Re: The Kra'Vak

Los wrote:
> 
> Howdy guys...
> 
> I've been forced to think on the Kra'Vak, their technology, weapons
and
> organization quite a bit lately seeing that I'm writing this Röt
Hafen thing.
> information about them is pretty sparse. A page in More Thrust,
karla's Kidnap.
> a very few posts here on the list (John Leary and Chad's posts have
been
> appreciated)
> 
> I've always been more of a "Bug" type of guy when it comes to my
Aliens. I like
> the monolithic, indecipherable alieness of Heinlen's Bugs, Steakley's
Ants,
> Weber's Arachnid Omnovoracity (The cannibal thing was a nice touch)
> 
> Anyway, so far in my story everything has been told from the human
prospective.
> makes things easy. But I'd like to delve into Kra'Vak thinking a bit
more.
> 
> A few observations...(jump in if I screw up here)
> 
> The Kra'Vak operate on a clan system based on familial units. They've
been
> coming up from somewhere in the Galactic core. No one knows hold old
their race
> is, where their home planets are or even where they have bases.
Apparently it is
> possible to either decipher their communications or interpret their
language
> based on some of the intel that's been leaked to us. (Unlike say the
> Omnovoracity where we fought a whole war and never figured out
anything at all
> about how they communicate or what their motivations are). There's no
telling so
> much how big a "Clan" is. Though each clan's ground forces are small
in number.
> They are a  hunter race. They're clan structure leads to much strife
within
> clans and they are as apt to fight each other as they are apt to fight
each
> other as aliens.
> 
> It would seem that this kind of cultural would have several inherent
drawbacks
> to prosecuting major wars. First off, the Clan system seems quite
fragmented,
> what with all the interclan squabbling going on. This also dampens
important
> things such as intelligence collection and dissemination as well as
> technological  research and the sharing of ideas. It gets in the way
of
> coordinating large military forces. But if these are potential
problems the
> Kra'Vak still seem to be doing quite well for themselves (heck they
got
> themselves recognized on GZGs who's who of space faring races.)
> 
> I think that the Kra'Vak are in part experts at reverse engineering.
(Just a
> hunch) They have been spreading through the galaxy, an aggressive race
taking
> whatever they can but moving on. Perhaps they've been able to
incorporate
> advanced technologies from captured alien equipment or subjugated
races. perhaps
> their industries operate on robotic or slave workers.
> 
> OR
> 
> The Kra'Vak are not just Clan oriented but also a Caste culture. There
may be
> other types of Kra'Vak here to for unseen due to the limited exposure
with
> humans. This would explain the technological advancement, industrial
powerbase,
> etc etc.
>  Perhaps some Clans are comprise solely or Warrior Castes and some of
worker
> Caste and they form parasitical alliances to each's mutual benefit.
> 
> Those of you who play Kra'Vak. What's been going n in your minds re:
these
> issues? Thanks...
> 
> Los

Los,
     My (self-appointed) Clan is the Kra'vak_D'rk.   I like James
Moores notes/background on his web site. (J. Moore Online: Full Thrust)
I have placed the D'rk as a subclan of one of the major clans listed.
(Which one?  I have not yet decided.)  
     
Notes on the D'rk:
1) They are a second or third line clan bucking for promotion.
2) They are (somewhat) heritics as they are interested in alien
   techonology.  (A very bad thing!)
3) They do not have political pull to get the full compliment of 
   weapons that a ship class would normally carry.  (I.E. Escorts
   mostly mount class one, Cruisers class two, and Capitals class
   three (but in more limited numbers than a normal kra'Vak ship.)
4) Ships are often acquired thru salvage and repair of battle
   damaged ships of other clans.   (Mostly thru the low prestige
   job of escorting convoys for pay.) 
   (This allows me to build some interesting ships of truly 
   unusual shapes.)
5) Clan policy does not allow the firing of more than 2 scatterguns
   on single enemy ship. (per turn)

Comments?

Bye for now,
John L.