Roy_Mustang: so interesting things are afoot
[10:25pm] Brooklyn666: so i hear
[10:25pm] Brooklyn666: any updates?
[10:30pm] Roy_Mustang: Something like that
[10:30pm] Roy_Mustang: I trust you're up to speed on the whole Sparta-TEst shitshow
[10:32pm] Brooklyn666: yea
[10:32pm] Brooklyn666: except any new developments that have happened this evening
[10:33pm] Roy_Mustang: nothing's happened this evening, and we don't expect it to
[10:33pm] Roy_Mustang: however
[10:35pm] Roy_Mustang: we suspect part of the reason Alpha was so quick to leap to the verge of hitting TEst is because they've already counted TEst to be in our corner in a hypothetical matchup
[10:36pm] Roy_Mustang: meanwhile we know that Alpha has been badmouthing us in backchannels and attempting to mobilize support against us
[10:36pm] Brooklyn666: I just don't get why they would hit TEst first
[10:37pm] Roy_Mustang: one less alliance to theoretically contend with
[10:38pm] Roy_Mustang: but in any event, it's actually a fairly minor part of our thinking
[10:39pm] Brooklyn666: it just doesn't make sense politically
[10:39pm] Brooklyn666: unless they think people aren't gonna declare in defense of TEst
[10:39pm] Roy_Mustang: that's the point
[10:40pm] Roy_Mustang: throw Alpha/Sparta/VE at TEst, should be a swift and decisive victory
[10:40pm] Roy_Mustang: TEst is good but they aren't *that* good
[10:40pm] Roy_Mustang: after that, TEst is a minor player at best in a later conflict
[10:40pm] Brooklyn666: but that's a transparent move and the best way to get declared on now
[10:41pm] Roy_Mustang: I'm not saying they're going to do it *now*
[10:41pm] Roy_Mustang: I'm just explaining their suspected reasoning before Seabass cleared things up
[10:42pm] Roy_Mustang: previously, it was the perfect CB to smack up TEst
[10:43pm] Roy_Mustang: In any event, like I said, it's a fairly minor point in our thinking. Fits in well, but even if it never happened, the rest of the theory remains credible (at least imo)
[10:46pm] Roy_Mustang: So instead of playing defense as we pretty much always have, we'd like to take the offensive for once.
[10:46pm] Brooklyn666: yea obviously
[10:47pm] Brooklyn666: I do think we need a better picture of who will be coming in on which side
[10:47pm] Roy_Mustang: The other side is tough because they're messy
[10:47pm] Brooklyn666: before any solid strategic planning can take place
[10:47pm] Roy_Mustang: UPN, internally, is a trainwreck
[10:48pm] Brooklyn666: that's not exactly a bad thing for us
[10:48pm] Roy_Mustang: no idea if they'll come in or not. I do know that the t$-UPN ODP is most likely dead because of Hans and Saru though
[10:48pm] Brooklyn666: although it does make them unpredictable
[10:49pm] Roy_Mustang: Rose does not desire to be a part of the next war
[10:49pm] Roy_Mustang: but I can't see a scenario where Alpha is struck and they don't come in
[10:49pm] Roy_Mustang: at least without completely destroying that relationship
[10:51pm] Roy_Mustang: VE can be safely counted alongside Alpha
[10:52pm] Roy_Mustang: if for no other reason than because they have no realistic other option (basically Rose's situation, except they haven't already said they want to stay out of a next war)
[10:52pm] Brooklyn666: I have mixed feelings about Rose getting in on this
[10:52pm] Brooklyn666: on one had, less mess to fight. On the other, them sitting out let's them grow while everyone else gets pummeled
[10:53pm] Roy_Mustang: I mean, if that's a huge concern, we could always preempt them alongside Alpha
[10:53pm] Roy_Mustang: the problem there is that it would virtually ensure a UPN entry
[10:53pm] Roy_Mustang: since that's a direct tie
[10:53pm] Brooklyn666: yea that's why I said mixed feelings
[10:56pm] Roy_Mustang: We've got Jess running numbers now to figure out how best to handle it
[10:57pm] Roy_Mustang: provisionally, we'd likely see Mensa in on NPO should that be necessary. We're not planning to hit them however
[10:57pm] Brooklyn666: I'm not sure NPO would jump in
[10:58pm] Roy_Mustang: We'd be seeing you guys and Guardian on Fark and Sparta, optimally (but again, still waiting on numbers). The irony of Guardian fighting Sparta is not lost on me, either
[11:01pm] Roy_Mustang: I certainly know that this potentially puts you guys in a tough spot, since Alpha and Sparta had previously reached out to you guys for a treaty
[11:01pm] Brooklyn666: we have an ODP with Sparta
[11:01pm] Brooklyn666: but nothing with Alpha. That's dead in the water as far as I'm concerned
[11:02pm] Roy_Mustang: I was referring to the pseudo-bloc thing
[11:02pm] Roy_Mustang: but yeah, I had forgotten about the ODP
[11:02pm] Roy_Mustang: Will need to swap things around
[11:05pm] Roy_Mustang: If we assume Alpha/Sparta/VE/UPN in the enemy coalition, initial thoughts?
[11:06pm] Brooklyn666: where does BK fit in?
[11:06pm] Brooklyn666: obviously we can't hit Sparta or NPO if they join in but otherwise we're fine
[11:07pm] Roy_Mustang: BK and tC on VE most likely, but we'll need to jump things around a bit
[11:08pm] Roy_Mustang: the most logical is probably having you guys come in alongside us actually, but I need to do more spreadsheet math first
[11:08pm] Roy_Mustang: just wanted to take your temperature on it first
[11:09pm] Brooklyn666: I mean it looks good to me but make sure Val is up to speed too
[11:09pm] Roy_Mustang: yeah definitely
[11:10pm] Brooklyn666: and let us know when you have preliminary numbers
[11:10pm] Brooklyn666: maybe run a few scenanrios to see options for if Rose and/or NPO come in
[11:10pm] Roy_Mustang: will do, we should have them tomorrow at the latest