In regard to BAF and Bretonia

[Blodwyn O'Driscoll]

When I led GRN we had a cease fire with the Mollys, and I believe even a trade pact. This was years ago but it did solidify our flank through Dublin at first. I don't know what became if that.

Yup, the treaty of Seychelles is still in effect. And you're right too, there's an economical aspect aswell.
Edit : Unfortunatly, with the new mining changes, New Paris doesn't buy gold ore in game anymore...( while it still does in lore ).

In my opinion Gallia does not have reason to conquer whole Bretonia, because it brings more troubles than gains. Only useful assets for them is Leeds as industrial system, and Dublin for the gold mining fields (but there they would have to fight not only with BAF but also with Mollys).

I think that is why the treaty with the Mollys was signed by the kingdom of Gallia :
They don't have to fight the Mollys in Dublin, and they're granted somehow access to the gold fields.

Getting back to the point...

Some of it is being moved to Sprague, but as the planet has been colonized only recently and hastily, it is enough for supporting the southern border against pirates, but hardly enough to help the front.

I personally see Sprague, a desert world, more like a giant refugee camp with hastly set up industry, rather than a recently colonised planet. I don't know exactly how is the lore about the subject... but i very doubt it has been possible to do more, considering the number of refugee, and the ressources it would take to colonize this hostile world properly.
Then i see it more like a financial and material sink, rather than a planet able to sustain itself , not to mention supporting the southern border against ( mostly ) the corsair empire.
But again, that's a personal view.

Other wise i found Thunderer's analysis on the current economical status accurate, and relevant.

What Bretonia is relying on is that all the jump gates leading to its core territory from Gallic controlled space have been disabled. There are some jump holes, yes, but those always end in asteroid or waste fields and are unstable.

Considering, that they used jump holes, to Orkney, the Taus, Edinburg, to invade thoses part of sirius, i would rather rely on another tactic. Sure, asteroids are a serious problem when it comes to move fleet through it. But did they not do that in the Taus ?
In addition, did the Gallic council, did just blow a part of the heavy mine field in Languedoc and Orkney system to create some sort of tunnel ?
What would stop the Navy to do the same in asteroids fields ?

At least this is a concern to the Mollys.

With regards the whole issue of Rheinland, I brought a very similar proposal of assistance/cooperation/informal alliance up to one of the previous [RM] leaders, and was promptly told by him that the story devs had intervened with him in private and told him that it wasn't going to happen. Go figure.

Go figure...