House, Military, Police and Intelligence IDs

[Croft]

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A minor signatory that houses the Joint Operations HQ on their capital base sends a bit of a mixed message, not to mention incredibly stupid. The first place any invading enemy targets is the HQ's, kill the leaders and the forces soon scatter, not something you'd want on a resort world full of civilians. What the old OS&C had in mind when they signed is beyond me but this version would prefer to actually trade with Gallia and preserve it's neutrality as any tourism company would.

If the CR wants to fight Gallia it can by all means, but it will do so without OSC|.

If Gallia ever gets to Cortez.

As for OSC|, you can try nullifying the treaty single-handedly, but you're surrounded by three nations who won't take too kindly to that. Neutrality has been understood, which is why OS&C isn't at all obliged to assist Liberty, Bretonia, or Crayter in combat against Gallia. But trying to throw the whole treaty away because you're afraid you'll get shot along with the rest of them if Gallia reaches Cortez ... won't go over too well.

Neutrality between those three powers perhaps but housing that HQ was a step too far as per my previous point. The main issue isn't just getting shot, it's more about getting in to trade with Gallia as the wars have not been kind to the OS&C bank account. They've been forced to maintain the Mackinac despite issues with Samura and the Hogosha's extortion bringing down profits. Curacao will no longer be pulling in tourists due to the Gallic invasion, plus Baden Baden is struggling, add in the loss of the Shetland and the only place left actually making good money is the Hawaii. OS&C needs funds and Gallia is only option remaining.

Cortez is an important system after all, and none of those three nations want Gallia to develop even the slightest foothold. You might think that your neutrality will magically prevent the GRN from using Curacao as a forward operating base (again, if they reach and take Cortez), but trust me, the GRN won't think twice about squishing you. Not to mention that all that any of the three allied nations needs to do, to ensure the treaty is kept, is to park a handful of cruisers in orbit. National defense and all.

Keep in mind that your dealing with a tourism company that already flies freely between constantly waring Houses, our very survival depends upon being neutral to all parties, which should now include Gallia. Simply being a part of the Treaty tips those scales a little too far towards Liberty, Bretonia and the CR.

Yeah I get it, it was an "untouchable" independent world. Was. Yet for five years inRP (since 817 AS, renewed in 821) there has been this treaty, and if you look closely at the trade lanes, they are owned, maintained, and defended by the two houses. Call it storyline progression, and the fact that stagnation is bad. And while none of the allies are interested in owning Curacao, again because they respect neutrality, they sure are settled on never wanting King Charles to reach it. Because he will take it if he gets the chance.

You assume that you "get it" but you've missed the mark a bit, OS&C has no power to stop anyone taking Curacao, never has, its the political backlash of claiming the system that keeps the Houses at bay. Also I highly doubt Ol' Charlie is going to send and commit a sizable occupational force to secure a resort planet, devoid of resources, far out from supply routes, smack bang in the middle of his two enemies.
What he can do however is shoot every liner passing up to Nagano or through from California/Manchester and that is bad for business.

However, if OS&C becomes neutral to Gallia and begins trading, profits go up, Gallia gets more activity, we enter a fun bit of entertainment wars with whomever owns the Gallic Liners and everybody wins. Now the Treaty doesn't state that we can't do those things already but it does cause issues with negotiations (would you agree to deal with someone housing a joint HQ of your two enemies on their planet? Safe money is on "No.")

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Jimmy The Rat | Croft's Feedback | The Rat Pack

[Teerin]

I think law should be changed for both houses.

It's kinda hard to enforce two different laws in Cortez (Liberty and Bretonian laws). I was witness to the situation in which LN and Privateers argued which law should be enforced (according to the Bretonian law up to 5 units of contraband isn't contraband), what almost ended up in a shootout between LN and BP, as both parties could not find a common language - thankfully BPA arrived and no bloodshed was made.

The Treaty of Curacao actually outlines how laws work within Cortez and Magellan. Furthermore, none of the Bretonian delegates thought it wise to include Bretonia Privateers in the combined arms equivalent rank chart, so essentially that person should probably have defaulted to whoever that LN ship was.


Oh boy, forum debates with quotes ...

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Neutrality between those three powers perhaps but housing that HQ was a step too far as per my previous point. The main issue isn't just getting shot, it's more about getting in to trade with Gallia as the wars have not been kind to the OS&C bank account. They've been forced to maintain the Mackinac despite issues with Samura and the Hogosha's extortion bringing down profits. Curacao will no longer be pulling in tourists due to the Gallic invasion, plus Baden Baden is struggling, add in the loss of the Shetland and the only place left actually making good money is the Hawaii. OS&C needs funds and Gallia is only option remaining.

Keep in mind that your dealing with a tourism company that already flies freely between constantly waring Houses, our very survival depends upon being neutral to all parties, which should now include Gallia. Simply being a part of the Treaty tips those scales a little too far towards Liberty, Bretonia and the CR.

You assume that you "get it" but you've missed the mark a bit, OS&C has no power to stop anyone taking Curacao, never has, its the political backlash of claiming the system that keeps the Houses at bay. Also I highly doubt Ol' Charlie is going to send and commit a sizable occupational force to secure a resort planet, devoid of resources, far out from supply routes, smack bang in the middle of his two enemies.
What he can do however is shoot every liner passing up to Nagano or through from California/Manchester and that is bad for business.

However, if OS&C becomes neutral to Gallia and begins trading, profits go up, Gallia gets more activity, we enter a fun bit of entertainment wars with whomever owns the Gallic Liners and everybody wins. Now the Treaty doesn't state that we can't do those things already but it does cause issues with negotiations (would you agree to deal with someone housing a joint HQ of your two enemies on their planet? Safe money is on "No.")

The choice of the location of that HQ was not my decision, and both the iterations of OS&C which dealt with the original treaty and its renewal had no problem with that. Yes, you said you found that strange, but I and they did not. The scale may have been tipped slightly in favor of the allies for the past five years, but that's due to their inherent proximity. Only recently did Gallia get close, and as they get closer things will get worse.

While IMG managed to remain neutral between Gallia and Crayter in the Taus, that was because CR was essentially forced out of the whole region. None of the three are likely to get ousted from the systems neighboring to Cortez any time soon, and the way IMG remained neutral depended upon separation. I'd be happy to see you prove me wrong, but remaining neutral there will be no easy feat, allied HQ there or not.

Also yes, I know very well that OS&C has no power to stop anyone taking Curacao. I never stated otherwise. It isn't political backlash, it's been the respect for the neutrality of a border system between them. And they are all allies. Gallia's the one trying for a hostile takeover, and the allies will defend their interests in Cortez. Furthermore, "Ol' Charlie" won't need a sizable force ... after all, OS&C has no power to stop anyone, right? And right in between two three enemies is the point, Croft. Curacao would have incredible strategic value as a foothold for the GRN, and taking it would go further to isolate Manchester and the rest of Bretonia (what little would be left, presuming Gallia's still chugging along at this point) from Liberty's supply lines.

The iteration of OS&C that signed the renewal was still able to maintain neutrality with Gallia, and didn't worry about getting their liners shot at. Gallia might not play fairly (and likely will heavily favor their corporations in your "entertainment wars"), but they understood the past Orbital's position; wedged between three nations. And lastly, it would be easy enough to tell Gallia how much you hate the treaty and wish Curacao weren't sandwiched between those three ugly brutes, without actually going the extra mile to try to disband the treaty. Especially because Liberty, Bretonia, and Crayter would be like "u wot m8?" if you tried, and likely wouldn't let you.

Point is, if you play your cards right, safe money would be on "yes". Think it through

[Thyrzul]

Also I highly doubt Ol' Charlie is going to send and commit a sizable occupational force to secure a resort planet, devoid of resources, far out from supply routes...

Far out from what? Half of traffic between Liberty and Bretonia used to get through them, but it got even more important since Magellan became a minor battlezone between GRN and LN.

add in the loss of the Shetland

What happened with the Shetland?

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[WesternPeregrine]

Isn't this discussion about OS&C, and the political developments that May happen in Cortez systems well beside the Point of this thread?

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[Teerin]

Isn't this discussion about OS&C, and the political developments that May happen in Cortez systems well beside the Point of this thread?

It rather is, my apologies

[Croft]

It's all related, plus the little debate draws more attention to the thread but nevermind, we shall see what changes unfold.

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Jimmy The Rat | Croft's Feedback | The Rat Pack

[jammi]

What happened with the Shetland?

It's currently stationed in Newcastle outside Planet Carlisle, and doing a roaring trade as an officer's mess for BAF pilots who are on R&R.

[Croft]

In a nutshell, the Shetland got hit during the Gallic invasion of Edinburgh whilst fleeing into Newcastle, there it was repaired to a semi functional state and offered/loaned to Bretonia as a hospital ship until OS&C could decide its fate (lack of funds prevents it being fully repaired for the time being.)

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Jimmy The Rat | Croft's Feedback | The Rat Pack

[Exploration]

I thought they were being a typical rich company who -didn't want- to spend money on it's renovation while it's future operation was uncertain, that one Planet it used to orbit now has a fleet in the way and all. That and what's the point in renovating it if a couple wounded people are gonna be staying on there, it's not like they'd care what state it was in as long as they were alive and well..

[Thunderer]

There has been 6 days since Garrett announced that there will be an announcement in 6 days or so whether this was retconned, or whether Blodo's idea was accepted, or something else. Just reminding, in case you forgot. This is slightly important for me.

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