From: ZST@ECLX.PSU.EDU (Zachary S Tseng)
Subject: Re: Btech: Clans will win easily 
Organization: Penn State Engineering Computer Lab
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 14:31:06 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

In <james.722150747@menaik> james@cs.UAlberta.CA writes:

> ZST@ECLX.PSU.EDU (Zachary S Tseng) writes:
> 
> >Hmmmm.....  Actually I think it is clear that we Clans just wnat to play around
> >with you Innerspherers a bit before we move in for the kill.  Because we can
> >conquer the whole Innersphere in a year or so if we want to ( to keep all
> >planets conquered, however, is another question.)  What you fail to see is the
> >whole strategic situation.  Tactically, the IS has VAST advantages in the
> >amount of troops and resources, use of cowardice tactics, use of vehicles, etc.
> >But we CLans have this ace in the hole called orbital bombardment/ system
> >interdiction.  In a nutshell, just sail our star cruisers into a star system,
> >blow away any and every IS jumpship encountered, therefore isolate each and
> >every planet.  Then just move in and force a surrender of the planet under the
> >threat of total annihilation form Naval PPCs and naval lasers.  Game, set,
> >match.
> 
> There you go!  I knew the clans had to win!  All they have to do is
> start acting like industrial soldiers.  If the clans stop being the
> clans, they win!  After all, look at all the honor they get by vaporizing
> a planet which refuses to surrender.  ;-)  
> 
        (Amusing Clans target practice scene deleted)
> j.borynec

Vaporizing ground targets with orbital bombardment is not unClan-like; it had
been done before.  On the surface, this practice is on hold because the humane
(i.e. soft) Kahns of Clan Wolf railroaded the entire invasion force into not
doing it.  However, I suspect something deeper: 1. the power that be, a.k.a.
FA$A, reached the same conclusion as I did that the Clans will be able to win
easily; so in order to make the game interesting, the Clans' starfleet has to
be set aside.  2. (the conspiracy theory of mine) the Clan Wolf, knowing that
it has the best ground forces among the invading Clans, decided to make the
play ground uneven for the weaker Clans.  So they railroaded us into not using
our most potent weapon.  Therefore, the Wolves would be able to, and did, win
the most glory and real estate.  After all, if Clans start using the warships,
then all Clans will pretty much advance at the same rate, by forcing the
surrender of all systems in the way.

Still, even without orbital bombardment, the war is still won.  Since after
destroying 50%+ of the Innersphere's interstellar transports, the war is
basically a mopping up operation of the stranded defenders of all planets. 
Naval interdiction/ blockade will still win the war, although somewhat slowly,
especially against the successor states, where a relatively small number of
crack (i.e. battlemech) units have to defend large track of real estate by
relying on mobility ( efficient interstellar transportation) to reinforce the
threaten sectors.

Here is another way to employ the star cruisers, a somewhat modified, more
humane way of using orbital bombardment - sail the warships into target
systems, send warning to the inhabitants below and allow enough time to
evacuate personnel (and only personnel) from the sites, then proceeds to
vaporize all war-related sites (mech factories, repair shops, depots,
aerofighter bases, etc.).  This is the Clans version of the Strategic Air (or
is that space?) Command.  The bottom line - Clans win (this time by strategic
bombing.)

Cheers,


Zachary Tseng
Khan, Clan Ghost Bear
Commander, Sigma Galaxy, Clan Ghost Bear