alt.WAR, Fixing War's problems by writing a new book Options

[Nath]

By the by, have you noticed that the map in SoA has Krasnoyarsk clearly on the Russian side of the boarder, whereas SWA has it in Yakut already? Seriously, I'm going with SoA version.

It is more a front line than a border. Since Shadows of Asia and Sixth World Almanac are nine years apart (2063-2071), a change shouldn't be that surprising.

[Fatum]

Oh, it's most fun in winter! Especially since there are spirits in SR who will actively fight anyone then. And okay, misunderstood you there with the satcom stuff.

I'm preparing for my exam on radiolocation right now, and the chapter on passive noise got me thinking - say, if we ionized the upper atmosphere with magic (basically producing an ionosphere storm) that could ruin sat comms.
Thanks for the weapons write-up; now, the question is how much is too much, I don't think including more than a dozen firearms for each side would do any good.

Yeah, better do, unless you wnat to make that an item, as in the city being taken by Yakut.

Well, I thought of a ceasefire of sorts with the whole Russian power struggle biz and Yakut not really having the manpower to capture a predominantly Russian million-man city.

As for the weirdness in 6WA ... well, it's brought to us by the people who don't know what a map is, so ... they also seemingly totally forgot to change many borders in Europe and the existence of a couple states that get a writeup because they're sloppy. But I assume Yupiq is supposed to be something like a TPA province. There's a writeup of the TPA in Target: Wastelands.

Aha, I'm having my doubts as 6WA being used as a source at all, frankly, with Red Army controlling the Black Sea since they control the Volga from Volgograd.
Though, ok, to be fair, in SoA Rostov is on the shore of the Black Sea, so it's not like SR is getting worse here :3

[Fatum]

It is more a front line than a border. Since Shadows of Asia and Sixth World Almanac are nine years apart (2063-2071), a change shouldn't be that surprising.

Sure enough anything could happen, but capturing a major city without a full-out war starting? Cut me some slack.

[Mardrax]

The city could have defected through non-hostile means. Doubtful, of course, through make up of the population, but still a possibility.

[Fatum]

Uh, and you think that it defecting would not cause a strike back? Frankly, I just don't think so - it's something far too major for the low-intensity war / border conflict Russia and Yakut have been locked in for the last 30 years.

Oh, and I've updated my draft a bit, please criticize it.

[hermit]

It's a fun read. Some slight bumps with the language (pot->kettle, I know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) ), but otherwise coming along good. You may want to write a short insert explaining what Rodina means (though it IS self-explanatory in the text). Also, whose voice is that text written in? Ideally, it should be one of our 'talkers (yours included).

How about working out your shadowtalkers a bit, and putting in some of our global list? You could also put your talkers in that list.

[Brazilian_Shinob...]

I liked Fatum, if you are not authorized to edit the shadow talkers file, send me a PM with your e-mail and I'll add you to it.

[Fatum]

It's a fun read. Some slight bumps with the language (pot->kettle, I know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) ), but otherwise coming along good.

Yeah, I feel it quite well writing it, too. But eh, I warned about that.

You may want to write a short insert explaining what Rodina means (though it IS self-explanatory in the text).

I'm thinking of making a sidebar with a brief dictionary for slang, obscenities and such. Pretty much like they did in 3E books.

Also, whose voice is that text written in? Ideally, it should be one of our 'talkers (yours included).

Now that's a good question. What's our approach to shadowtalkers, at all? I was going more along the lines of the old Shadowland - some major contributors, some random people leaving a comment or two about their area of competence. Also, who's moderating the discussion? And are we using the old shadowtalkers?

[Brazilian_Shinob...]

We have a list with 42 shadowtalkers right now. As far as things go, the moderator of our shadow forum is called Grinder (that was no coincidence (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

[hermit]

Each author may use local shadowtalkers for flavor, but they shouldn't be more than five all in all.

[Fatum]

We have a list with 42 shadowtalkers right now. As far as things go, the moderator of our shadow forum is called Grinder (that was no coincidence (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Aha, ty.

Each author may use local shadowtalkers for flavor, but they shouldn't be more than five all in all.

Eh, if we're talking recurring shadowtalkers, five is a number I believe I can live with; yet with the sheer scope of the draft, covering the armed forces from an ocean to an ocean, I feel that having an insider insert a phrase here and there makes the whole thing much more fun to read, same as 3E books did it.
Actually, see what I've written already - I believe I'm long past the "five original nicks", yet only NaSisteme, Kosyak and maybe Polkan will be needed several times.
You haven't answered - are we using the shadowtalkers from original books? I could go with Sturmovik, Red Anya, Battle Pole and such. However, if we're not, we could always say it's a document pulled from Mosaic datahaven in Vladivostok.

Also, have we decided what the Polish Civil War ended with? Or is it in some of the books?

Also also, SoE, SoA and SotA2063 state that UGB is hiring mercs in Constantinople, supposedly for the war with Yakut. What would some good merc companies be? Could tie my draft to the rest of the work, too.

Finally, SoE (Poland) and SoA timelines are inconsistent; and what's worse, their interpretation of the Border Wars differs radically. I guess I should just establish a single non-controversial version, and put a timeline sidebar into the document.

[Brazilian_Shinob...]

We are not usin official shadowtalkers. That's what our list is for.

[sabs]

I really like the old..

This is FastJack, I've asked So and So to come and speak to us about X.

We just use Grinder, instead of FastJack.

[Fatum]

We are not usin official shadowtalkers. That's what our list is for.

Noted. Too bad, but eh, whatev.
I've reread the list, and it looks like I'll be able to use a maybe half-dozen of those.
Of course, whatever I'll write will be blatantly uncharacteristic, so of course feel free to correct me.

What about those other questions?

[hermit]

You can use official talkers, then enter them into our list, give a description, and bolden the name. We did it for a couple already.

[sabs]

And you can add a couple of Local Russian Shadowrunner types.

[Fatum]

You can use official talkers, then enter them into our list, give a description, and bolden the name. We did it for a couple already.

You see, what I like about the official talkers is that their areas of competence are at once quite broad and vaguely defined. Say, you need some brief comments on corp relations - Corp Watcher or Chrome Accountant are a no-brainer; any dragon biz - Dragonslayer and Dragon Watcher are there for you, and so on.
The talkers in our list, on the other hand, seem to have their expertise areas narrower.

And you can add a couple of Local Russian Shadowrunner types.

You bet I will. But as long as I'm writing up the armed forces overview, I'll have to go with brass or ex-brass, at least.

[hermit]

Yeah, Accountant and Corp Watcher can be used. What I'd like, then, would be to standardise this (We'll doubtlessly go over the talkers in editing and change names and voice a bit, to have it feel a little more like one piece, but nothing against known names). However, I'd like to keep the Immortals scarce. They ought to either use an alias that's inconspicious (Miss Tick = Alachia, for instance), or post rarely and erratically.

[Fatum]

Yeah, Accountant and Corp Watcher can be used. What I'd like, then, would be to standardise this (We'll doubtlessly go over the talkers in editing and change names and voice a bit, to have it feel a little more like one piece, but nothing against known names). However, I'd like to keep the Immortals scarce. They ought to either use an alias that's inconspicious (Miss Tick = Alachia, for instance), or post rarely and erratically.

You can count on that on my side. First, it's not like there's anything for them to talk over in my draft as far as I can see except for Burezmei (who they talked over Ominously in SoE already, with "You-Know-Whom can't be far, too" and everything). Second, I just find Ominous All-knowing Beings From The Ages Past posting on datahavens rather... distasteful, especially when overdone.

Also, you forgot about Poland. And Constantinople mercs - I can't think of anyone but Turkish Gray Wolves so far. D:

Oh, and I've updated my draft with what little I've been able to write today; added a picture with Armed Forces structure, too.

[hermit]

Poland is covered in War!, though it's pretty boring. Constantinopole, though. Yes. Also, Ukraina Bioenergetica might need some exposure. *Something* was up with them.

[Fatum]

Poland is covered in War!, though it's pretty boring. Constantinopole, though. Yes. Also, Ukraina Bioenergetica might need some exposure. *Something* was up with them.

Hm, missed that, thanks... but I really don't know what to do about the canon version. Minding that Suchov pretty much commanded the rybokrats during the Civil War, SK "intervention" would mean either using some heavy political pressure in Moscow (and pulling out means losing face for Suchov and two hundred thousands of his troops, and Russia as a whole, as well - which means that SK influence is taking a serious hit) or direct military action (which means losing any influence the corp had in Moscow whatsoever, possibly forever). Also, in SoA numerous talkers noticed how unlikely SK intervention is.
This is a pretty WTF moment; at the very least it means less SK involvement with Russian affairs in the seventies.

Ukraina Bioenergetica? Source?

In what comes to exposure - there may be obsidimen around Baikal, if we go by SoA info...

[hermit]

This is a pretty WTF moment

War is full of them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

It doesn't really make sense, but I guess Lofwyr pulled strings and put pressure on the Supreme Soviet. And they kind of left through the back door, a bit like America left Iraq. "Job well done, let's get the hell out." Or at least, that'S what they sold it as. Maybe they also had a telegenic conference with the rebels.

Ukraina Bioenergetica is a mystery corp from SoA, the Ukraine section (Constantinopole).

Yeah, and there'S a piece of a mother stone that's a MacGuffin in the newest Missions. Well, had they included possession spirits among the playables, we could just build them with Companion ...

[Fatum]

It doesn't really make sense, but I guess Lofwyr pulled strings and put pressure on the Supreme Soviet. And they kind of left through the back door,

What an unlikely development - more likely than direct confrontation, but still, crap. Minding that Kamendin became the General Secretary, and SK backed Baichuk (and not only backed, but actively pushed Romanov to betray Kamendin, obviously, something he did not do)...

And here we discussed the development with my group (translation mine) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotfl.gif) :

[ Spoiler ]

<Guns_n_Droids> Putting it short, this is bullshit. Enters SK, exits Red Army.
<Fats> Eeeh, "megacorps exert power equal or surpassing that of national governments" [in English]
<Guns_n_Droids> No, I mean the degree of SK influence in Russia. In what comes to "surpassing" - I just doubt that Krupp are able to gather an army surpassing those two hundred thousand all that fast from their subsidiaries.
<Heckfy[Ex]> Guns, you forget the runners - there's a fuckload of them, and they are deniable.
<wRAR> Three hundred thousand runners alone!

But oh well, I guess we'll have to go with political influence as the most believable option. One which hurt SK influence in Supreme Soviet, too.

a bit like America left Iraq. "Job well done, let's get the hell out." Or at least, that'S what they sold it as. Maybe they also had a telegenic conference with the rebels.

Aren't they still on their bases, ready to provide support? Just pulled out of the FBs and such.

Ukraina Bioenergetica is a mystery corp from SoA, the Ukraine section (Constantinopole).

Hmm, I've flipped through SoA, looking for notices of Ukraine and BU. They seem concerned with Philike Hetairia first and foremost (which I don't think will be able to stand up to SK-backed NEEC). Can't see anything on their mysterious sinister agenda, maybe you could point it out? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)

Yeah, and there'S a piece of a mother stone that's a MacGuffin in the newest Missions. Well, had they included possession spirits among the playables, we could just build them with Companion ...

Mother Stone? Should I be reading Earthdawn?

[Nath]

Ukraina Bioenergetica is a mystery corp from SoA, the Ukraine section (Constantinopole).

Originally, Bioenergetica Ukraine first appeared in Prime Runners, page 56, as the former employer of Richard Petrosian, a corporate scientist working on tactical computers. It was mentioned again in Sprawl Survival Guide, page 77, concerning Odessa economics, then in Shadows of Asia, pages 113, 116, 199 and 200, in Constantinople, and the Caspian sea oil production.

[Fatum]

Originally, Bioenergetica Ukraine first appeared in Prime Runners, page 56, as the former employer of Richard Petrosian, a corporate scientist working on tactical computers. It was mentioned again in Sprawl Survival Guide, page 77, concerning Odessa economics, then in Shadows of Asia, pages 113, 116, 199 and 200, in Constantinople, and the Caspian sea oil production.

Thank you; yet still I see nothing out of the ordinary about the corp. Seems like pretty vanilla AA to me, concerned with the bottom line first and foremost. What could be "up" with them?