6:00 PM] Durandal †: Around?
[6:00 PM] FreelancerRNC: Yes
[6:07 PM] Durandal †: So I'm going to ask you in advance to please be civil with me, and to not be paranoid with me and the rest of dev.

I'm presently in a call with Unseelie, and I quote "I only want to consider Imperialist Rheinland if Federalist Rheinland can have a good time."
[6:08 PM] Durandal †: So I want to ask you if you are in any way open to the idea if a strong federalist resistance to a new government if it were to come to power. I also want to ask if you'd be willing to consider a potential merge with the Bundschuh.
[6:09 PM] Durandal †: Basically the framework is here for something resembling modern day Rheinland Blood Dragons if its pulled off correctly.
[6:09 PM] Durandal †: Story dev has no interest in an outcome which effectively deletes a faction here.
[6:10 PM] FreelancerRNC: You know you actually picked the best sort of arrangement I had on mind so being civil was part of the thing
[6:11 PM] FreelancerRNC: Now merging with the Bundschuh is something I'm going to have to say no to for a few reasons. Mainly being is that because of well... This is the BDM/MND we're talking about and in their own regard have their own faction traits and work very differently to a major political underground. Not to mention the numerous conflicts in relations we hold with external factions.
[6:12 PM] FreelancerRNC: A merge isn't going to work.
[6:13 PM] FreelancerRNC: But, a strong federalist resistance can be something thats noted within the Infocards.
[6:14 PM] FreelancerRNC: MND, Bundschuh, ALG and Federal Military/Police/Civilian Loyalists.
[6:15 PM] FreelancerRNC: Hessians are communists so its more of a case of "We both hate the imperial group, but our ideal state construct is too different to fully ally on an end goal."
[6:18 PM] Durandal †: So here's the issue.
[6:19 PM] Durandal †: We already deleted one Rheinland unlawful faction due to redundancy.
[6:19 PM] Durandal †: Now, granted,
[6:21 PM] Durandal †: I think you're probably distinct enough go evade that. But, the best game design is, to centralize people whenever possible. I think, that, when the Imperialists start disappearing people in the middle of the night, when they forcefully route Interspace and Synth foods from the Rhein, when they start drafting people to fight Kusari and the Hessians and you,
[6:21 PM] Durandal †: That there will be enough overlap for the Bundschuh to go "enemy of my enemy"
[6:22 PM] FreelancerRNC: I think the thing we were planning were a contingency government.
[6:22 PM] FreelancerRNC: A centralized system for all three to communicate on.
[6:22 PM] Durandal †: All three what.
[6:22 PM] FreelancerRNC: ALG, Bundschuh, BDM
[6:22 PM] Durandal †: Interesting.
[6:23 PM] Durandal †: So different factions, but one Rheinland in Exile.
[6:23 PM] FreelancerRNC: Pretty much. But because of the shift of the political focus. It becomes the Government the Bundschuh wanted.
[6:23 PM] FreelancerRNC: While the MND/BDM are occupied with the local nomad threat.
[6:24 PM] FreelancerRNC: We were thinking Planet Saarbrucken would be the suitable planet for the government In exile.
[6:25 PM] FreelancerRNC: I know the MND have Planet Weimar in Thuringia and the classified tech that we can't let the other two parties know about, but we can't rate that as suitable due to the fact that nomads are literally lurking in the system.
[6:26 PM] FreelancerRNC: While the BDM are dedicated to fighting for the Republic/Federalists, we still have obligations to keep secrets from the mass public to avoid mass paranoia and panic
[6:27 PM] Durandal †: I don't think Saarbrucken is smart for a number of reasons.
[6:27 PM] FreelancerRNC: Unless its stuttgart.
[6:27 PM] Durandal †: Well consider:
[6:28 PM] Durandal †: - The Hessians won't be your friends
- Cologne is Rheinland's new trade artery with Gallia and the Imperialists will not simply ignore it as a backwater.
[6:28 PM] FreelancerRNC: We've already got plans to settle some peace with the Hessians.
[6:28 PM] Durandal †: Dumb.
[6:28 PM] Durandal †: Dumb dumb dumb.
[6:28 PM] Durandal †: Big dumb.
[6:29 PM] FreelancerRNC: Not really, considering what happened with ALG in Omega-3 and the Bundschuh having a long history.
[6:29 PM] Durandal †: First of all I promise you we'll never allow that.
[6:29 PM] FreelancerRNC: Really?!
[6:29 PM] Durandal †: Yeah. Really.
[6:29 PM] FreelancerRNC: I mean, this isn't going to be the same rheinland government.
[6:29 PM] Durandal †: Think about what it means for gameplay for a second.
[6:29 PM] Durandal †: Stop going muh lore
[6:29 PM] Durandal †: It means Rheinland never logs on again. It means it's a terrible experience for anyone who isn't you.
[6:30 PM] FreelancerRNC: I mean, why though if thats the choice they made?
[6:30 PM] Durandal †: In fact it actually means the Imperialists lose
[6:30 PM] Durandal †: Consider also:
[6:30 PM] FreelancerRNC: They have DHC and Kruger on their side while we don't.
[6:30 PM] FreelancerRNC: Literally two of the factions that created the Hessian movement.
[6:30 PM] FreelancerRNC: And we'll be fighting them.
[6:31 PM] Durandal †: The Hessians are an authoritarian entity. The Bundschuh tolerate them because they need them. They tolerate the Bundschuh because the Bundschuh can't oppose them.
[6:31 PM] Durandal †: They're the authoritarian left. Your bloc is far more libetarian.
[6:32 PM] FreelancerRNC: You mean full communist?
[6:32 PM] FreelancerRNC: Because comparing Authoritarian to Libertarian means a lot of different things
[6:32 PM] Durandal †: Communist isn't a useful word for the kind of concepts I'm trying to convey.
[6:33 PM] Durandal †: The Hessians do not value personal freedom and people are cogs in their machine. That's the antithesis of the Bundschuh and ALG.
[6:33 PM] FreelancerRNC: So bundschuh will go hostile to Hessians?
[6:33 PM] Durandal †: Their policies overlap to a degree, which is why peace/cooperation has been a thing until now.
[6:33 PM] FreelancerRNC: You don't mind if Karst comes to this chat?
[6:34 PM] FreelancerRNC: Since he leads ALG?
[6:34 PM] FreelancerRNC: And also Wasser?
[6:34 PM] Durandal †: I do mind. He isn't civil or reasonable.
[6:34 PM] FreelancerRNC: True.
[6:34 PM] Durandal †: Wasser would be ok, but, not yet.
[6:34 PM] Durandal †: Right now I am talking to you.
[6:34 PM] FreelancerRNC: Okay, but the case is the Hessians are in a tight spot and so are we.
[6:35 PM] FreelancerRNC: Infact it be a case of two wounded people just ignoring eachother for some time while they fight the bigger fish.
[6:35 PM] Durandal †: The Hessians aren't in that tight a spot.
[6:35 PM] Durandal †: They don't need the Bundies.
[6:35 PM] FreelancerRNC: I thought they'd just opened up against Bretonia again and have two fronts?
[6:36 PM] Durandal †: Realistically what are they going to do and what is Bretonia going to do to them.
[6:36 PM] Durandal †: Neither really has the ability to hurt/focus on the other right now.
[6:37 PM] FreelancerRNC: Okay. Now I know this is asset related.
[6:37 PM] FreelancerRNC: But considering systems, wheres the main focus or how big is the resistance going to be per sect?
[6:38 PM] Durandal †: Yeah, that's the big scary question I'm currently grappling with.
[6:38 PM] Durandal †: Everything is so spread out.
[6:38 PM] Durandal †: Munich might be smart. Hudson is another option.
[6:39 PM] FreelancerRNC: Munich was one area but with that dark matter cloud making things hard for us, it be an area of evac for republic loyalists to assemble elsewhere.
[6:39 PM] Durandal †: Suck it up.
[6:40 PM] Durandal †: You don't get luxuries anymore. You might be large by rebel standards but you're gonna need to settle for suboptimal situations.
[6:40 PM] Durandal †: Munich I think is the best you get.
[6:40 PM] FreelancerRNC: I mean, suck it up, but its still the case of our pop becoming something borderline infertile to mutant within the next two decades etc
[6:40 PM] Durandal †: As for civvies, Hammersee is right next door.
[6:40 PM] Durandal †: Full of underground cave networks controlled by the Bundschuh.
[6:40 PM] FreelancerRNC: You see, I considered that. But then I have to point at the four invasion fleets etc.
[6:41 PM] FreelancerRNC: I mean it might work since it does have a previous bundschuh presence there.
[6:41 PM] Durandal †: You're BDM. The Bundschuh there are literally the underground.
[6:41 PM] Durandal †: Stealth shuttles, insurgents, make it work.
[6:41 PM] Durandal †: In fact Geoff.
[6:42 PM] Durandal †: I have been thinking.
[6:42 PM] Durandal †: For a very long time you've sat on the BDM and not done much with it. You've made tools and spied on people. Done some diplo.
[6:42 PM] Durandal †: But your BDM has never seen a real war.
[6:43 PM] FreelancerRNC: I mean, i thought getting an entire system was like... a lot and such.
[6:43 PM] FreelancerRNC: So i didn;t really ask for much there after.
[6:43 PM] Durandal †: You're gonna have to stop thinking in terms of optimums.
[6:43 PM] Durandal †: Well you may not get the entirety of Munich. In fact I dare say you won't.
[6:43 PM] Durandal †: But it has Eltmann and it has Augsburg.
[6:44 PM] Durandal †: Augsburg could become an HQ if you feel like moving it.
[6:44 PM] Durandal †: Make it your Leniex.
[6:44 PM] FreelancerRNC: Literally claim it from the junkers?
[6:44 PM] FreelancerRNC: No wait, I forgot
[6:44 PM] Durandal †: Piss on them.
[6:44 PM] FreelancerRNC: Theres two
[6:44 PM] Durandal †: On, even
[6:45 PM] FreelancerRNC: But if thats the case, it'll need to be done in a matter of "No one knows who murdered everyone on the station."
[6:45 PM] FreelancerRNC: Otherwise Junker reps will be poopoo, and thats kinda bad for an underground movement.
[6:45 PM] FreelancerRNC: Like... Very bad.
[6:46 PM] Durandal †: That's true.
[6:47 PM] FreelancerRNC: Even the most basic BDM covert agent will go "But we need those guys."
[6:47 PM] Durandal †: So, relocate New Augsburg into a cloud. Probably B4.
[6:47 PM] Durandal †: Then plot Imperial sphere of influence.
[6:47 PM] Durandal †: Nuremburg is dead.
[6:47 PM] Durandal †: What else is there.
[6:48 PM] Durandal †: Their only power projection is from the police station. Where does that power need to be projected?
[6:48 PM] Durandal †: Gate, mining field.
[6:49 PM] Durandal †: So what's nice about this,
[6:49 PM] FreelancerRNC: They have a battleship there
[6:49 PM] FreelancerRNC: Battleship Schwerin
[6:49 PM] Durandal †: Is you now have easy access to Frankfurt (BDM + Bundschuh stomping ground), and Hammersee (potential homes)
[6:49 PM] FreelancerRNC: Not to mention the Unioner base Leipheim.
[6:50 PM] Durandal †: Yeah but what's Schwerin doing.
[6:50 PM] Durandal †: Keeping the fucking Spartan tide at bay.
[6:50 PM] Durandal †: What's Leipheim doing? Supporting that tide.
[6:50 PM] Durandal †: I think you'll manage.
[6:50 PM] FreelancerRNC: Thats true, but that also means regular patrols around the Nuremburg sector.
[6:50 PM] Durandal †: Sure does. Like I said,
[6:51 PM] FreelancerRNC: Unless something might work with Eltmann moor
[6:51 PM] Durandal †: You're gonna need to settle for less.
[6:51 PM] Durandal †: Um.
[6:51 PM] Durandal †: I just proposed moving Augsburg though?
[6:52 PM] FreelancerRNC: Oh yeah, but I'm thinking about a merger.
[6:52 PM] FreelancerRNC: Because the actual dark matter cloud isn't a good idea to hold a base.
[6:52 PM] Durandal †: It's absolutely doable in FL canon.
[6:52 PM] Durandal †: And good sensor obfuscation.
[6:52 PM] Durandal †: Which is bad for you but worse for them.
[6:52 PM] FreelancerRNC: Augsberg & Eltmann Moor.
[6:53 PM] Durandal †: I mean yeah you could try that but
[6:53 PM] Durandal †: I'm trying to give you your own base.
[6:54 PM] FreelancerRNC: Well here was the one thing I'm honestly doing the political disco game with you right now
[6:54 PM] FreelancerRNC: Battleship Koblenz
[6:54 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its RM guard, sitting in Sektor-7
[6:55 PM] FreelancerRNC: And I know you're trying to give us our own base, but I honestly think reliance to other groups like ALG and Bundschuh will give them more purpose within this federalist government.
[6:55 PM] Durandal †: Sektor-7 is going to be drama and I suspect neither side will like how it plays out.
[6:55 PM] FreelancerRNC: Can I play the "RP investment into schatten" card?
[6:55 PM] Durandal †: Elaborate.
[6:56 PM] Durandal †: Oh.
[6:56 PM] FreelancerRNC: Okay so, the BDM has an undeniable history with Schatten. like...
[6:56 PM] Durandal †: No, you can't.
[6:56 PM] Durandal †: It has an RM battleship sitting next to it.
[6:56 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its to a point where I would honestly just disband BDM if we lost it
[6:56 PM] Durandal †: Trash attitude.
[6:56 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its not
[6:56 PM] FreelancerRNC: I got a different word from Unseelie.
[6:57 PM] Durandal †: Well if Unseelie can pull some absolutely ridiculous way for Schatten to remain in your hands out of his ass, which is an uncomfortable sentence to type, that's on him.
[6:57 PM] Durandal †: But from where I am standing Schatten is a bad time.
[6:57 PM] FreelancerRNC: Well i've actually ordered the BDM fleets to retreat from the front
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: Listen to me.
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: Say you deal with the Koblenz. Then what?
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: You've got wastelands to the east.
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: RM fortress to the west.
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: 4 battlegroups to your north
[6:58 PM] Durandal †: And the capital to your south.
[6:59 PM] Durandal †: Schatten will be under a fucking terrible siege.
[7:00 PM] FreelancerRNC: Minefield, weapon defence grid and recalled fleets. Because of the limited entrance and exits the area has. Most attacks will end up jamming up like a "Convoy in a cliff valley ambush"
[7:01 PM] FreelancerRNC: It'll be under seige sure. But honestly. If we lost schatten
[7:01 PM] FreelancerRNC: Then we're not the BDM anymore
[7:01 PM] Durandal †: Do you understand what a siege is?
[7:01 PM] FreelancerRNC: Thats where I draw the line
[7:01 PM] FreelancerRNC: Yes, its a hold out until the other side becomes desperate.
[7:01 PM] FreelancerRNC: But noting the fact that we live in the clouds, it be hard for the regular RM fleet to co-ordinate. if they were attacked gruella style.
[7:02 PM] Durandal †: A siege in this context is thousands of men and women starving in an assortment of floating metal cans in a shit toned nebula full of alien explosives.
[7:02 PM] Durandal †: It's fear, hunger, and paranoia all in one.
[7:02 PM] FreelancerRNC: Yes, but the cloud
[7:03 PM] Durandal †: Does the cloud provide food? Water? Fuel? Medical supplies?
[7:03 PM] FreelancerRNC: We have access via the thuringia jump hole for runs into Puerto rico.
[7:03 PM] FreelancerRNC: Unless you're also gonna tell me thats also shitcanned by RM completely too
[7:03 PM] Durandal †: And why do you presume Thurinfia to be safe.
[7:03 PM] FreelancerRNC: Even though they literally moved their fleet out of there
[7:03 PM] Durandal †: It's mostly RM.
[7:04 PM] FreelancerRNC: Okay so.
[7:04 PM] FreelancerRNC: BDM owns none of its original bases?
[7:04 PM] FreelancerRNC: And this thing that you've come to tell me is
[7:04 PM] Durandal †: I agree that you could probably hold out in a Schatten siege for a very long time, but I don't think you can effectively... do anything with it?
[7:04 PM] FreelancerRNC: "Geoff, this whole conversation is me building up to give you a base, because we've thrown all of those out the window."
[7:04 PM] FreelancerRNC: Uh
[7:05 PM] FreelancerRNC: Uh
[7:05 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its got
[7:05 PM] FreelancerRNC: Lots of shipyards
[7:05 PM] Durandal †: Let me bring up a map of Thuringia.
[7:05 PM] Durandal †: Shipyards don't do things without materials food water fuel medicine.
[7:05 PM] Durandal †: So stop a sec and let me see if Thuringia is feasible
[7:06 PM] Durandal †: Yeah dude lol
[7:06 PM] Durandal †: It's right next to Fort Sommerda.
[7:06 PM] Durandal †: That's... not good.
[7:07 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its literally a refueling depot and a guard station.
[7:08 PM] Durandal †: I could swear it was a giant shippyard.
[7:08 PM] FreelancerRNC: But speaking of that. I was actually considering it to be a place of engagmenet concerning the MND and Imperial military forces.
[7:08 PM] FreelancerRNC: No, i corrected so many people on that
[7:08 PM] Durandal †: Ok but what does it look like.
[7:09 PM] FreelancerRNC: Hold on i have a screenshot somehwere
[7:11 PM] FreelancerRNC:

[7:12 PM] FreelancerRNC:

[7:12 PM] Durandal †: It's definitely not small.
[7:12 PM] Durandal †: But
[7:12 PM] FreelancerRNC: Can i also note
[7:12 PM] Durandal †: Not a fortress, you're right.
[7:12 PM] FreelancerRNC: the MND also have Jena station
[7:12 PM] FreelancerRNC: Literally not too far away
[7:12 PM] FreelancerRNC: with a Battlecruier stationed by
[7:13 PM] FreelancerRNC: Which is a shipyard
[7:13 PM] Durandal †: Uh.
[7:13 PM] Durandal †: Where.
[7:13 PM] FreelancerRNC: Near Weimar
[7:13 PM] Durandal †: Weird.
[7:13 PM] Durandal †: It doesn't show on the online navmap.
[7:13 PM] Durandal †: I bet I confused Jena for Sommerda.
[7:14 PM] FreelancerRNC:

[7:14 PM] FreelancerRNC:

[7:14 PM] FreelancerRNC: Jena station isn't dockable, thats why
[7:14 PM] Durandal †: Alright, this changes things a bit.
[7:14 PM] FreelancerRNC: "This station houses a large squadron of automated combat drones"
[7:15 PM] FreelancerRNC: I like that sentence too much personally. gives me much tech-boner
[7:15 PM] Durandal †: Fuck. Now I need to completely recontextualize Thuringia.
[7:15 PM] FreelancerRNC: "Ships run out of ammo? use them as kamikazi drones"
[7:16 PM] Durandal †: I don't want to route the RM from it.
[7:16 PM] FreelancerRNC: Yeah, we also own the planet.
[7:16 PM] Durandal †: It would be nice if they could keep Sommerda.
[7:16 PM] Durandal †: But on the other hand,
[7:16 PM] Durandal †: They can't keep Sommerda while you use the backdoor to supply Schatten.
[7:16 PM] FreelancerRNC: I'd be willing to actually abandon the prison station. Since we hold no use for it.
[7:17 PM] Durandal †: I don't think the prison is terribly helpful to the RM in maintaining a foothold.
[7:17 PM] FreelancerRNC: Because in the state that its in. we'd either release the political prisoners. Or just fucking shoot them and abandon.
[7:17 PM] FreelancerRNC: Prison is MND
[7:17 PM] Durandal †: Wait
[7:17 PM] FreelancerRNC: But i mean in general. the MND will probably abandon it
[7:17 PM] Durandal †: Wasn't there a research station?
[7:17 PM] Durandal †: In the green cloud.
[7:17 PM] FreelancerRNC: Ooooo
[7:18 PM] FreelancerRNC: Iirc, its neutral to all and is considered a wreck
[7:18 PM] FreelancerRNC: but its automated systems maintain a quiet observation of the Shul anomaly.
[7:18 PM] Durandal †: RM could retake that. It's in the right spot.
[7:18 PM] Durandal †: Lets them maintain a presence.
[7:18 PM] FreelancerRNC: Uh
[7:18 PM] FreelancerRNC: do you remember what the Shul anomaly is?
[7:19 PM] FreelancerRNC: Its literally an insta-kill invisible gas cloud
[7:19 PM] Durandal †: I've gtg for a bit.
[7:19 PM] Durandal †: Try not to get into this shit with Karst too much
[7:19 PM] Durandal †: I want to like
[7:19 PM] FreelancerRNC: Yes, it'll maintain some presence. But the radiation field will kill them and not to mention the narrow passages will choke what they can maintain
[7:19 PM] Durandal †: Have an understanding of what YOU AND I are doing.
[7:19 PM] Durandal †: Before we bring ancilliaries in.
[7:20 PM] FreelancerRNC: True.
[7:20 PM] FreelancerRNC: I'll think about something for RM
[7:20 PM] FreelancerRNC: But I'd say they'd be in a position to also contend with those blue bois on valhalla
[7:21 PM] FreelancerRNC: Is it possible to open up the Jump hole in schatten to transports?
[7:23 PM] Durandal †: No.
[7:23 PM] Durandal †: No no and no.
[7:24 PM] FreelancerRNC: Lol, but inRP it can be used to ferry supplies to and from Schatten-Actual?
[7:27 PM] FreelancerRNC: Maybe something around 7B?
[7:31 PM] FreelancerRNC:

[7:31 PM] FreelancerRNC: Heres the infocard for the wreck inside the Shul anomaly.
[7:31 PM] FreelancerRNC: They could maintain a presence, but it will be difficult
[7:33 PM] FreelancerRNC: But the Unioner cruiser is in the area. So if they're able to maintain the base, it might too will become difficult to attack
[7:35 PM] FreelancerRNC: But on your previous topic, if the MND/BDM are able to hold Weimar. It could cultivate the food and water it needs.
[7:35 PM] FreelancerRNC: And those rust bucket grog drinking junkers in Puerto Rico might be able to help with the material issue.
[5:43 AM] FreelancerRNC: Also, the MND have an in-game solar satellite called "Jamming array". So if the RM battleship were to call of help. It wouldn't be heard