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These examples of Surprisingly Realistic Outcome seem to violate at least one of these rules, which disqualifies them: No character reactions (characters get angry, don't forgive, don't change their personality instantly, etc.); Too fantastical (depends on the properties of magic, powers, sci-fi tech, monsters, etc.); Not surprising (a character was warned about the outcome, it's used to provide Karma or An Aesop, or it simply follows normal conventions for this genre or medium); Plot happens (the example only describes an event, but not why audiences would expect a different, unrealistic outcome); Not an outcome (a character just explains why something wouldn't work as expected); More of a Deconstruction (the event has major, lasting effects on the plot, make something more realistic, but not completely realistic, or a parody/fanwork applies realistic consequences to the events of a different work); or fits better under a different trope. See the trope's definition for more details. If you believe a removal was a mistake, please bring it up in the cleanup thread.


* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Tends to happen:
** While effective, Earth technology is primitive and needs lots of fuel to compete with more advanced Minbari technology-something Branmer gleefully takes advantage of.
** Minbari ships take time to be built, and they started mobilization late. As a result, after losing most of the pre-war fleet in a number of debacles they're running short of weapons and trained crews.
** While the image of Earth's pre-space weapons getting ready to defend the planet is a nice image, sea-going battleships and atmospheric craft are little more than brief roadblocks for ships designed to travel in space. Minbari fighters make mincemeat of most of them, and only those designed for atmospheric support in the current era stand the slightest chance.

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Uncommented Bunny Ears Lawyer and Continuity Nod, added Battle Chant and BFG, fixed grammar and spelling


* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: The Battle of the Line sees the death of Admiral Fergueson, Captain Black, and Joe Tennant.]]
* AttackAttackAttack:

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* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: The Battle of the Line sees the death of Admiral Fergueson, Ferguson, Captain Black, and Joe Tennant.]]
* AttackAttackAttack: AttackAttackAttack:



* BattleChant: Joe Tennant performs a Haka before the Battle of the Line.
* {{BFG}}: The Murphy Guns. Basically they're Nova dreadnought hulls wrapped around ground-to-orbit railguns. The slugs they fire are so massive that they have to run the engines at full emergency burn just to lessen the recoil.



%%* BunnyEarsLawyer: Joe Tennant from ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar'' makes a spectacular return.
* CallingTheOldManOut: [[spoiler: Branmer and Neroon both get their chance to tell off the Grey Council. Neroon is particularly effective - pointing out that due to the stupidity of the Warrior Caste, they waited to change tactics and leadership until it was ''way'' too late to get a clean victory and most of their reserves were clouds of floating crystals. Then he calls them out on expecting Branmer to pull off the impossible, and are ''still'' mad when he comes within a hairsbredth of doing it.]]
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment:

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%%* * BunnyEarsLawyer: Joe Tennant from ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar'' makes a spectacular return.
return. Among other things, he performs a [[BattleChant Haka]] while clad in a grass skirt before the Battle of the Line.
* CallingTheOldManOut: [[spoiler: Branmer and Neroon both get their chance to tell off the Grey Council. Neroon is particularly effective - pointing out that due to the stupidity of the Warrior Caste, they waited to change tactics and leadership until it was ''way'' too late to get a clean victory and most of their reserves were clouds of floating crystals. Then he calls them out on expecting Branmer to pull off the impossible, and are ''still'' mad when he comes within a hairsbredth hairsbreadth of doing it.]]
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: CoolAndUnusualPunishment:



** Talked about for [[TheNeidermeyer Michael Jankowski]], who caused the war by grossly violating his orders and opening fire on the Minbari. When the Earth president discuss the matter with his staff, the punishment by law should be [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]] (basically a telepath would wipe out his mind and create a new one, more useful for the society), the head of intelligence suggests to just execute him as Jankowski has no personality, but in the end it's decided to extradition to Minbar, so that the Minbari can do him what they want. It's just too bad the Minbari won't communicate with Earth...
%%* ContinuityNod: a few, both with the main series and ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''.

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** Talked about for [[TheNeidermeyer Michael Jankowski]], who caused the war by grossly violating his orders and opening fire on the Minbari. When the Earth president discuss the matter with his staff, the punishment by law should be [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]] (basically a telepath would wipe out his mind and create a new one, more useful for the society), the head of intelligence suggests to just execute him as Jankowski has no personality, but in the end it's decided to offer extradition to Minbar, so that the Minbari can do him what they want. It's just too bad the Minbari won't communicate with Earth...
%%* * ContinuityNod: a few, both with the main series and ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''.''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''.
** [[spoiler:Joe Tennant and Captain Black]] pull off the "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS03E01MattersOfHonor Bonehead Maneuver]]" [[spoiler:at the Battle of the Line]].



** The battle of Cyrus, the first large battle between Earthforce and the Minbari, saw six hundreds Earthforce warships (including 80 dreadnoughts and 200 heavy cruisers) with relative fighters against one hundred Minbari ships with relative fighters. The Minbari were outgunned and outnumbered. Due their stealth system, better sensors and weapons with superior range, the Minbari suffered no loss and wiped out the Earthforce fleet in seven minutes, letting go one single Starfury so that he'd tell Earth the power of the Minbari.
** Jericho was another curbstomp, but in reverse: Earthforce used a ludicrous amount of jamming to reduce the distance the Minbari could hit them, and, having broke their stealth, used its superior numbers, firepower, combat experience, and [[NukeEm lots of nukes]] (plus the surprise that the Minbari stealth was now useless) to [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable defeat the Minbari in open combat for the first time in one thousand years]]. It also helped that the Minbari fighters were ''all'' wiped out in the initial exchange (they were grossly outnumbered and had no idea that their stealth had been broken, so they were unable to escape), thus paving the way for the nuke-armed bombers and fighter runs on the cannons of the Minbari ships.

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** The battle of Cyrus, the first large battle between Earthforce and the Minbari, saw six hundreds Earthforce hundred [=EarthForce=] warships (including 80 dreadnoughts and 200 heavy cruisers) with relative fighters against one hundred Minbari ships with relative fighters. The Minbari were outgunned and outnumbered. Due their stealth system, better sensors sensors, and weapons with superior range, the Minbari suffered no loss losses and wiped out the Earthforce [=EarthForce=] fleet in seven minutes, letting go one single Starfury so that he'd tell Earth the power of the Minbari.
** Jericho was another curbstomp, but in reverse: Earthforce [=EarthForce=] used a ludicrous amount of jamming to reduce the distance the Minbari could hit them, and, having broke their stealth, used its superior numbers, firepower, combat experience, and [[NukeEm lots of nukes]] (plus the surprise that the Minbari stealth was now useless) to [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable defeat the Minbari in open combat for the first time in one thousand years]]. It also helped that the Minbari fighters were ''all'' wiped out in the initial exchange (they were grossly outnumbered and had no idea that their stealth had been broken, so they were unable to escape), thus paving the way for the nuke-armed bombers and fighter runs on the cannons of the Minbari ships.



* EnemyMine: The Drazi are enemies with the Dilgar due their previous genocidal rampage and the Narn due their capture of Drazi worlds during the Dilgar War, worlds they still occupy as the fanfic starts. Then [[ParanoiaFuel someone]] destroyed in hyperspace a Drazi fleet sent to help Earth against the Minbari, and the Dilgar, knowing that they and the Narn could be the next on the list due being helping Earth in their own ways, are quick to inform Drazi and Narn of that and form an alliance, with the Narn even renouncing the occupied Drazi worlds for alliance's sake. The Dilgar justified their help to Earth as part respect for Earthforce beating them due to skill and determination while the Minbari don't fight fair, and an hell of a grudge for their attempt at kidnapping Jha'dur.

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* EnemyMine: The Drazi are enemies with the Dilgar due their previous genocidal rampage and the Narn due their capture of Drazi worlds during the Dilgar War, worlds they still occupy as the fanfic starts. Then [[ParanoiaFuel someone]] destroyed a Drazi fleet in hyperspace a Drazi fleet that was being sent to help Earth against the Minbari, and the Dilgar, knowing that they and the Narn could be the next on the list due being helping Earth in their own ways, are quick to inform Drazi and Narn of that and form an alliance, with the Narn even renouncing the occupied Drazi worlds for alliance's sake. The Dilgar justified their help to Earth as part respect for Earthforce [=EarthForce=] beating them due to skill and determination while the Minbari don't fight fair, and an one hell of a grudge for their attempt at kidnapping Jha'dur.



** After being given the job to train to combat the military personnel of the Religious and Worker castes, Branmer wonders if his recruits will be needed to defend Minbar from Earthforce and says that Earth can replace entire fleets if the need arises while the Minbari were already reducing themselves to recruit the Religious and Worker castes to back up the Warrior Caste. According to WordOfGod, if Earth had found a way to break the Minbari stealth they would have won by outproducing the Minbari. And that's not the fanfic's author's word of god, that's JMS' word of god.

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** After being given the job to train to for combat the military personnel of the Religious and Worker castes, Branmer wonders if his recruits will be needed to defend Minbar from Earthforce and says that Earth can replace entire fleets if the need arises while the Minbari were already reducing themselves to recruit recruits from the Religious and Worker castes Castes to back up the Warrior Caste. According to WordOfGod, if Earth had found a way to break the Minbari stealth they would have won by outproducing the Minbari. And that's not the fanfic's author's word of god, that's JMS' word of god.



* ForWantOfANail: something went slightly different early in Earth participation of the Dilgar War, and it resulted in this continuity. It's not yet clear what, but the earliest mentioned difference it's Dal'shan surviving the attack on the ''Space Race''.

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* ForWantOfANail: something went slightly different early in Earth Earth's participation of in the Dilgar War, and it resulted in this continuity. It's not yet clear what, but the earliest mentioned difference it's is Dal'shan surviving the attack on the ''Space Race''.



* {{Irony}}: Joe Tennant first battle with the new sensors involves reproducing the ''Black Star'' ambush tactic on the Minbari using the EAS ''[[MeaningfulName Nemesis]]'' to do the deal. After that, he [[InvokedTrope has "Have introduced the Minbari society to the concept of irony" added to the ship's log]].
* KickedUpstairs: After losing at Jericho colony, Branmer is reassigned to the 'prestigious' job of training for actual combat the military forces of the Religious and Workers castes. There's wisdom in this, as he used to be a member of the Religious Caste but passed to the Military Caste at the start of the war and knew the problems his recruits would face in becoming frontline troops, but it's clear to everyone he's just being moved out of the way for Shakiri to take over as Shay Alyt.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm:
** At Jericho Branmer orders a retreat when it's clear that Earthforce will win the battle. He then changes the order to a faster but riskier emergency jump when he sees that Earth dreadnoughts are placing themselves to use as many as possible of their [[NoKillLikeOverkill ludicrously numerous guns]], as remaining long enough for a normal jump would mean annihilation (and what Minbari ship were too slow or damaged to escape were in fact disintegrated).

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* {{Irony}}: Joe Tennant Tennant's first battle with the new sensors involves reproducing the ''Black Star'' ambush tactic on the Minbari using the EAS ''[[MeaningfulName Nemesis]]'' to do the deal. After that, he [[InvokedTrope has "Have introduced the Minbari society to the concept of irony" added to the ship's log]].
* KickedUpstairs: After losing at Jericho colony, Branmer is reassigned to the 'prestigious' job of training for actual combat the military forces of the Religious and Workers castes. Castes. There's wisdom in this, as he used to be a member of the Religious Caste but passed to the Military Caste at the start of the war and knew the problems his recruits would face in becoming frontline troops, but it's clear to everyone he's just being moved out of the way for Shakiri to take over as Shay Shai Alyt.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm:
KnowWhenToFoldEm:
** At Jericho Branmer orders a retreat when it's clear that Earthforce [=EarthForce=] will win the battle. He then changes the order to a faster but riskier emergency jump when he sees that Earth dreadnoughts are placing themselves to use as many as possible of their [[NoKillLikeOverkill ludicrously numerous guns]], as remaining long enough for a normal jump would mean annihilation (and what Minbari ship were too slow or damaged to escape were in fact disintegrated).



* LivingShip: In-universe, there was a cartoon made about Earthforce ships that were alive and went around doing good deeds. Joe Tenant was pleased with the portrayal of his ship, the ''Nemesis,'' how it helped out another ship with a busted engine and helping to put it in a sling... although he does state that it would be more appropriate for the ''Nemesis'' to have been dripping with the blood of its foes, laughing hysterically the whole time.
* LockAndLoadMontage: The end of chapter 14 gives a ''glorious'' one, describing how earth is preparing while set to the speech the president gives for the Battle of the Line (though obviously changed for a universe where fighting back against the Minbari is an actual possibility).
* MacrossMissileMassacre: Some Earthforce ships have ''a lot'' of missiles, with the small ''Olympus''-class corvettes carrying forty and the ''Nova''-class dreadnoughts and ''Omega''-class destroyers carrying seventy-two. And those aren't the ''dedicated'' missile ships. Those carry 120 or 160 in their racks, depending on the model, plus ''reloads''.

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* LivingShip: In-universe, there was a cartoon made about Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ships that were alive and went around doing good deeds. Joe Tenant was pleased with the portrayal of his ship, the ''Nemesis,'' how it helped out another ship with a busted engine and helping to put by putting it in a sling... although he does state that it would be more appropriate for the ''Nemesis'' to have been dripping with the blood of its foes, laughing hysterically the whole time.
* LockAndLoadMontage: The end of chapter 14 gives a ''glorious'' one, describing how earth Earth is preparing while set to the speech the president gives for the Battle of the Line (though obviously changed for a universe where fighting back against the Minbari is an actual possibility).
* MacrossMissileMassacre: Some Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ships have ''a lot'' of missiles, with the small ''Olympus''-class corvettes carrying forty and the ''Nova''-class dreadnoughts and ''Omega''-class destroyers carrying seventy-two. And those aren't the ''dedicated'' missile ships. Those carry 120 or 160 in their racks, depending on the model, plus ''reloads''.



* NameOrderConfusion: Jeffrey Sinclair gives the whole "Name, Rank, and Number" spiel when Branmer and Delenn interrrogate him after the raid on Minbar. Since he identifies himself as "Sinclair, Jeffrey", they consistently adress him that way.



** The first large battle between Earthforce and the Minbari is an immense one for Earth, as they realize how helpless they are against the Minbari due their stealth. Then, later, the Minbari gets one in the second large battle, when their fighters are overwhelmed by the starfuries and they realize Earth has broken their stealth, and the ridicolous number of guns of Earthforce ships are aimed at their ships.
** The Minbari gets another even before Earthforce can outfit its ships with the new sensors, when, during their offensive on Beta Durani, Earthforce local command killed the local hyperspace beacon network just when they were passing near a black hole. The Minbari fleet was either lost in hyperspace or entered real space too near the black hole.
** The Dilgar get one when they see the Minbari ships taking out Earthforce ships in one or two hits. Keep in mind that back in ''The Dilgar War'', one of the things that the Dilgar feared about Earthforce ships was that they could take ''insane'' amounts of punishment, requiring overwhelming firepower to take them down... and the Minbari are taking out ships even more advanced than those that the Dilgar faced as though they were nothing. Couple this with their desire to use the humans as a sort of proxy to see how a Minbari-Dilgar war would go...
** Hamato and everyone else in Earthforce's chain of command get a major one when Jha'dur warn them that Branmer is [[spoiler: coming directly for Earth using a series of temporary beacons Earthforce can't shut off]].
* ProperlyParanoid: The main reason why Branmer is the best commander the Minbari have is that he can spot Earthforce ambushes and take precautions for the ones he can't spot: he didn't really expected Earthforce to break Minbari stealth, but he still made sure of having a retreat route available and, when assaulted from an Earthforce fleet that had broken his stealth, opened fire from long range even before realizing, just in case.
* RefugeInAudacity:
** Branmer. Minbari pre-war military forces are depleted, Earthforce is posed to invade Minbari territory, and all he has is a collection of reactivated ships straight from the mothball yards or barely completed modern warhips manned by reactivated reservists and half-trained newbies, all from the Religious and Workers' Castes. What does he do with them to gain the two months he needs? He [[spoiler:attacks ''Earth'', of course]], and it ''nearly'' works. [[spoiler: One of the many things that Neroon calls the Grey Council out over is that they're furious at Branmer for failing at Earth, when it was both an impossible mission, and he came within a handsbredth of being able to actually make it work.]]
** Earth Force tends to bring out more than a few special weapons that work like this. They bring out ground-to-orbit siege cannons and stick them in ships, so they're more or less guns with engines that barely function and are difficult to aim, but against Branmer's ships manage to wreck an impressive toll. [[spoiler: They also decide to use an Explorer Ship with four spinal lasers and kilometers worth of cooling equipment in the Raid on Minbar.]]
* RockBeatsLaser:

to:

** The first large battle between Earthforce [=EarthForce=] and the Minbari is an immense one for Earth, as they realize how helpless they are against the Minbari due their stealth. Then, later, the Minbari gets one in the second large battle, when their fighters are overwhelmed by the starfuries and they realize Earth has broken their stealth, and the ridicolous ridiculous number of guns of Earthforce ships are aimed at their ships.
** The Minbari gets get another even before Earthforce can outfit its ships with the new sensors, when, during their offensive on Beta Durani, Earthforce [=EarthForce=] local command killed the local hyperspace beacon network just when they were passing near a black hole. The Minbari fleet was either lost in hyperspace or entered real space too near the black hole.
** The Dilgar get one when they see the Minbari ships taking out Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ships in one or two hits. Keep in mind that back in ''The Dilgar War'', one of the things that the Dilgar feared about Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ships was that they could take ''insane'' amounts of punishment, requiring overwhelming firepower to take them down... and the Minbari are taking out ships even more advanced than those that the Dilgar faced as though they were nothing. Couple this with their desire to use the humans as a sort of proxy to see how a Minbari-Dilgar war would go...
** Hamato and everyone else in Earthforce's [=EarthForce's=] chain of command get a major one when Jha'dur warn them that Branmer is [[spoiler: coming [[spoiler:coming directly for Earth using a series of temporary beacons Earthforce can't shut off]].
* ProperlyParanoid: The main reason why Branmer is the best commander the Minbari have is that he can spot Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ambushes and take precautions for the ones he can't spot: he didn't really expected Earthforce [=EarthForce=] to break Minbari stealth, but he still made sure of having to have a retreat route available and, when assaulted from by an Earthforce [=EarthForce=] fleet that had broken his stealth, opened fire from long range even before realizing, just in case.
* RefugeInAudacity:
RefugeInAudacity:
** Branmer. Minbari pre-war military forces are depleted, Earthforce [=EarthForce=] is posed to invade Minbari territory, and all he has is a collection of reactivated ships straight from the mothball yards or barely completed modern warhips manned by reactivated reservists and half-trained newbies, all from the Religious and Workers' Worker Castes. What does he do with them to gain the two months he needs? He [[spoiler:attacks ''Earth'', of course]], and it ''nearly'' works. [[spoiler: One of the many things that Neroon calls the Grey Council out over is that they're furious at Branmer for failing at Earth, when it was both an impossible mission, and he came within a handsbredth hairsbreadth of being able to actually make it work.]]
** Earth Force [=EarthForce=] tends to bring out more than a few special weapons that work like this. They bring out ground-to-orbit siege cannons and stick them in on ships, so they're more or less guns with engines that barely function and are difficult to aim, but against Branmer's ships manage to wreck an impressive toll. [[spoiler: They also decide to use an Explorer Ship with four spinal lasers and kilometers worth of cooling equipment in the Raid on Minbar.]]
* RockBeatsLaser: RockBeatsLaser:



** Inverted with the Minbari. The story makes a point to mention that Earthforce ships in the Dilgar War were so legendarily tough that they could limp back to drydock with over a third of their mass blasted off and not only still had survivors on board, but could be repaired and back in the fight in a few months. Minbari weapons are capable of taking out one of these ships in one shot. Just because Earth's tech is effective doesn't mean that the Minbari tech isn't.

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** Inverted with the Minbari. The story makes a point to mention that Earthforce [=EarthForce=] ships in the Dilgar War were so legendarily tough that they could limp back to drydock with over a third of their mass blasted off and not only still had survivors on board, but could be repaired and back in the fight in a few months. Minbari weapons are capable of taking out one of these ships in one shot. Just because Earth's tech is effective doesn't mean that the Minbari tech isn't.



** Minbari crystal armor (that their ships are made out of) is designed to block plasma and laser weapons very effectively. It is in no way designed for holding off solid kinetic energy weapons, such as rail guns. Which Earth Force has. [[MoreDakka In large numbers]].
** The Minbari Protectorate forces have vessels that are much older and less advanced than main-line Minbari ships, but that makes them better fighters, since they never learned to rely on Minbari Stealth to the degree that the main fleets did (which led to multiple human victories).

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** Minbari crystal armor (that their ships are made out of) is designed to block plasma and laser weapons very effectively. It is in no way designed for holding off solid kinetic energy weapons, such as rail guns. Which Earth Force [=EarthForce=] has. [[MoreDakka In large numbers]].
** The Minbari Protectorate forces have vessels that are much older and less advanced than main-line Minbari ships, but that makes them better fighters, since they never learned to rely on Minbari Stealth stealth to the degree that the main fleets did (which led to multiple human victories).



** This is essentially the conflict between Earth and Minbar, who has an actual ''Warrior'' caste. While it goes badly for the humans at first, they show (once the Jamming is broken) that properly trained soldiers can take out many ''honorable Warriors,'' even with a clear tech disadvantage.

to:

** This is essentially the conflict between Earth and Minbar, who which has an actual ''Warrior'' caste. While it goes badly for the humans at first, they show (once the Jamming jamming is broken) that properly trained soldiers can take out many ''honorable ''Honorable Warriors,'' even with a clear tech disadvantage.



* TheStrategist: [=EarthForce=] has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.

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* TheStrategist: [=EarthForce=] has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.[=EarthForce=].



** The Dilgar-provided sensor that can break through Minbari stealth. Not really a weapon by itself, but by allowing Earth weapons to actually hit they have annulled the Minbari's invincibility.

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** The Dilgar-provided sensor sensors that can break through Minbari stealth. Not really a weapon by itself, but but, by allowing Earth weapons to actually hit hit, they have annulled the Minbari's invincibility.
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Not So Different has been renamed, and it needs to be dewicked


* NotSoDifferent: The Dilgar claim that this is one of the reasons why they are willing to help Earthforce. Some of them do believe it, that "At their best, we are very similar." Some members of Earthforce then try to refute it, stating that the only thing they have in common is that both races like cats.

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* NotSoDifferent: NotSoDifferentRemark: The Dilgar claim that this is one of the reasons why they are willing to help Earthforce. Some of them do believe it, that "At their best, we are very similar." Some members of Earthforce then try to refute it, stating that the only thing they have in common is that both races like cats.

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* RealityEnsues: Tends to happen:
** While effective, Earth technology is primitive and needs lots of fuel to compete with more advanced Minbari technology-something Branmer gleefully takes advantage of.
** Minbari ships take time to be built, and they started mobilization late. As a result, after losing most of the pre-war fleet in a number of debacles they're running short of weapons and trained crews.
** While the image of Earth's pre-space weapons getting ready to defend the planet is a nice image, sea-going battleships and atmospheric craft are little more than brief roadblocks for ships designed to travel in space. Minbari fighters make mincemeat of most of them, and only those designed for atmospheric support in the current era stand the slightest chance.



** Minbar's main defense station Lokka'fi, the "Guardian Star", is an ancient but massive battle station, that, being a thousand years old, is underestimated by [=EarthForce=]. Being a thousand years old, it was designed to fight the ''[[AbusivePrecursors Shadows]]'', and is equipped with [[WaveMotionGun a fusion cannon large and powerful enough enough to kill a Shadow battlecrab]] or [[spoiler:vaporize the ''Gandiva'']].

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** Minbar's main defense station Lokka'fi, the "Guardian Star", is an ancient but massive battle station, that, being a thousand years old, is underestimated by [=EarthForce=]. Being a thousand years old, it was designed to fight the ''[[AbusivePrecursors Shadows]]'', and is equipped with [[WaveMotionGun a fusion cannon large and powerful enough enough to kill a Shadow battlecrab]] or [[spoiler:vaporize the ''Gandiva'']].



* TimeTravel: The Dilgar discovers it happened when they find Babylon 4 as Valen's battlestation in the Minbari records.

to:

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Tends to happen:
** While effective, Earth technology is primitive and needs lots of fuel to compete with more advanced Minbari technology-something Branmer gleefully takes advantage of.
** Minbari ships take time to be built, and they started mobilization late. As a result, after losing most of the pre-war fleet in a number of debacles they're running short of weapons and trained crews.
** While the image of Earth's pre-space weapons getting ready to defend the planet is a nice image, sea-going battleships and atmospheric craft are little more than brief roadblocks for ships designed to travel in space. Minbari fighters make mincemeat of most of them, and only those designed for atmospheric support in the current era stand the slightest chance.
* TimeTravel: The Dilgar discovers it happened when they find Babylon 4 as Valen's battlestation battle station in the Minbari records.
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None


A completed ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with the original story and the final six chapters being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]].

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A completed ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with the original story and the final six chapters being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]]. All 20 chapters are also found [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24444943 here]].

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Cleaning up the page - correcting indentation and removing some natter.


A ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with the original story and the final six chapters being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]].

This story is now complete.

to:

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

A completed ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with the original story and the final six chapters being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]].

This story is now complete.
here]].






* AlternateUniverse: From canon B5, obviously, but it's clear that though ''The Dilgar War'' was the prequel, it wasn't the same version.

to:

* AlternateUniverse: From canon B5, obviously, ''[=B5=]'', but it's clear that though ''The Dilgar War'' was the prequel, it wasn't the same version.



* AttackAttackAttack: Standard tactic and ''strategy'' of the Windswords clan of the Minbari. That's why they lost the ''Black Star'' walking in an ambush and [[spoiler:allowed Earthforce to throw a Star Raiders-led fleet attacking Beta Durani into the Cygnus Black Hole]]. For the same reason Sineval was passed over for supreme command ''twice'', as the less experienced Branmer and Shakiri are more prudent.

to:

* AttackAttackAttack: AttackAttackAttack:
**
Standard tactic and ''strategy'' of the Windswords clan of the Minbari. That's why they lost the ''Black Star'' walking in an ambush and [[spoiler:allowed Earthforce to throw a Star Raiders-led fleet attacking Beta Durani into the Cygnus Black Hole]]. For the same reason Sineval was passed over for supreme command ''twice'', as the less experienced Branmer and Shakiri are more prudent.



* BunnyEarsLawyer: Joe Tennant from ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar'' makes a spectacular return.
* CallingTheOldManOut: [[spoiler: Branmer and Neroon both get their chance to tell off the Grey Council. Neroon is particularly effective- pointing out that due to the stupidity of the Warrior Caste, they waited to change tactics and leadership until it was ''way'' too late to get a clean victory and most of their reserves were clouds of floating crystals. Then he calls them out on expecting Branmer to pull off the impossible, and are ''still'' mad when he comes within a hairsbredth of doing it.]]
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: due to Jha'dur sparing the idiotic warmasters in this continuity, they were given to the League as part of the armistice agreement to be tried as war criminal. Earth proposed [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]], but the League decided to throw them in a pit filled with angry Drazi.
** Talked about [[TheNeidermeyer Michael Jankowski]], who caused the war by grossly violating his orders and opening fire on the Minbari. When the Earth president discuss the matter with his staff, the punishment by law should be [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]] (basically a telepath would wipe out his mind and create a new one, more useful for the society), the head of intelligence suggests to just execute him as Jankowski has no personality, but in the end it's decided to extradition to Minbar, so that the Minbari can do him what they want. It's just too bad the Minbari won't communicate with Earth...
* ContinuityNod: a few, both with the main series and ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''.

to:

* %%* BunnyEarsLawyer: Joe Tennant from ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar'' makes a spectacular return.
* CallingTheOldManOut: [[spoiler: Branmer and Neroon both get their chance to tell off the Grey Council. Neroon is particularly effective- effective - pointing out that due to the stupidity of the Warrior Caste, they waited to change tactics and leadership until it was ''way'' too late to get a clean victory and most of their reserves were clouds of floating crystals. Then he calls them out on expecting Branmer to pull off the impossible, and are ''still'' mad when he comes within a hairsbredth of doing it.]]
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: due CoolAndUnusualPunishment:
** Due
to Jha'dur sparing the idiotic warmasters in this continuity, they were given to the League as part of the armistice agreement to be tried as war criminal. Earth proposed [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]], but the League decided to throw them in a pit filled with angry Drazi.
** Talked about for [[TheNeidermeyer Michael Jankowski]], who caused the war by grossly violating his orders and opening fire on the Minbari. When the Earth president discuss the matter with his staff, the punishment by law should be [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Death of Personality]] (basically a telepath would wipe out his mind and create a new one, more useful for the society), the head of intelligence suggests to just execute him as Jankowski has no personality, but in the end it's decided to extradition to Minbar, so that the Minbari can do him what they want. It's just too bad the Minbari won't communicate with Earth...
* %%* ContinuityNod: a few, both with the main series and ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''.



* EnemyMine: The Drazi are enemies with the Dilgar due their previous genocidal rampage and the Narn due their capture of Drazi worlds during the Dilgar War, worlds they still occupy as the fanfic starts. Then [[ParanoiaFuel someone]] destroyed in hyperspace a Drazi fleet sent to help Earth against the Minbari, and the Dilgar, knowing that they and the Narn could be the next on the list due being helping Earth in their own ways, are quick to inform Drazi and Narn of that and form an alliance, with the Narn even renouncing the occupied Drazi worlds for alliance's sake.
** The Dilgar justified their help to Earth as part respect for Earthforce beating them due to skill and determination while the Minbari don't fight fair, and an hell of a grudge for their attempt at kidnapping Jha'dur.

to:

* EnemyMine: The Drazi are enemies with the Dilgar due their previous genocidal rampage and the Narn due their capture of Drazi worlds during the Dilgar War, worlds they still occupy as the fanfic starts. Then [[ParanoiaFuel someone]] destroyed in hyperspace a Drazi fleet sent to help Earth against the Minbari, and the Dilgar, knowing that they and the Narn could be the next on the list due being helping Earth in their own ways, are quick to inform Drazi and Narn of that and form an alliance, with the Narn even renouncing the occupied Drazi worlds for alliance's sake.
**
sake. The Dilgar justified their help to Earth as part respect for Earthforce beating them due to skill and determination while the Minbari don't fight fair, and an hell of a grudge for their attempt at kidnapping Jha'dur.



* {{Foreshadowing}}: After being given the job to train to combat the military personnel of the Religious and Worker castes, Branmer wonders if his recruits will be needed to defend Minbar from Earthforce and says that Earth can replace entire fleets if the need arises while the Minbari were already reducing themselves to recruit the Religious and Worker castes to back up the Warrior Caste. According to WordOfGod, if Earth had found a way to break the Minbari stealth they would have won by outproducing the Minbari. And that's not the fanfic's author's word of god, that's JMS' word of god.

to:

* {{Foreshadowing}}: {{Foreshadowing}}:
**
After being given the job to train to combat the military personnel of the Religious and Worker castes, Branmer wonders if his recruits will be needed to defend Minbar from Earthforce and says that Earth can replace entire fleets if the need arises while the Minbari were already reducing themselves to recruit the Religious and Worker castes to back up the Warrior Caste. According to WordOfGod, if Earth had found a way to break the Minbari stealth they would have won by outproducing the Minbari. And that's not the fanfic's author's word of god, that's JMS' word of god.



* GeneralRipper: Sineval is shown to be one. He never gets supreme command of the Minbari because of this.

to:

* %%* GeneralRipper: Sineval is shown to be one. He never gets supreme command of the Minbari because of this.



* {{Hypocrite}}: The Minbari Warrior Caste, as in the series, calls Sheridan dishonorable for destroying the ''Black Star'' in an ambush, without giving her a chance to defend. They're called upon it by Delenn pointing out they did the exact same thing.
** Jha'dur {{Lampshaded}} it even better: to her analysis, Sheridan used ''exactly the same ruse'' the ''Black Star'' had used on his squadron, only he just needed a wrecked cruiser and some repurposed missiles in place of high technology and excessive planning, and his distress call was not fake.

to:

* {{Hypocrite}}: {{Hypocrite}}:
**
The Minbari Warrior Caste, as in the series, calls Sheridan dishonorable for destroying the ''Black Star'' in an ambush, without giving her a chance to defend. They're called upon it by Delenn pointing out they did the exact same thing.
** Jha'dur {{Lampshaded}} it even better: it: to her analysis, Sheridan used ''exactly the same ruse'' the ''Black Star'' had used on his squadron, only he just needed a wrecked cruiser and some repurposed missiles in place of high technology and excessive planning, and his distress call was not fake.



* LivingShip: Sort of. In-universe, there was a cartoon made about Earthforce ships that were alive and went around doing good deeds. Joe Tenant was pleased with the portrayal of his ship, the ''Nemesis,'' how it helped out another ship with a busted engine and helping to put it in a sling... although he does state that it would be more appropriate for the ''Nemesis'' to have been dripping with the blood of its foes, laughing hysterically the whole time.
* LockAndLoadMontage: the end of chapter 14 gives a ''glorious'' one, describing how earth is preparing while set to the speech the president gives for the Battle of the Line (though obviously changed for a universe where fighting back against the Minbari is an actual possibility).

to:

* LivingShip: Sort of. In-universe, there was a cartoon made about Earthforce ships that were alive and went around doing good deeds. Joe Tenant was pleased with the portrayal of his ship, the ''Nemesis,'' how it helped out another ship with a busted engine and helping to put it in a sling... although he does state that it would be more appropriate for the ''Nemesis'' to have been dripping with the blood of its foes, laughing hysterically the whole time.
* LockAndLoadMontage: the The end of chapter 14 gives a ''glorious'' one, describing how earth is preparing while set to the speech the president gives for the Battle of the Line (though obviously changed for a universe where fighting back against the Minbari is an actual possibility).



* RefugeInAudacity: Branmer. Minbari pre-war military forces are depleted, Earthforce is posed to invade Minbari territory, and all he has is a collection of reactivated ships straight from the mothball yards or barely completed modern warhips manned by reactivated reservists and half-trained newbies, all from the Religious and Workers' Castes. What does he do with them to gain the two months he needs? He [[spoiler:attacks ''Earth'', of course]].
** It ''nearly'' works. [[spoiler: One of the many things that Neroon calls the Grey Council out over is that they're furious at Branmer for failing at Earth, when it was both an impossible mission, and he came within a handsbredth of being able to actually make it work.]]

to:

* RefugeInAudacity: RefugeInAudacity:
**
Branmer. Minbari pre-war military forces are depleted, Earthforce is posed to invade Minbari territory, and all he has is a collection of reactivated ships straight from the mothball yards or barely completed modern warhips manned by reactivated reservists and half-trained newbies, all from the Religious and Workers' Castes. What does he do with them to gain the two months he needs? He [[spoiler:attacks ''Earth'', of course]].
** It
course]], and it ''nearly'' works. [[spoiler: One of the many things that Neroon calls the Grey Council out over is that they're furious at Branmer for failing at Earth, when it was both an impossible mission, and he came within a handsbredth of being able to actually make it work.]]



* RockBeatsLaser: Earth's tech is ''way'' behind the tech curve of the Minbari, but it is ''very'' effective anyway.

to:

* RockBeatsLaser: RockBeatsLaser:
**
Earth's tech is ''way'' behind the tech curve of the Minbari, but it is ''very'' effective anyway.



** This trope, while impressive for Earth Force, is also one of its key weaknesses. Because they are so primitive, their ships burn through fuel and supplies ''much'' faster than other races, a weakness that makes it hard for the Alliance's ships to go on extended campaigns without long supply lines... which Branmer takes advantage of by attacking Earth.

to:

** This trope, while impressive for Earth Force, is also one of its key weaknesses. Because they are so primitive, their ships burn through fuel and supplies ''much'' faster than other races, a weakness that makes it hard for the Alliance's ships to go on extended campaigns without long supply lines... which Branmer takes advantage of by attacking Earth.



* TheStrategist: Branmer.
** [=EarthForce=] has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.

to:

* TheStrategist: Branmer.
**
[=EarthForce=] has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.Earthforce.
%%** Branmer.



** The first is the Minbari antimatter converter, that [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin turns what it hits of the target into antimatter]] and [[StuffBlowingUp lets it interact with the rest of it]]. In a variation, the Minbari didn't ''need'' to use it, they just showed it off to make clear that while their favored neutron cannons aren't too effective in devastating worlds through OrbitalBombardment they still have very effective means to do it, making any ship equipped with it [[TheDreaded something to be feared and stopped at all costs]].
** The second is the Dilgar-provided sensor that can break through Minbari stealth. Not really a weapon by itself, but by allowing Earth weapons to actually hit they have annulled the Minbari's invincibility.
** The third is Earth's ability to equip some of their ships with [[{{BFG}} ground-to-orbit railguns]], the first Earth-made weapon that can hit Minbari ships from beyond their range. These ships are extremely impractical, and were used only at the Second Battle of Jericho, but succeeded in forcing the battle on [=EarthForce=] terms.

to:

** The first is the Minbari antimatter converter, that [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin turns what it hits of the target into antimatter]] and [[StuffBlowingUp lets it interact with the rest of it]]. In a variation, the Minbari didn't ''need'' to use it, they just showed it off to make clear that while their favored neutron cannons aren't too effective in devastating worlds through OrbitalBombardment they still have very effective means to do it, making any ship equipped with it [[TheDreaded something to be feared and stopped at all costs]].
** The second is the Dilgar-provided sensor that can break through Minbari stealth. Not really a weapon by itself, but by allowing Earth weapons to actually hit they have annulled the Minbari's invincibility.
** The third is Earth's ability to equip some of their ships with [[{{BFG}} ground-to-orbit railguns]], the first Earth-made weapon that can hit Minbari ships from beyond their range. These ships are extremely impractical, and were used only at the Second Battle of Jericho, but succeeded in forcing the battle on [=EarthForce=] terms.



* TheUnreveal: in a strange way for ''Series/BabylonFive'': the RPG says the Drazi had sent a fleet to help Earth at the start of the Earth-Minbari War only for said fleet to disappear in hyperspace, with the implication being it had been ambushed and destroyed by the Minbari. In this story we see the counterpart of that scene... And discover that the Minbari ''tried but arrived late'', [[ParanoiaFuel and there's no hint at who did it]].
** The Dilgar speculate that it has to have either been a First One (such as the Vorlons) or some unknown power that wants the Minbari to win the war. The truth is unknown. Interestingly, if the goal was to help the Minbari win the war, it backfires spectacularly, as it serves as one of the motivations that makes the Dilgar, Drazi, and Narn band together to help save the earth.
* WeHaveReserves: invoked by Branmer about Earthforce, as he knows Earth can easily replace entire fleets.

to:

* TheUnreveal: in In a strange way for ''Series/BabylonFive'': the RPG says the Drazi had sent a fleet to help Earth at the start of the Earth-Minbari War only for said fleet to disappear in hyperspace, with the implication being it had been ambushed and destroyed by the Minbari. In this story we see the counterpart of that scene... And discover that the Minbari ''tried but arrived late'', [[ParanoiaFuel and there's no hint at who did it]].
**
it]][[note]]though The Dilgar speculate that it has to have either been a First One (such as the Vorlons) or some unknown power that wants the Minbari to win the war. The truth is unknown. Interestingly, if the goal was to help the Minbari win the war, it backfires spectacularly, as it serves as one of the motivations that makes the Dilgar, Drazi, and Narn band together to help save the earth.
earth.[[/note]]
* WeHaveReserves: invoked WeHaveReserves:
** Invoked
by Branmer about Earthforce, as he knows Earth can easily replace entire fleets.



* WorthyOpponent: The Dilgar justified their help to Earth because they were, while the Minbari were not. Then we have a meeting between warleader Stro'kath of the Drazi and Supreme Warmaster Dar'sen, direct opponents during the Dilgar War, and the first thing they say each other is that they were just that, and that one day they'll duel to see who's the best combatant, because as generals they were equals.
** In chapter 13, Jha'dur declares that Hamato was hers, and that only Dar'sen and Branmer could join their 'club'.
** She finally declares Branmer to be worthy of her attention at the close of the war, since Branmer is capable of thought patterns that aren't "We're Minbari and thus automatically the best," and "Total Victory is the only option."

to:

* WorthyOpponent: WorthyOpponent:
**
The Dilgar justified their help to Earth because they were, while the Minbari were not. Then we have a meeting between warleader Stro'kath of the Drazi and Supreme Warmaster Dar'sen, direct opponents during the Dilgar War, and the first thing they say each other is that they were just that, and that one day they'll duel to see who's the best combatant, because as generals they were equals.
** In chapter 13, Jha'dur declares that Hamato was hers, and that only Dar'sen and Branmer could join their 'club'.
**
'club'. She finally declares Branmer to be worthy of her attention at the close of the war, since Branmer is capable of thought patterns that aren't "We're Minbari and thus automatically the best," and "Total Victory is the only option."



** ''Nobody'' takes it at face value when they sign a treaty saying that in exchange for ending the war, they won't kill or enslave the remaining Alacans. Surprisingly, this trope is [[AvertedTrope averted in this case,]] (or rather, [[ExactWords played at face value]], as the Alacans are actually still around and are treated very well by the Dilgar- there's even members of the government spearheading efforts to make sure that the two societies integrate peacefully, and the Alacans not only have lots of jobs in the Dilgar government, the Dilgar are starting to accept them into their military.

to:

** ''Nobody'' takes it at face value when they sign a treaty saying that in exchange for ending the war, they won't kill or enslave the remaining Alacans. Surprisingly, this trope is [[AvertedTrope averted in this case,]] (or rather, [[ExactWords played at face value]], as the Alacans are actually still around and are treated very well by the Dilgar- there's even members of the government spearheading efforts to make sure that the two societies integrate peacefully, and the Alacans not only have lots of jobs in the Dilgar government, the Dilgar are starting to accept them into their military.military.
----

Added: 1955

Changed: 94

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A ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with additional material being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]].

to:

A ForWantOfANail fanfiction on ''Series/BabylonFive'' from [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/901958/Lord_of_Misrule Lord of Misrule]], the same author of ''Fanfic/TheDilgarWar''. The nail in question is still unknown, but the earlier effect is that Jha'dur stopped Earthforce and the League at Balos, forcing an armistice and allowing the Dilgar Imperium to survive. After the war, it continues largely as normal, until the FirstContact between Earth and the Minbari. Then, as soon as they hear of it, the Dilgar do the unexpected, and offer Earth blueprints and samples of sensors that can break through the Minbari stealth, well before Earthforce can realize they need them. Can be read [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7411040/1/A_Fighting_Chance here]] up to chapter 14, with additional material the original story and the final six chapters being found [[https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/a-fighting-chance-a-babylon-5-au.82 here]].
here]].

This story is now complete.



* FairWeatherFriend: How Earth sees much of the League, and the Centauri, in the wake of the first few battles of the war. Exceptions are made for the Drazi, Dilgar, Markab, Narn, and Hyach, as they stood by the EA while everyone else abandoned them. The negotiations Londo tries to conduct in the wake of the Battle of the Line are noticably much colder than earlier ones, and he only gets anywhere by offering extremely crucial war-sensitive information in exchange.

to:

* FairWeatherFriend: How Earth sees much of the League, and the Centauri, in the wake of the first few battles of the war. Exceptions are made for the Drazi, Dilgar, Markab, Narn, and Hyach, as they stood by the EA while everyone else abandoned them. The negotiations Londo tries to conduct in the wake of the Battle of the Line are noticably noticeably much colder than earlier ones, and he only gets anywhere by offering extremely crucial war-sensitive information in exchange.



** The final chapters make reference to the Warspite, a type of ship that will incorporate human and Minbari technologies, in the planning stages. In canon, the Warspite didn't show up until after the Earth Alliance Civil War.



** Ultimately, the Minbari accept a peace deal from the humans, offering to end the conflict as they don't have enough resources to fight against Earth and her allies (Dilgar, Narn, and Drazi) while also keeping their space safe from the Centauri House Fleets amassing at their borders. At the same time, their leadership is largely dead and the civilian population is ''not'' happy about how all the propaganda about their invincibility was very much not true.



** It ''nearly'' works. [[spoiler: One of the many things that Neroon calls the Grey Council out over is that they're furious at Branmer for failing at Earth, when it was both an impossible mission, and he came within a handsbredth of being able to actually make it work.]]
** Earth Force tends to bring out more than a few special weapons that work like this. They bring out ground-to-orbit siege cannons and stick them in ships, so they're more or less guns with engines that barely function and are difficult to aim, but against Branmer's ships manage to wreck an impressive toll. [[spoiler: They also decide to use an Explorer Ship with four spinal lasers and kilometers worth of cooling equipment in the Raid on Minbar.]]



** The Minbari Protectorate forces have vessels that are much older and less advanced than main-line Minbari ships, but that makes them better fighters, since they never learned to rely on Minbari Stealth to the degree that the main fleets did (which led to multiple human victories).



** She finally declares Branmer to be worthy of her attention at the close of the war, since Branmer is capable of thought patterns that aren't "We're Minbari and thus automatically the best," and "Total Victory is the only option."



** ''Nobody'' takes it at face value when they sign a treaty saying that in exchange for ending the war, they won't kill or enslave the remaining Alacans. Surprisingly, this trope is [[AvertedTrope averted in this case,]] as the Alacans are actually still around and are treated very well by the Dilgar- there's even members of the government spearheading efforts to make sure that the two societies integrate peacefully, and the Alacans not only have lots of jobs in the Dilgar government, the Dilgar are starting to accept them into their military.

to:

** ''Nobody'' takes it at face value when they sign a treaty saying that in exchange for ending the war, they won't kill or enslave the remaining Alacans. Surprisingly, this trope is [[AvertedTrope averted in this case,]] (or rather, [[ExactWords played at face value]], as the Alacans are actually still around and are treated very well by the Dilgar- there's even members of the government spearheading efforts to make sure that the two societies integrate peacefully, and the Alacans not only have lots of jobs in the Dilgar government, the Dilgar are starting to accept them into their military.

Added: 2495

Changed: 6

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** Earthforce has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.

to:

** Earthforce [=EarthForce=] has admiral Akira Hamato, who this time survived the Dilgar War but resigned in protest for the armistice (he knew the Dilgar couldn't replace the horrific losses they had taken stopping him at Balos, and would have fallen to another attack, but the governement didn't want to lose the troops stuck on Balos). He rejoined the fleet after Jericho to help train the reserves and be the public face of Earthforce.Earthforce.
* SuperweaponSurprise: A few:
** The first is the Minbari antimatter converter, that [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin turns what it hits of the target into antimatter]] and [[StuffBlowingUp lets it interact with the rest of it]]. In a variation, the Minbari didn't ''need'' to use it, they just showed it off to make clear that while their favored neutron cannons aren't too effective in devastating worlds through OrbitalBombardment they still have very effective means to do it, making any ship equipped with it [[TheDreaded something to be feared and stopped at all costs]].
** The second is the Dilgar-provided sensor that can break through Minbari stealth. Not really a weapon by itself, but by allowing Earth weapons to actually hit they have annulled the Minbari's invincibility.
** The third is Earth's ability to equip some of their ships with [[{{BFG}} ground-to-orbit railguns]], the first Earth-made weapon that can hit Minbari ships from beyond their range. These ships are extremely impractical, and were used only at the Second Battle of Jericho, but succeeded in forcing the battle on [=EarthForce=] terms.
** During the [[spoiler:raid on Minbar]], [=EarthForce=] reveals the ''Gandiva'': a massive ''Explorer''-class hull equipped with four reverse-engineered [[WaveMotionGun Hyach spinal lasers]]. [=EarthForce=] already had a spinal laser-equipped ship, the ''Nova''-based ''Cyclops'', but had been deemed a failure due human technology being unable to replicate the advanced miniaturized coolant system and the replacement being so large they had to eliminate almost all other weapons, but the ''Gandiva'', being an ''Explorer'', is large enough to mount four and the related coolant tanks without having to sacrifice its (few) weapons and the formidable sensor suite.
** Minbar's main defense station Lokka'fi, the "Guardian Star", is an ancient but massive battle station, that, being a thousand years old, is underestimated by [=EarthForce=]. Being a thousand years old, it was designed to fight the ''[[AbusivePrecursors Shadows]]'', and is equipped with [[WaveMotionGun a fusion cannon large and powerful enough enough to kill a Shadow battlecrab]] or [[spoiler:vaporize the ''Gandiva'']].
** During the [[spoiler:raid on Minbar]], Jha'dur reveals a [[spoiler:missile from the Shadow Planet Killer]]. It's the only one the Dilgar have and they cannot make more, but it's still devastating and its mere appearance is enough to [[MassOhCrap terrify the entire Minbari high command]].

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