now, admittedly, controlling a dimensional nexus like Rifts Earth would be a major coup for anybody wanting to set up their own alternative to Center on Phaseworld, but frankly the costs of taming the ENTIRE planet Center-style would be exorbitant, and not even Splynncryth can realistically do it at the current time(he's taking a slower route, using the profits from his Rifts Earth ventures to build up his commercial/military empire and taking his time about expanding his foothold). The CCW is much more democratic(and thus responsible to its voting constituents, who can be fickle and emotionally swayed) so they're not about to pour millions of troops and trillions of credits into a Vietnam-style morass on the offhand chance that the current administration's descendants might be able to declare a profit off interdimensional trade some thousand years down the road.

[taalismn]

I actually Did think of that, which is why I said something about "assuming that such a force is given sufficient reason to do so". There is also not just the military blast and conquer, there could also be they set up a colony on the planet that is up to their societal standards and they start introducing other nearby peoples to the way of their society.

Hopefully this clarifies my question some.

Millions of troops, billions in credits.

Smaller outposts? Yah, you could probably get by with a few thousand troops. layered robotic defense perimeters, and a whole honking convoy load of goodwill to your neighbors to bribe them not to attack you and show you the local survival tricks, Pilgrim-style. To EXPAND with nothing but your own people, though, you'd need something on the order of the CS's population base to pull it off, since as the outsider team, everybody else is going to regard the CCW 'aliens' as a potential threat(if not to their property, then to their way of life).

[DracoMagus]

I actually Did think of that, which is why I said something about "assuming that such a force is given sufficient reason to do so". There is also not just the military blast and conquer, there could also be they set up a colony on the planet that is up to their societal standards and they start introducing other nearby peoples to the way of their society.

Hopefully this clarifies my question some.

Millions of troops, billions in credits.

Smaller outposts? Yah, you could probably get by with a few thousand troops. layered robotic defense perimeters, and a whole honking convoy load of goodwill to your neighbors to bribe them not to attack you and show you the local survival tricks, Pilgrim-style. To EXPAND with nothing but your own people, though, you'd need something on the order of the CS's population base to pull it off, since as the outsider team, everybody else is going to regard the CCW 'aliens' as a potential threat(if not to their property, then to their way of life).

So it'd have to be a small force arrives in the Dark Ages and manages to set down a colony somewhere out of the way and have slowly built up....or not at all. With the latter being the more likely case considering all of what's going on.

[taalismn]

[

So it'd have to be a small force arrives in the Dark Ages and manages to set down a colony somewhere out of the way and have slowly built up....or not at all. With the latter being the more likely case considering all of what's going on.

Rifts Earth can be pretty hostile to newcomers, as we've seen(particularly in D-bees of North America) several accounts of large alien armies arriving, then getting taken down over time and whittled down to a fraction of their former numbers. Without constant resupply of whatever gives them the advantage(troops, guns, robots, dragons, etc.), or a dynamically evolving tech and logistical base, newcomers will find it hard to establish a power-bloc presence on Rifts Earth.

[say652]

Now Kreegor showing up on Rifts Earth would definately be a sore spot for the spluggies.

[Vrykolas2k]

Well, the Arkhons would probably blow them out of the stars, since they have kind of a fleet and not just three ships.
Or, they might broker a deal if the CCW ships appeared powerful enough, to deal with the orbital communities which would most definitely open fire first.

[taalismn]

Well, the Arkhons would probably blow them out of the stars, since they have kind of a fleet and not just three ships.
Or, they might broker a deal if the CCW ships appeared powerful enough, to deal with the orbital communities which would most definitely open fire first.

"We're...ah, trying to rescue our people stuck on the surface, but those guys in orbit are fanatics! They jam our communications, they shoot as us when we come too close to the planet, they've seeded the orbital approaches with hostile hardware and deadly clouds of shrapnel, and they shoot down anything attempting to rise from the surface! You gotta help us out! Our people on the surface have desperate need of (special medicine/technology/social contact), and we gotta get it to them!"
And the Arkhons pray their psychics can block any CCW telepaths from seeing through the BS.

[KLM]

Keep in mind, that CS and Triax stuff rather often turns up in the 3 Galaxies, as well as Glitterboys.

So, any 3G force arriving (well, maybe over a lone cruiser - the CCW's Explorer class is more like a battlecruiser) will have some intell to begin with.

Maybe a human supremacist CAF commander (even more probably not even a CAF, but an IDF of a star cluster, ie. several Human Alliance worlds) would begin to approach the leaders of the NGR.

Making it via a rift - so the orbitals and the archons can do and won't know anything - and begin with technology transfer.

This would explain both the occurence of Triax tech in the 3Galaxies as well as the experimentation of CG drive by the NGR.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Though it wasn't asked by the OP, UWW forces arriving by rift in the Earth solar system would be far more plausible than the CCW. After all, they do make widespread use of magical rift drives for FTL. If you want conflict with the Splugorth, this would be the way to go. The UWW would also be far better equipped to circumvent orbital defenders without starting a shooting war.

[Nightmask]

Though it wasn't asked by the OP, UWW forces arriving by rift in the Earth solar system would be far more plausible than the CCW. After all, they do make widespread use of magical rift drives for FTL. If you want conflict with the Splugorth, this would be the way to go. The UWW would also be far better equipped to circumvent orbital defenders without starting a shooting war.

Well you have to wonder at the plausibility of the space community being able to effectively blockage the planet anyway. Think how much surface area that sphere covers at whatever level the Debris Ring and orbital weapons grid is expected to cover, from a space community that's made up of 5 satellites plus the moon colony that are always tight on resources but they can produce material in such quantities to police all of that area? Particularly given how much of the planet they're trying to police is opposite the location of the stations in question.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Though it wasn't asked by the OP, UWW forces arriving by rift in the Earth solar system would be far more plausible than the CCW. After all, they do make widespread use of magical rift drives for FTL. If you want conflict with the Splugorth, this would be the way to go. The UWW would also be far better equipped to circumvent orbital defenders without starting a shooting war.

Well you have to wonder at the plausibility of the space community being able to effectively blockage the planet anyway. Think how much surface area that sphere covers at whatever level the Debris Ring and orbital weapons grid is expected to cover, from a space community that's made up of 5 satellites plus the moon colony that are always tight on resources but they can produce material in such quantities to police all of that area? Particularly given how much of the planet they're trying to police is opposite the location of the stations in question.

That's why I subscribe to the "Earth is trapped within some sort of dimensional anomaly" option, but since the OP said he preferred the orbital debris/quarantine explanation, I was just rolling with that.

The orbitals can certainly add the weight of their firepower to quarantining Earth, I suppose, which would serve as some impediment to anyone who can somehow navigate through or bypass the anomaly. As you pointed out, however, I don't think they've got the resources to really make a credible attempt at blockading the entire planet.

[Nightmask]

The Earth community had 300 years to continuously seed the earth with weapons. that's plenty of time.

Things don't last forever, 300 years is plenty of time for things to break down or fall out of orbit, they can't keep accumulating without losses over that kind of time.

[taalismn]

The Earth community had 300 years to continuously seed the earth with weapons. that's plenty of time.

Things don't last forever, 300 years is plenty of time for things to break down or fall out of orbit, they can't keep accumulating without losses over that kind of time.

Which makes the situation with the CAN Republic all the more important...they're sitting on all those usable resources near at hand for replacing the orbital quarantine, so price wars between the Moon and the Orbitals can get pretty dicey. But it's a balancing act....the Orbitals can far more easily snag mineral r-rich asteroids closer to the inner solar system than they can the icy cometary bodies that would provide the Moon with the water and other chemicals they really need(barring what might come through a lunar Rift), so undercutting the Moon's role as mineral supplier.
Helium-3 on the other hand, would be the Moon's equivalent of oil, making them arguably the OPEC of the Orbitals.

[Nightmask]

The Earth community had 300 years to continuously seed the earth with weapons. that's plenty of time.

Things don't last forever, 300 years is plenty of time for things to break down or fall out of orbit, they can't keep accumulating without losses over that kind of time.

Which makes the situation with the CAN Republic all the more important...they're sitting on all those usable resources near at hand for replacing the orbital quarantine, so price wars between the Moon and the Orbitals can get pretty dicey. But it's a balancing act....the Orbitals can far more easily snag mineral r-rich asteroids closer to the inner solar system than they can the icy cometary bodies that would provide the Moon with the water and other chemicals they really need(barring what might come through a lunar Rift), so undercutting the Moon's role as mineral supplier.
Helium-3 on the other hand, would be the Moon's equivalent of oil, making them arguably the OPEC of the Orbitals.

Well frankly the space stations realistically would have taken out the insects a long time ago even if it required asteroid bombardment of the area containing the bugs to ensure total extinction to be able to access the benefits of Mars. But much of the development you likely should see in all those centuries you don't due to the need to keep the space community on the weaker end.

[Nekira Sudacne]

The CCW wouldn't engage in open warfare against the/a Splugorth unless a) there's a clear threat to CCW interests, b) the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the CCW from the onset. .

Actually, the books are clear that the CCW are at war with several splurgorth at any given time

[Nightmask]

actually ... The Orbitals would have no USe for Mars and it's sinsects. It would burn valuable fuel to get to mars, and out of it. The only breathable parts are within the leylines. The rest of Mars is uninhabitable and only certain bugs can coexist in it. ... There's also the fact that mass killing the bugs would cause leyline storms given the proximity between them and the bugs.

SPACE is uninhabitable, the orbital community nonetheless still manages to inhabit it, and a planetary body like Mars does carry with it the useful benefits of gravity, namely that people from Earth even for having lived in space for centuries are still generally evolved for gravity and get along best with it. Ley line storms for killing off the insects en masse isn't a particular problem either since if you're killing them from orbit you aren't even going to land on the planet anyway until they're gone plus orbital drops of ice asteroids is essential to help increase the water and CO2 content of the atmosphere to help make it more habitable. You're basically doing the terraforming duties you're still needing to do to continue making it habitable and killing off a local hostile threat created by a moron at the same time.

[taalismn]

The CCW wouldn't engage in open warfare against the/a Splugorth unless a) there's a clear threat to CCW interests, b) the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the CCW from the onset. .

Actually, the books are clear that the CCW are at war with several splurgorth at any given time

Does it say anything about any of the above conditions being met? I'd assume that the CCW would go after those Splugorth who pose a clear and immediate danger to the CCW's borders, trade, members, or affiliates first before going hunting for a fight with other Splugs.

[KLM]

The CCW wouldn't engage in open warfare against the/a Splugorth unless a) there's a clear threat to CCW interests, b) the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the CCW from the onset. .

Actually, the books are clear that the CCW are at war with several splurgorth at any given time

So, do they want yet another war? I guess if you do not have oil...

[say652]

In a strange solar saystem millions of light years from home the CCW boys WILL allay with anything FAMILIAR. Sure spluggies suck, but AT LEAST WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT!

[taalismn]

"Better the devil we know...."
"Don't finish that. The Minion War, remember?"
"Fine, so we deal with the Splugorth?"
"As long as we understand that we are to expect to be betrayed and stabbed in the back AT ALL TIMES."

[Alrik Vas]

Heh, i can imagine the English barrier there.

[ZINO]

Sorry but your are wrong, no one is stopping Splynncryth but himself. He knows the planet is to chaotic to keep control of due to all of the rifts and dimensional anomalies that occur. No beings are stopping him according to world book two, just himself.

Check out WB2: Atlantis, page 18, 3rd paragraph down. Read carefully.

you mean this ???

known as Lord Splynncryth, rules
Atlantis and three other worlds. Splynncryth realizes that it would be virtually impossible to conquer and hold the Earth as a part of his territory. There are just too many powerful beings who covet the planet's
rich mystic and dimensional resources and too many dimensional fronts to adequately defend. Instead, it was much easier to seize a strategic location like Atlantis and keep it. This has given him access to all of
the resources he desires and helps to further establish the concept that Earth is a free zone to be conquered and dominated in pieces held by many different races, not just by one. The power and prestige of the
Splugorth should go a long way to promote this idea, but Splynncryth realizes that a number of potential world and dimensional conquerors will challenge his control of the continent. He is prepared to defend
what is his, but he has no plans for conquering other territories in the foreseeable future. Circumstances may change that

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

Sorry but your are wrong, no one is stopping Splynncryth but himself. He knows the planet is to chaotic to keep control of due to all of the rifts and dimensional anomalies that occur. No beings are stopping him according to world book two, just himself.

Check out WB2: Atlantis, page 18, 3rd paragraph down. Read carefully.

you mean this ???

known as Lord Splynncryth, rules
Atlantis and three other worlds. Splynncryth realizes that it would be virtually impossible to conquer and hold the Earth as a part of his territory. There are just too many powerful beings who covet the planet's
rich mystic and dimensional resources and too many dimensional fronts to adequately defend. Instead, it was much easier to seize a strategic location like Atlantis and keep it. This has given him access to all of
the resources he desires and helps to further establish the concept that Earth is a free zone to be conquered and dominated in pieces held by many different races, not just by one. The power and prestige of the
Splugorth should go a long way to promote this idea, but Splynncryth realizes that a number of potential world and dimensional conquerors will challenge his control of the continent. He is prepared to defend
what is his, but he has no plans for conquering other territories in the foreseeable future. Circumstances may change that

This tangent was already settled. Ninjabunny and I were not disagreeing with one another and you aren't contradicting what either of us said.

[ZINO]

Sorry but your are wrong, no one is stopping Splynncryth but himself. He knows the planet is to chaotic to keep control of due to all of the rifts and dimensional anomalies that occur. No beings are stopping him according to world book two, just himself.

Check out WB2: Atlantis, page 18, 3rd paragraph down. Read carefully.

you mean this ???

known as Lord Splynncryth, rules
Atlantis and three other worlds. Splynncryth realizes that it would be virtually impossible to conquer and hold the Earth as a part of his territory. There are just too many powerful beings who covet the planet's
rich mystic and dimensional resources and too many dimensional fronts to adequately defend. Instead, it was much easier to seize a strategic location like Atlantis and keep it. This has given him access to all of
the resources he desires and helps to further establish the concept that Earth is a free zone to be conquered and dominated in pieces held by many different races, not just by one. The power and prestige of the
Splugorth should go a long way to promote this idea, but Splynncryth realizes that a number of potential world and dimensional conquerors will challenge his control of the continent. He is prepared to defend
what is his, but he has no plans for conquering other territories in the foreseeable future. Circumstances may change that

This tangent was already settled. Ninjabunny and I were not disagreeing with one another and you aren't contradicting what either of us said.

ops slow to post this
sorry

[Vrykolas2k]

Well, the Arkhons would probably blow them out of the stars, since they have kind of a fleet and not just three ships.
Or, they might broker a deal if the CCW ships appeared powerful enough, to deal with the orbital communities which would most definitely open fire first.

"We're...ah, trying to rescue our people stuck on the surface, but those guys in orbit are fanatics! They jam our communications, they shoot as us when we come too close to the planet, they've seeded the orbital approaches with hostile hardware and deadly clouds of shrapnel, and they shoot down anything attempting to rise from the surface! You gotta help us out! Our people on the surface have desperate need of (special medicine/technology/social contact), and we gotta get it to them!"
And the Arkhons pray their psychics can block any CCW telepaths from seeing through the BS.

It probably wouldn't be that much of a problem... nor is that a complete BS line.
And the CCW might well be willing to broker a deal for Arkhon tech.

[taalismn]

Well, the Arkhons would probably blow them out of the stars, since they have kind of a fleet and not just three ships.
Or, they might broker a deal if the CCW ships appeared powerful enough, to deal with the orbital communities which would most definitely open fire first.

"We're...ah, trying to rescue our people stuck on the surface, but those guys in orbit are fanatics! They jam our communications, they shoot as us when we come too close to the planet, they've seeded the orbital approaches with hostile hardware and deadly clouds of shrapnel, and they shoot down anything attempting to rise from the surface! You gotta help us out! Our people on the surface have desperate need of (special medicine/technology/social contact), and we gotta get it to them!"
And the Arkhons pray their psychics can block any CCW telepaths from seeing through the BS.

It probably wouldn't be that much of a problem... nor is that a complete BS line.
And the CCW might well be willing to broker a deal for Arkhon tech.

Of course not! The thing with BS lines is that you shroud the lies in enough easily misinterpreted truth that your suckers get pulled in and mired in your lie until the big dramatic reveal at the end("My god, this isn't an alien invasion, it's a civil war!" "These people aren't freedom fighters, they're psychotic criminals and this is a prison uprising!"). Happened all the time in 'Star Trek', 'The Outer LImits' and 'Star Gate SG-1'.

[DracoMagus]

Wow, it seems I've started a nice discussion with this one. I've noticed that there have been some situations mentioned that are dependent on just what races are present for things to play out. I'm thinking the crew would be primarily human with noro being the next largest race group and possibly several small delegations of other races within or allied to the CCW (5 to 12 in number for each).

[DracoMagus]

OK, this is a question I've had bouncing around in my head for a while. Lets say several CCW ships arrive in the Sol system. I don't have my books handy so I don't have specifics so lets say there is at least a cruiser and a couple smaller ships for support. They rift into the system near Mars and soon make their way toward Earth.

According to many Rifts sources, there is a network of "killer satelites" in orbit that they'd have to face, not to mention the Moon Colony, and many others depending on what books you use.

What would be the reactions to their presence, firstly between them and the CCW. Next between then and any of the societies on the planet they might make contact with.

That question is too broad to be answered. However, all of that is up to the GM.

I'm thinking a couple CCW ships would be able to handle the kill sat grid enough to make a hole to get planetside, especially if you're being more realistic about just how much coverage their able to put out.

As for the other question being "too broad to answer", I purposefully made it that way to encourage discussion.

[Ed]

I actually Did think of that, which is why I said something about "assuming that such a force is given sufficient reason to do so". There is also not just the military blast and conquer, there could also be they set up a colony on the planet that is up to their societal standards and they start introducing other nearby peoples to the way of their society.

Hopefully this clarifies my question some.

Millions of troops, billions in credits.

Smaller outposts? Yah, you could probably get by with a few thousand troops. layered robotic defense perimeters, and a whole honking convoy load of goodwill to your neighbors to bribe them not to attack you and show you the local survival tricks, Pilgrim-style. To EXPAND with nothing but your own people, though, you'd need something on the order of the CS's population base to pull it off, since as the outsider team, everybody else is going to regard the CCW 'aliens' as a potential threat(if not to their property, then to their way of life).

LOL. The CCW could knock Splynn out of the picture in a matter of hours with one surplus shuttle craft. Ditto the Orbitals. The CAN-Moon colony could be cut off and left to starve in a similarly short time. As for creating and consolidating a planet-side power base, nothing says "Do what I tell you or else" like multi-megaton kinetic bombardment.

[SolCannibal]

OK then, I guess the question oughta mutate into "How large of a force from the CCW would it take for them to come into the area and start trying to make Earth into a world that starts working to their standards?" This'd be assuming that such a force was given a sufficient reason to do so.

It all depends in what forces might oppose or side with such a battlegroup - will the Arkhons cause them trouble, hide & wait or simply call it quits in exchange for an alliance against the Inca, Splyn and a way out? Would the Megaversion Legion try to make contact? Could Cibola ally with Atlantis against such a force or not? Would either call on extra support? Are the orbitals or the people in the Moon numerous & organized enough to actually matter anyway?

It's all dependant on the kind of scenario one sets up.

[taalismn]

[ any meteor smaller then 100 tons is not getting through the counter debris field or killer satellite network.

And if the 'meteor' in question is a small starship moving at a good fraction of light speed? With shields?
That's what's called a relativistic missile.
It's also the dirty secret of contra-gravity drives that nobody(except Palladiumites and SpaceBattles regulars) in the Three Galaxies likes to talk about. Any old tramp freighter with a working CG drive can be a WMD.
As the great author Joe Haldeman about a missile that hits a cruiser traveling a good percentage of LS; "it doesn't matter if you're hit with a a spitball or a nova bomb at .9c, the result is the same."