Re: [FT] Size of "Countries" in FT

On Thu, 26 Nov 1998, Colin Nash wrote:

> Whilst working on the background for my take on the Romanov Hegemony,
I've been puzzling over how big it should be.  That is, how many systems
would it include.  Following on from this, how big are the other powers?
 I've put a quick brain dump below
>  
> Major powers - NAC, ESU, NSL, FSE - around 25-35
> Secondary powers - PAU, LLAR, IslamFed - around 15-25
> Third rate powers - RH, OU, FCT IndCW - around 5-15
> Others - ScandivFed, independents (Netherlands, Japan, etc) - upto 5
>  
> If you take the mid range for the above that means that there are
around (say) 250 inhabited/claimed systems out there.  Does that sound
reasonable for only 120 years of FTL travel?  To me it sounds a bit
much.  Any other opinions out there?
>

Don't forget the planets/systems that have more than one power operating
in them. Especially for the minor powers, this would be more the rule
than
the exception, I'd think. The major powers would most likely be able to
have 'us only' systems, or else just have their allied lesser powers
allowed in. Certainly having two major powers cohabiting in a system
would
be a bit unusual. Allied major powers, maybe - the joint NAC/NSL colony
of
somewhere - but I'd say that after three Solar Wars, the NAC & ESU don't
share any systems, and I can't see the NSL & FSE sharing.

The 'commercial' powers - my take on the Japanese & Dutch especially -
probably have colonies & trade interests everywhere. I can see
Dutch-flagged free traders making a great deal of money around the edges
of war zones, where traders flagged for the combatants are not operating
but neutral-flagged ships are safe. (given the NAC-Japan ties, they'd
probably not be viewed as very neutral by the NAC's enemies. The Dutch,
AFAIK, have no such entanglements)
  
> BTW, before anybody starts saying that any of the above powers should
be in different categories, I am supremely indifferent.  That is how
they will be ranked in my (albeit GZG derived) universe.
> 

:)
 
> Colin
> (Autocratic Supreme Being in his own tiny little mind)
> 

That Supreme Being thing is always fun, isn't it/

Brian (burger00@camosun.bc.ca)
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