Poaching Good Ideas

[Captain Untouchable]

In the "The Council" thread, we've been talking about changes in the Wheel that will make it easier for everyone to post, know what is going on, and so on/so forth. We've added a few extra members to the Jedi Council, we've put some thought into how the Wheel works so that it's easier for people to post, and a bunch of other good ideas.

Some good ideas are universally good. Is there anything we could do with the Rebellion that might have the same effect?

*

Would it be worth adding more members/players to the Alliance Council? Currently we have Alderaan, Bothawui, Chandrila, Corellia, Ithor, Mon Calamari, and Sullust represented on the Council... but only four of those have roleplayers as far as I'm aware (and I think two are me?).

I realise that being a politician can be a bit boring... but by turning Torrsk Oruo'rel into the General in charge of SpecForce as well, he isn't just a politician, and I'm finding him to be a more engaging and enjoyable character to write. I tried to do something similar with Tukphen, but unfortunately the arc we were planning never took off.

Is this something that might work with other characters? Might the representative for Sullust also be the CEO of SoroSuub (one of the Alliance's main ship providers)? Could Celeste Starborn have some sort of oversight role with Alliance Intelligence? Do we necessarily need a separate Cabinet full of "Minister of -" characters, or could Alliance Council members take responsibility for things like supply, finance, education, etc?

Would an infusion of new blood help cultivate some more activity? We've talked about the possibility of Onderon and Hapes joining the Alliance in the past. We have a lot of Cizerack: might they be potential allies? Are there other cool non-human species (Wookiees? Verpines? Duros?) that might make fun additions? Since it's the "Advisory" Council, would it make sense to have a Jedi there, to offer wisdom?


Since we've got so much activity with the Wheel and the Novgorod, it would be cool to see if we can get the whole Alliance infected with the same hyperactivity bug! :)

[Reshmar]

should have a Caamasi in there maybe...???

[Dasquian Belargic]

Would it be worth adding more members/players to the Alliance Council?

Does someone want to write one of these characters? If so, yes.


Since it's the "Advisory" Council, would it make sense to have a Jedi there, to offer wisdom?

Is there a Jedi who wants to fulfil this role? If so, yes.

RE: Hapes and Onderon. I'm working towards that with Salem right now.

[Vansen Tyree]

If so, yes.

That's why I started the thread: to see if anyone was? :huh

I'm not advocating arbetrarily adding people to the list: just suggesting possible options that people might find interesting.

[Vek Vek]

With the whole independent thing going nowhere, I'd be interested in seeing the pride maybe getting courted by the alliance. Maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn't!

[Reshmar]

Adding Hapes brings a Whole Slew of goods and Bads, from a tactical point of view.

Would we have Military assistance? would we have access to the Transitory Mist? Would Their forces operate Separately? Are they just Aiding us in humanitarian or financial ways?

Hapes isn't just one Planet its 28. And they have some very non-alliance Traits. Gender equality for one. Their Military is very Imperial based, and many of them are very Untrustworthy. Even in the EU Canon they had issues through out their alliance.

But..

They have 3 massive Fleet yards, Very powerful Ships when used right. A very good Army, and they are all so pretty. Most importantly I do so love Battledragons.

As an ally they would almost change the balance of this war. As an ally turned enemy they would be the nail in the coffin.

Just my 2 cents on Hapes.

[Captain Tyberius Saye]

I strongly suggest ignoring Hapes. They're not worth the trouble and can't hold down an alliance anyways.

[The Vilissar Twins]

We strongly suggest you do not take our loyalties lightly. :p :p

[Maxx Elgrin]

Would it make sense for Navaria to be the extension of the Jedi to discuss matters with the Advisory Council? She does need .... something to do and perhaps this role would fit her?

[Reshmar]

Oh I don't trust me. The Hapens are very loyal. Its who they are loyal to that is the issue. OOC I think the a Hapen and Alliance partnership would be awsome. IC Reshmar does not trust them. They are descendants of pirates and smugglers. And the Mon Cal do not like Pirates and smugglers.

But he likes Battledragons...

[Taataani Meorrrei]

The Pride's been on the wrong side of a galactic war once before, and they're still somewhat reeling. I'd be interested to see what courtship between them and the Alliance looks like, but whether it would amount to anything is anyone's guess.

They've got a very chinese style of realpolitik so they're often taking simultaneous contradictory positions to hedge where they're currently at.

[Vansen Tyree]

Would it make sense for Navaria to be the extension of the Jedi to discuss matters with the Advisory Council? She does need .... something to do and perhaps this role would fit her?

Navaria certainly seems like a sensible candidate.

We would need to think about the logistics of it, though. Does she attend meetings in person? If so, how much time is she spending away from the Wheel? Is she attending via holo-conference instead? If so, what measures do we need to put in place IC to make sure that the Empire can't just eavesdrop and find out about the Wheel / where the Wheel is?

That's not a discouragement: just stuff we'd need to get straight.

[Dasquian Belargic]

The Hapes Consortium allying itself with the Rebellion is going to be a gradual process, and I can't promise that it will run smoothly... but it's more fun where things are a little bumpy, right ;)

[Adraudia Basillie]

We if we want eventually drama llamas to concern Navaria, there could always be a breech and Miranda finds out and snags said Jedi Master :p

But getting ahead of myself.

Up front, holocalls seems a bad idea. She could be out for a few weeks to a month and back at the Wheel unless something urgent occurs. I am uncertain how flexible she can

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Personally, I think it would be an incredibly interesting thing to play out, and would be a fun exercise in making Nav juggle these things to the best of her abilities.

[Captain Untouchable]

Vaguely on this topic... I was chatting to Christin earlier, and she's interested in making one of her characters into the boss of the Starfighter Corps.

As requested (though I don't remember who asked >_<), here is a quick overview of where we stand in terms of Alliance leadership, what is played by whom, etc.


Government

Chief of State - Mon Razien

Alderaan - Celeste Starborn (PC - Jenny)
Chandrila - Kameis Sallian (PC - Vince)
Corellia - Leadra Longstar (PC - Sarah)
Dac - Tukphen (PC - Jace)
Ithor - Ixgis Habas (NPC)
Sullust - Niev Minetii (PC - Charley)
Sluis Van - Sekaj L'vehl (PC - Dee)
Bothawui - Torrsk Oruo'rel (PC - Jace)
Jedi Order - Navaria Tarkin (PC - Dani)
Others? - (pending outcome of discussion)

Military

Fleet Command - Reshmar, Admiral (PC - Reshmar)
Ordnance and Supply - Tukphen, Admiral (PC - Jace)
Starfighter Command - Meiers Brecklin, General (PC - Christin)
Support Services - (pending scheming with Reshmar)
Intelligence - Grace Van-Derveld, Director (PC - Dani)
Special Forces - Torrsk Oruo'rel, General (PC - Jace)

First Fleet - (??)
Second Fleet - (Defending Mon Calamari Sector)
Third Fleet - Reshmar, Admiral (Commerce Raiding)
Fourth Fleet - (Defending Sullust and Sluis Van)
Fifth Fleet - (Defending Bothawui)



Things to note:
According to the EU / Wookieepedia, "Special Ops" isn't considered one of the Supreme Commands (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Alliance_Supreme_Allied_Commanders) of the Alliance military.
The Alliance has no standing army. Ground forces at Alliance bases fall under Support Services; forces on ships are either SpecForce or members of the navy (ie. Marines) with those awesome hats. The rest are part of the Sector Force for that specific sector. In the Corellian Sector the Sector Force is a resistance movement... in the Bothawui Sector it's the Bothan Military... etc.
If we did want to have an "Army", it might be apt/poetic to brand it as the Sector Force for Alderaan.

[Karl Valten]

I do have a fleet character I rolled with the Alliance a while back. Captain Yumina Sokai.

In the aftermath of Endor and the complete disintegration of Alliance command she took what was left of her own ships and several other survivors and led a rag-tag group of raiders along the Correllian Trade Spine and other major shipping routes.

She tangled with Admiral Teleran Balades's 4th Response Squadron, 31st Light Fleet, and the 122nd Destroyer Squadron a few times. She never really made contact with Alliance command at all since Endor, but that's an already established asset to add to the Alliance arsenal.

Granted she and her crew (maybe a total of two or three dozen small warships, transports, and captured vessels. Corvette, gunship, and picket/transport sized...maybe a few frigates and light cruisers. The largest is her flagship, an MC-40b light cruiser) essentially became a raider/pirate fleet without overall command guidance and might have drifted a bit from alliance ideals.

Could definitely implement her in there somewhere, but I have touched the character in a few years.

[Captain Untouchable]

If you're looking for skirmish action, Task Force 42 might be the place for you.

It's currently commanded by General Dan, and is part of the Fourth Fleet at Sullust. It includes Soto Terius (my fleeter) and Dou'lesa Grov (Dee's fleeter) commanding small skirmish-type Task Groups. The Novgorod (Charley's Marauder Corvette) is also part of this unit, so it has the most exposure in terms of actively ongoing stories.

TF42 has a part to play in the General Dan arc with the Wheel. It's also part of the closest military unit to Cloud City, so there's the opportunity to tangle with the cluster of Imperial activity down there.

[Karl Valten]

Maybe possible. I think Captain Sokai's flotilla was designated as the 21st Strike Group, but they're really nicknamed themselves as "Sokai's Phantoms" and have pretty much been operating outside of alliance command.

I don't know how keen they'd be on reintegrating under structured leadership as they've been out of the loop for several years and have been using Starforge Station (check it out on wookiepedia) as a repair and supply yard. They've gotten to be a relatively tight-knit group.

I've kinda envisioned them similar to how Novgorod is now, but more on the higher level than the individual ship level. Never really pursued that though so meh.

[Niev Minetii]

I'm ready to get all political and such :p

[Captain Untouchable]

Based on the list of Alliance Holdings (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22675) I've been putting together, I'd like to suggest some possible new additions to the Alliance Advisory Council. We've already got an NPC Ithorian, so I see no harm in adding a few extra NPCs: and they might be interesting enough to inspire someone to take over. None of these races require us to add any planets: they're the inhabitants of territory that we already have.

I've focused on non-human races in particular. I think it's a smart idea to up the number of non-human representatives on the Council at this point (even if they are just NPCs): we're already 50% human, and any alliance with Hapes/Onderon would potentially see yet more added to the Council.


<s>1. The Sluissi of Sluis Van</s>

Representative added!

2. The Verpines of Roche

The Verpines (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Verpine) are a in insectoid hive-based race, who live in a number of colonies in the Roche Asteroids (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Roche_asteroid_field). They come in two forms - intelligent hermaphrodites, and unintelligent (sterile) worker drones - and have the ability to communicate via radio waves.

They're openly sympathetic to the Rebel Alliance, and while they were never members of the Alliance in canon, they did join the New Republic. The B-Wing was developed for the Alliance by Slayn & Korpil (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Slayn_%26_Korpil) (one of the Verpine colonies).

The Verpines would probably be a pretty big player in Alliance industry: their expertise at hollowing out asteroids probably means they do a lot of our mining. From a writing perspective, it might be interesting to see how someone used to being part of a hive copes with having to make decisions solo. Will they do what's best for the Verpine Hive, or will they be more interested in what is best for the Alliance Hive instead?

3. The Quarren of Dac

The Quarren (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quarren) are the introvert and mildly xenophobic planetmates of the Mon Calamari. While the Mon Cals build ships, live on islands and floating cities, and readily deal with outsiders; the Quarren occupy the depths, and mine resources, and don't really get on well with others. Basically, they're a terrible species to have to deal with, especially in a political sense.

However, Dac is the capital of the Rebel Alliance, and as the Clone Wars recently(ish) showed, the Quarren aren't always that happy about the Mon Calamari making all the decisions for their planet. There was even a small civil war, because the Quarrens wanted to cede to the Separatists while the Mon Calamari stayed loyal.

The Quarrans might demand equal representation on the Advisory Council, and could provide an awesomely disgruntled voice at times. There could be some interesting political interplay with the Bothans too, since they don't really like anyone else, either.

4. Mustararians of Mustafar

Mustafar (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mustafar) is currently harbouring a Rebel mining, refining, and ship construction project. It's mostly being run by droids by my understanding, but we presumably have some sort of agreement with the locals. That agreement might even involve representation in our government.

The Mustafarians (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mustafarian) are described as extremophiles. They're insectoid and industrious (like the Verpine), but they involved on a planet that's entirely covered in lava. Their tough skin is resistant to blaster bolts, and while they are a warrior culture, they aren't aggressive: they fight for defense, not attack. That could lead to some interesting political perspectives on how the Alliance should be doing things.

In light of the attack on Sullust, we've suffered extensive damage to one of our major industrial hotspots. Given the volcanic similarity between Sullust and Mustafar, the Sullustans might find friends among these Alliance allies, and Mustafar could become a potential new site for some interim industry. The insectoid connection might see the Mustafarians getting friendly with the Verpines, too.

5. Bith of the Colu System

Clak'dor VII (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Clak%27dor_VII) in the Colu System is the homeworld of the Bith (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bith). The planet ceded from the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars and joined the Separatists, acting as a major staging ground during the Outer Rim Sieges. They suffered reprisals from the new Galactic Empire: conditions on the planet were so extreme that the Rebel Alliance led a relief mission to Clak'dor shortly before the Battle of Yavin.

The Bith are primarily a race of artisans, scientists, and pacifists, but after decades of oppression their attitudes may have changed a little. They aren't without their issues however: the Y'bith (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Y%27bith) are an offshoot of the species native to Clak'dor IV, who have a pretty rocky relationship with the Bith.

We have a lot of races bringing military resources and industrial assets to the Advisory Council, but we don't have many people advocating culture, civilization, or peace. We're the Alliance to Restore the Republic: a Bith could be a major driving force towards us actually starting to act more like an interstellar government. It would be nice to have an alien arty-farty voice too, to go along with Alderaan and Chandrila.

[Sekaj L'vehl]

*clears his throat*

Sluisss Van ssendss greetingss, and a repressentative.