Euro Wars Antiques, For that Retro-Cold War feeling! Options

[Fatum]

"Neo-Soviet" could come from the National Soviet Reconstructionists. I think I have seen NSR misread as Neo-Soviet R. before. Also the label neo-soviet is not misapplied to Shadowrun's version of Russia.

Minding that National Soviet Reconstructionists as a name obviously refers to the name of the supreme governing body, National Soviet (with Soviet meaning Council, just like the historical Soviets did), I can't really see grounds for the link.
As for the country being neo-soviet: well, they're not communists, as far as I can see; they don't subscribe to ideas of federalism like Soviets did (and modern Russian Federation does), so, again, well...

I know of course that NSR only comes into power after the Euro Wars. But if you look at the SoA timeline there seems to be a political shift in Russia before the 2030. 2016 we have the assassination of _President_ Chelenko. 2026 Kropunin becomes _General Secretary_. This might not be intentional, maybe the two dates simply were taken from different sources. But it is the interpretation of the Almanac: "By 2026, the presidency had been abolished and Boris Kropunin became General Secretary." (swa.150) So one could infer that some earlier incarnation of the NSR or "neo-soviets" took hold in Russia after Chelenko's death and already started to transform the country and continued the process after the short interim of the Democratic Recovery Alliance.

Head of the National Soviet is called the General Secretary, as per SoA, so again I can't really see where Politburo comes from.

[lokii]

Minding that National Soviet Reconstructionists as a name obviously refers to the name of the supreme governing body, National Soviet (with Soviet meaning Council, just like the historical Soviets did), I can't really see grounds for the link.
As for the country being neo-soviet: well, they're not communists, as far as I can see; they don't subscribe to ideas of federalism like Soviets did (and modern Russian Federation does), so, again, well...

Actually I read NSR differently, namely as soviet reconstruction with a Russian-nationalist bend. I didn't make the connection with the National Supreme Soviet. So maybe you see how one could arrive at "neo-soviet". Apart from that the Russian Republic is meant to evoke Soviet times. As the SoA says "The general theme of Russia is a power play. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the Soviet Union during the mid-1980s". So even if some elements like communism or suppression of the Orthodox church are missing I think you can use the label neo-soviet, especially if you hold the view that ideology was secondary in superpower politics. But I would admit that it glosses a lot of things over. Furthermore since there is some indication that the "soviet reconstruction" (as per my reading) was going on before the start of the war, I guess it is not against Shadowrun canon to apply this to the Russian government back then.

Head of the National Soviet is called the General Secretary, as per SoA, so again I can't really see where Politburo comes from.

No, that's new as far as I can tell. SoA mentions Politburo on p. 221 but only in reference to the actual USSR body. I guess, once you come to the equation Shadowrun Russia ~ Soviet Union -- which is a dangerous but I'm sure exactly the kind of quick simplification many people use -- more and more of the old concepts and labels are applied to the Russian Republic.

In the end I do agree with you, other Shadowrun sources have made an effort to still make a distinction between the Russian Republic and the Soviet Union even as they reimported a lot of (what an outside audience thinks are) soviet elements. Euro War Antiques on the other hand apparently fails to do that. Maybe we should ascribe this to the personal bias of Dr. Kelvin Mincy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Fatum]

Actually I read NSR differently, namely as soviet reconstruction with a Russian-nationalist bend. I didn't make the connection with the National Supreme Soviet. So maybe you see how one could arrive at "neo-soviet".

Yeah, I see. I doubt there's a way to know for sure now which was really meant.

Apart from that the Russian Republic is meant to evoke Soviet times. As the SoA says "The general theme of Russia is a power play. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the Soviet Union during the mid-1980s". So even if some elements like communism or suppression of the Orthodox church are missing I think you can use the label neo-soviet, especially if you hold the view that ideology was secondary in superpower politics. But I would admit that it glosses a lot of things over. Furthermore since there is some indication that the "soviet reconstruction" (as per my reading) was going on before the start of the war, I guess it is not against Shadowrun canon to apply this to the Russian government back then.

I wouldn't argue against the terms "neo-soviet politics" or "soviet reconstructionism" or whatever used in regard to the thirties Russian state, but calling Russians Neo-Soviets outright left me puzzled where the term came from. And, besides, it's not just the good doctor, but shadowtalkers and pitch writers in the crunch part, as well.

[lokii]

Also the label neo-soviet is not misapplied to Shadowrun's version of Russia.

You know the more I think about it, scratch this. I meant neo-soviet as one among several descriptors of the mood of the setting, but you were talking about an ingame term. I still haven't read Euro War Antiques but if neo-soviet is used consistently, I think that considerably changes the feel of the Russian Republic as it invokes a much stronger connection to the Soviet Union than has been made so far. But at least communism hasn't made a comeback, right?

And, besides, it's not just the good doctor, but shadowtalkers and pitch writers in the crunch part, as well.

So they all agree. I see...

[Fatum]

But at least communism hasn't made a comeback, right?

Politburo kiiiiinda implies it has.

[DWC]

Neat book. Is it just me, or is the HK416 really, really good? All it really should have had was Extreme Environment (Desert) to represent the gas piston mechanism being more resistant to the infiltration of dirt and sand. Instead, it got 2 points of phantom recoil compensation.

[lokii]

Politburo kiiiiinda implies it has.

O_o

Okay, I guess I will see once I read it.

[Fatum]

O_o

Okay, I guess I will see once I read it.

Nah, I mean, the very mention and the constant usage of Politburo as the supreme governing body. Politburo is short for Political Bureau [of the Central Committee of the Communist Party], so it's a bit strange for a Politburo to exist without the Party.

[Mantis]

Neat book. Is it just me, or is the HK416 really, really good? All it really should have had was Extreme Environment (Desert) to represent the gas piston mechanism being more resistant to the infiltration of dirt and sand. Instead, it got 2 points of phantom recoil compensation.

Well, I guess so if you don't mind having an assault rifle with SMG ranges. Going from 550 meters extreme range to 150 meters is quite the cutback and having your short range cut fro 50 meters to 10 really sucks. I don't really get the point of these kind of guns, like this or the Onotari Kali.

[hermit]

Personally, I like the G3 better. A super cheap, reliable battle rifle for a handgun's price that will accept all except for electronics-based modifications and can be handmade easily, apparently.

[DWC]

Well, I guess so if you don't mind having an assault rifle with SMG ranges. Going from 550 meters extreme range to 150 meters is quite the cutback and having your short range cut fro 50 meters to 10 really sucks. I don't really get the point of these kind of guns, like this or the Onotari Kali.

It loses over open ground to a battle rifle, no question. However, indoors when recoil compensation matters more than range, which is where most shadowrunner gunfights are going to occur, the 416 punches well above its weight. The only problem is not being able to integrate all the features of a smartgun link. Instead, you just get to put on an adapter.

Essentially, they made an SMG not suck by letting it fire something other than pistol bullets.