The Council of War

[Modo44]

Eh no, I know little about computers. How can I find this out?

The usual way: copy the name into Google, and hit Enter.

First two hits:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

http://www.tucows.com/preview/194327.html

[Snoddasmannen]

Sorry about that Maniac. Modo is right, the best place to get it is at Sun:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

It's worth installing, if not for the combat simulator then at least for the chat room

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Modo44
The usual way: copy the name into Google, and hit Enter.

I told you I didn't know much about computers.

In any case, lots of thanks guys! I can now indeed use Snoddasmannen's calculator and the Spartan website chatroom.

Edit: Hmm, I'm now encountering another problem. Every time I try to surf to the calculator, all Internet explorer windows close.

[Kassiopeia]

This is how I'd publish the article. I took the liberty of fixing and streamlining the language somewhat to make the text more readable. However, I may have changed some meanings and interpretations on the way, so feel free to point any errors out.

Failure of the Modo Doctrine?

by Captain Vishniac

Incidents multiply in Spartan waters. Junta “confident”.

These last months, news of military incidents involving Spartan vessels have repeatedly stunned the citizens of the Spartan Federation.

First, the discovery of our former exploratory ship SCC Hunter hidden in a fungus field a few miles away from our key naval base of Minas Tirith gave us no alternative but its swift destruction. Everybody remembers how The Corporation controlled the minds of its crew in an act of piracy, which opened a vendetta that is going on even now.

The lack of other offensive actions from their side, and the ongoing negotiations to return to us our men and property, as well as their perceived will to sign an immediate truce, has led the Spartan population to believe that no clear and present danger is threatening our coasts, save for the ruthless Chairman Yang and his Hiverian hordes. But hiding a naval probe in sight of one of our military bases could only have one purpose: villainy! And the Spartan right of self defence had to prevail.

Now, we have just learned that a Corporation attack foil was found cruising in front of Climactic Research in the territorial waters of our ally, the University of Planet, who has made a deal with the Spartan Federation to have its coastline guarded. The presence of that foil was a clear transgression of the Modo Doctrine, Sparta expanding naturally its protection to its submissive allies, and it had to be destroyed.

Meeting the press, the Junta speaker, Lieutenant Grosskreutz said:

“These are not small matters, but I am very confident in the fine men and women serving in our Armed Forces. Though these Morganite vessels tried to conceal their presence, they got caught with their guard down every time, and our Navy has performed flawlessly in removing the threat they posed, as it will in the future as well. Our naval power is unparalleled by any other faction and everybody must realize that we are not afraid to use it to assure our survival.”

However, some say that the Junta does not completely agree on this. While Spartan naval supremacy stays unquestioned, what could have been motives of the Corporation? A high-ranked officer has told us that Morganite lack of respect for the 8-tile exclusion zone could mark the beginning of an arms race at sea and a harbinger of things to come, thus marking the actual failure of the Modo Doctrine itself. After all, what use is dissuasion if it does not dissuade?

Well-informed sources in the planetary networks explain that this aggressive Morgan attitude is caused by the dramatic situation that has been brewing these last years: an expansionist Hive is on a rampage to conquer Spartan and Gaian lands, and become Chiron’s sole superpower. Twisted minds in Morgan Industries are ready to make a Faustian pact, calculating to grab short-term gains from us and fortify their own continent, while letting a totalitarian regime impose its evil rule on the other part of this world.

Paranoid ramblings or realistic geopolitics? Regardless, the Spartan Legion, one of the most influential think-tanks in the Federation, has already decided which course of action they will push for: an extension of the Modo Doctrine to the Morganite coastline, instituting a de-facto no-sail zone for as long as would be needed, forcing the other party either to negotiate a real truce or to renounce the utilization of the rich sea resources off its coastline.

Others murmured that the Spartan military would be stretched too thin by such a long-lasting action, and that our current capability is, as the recent events have proven, more than enough to contain any enemy on or under the waves. Police actions are demoralizing for true Spartans and our force is in a strong defense and a rapid response force capable of protecting our freedom. Some even say that any further naval interdiction could be perceived as going beyond self defence, posing an effective threat to the factions with which we are living in harmony.

The Junta's seems to have a limited number of options, most of which are based on reacting to an opposing party's actions. Trying times are ahead but our emissaries know that their words are backed by the finest military machine ever, and that they might need it sooner than anyone had expected, as the failure of the Modo Doctrine would mean just that - a failure!

[Snoddasmannen]

Excellent

[Modo44]

I started a "dialogue" with people in the new Phalanx thread (open forum). Some have challenged my answers a bit.

Personally, I can keep this calm and have fun telling them what their boats can (NOT) accomplish, but I would not like to go ahead without asking the Junta. If allowed, I will speak assuming we are in a position of power, and will make it clear we think so for everyone who reads that thread.

[Googlie]

A key success factor for the PTS Raid is how much "clutter" we'll encounter for our rovers to deal with (formers and crawlers)

Morgan has 5 crawlers in operation, three of them working the Scorpi-Vulcanology sites, one that we'll miss east of ZZT and one that I can't find on their map (but I'm thinking it might be working the new mine NE of Argi Narnia, and is merely obscured by that former building the road there - all five are accounted for in base minerals production, so it's not on the move, so i think it's Morgan Mussels' one)

Their Supercrawler is SE of Micha and won't be a hindrance.

So what will they do with the new one coming out of Morgan Industries? This has the potential of stalling us - and maybe of ending up with an isolated rover, but I think with the triple energy boost they'll reassign a worker from that 1-2-5 tile to a 1-2-2 forest tile and put the crawler where the energy special is. (see screenie below)

If they do that, we're OK. If they assign the crawler to the forest tile, then we're still OK, 'cos in the sim I had that missing crawler one tile south and it was effectively blocking the advance and had to be taken out in the sim.

Also, if they don't exit Mussels with their plasma hoverboat, it'll need that secopnd rover to take that out as well, but that's OK toom as it stacked with the first in the sim without firing a shot to provide probe immunity.

So it looks like the PTS Raid won't fail or be blocked!!

[Googlie]

Hmmm - pity we couldn;t hold Morgan Industries for a turn to get the energy boost from it too!!

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
Also, if they don't exit Mussels with their plasma hoverboat, it'll need that secopnd rover to take that out as well, but that's OK toom as it stacked with the first in the sim without firing a shot to provide probe immunity.

Don't forget the long range fire option! IIRC that also kills a ship in port. We should long range fire attack in any case btw, as the ship's weapon value is lower than its armour value.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Googlie
Hmmm - pity we couldn;t hold Morgan Industries for a turn to get the energy boost from it too!!

It costs Morgan 57 ec's to mind control MI back if we have 2 Rovers holding the base. It costs 95 ec's if we manage to get all 4 safely into the base.

We can't take the risk of just losing it back to them.

(And also, with that new crawler - wherever it goes - the chances of us taking and destroying both MI and Polymers (the HGP) in the same turn are now nil. It would have worked if we were willing to kanikazi a rover in doing so. But we'll likely be able to destroy it next turn unless they manage to concentarte all mobile defenders there (and if they do, we'll just rampage thru some other bases)

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Maniac


Don't forget the long range fire option! IIRC that also kills a ship in port. We should long range fire attack in any case btw, as the ship's weapon value is lower than its armour value.

Hmm - I take more damage in the GT using long range fire than I do with conventional attack, although the odds are better:

[Zeiter]

Well, with the PTS raid being a success, what are our plans now? Do we go after Morgan again, or focus on Yang, or what? What kind of offensive forces do we have? And transports?

[Modo44]

My ideas:

1. Send out a harrassing force to Morgania ASAP. Basically, something to keep them occupied. Even two Amphibious Rovers can do the trick, methinks.
2. Secure the chokepoint against Yang, by taking those two cities.
3. Conduct a massive sea invasion against Morgan. This time - taking cities.
4. Clobber Yang to the point of a truce, or even subjagation.

4 might be included in 2, if we are lucky. 3 depends highly on how well 2 goes.

I too am very interested in our current unit roster.

[vishniac]

The problematic now is typical of a war on two fronts:
-- Keep a balance between the two fronts until an opportunity arises on one. Strike left then right alternatively (like Frederic the Great or WWI Germany).
-- Contain one enemy with minimum efforts while decisively crushing the other one.

Containing Morgan could essentially consist in denying them the sea (until they get D:AP), thus rendering them unable to hurt us. Additional harassing depends on our level of forces.

Containing Yang demands a few naval vessels and holding Minas Tirith and its surroundings. Taking and holding the chokepoint and its two cities would depend on our level of forces.

Additional questions are:
Which one is the most dangerous 1) short-term 2) long-term ?
How many units to bring down which one?
Can we hope to contain one with a diplomatic action?

[sentry33]

Which one is the most dangerous 1) short-term 2) long-term ?

I think that Morganities will be happy to accept short term peace, only to recover and build up military, possibly forging alliance with others against us. I see them as worse threat than Hive - that should be dealt with ASAP.

As for short term threat - I do not think that either Hive or Morgan pose much of it, Hive is played by AI, Morganities are behind us in terms of stability and war preparations.

Worst possibility IMO is facing new wars at this moment - if Gaians and Angels allied with Morgan, this would make things very difficult.

1. Send out a harrassing force to Morgania ASAP. Basically, something to keep them occupied. Even two Amphibious Rovers can do the trick, methinks.
2. Secure the chokepoint against Yang, by taking those two cities.
3. Conduct a massive sea invasion against Morgan. This time - taking cities.
4. Clobber Yang to the point of a truce, or even subjagation.

looks good!

We have everything we need for keeping Morgan occupied - and they have yet to recover.