Re: Re: [GZG] Re: Gzg-l Digest, Vol 13, Issue 9

[<laserlight@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: Adrian Johnson 
>Now, supporting a modern military force with the *much* higher 
>cost-per-trooper than back in the WWI era

"Now" as opposed to "back then" is a higher cost in dollars, of course--everything is--but is it a higher cost as a percentage of per capita GDP?  And it depends on what type of troopers you're fielding--light infantry, or heavy armor, or orbital assault, or elite commandos?

>But if you had a few hundred thousand in uniform, the NAC would 
>probably be hard pressed to land a force big enough

That assumes the chokepoint is the transport--which I agree seems reasonable, since the canon invasions have regiments and brigades, not corps and armies. Of course, that being the case, you may feel than you only need a few brigades yourself, rather than a 600,000-strong force.

>OTOH, who knows what a starship costs relative to the GNP of that 16 mil population.

Traditionally a capital ship is the equivalent of a division.  If it's a lot cheaper than that, people will make it bigger and add shiny kit. If it's a lot more expensive than that, it'll be too expensive to risk in combat.

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