Re: TML nightly: Msgs 7958-7962 V76#9

> Subject: TNE: Regency Military and Government
> Steven Gott [email removed] writes:
>
> > I think that the rebellion's influence is minimal compared
> > to the influence of the black war and Virus.
>
> Does this mean you think the regular military will have a role in fighting
> the Virus rather than this just being the responsibility of the Quarantine
> Service?

Absolutely, the Virus is just too dangerous to the Regency to not fight
it with all possible assets.  Quarentine is one portion of what I
conceive of as a multi-layered defense.  Naval Vessels play a critical
role in destroying the Virally infected "Vampires".  The Navy must be
able to at an absolute minimum disable a vampires j-drive and
communications.  Most electronics in the regency should be "V-hardened"
by now but we shouldn't take chances.

> An interesting concept.  Does this mean *every* military asset in the
> Regency must be retrofitted in some fashion?  With that sort of government
> spending going on I can't see the Regency economy `straining' for decades.
> (Of course, the rumored `need for economic expansion' of the Regency in
> TNE has always sounded too much like rehashed Reaganomics to me.)

I can't see any other way for the Regency's Military to respond.  Even
today we depend on very sophisticated computer controlled electronic
devices to wage modern war.  This trend will probably continue until at
TL 15 it would be hard to perform any sort of Military function above the
skirmish level without extensive computer support.  The threat Virus
poses to these processes should be obvious...

> > The also might have a few nasty viruses in bottles to
> > unleash on opponnents.
>
> You think so?  I would have thought that use of this sort of weapon would
> have become quite inconceivable after the Viral Collapse.
>
I don't imagine that these weapons are widely available but I wouldn't be
surprised if they were being manufactured.  After all we still have
Smallpox waiting around in govt. labs just in case...

BTW, Finding this secret Virus lab could be quite an adventure...

> Sword Worlds :-)

Really?

> A `true' heir to the Iridium Throne showing up with a Unification Fleet?
> (Rebellion II).

With some advance notice I don't think this would be a serious Military
threat.

> Regency nobles upset at the `democractic' reforms taking place (Rebellion
> III).
>
> Regency `democracts' upset at the slow pace of `reforms' (Rebellion IV).

Basicly it looks like the only additional threats are either from the
Wilds, the Sword Worlds (?), and internal disorder (Rebellion).  Okay,
from this I'll look at building a new force structure.  If you like it
add it to your sourcebook.

Steven Gott
Seattle, WA