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DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1276: Jan 10th 2015 at 7:39:57 PM

@Flanker: Without FTL, reconnaissance is a matter of deep space observatories peering in all directions from the frontier. High tech astronomy.

With FTL, it will depend on the FTL technology involved. If it's some sort of Wormhole Network it becomes a matter of finding the gates and setting up some sort of surveillance. If it's some sort of warp drive, then it would seem impossible to detect incoming ships before they arrive. What you need then is a rapid response system for when the hostiles show up.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
EchoingSilence Since: Jun, 2013
#1277: Jan 11th 2015 at 6:20:03 AM

Endless has two sets of FTL. Warp drives for large scale ships (typically the size of small cities) and gates for small ships.

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#1278: Jan 15th 2015 at 11:33:03 AM

Is there a way to apply a Sci-Fi version of the Post-Civil War, Reconstruction-Era USA?

Basically it's roughly the same as Humanity sees potential in a species they won a war against, but they have a culture where slavery was the norm, and I want to rebuild the planet (their home world), uproot their culture, and have humanity invest in them, similar to how the USA rebuilt Germany and Japan Post-WWII, instead of the USSR occupying them with generally detrimental long term effects.

Got any ideas?

New Survey coming this weekend!
TairaMai rollin' on dubs from El Paso Tx Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: Mu
rollin' on dubs
#1279: Jan 15th 2015 at 5:03:28 PM

[up]

The mission of the United States Constabulary was to maintain general military and civil security, to assist in the accomplishment of the objectives of the United States government in Germany, and to control the borders of the United States Zone.

I tried to walk like an Egyptian and now I need to see a Cairo practor....
Flanker66 Dreams of Revenge from 30,000 feet and climbing Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
Dreams of Revenge
#1280: Jan 19th 2015 at 7:36:44 AM

Without FTL, reconnaissance is a matter of deep space observatories peering in all directions from the frontier. High tech astronomy.

With FTL, it will depend on the FTL technology involved. If it's some sort of Wormhole Network it becomes a matter of finding the gates and setting up some sort of surveillance. If it's some sort of warp drive, then it would seem impossible to detect incoming ships before they arrive. What you need then is a rapid response system for when the hostiles show up.

Interesting thoughts, thanks.

One thought that's occurred to me is that in any battle involving orbital assets, it becomes increasingly difficult to prevent attacks into your rear area. Not just due to orbital bombardment, but also as a result of the possibility of orbital insertions.

My gut instinct is that anti-starship weapons would do their part, as would your own starships, but I'm not sure those alone would be enough to ensure your rear is secure. So I guess the question is how do you prevent the enemy's space assets from threatening your supply lines etc. planetside?

Locking you up on radar since '09
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1281: Jan 19th 2015 at 9:48:41 AM

By not having a "rear area" with respect to orbit. You need anti-orbital batteries covering all 360 surrounding the planet. That way, no matter where they try to station their platforms/drop their forces, there is a battery covering that approach.

edited 19th Jan '15 9:49:03 AM by DeMarquis

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#1282: Jan 19th 2015 at 2:44:52 PM

^ More or less this. Line (sphere?) integrity of your defenses is key. Lose a sector of them and the enemy has a way in. Lose multiple and he has avenues of attacking your flanks and rear. Lose em all and you might as well sound the retreat horn as far as the space front is concerned.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1283: Jan 19th 2015 at 4:54:16 PM

That would depend though any number of possible scenarios and whether or not defenses have overlap or lower layers of back up or additional defense. You may need to spend a fair bit of time poking a big enough and wide enough holes in a defensive screen to create a sufficient gap for exploitation. Also keep in mind while an attacker is trying to poke holes in the defenses the defenses are trying to poke holes in the attacker. Even if you manage a breach if you take too much damage or too many casualties in the process it might not matter by that point.

If you are talking about a sphere of coverage the closer to the center of the sphere the less area the defenses have to cover in the first place. The reverse is true if you go further out.

Who watches the watchmen?
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1284: Jan 19th 2015 at 7:06:13 PM

Planets are going to be tough nuts to crack (assuming the invader isnt willing to go genocidal on them).

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1285: Jan 19th 2015 at 7:26:23 PM

No joke. Planetary invasion to take a planet will be quite the undertaking. It had better be worth it for the amount of time, resources, and losses.

Though it could also be potentially profitable to take underdeveloped worlds like new colonies, less developed worlds, and similar targets.

By the time the dust settles on a very developed planet things are going to have gotten ugly somewhere.

Who watches the watchmen?
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1286: Jan 19th 2015 at 7:41:30 PM

Now, one scenario where things get interesting is where there is a major territorial faction on the planet that is cooperating with the invaders. In fact, the most common justification for an invasion could very well be to lend assistance to a local ally. That's pretty much how it works IRL right now, so why not the future? Creating such factions in the first place could be the first prelude to militaristic expansion.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1287: Jan 19th 2015 at 8:11:29 PM

It would likely be rather difficult to support them. Just like IRL it probably won't quite work out like the ones supporting intend.

Who watches the watchmen?
AFP Since: Mar, 2010
#1288: Jan 19th 2015 at 10:48:16 PM

I can only imagine how difficult it'd be to seize a planet. Nobody on Earth has managed to yet, even without having to worry about planetfall.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1289: Jan 19th 2015 at 11:51:55 PM

I believe any such efforts would take a lot of time, effort, and planning. I mean real long term planning.

Who watches the watchmen?
MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#1290: Jan 20th 2015 at 1:21:16 AM

Why exactly are you wanting to invade anyway?

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1291: Jan 20th 2015 at 1:51:27 AM

Who knows. Grab a piece of prime real estate. Maybe it is a key stopping point for ships along a trade route kind of like the Coaling Stations and mid ocean ports used to be highly important. Stop to top off supplies and expendables maybe it is also a key trade port. Perhaps it is a stepping stone for a foothold in enemy territory and once conquered will be a new FOB for a longer term plan.

Who watches the watchmen?
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#1292: Jan 20th 2015 at 4:29:47 AM

^ Industry (it'd already be built unlike a backwater), population, political/ideological reasons, there's many reasons why you'd want to invade a planet.

MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#1293: Jan 20th 2015 at 11:42:37 AM

Yes there are, but you really need to establish this first, because it helps you figure out how you go about it. f.e. if you're only after one particular spot, say, a research lab,you can plaster all the cities nearby before landing to cut it off, but if you want to take the place mostly intact, you can't afford to do much damage, and so on.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1294: Jan 20th 2015 at 1:42:56 PM

If you are after things like data, persons, etc. Small scale spy operations or Spec Ops type raids are likely the best way to go.

Who watches the watchmen?
TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#1295: Jan 20th 2015 at 5:07:07 PM

If your invasion force isn't in the tens of millions at bare minimum, you might as well not even bother for a planetary assault.

New Survey coming this weekend!
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#1296: Jan 20th 2015 at 5:27:44 PM

^ Depends on your objective.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#1297: Jan 20th 2015 at 6:16:03 PM

Any planetary invasion force is going to be massive in scope and scale. The sheer amount of material, equipment, vehicles, support and fighting personnel you would need to drop on a foothold bridge head would be large. That is to make and hold a bridge head and hopefully expand it.

Whatever lands planet side is going to need to be able to possibly hold off overwhelming odds and fire power without heavy support at least for a short while.

Who watches the watchmen?
EchoingSilence Since: Jun, 2013
#1298: Jan 20th 2015 at 6:22:38 PM

The Planet Monad Invasion. Over 120 billion troops to take a planet made a fortress. Somewhere close to 120 billion Armored Troopers.

MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#1299: Jan 20th 2015 at 8:05:43 PM

How many were on the planet?

EchoingSilence Since: Jun, 2013
#1300: Jan 21st 2015 at 4:27:00 AM

Balrant. Not sure. No doubt close to a few hundred billion themselves. Didn't help them the main line punched through anyways.

Gilgamesh close to 70 billion with more troops in ships and being dropped in.


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