RE: Latest Nations/States/Organizations document

Sean spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> Tim Jones <Tim.Jones@Smallworld.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> >What about the United States Of Antartica, Over the years the various
factions
> >on Antartica decided not to fight each other but to collaborate to
tame the
> >wilderness. The harsh environment has a strong influence on building
a
> >hardy and resource rich state, with large areas and resources
suitable for
> >space
> >exploration. They became feared throughout known space by their
distinctive
> >blue and white ships and their tenacity in battle. They made it a
policy to
> >colonise the fringe ice worlds as they had vast experience and
technology
> >in that area. Their first colony on Europa paved the gateway to their
> >expansion
> >throughout human space.
> 
> There's a good idea in here somewhere. I disagree that harsh
envinronments
> make for resource rich states. The additional development costs, from
> sheltered habitats to imported foods to temperature stress on
equipment,
> makes for hardy people but poor cash flow. The exception might be when
a
> VERY valuable resource is present.

The fact is, in developed worlds, resources in easy to get spots get 
depleted. Hence in the future, hard to get places may seem resource 
rich. Also, resources are generated through huge natural processes 
and many tend to be in hard to get to spots as a corollory of the way 
they are created.  

> I like the idea of harsh planets - perhaps only valuable for
scientific
> research - with small multi-national science stations. Meanwhile, the
ships
> of otherwise hostile nations eye each other warily from orbit. This
could
> be the basis for generation of some very interesting scenarios.

Ice station zebra-esque things leap to mind. Or the plot of the Thing 
only played out with Kra'Vak or Sha'vas'ku or some other odious 
alien. Reminds me of Traveller 'research stations'.    

Tom.  
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