Re: [Not so OT]Military discipline problems

From: "Glenn M Wilson" <triphibious@juno.com>

> Okay, if the high end forces	(NAC in the example below) suffer from
mass
> drafting (assuming it doesn't take so long to train a competent
> soldier/spaceman in the future despite the highly specialized nature
of
> warfare) problems - what does that mean for the lesser powers?
>
> Will population small powers be capable of expanding their forces to a
> significant degree?  (IMO, no.)

OU: Navy, yes, it's designed that way. Ground Forces - given 5 years,
maybe.

> Will they be willing to work in
> multi-power forces that take their units away from their sectors?

OU: Only if working with the UN.

> Will
> the idea that NAC colonies might be forced to depend on FSE naval
forces
> for defense while their FTL ships are on a deep strike mission be
> palatable?

It is to laugh.

> How will the OU protect their planets?

Guerilla warfare, both tactically and strategically. Over 50% of OU
forces
will be operating behind enemy lines, either on worlds the OU has lost,
or
deep strikes using raiding ships on KV colonies many many parsecs from
the front. The idea is to dilute enemy forces, force them to have
garrisons
here, there and everywhere, so a relatively small forces can tie up huge
fleets. That's the theory, anyway. Unless your infrastructure and
training
has this as a primary objective, don't try it, it's difficult to pull
off.

> What will happen when the
> expanded IC ground troops (and who decides who gets to have more
troops
> in the IC system) face Kravak invaders (assuming they don't just nuke
> human planets as SOP)?

See above. Nuking planets is discouraged - the OU has several thousand
tonnes of Lithium stored away. Drop a few hundred in a mainsequence
star's photosphere, and watch it become transparent to hard X-rays.
(see Fred Hoyle's "Rockets in Ursa Major"). This will sterilise the
system if you use enough, halfway between a really major solar flare
and a really small novalike hiccup.

> Will the IF and the NI forces cooperate under UN
> auspices in repelling an attack?

Up to a point. Bribery would help.

> Will the PAU send reinforcements to a
> NAC planet under attack?  Will the NAC accept them?

At a a price, and certainly.

> And will drug knowledgable agents of the IF take advantage of the
effects
> of mass conscription armies to push drugs to debilitate their enemies?