RM, LN, Nomads, Space Gods, whomever, blows up the Rheinland/Liberty jumpgate, except for a circuitous standoff far off the beaten path, with absolutely nothing of any strategic, tactical, or commercial value for at least two jumps either way, in an empty system.
On the other hand, just the other day I went from Texas to Hudson to Hamburg, after recieving a rude dump out of the trade lane to a destroyed jumpgate. All I did was cruise a minute or so over to the jumphole.
So, really, it's still connected. It's just not open to large capitals such as CR/BC/BB - Isn't that good, though? Isn't Liberty Navy notorious for capital-spamming everything? I made that run in a Camaro, and I think I could make it in my Serenity too.
What's stopping Rheinland from putting a force of Bomber/Gunboats through that hole?
What's stopping Liberty from clearing a path through the field? (Subcontract Junkers/IMG/DSE/???)
With regards to the gate-closing in the first place - Rheinland was getting wrecked, right? And they're the ones that blew up a pair of ludicrously expensive jumpgates, right? The only source for parts for those same gates being on the other side of them?
Whose boneheaded idea was that?!
If you want to close the gates? Surround one side with giant anti-capital mines, then park a couple battleships and accompanying screening elements off the gate. You could pull those same battleships off the Kusari, Bretonian, or Corsair/Hessian border, to make an opening for opportunists.
From the sound of things, this was a unilateral decision that didn't involve Rheinland Lawful, and made a fair few of them unhappy; It also had the unintended effect of killing their activity. Given that, as well as the in-character alternatives to such an incredibly drastic and relatively-permanent act, I can't help but question the wisdom of that decision, and I can't help but wonder why it's sticking.
Bad Changes are bad; Retcon or no, don't stick with them unless you've got a good reason.
Howard Williams - CEO, Williams-Mordhauser Distributing - "Just try and stop us"
Caroline Convair - General Secretary, Williams-Mordhauser Distributing - "Please excuse the CEO"