Sskiss wrote:Another great scenario I like is the classic "balance of power" story where someone develops a powerful weapon or defensive system that could radically alter the balance of power in a given area or even the whole galaxy. Other possibilities include "trade wars" where one side attempts to secretly throttle the trade of another - especially if it involves certain precious elements that one or both sides (or just everyone) needs.
Anyhow, just throwing out some ideas.
Well, sci fi has moved on, man
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Anyway, the idea of an imbalance scenario is old hat, unless somebody has a spare Halo hanging around or some similar weapon. I'd rather do something a little different. Also, a trade war would only prolong the conflict. Inevitably, it would restart the ESUS-GFFA War, when the point is that we're trying to find ways to make it end.
And besides, what is at stake here involves more than four people. It involves the whole of two alliances, which have to end this thing somehow. I'd rather end this thing with a bang then with a whimper and to only involve four people at a time, which is not the only amount per alliance, seems kinda odd to me.
As for the issue of "And besides, an internal problem is not one that will foster cooperation with the GFFA," well, as I imagine it, the Genestealer cult would be hurting both sides with massive internal problems that would be hurting with common characteristics everywhere.
Genestealers also tend to assume the shape of their targets in general; they don't just hurt humans, hell they can assimilate anybody and anything. And as I have said before, they do think ahead when it comes to dealing with local security. How else in a world as oppressive as Warhammer 40,000, with secret police with unlimited resources that use modified jet engines to burn people at the stake, can deputize regular army troops for their jobs, use specialized anti-psychic weaponry, and any number of fantastic tools that would make the Stasi, the Gestapo, and the Spanish Inquisition combined jealous--all for the flimsiest of reasons--are they able to get inside worlds and make a mess of things?
To me the challenge is, Genestealers are notoriously hard to ferret out before its too late, and again like Metallinauts said, its hard to tell when 'Nids come knocking--they might even decide to skip the knock and cut to the business of feeding their very large family instead, see.
The only successful case I really know of is of a Tau colony that was infiltrated with them, and it was only by the wiles of one merchant who was wise to their plot and a bunch of mercenaries that had not been infected by the Cult that the colony was saved. And this was with canon Genestealers!
So, by the time both sides wise up to the plot, it may be too late to avoid a massive hive invasion. The only cure would really be psychics or damned good secret policemen and surveillance--which I trust a lot of you guys have. However, who in even the most repressive and paranoid government would honestly believe that a cult of freaks worshipping some bugs would really be a threat? Besides, Genestealers would more than likely make friends in the highest of places in local governments, which would distrupt any investigation and effort to purge the cult.
This plan will also affect not just your alliance, but mine as well. Don't think I'm only doing this to you guys; I know very damn well that this will mean bugs and half-bugs will be streaming down the streets of Los Angeles, my capital, as well as your own. And frankly, I would welcome that, compared to the impasse as of now. Or would the skeptics prefer to keep the impasse going?
