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Old 05-15-2020, 04:15 PM   #3
ak_aramis
 
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alsea, OR
Default Re: ATU -- Into the Night

Terra c 1200 should be TL2, not 1. 1 is bronze age.

TLDR: I don't think your logic is sound re no Solomani unification.

Terra likely would still unify - the realization that there's this empire out there is a unifying force, even if it's busy minding its own business and is only a subsector in size and 2 away.

The last 100 years have been largely marginally successful attempts to prevent globalization by force, coupled with increasing globalization by diplomacy and trade.

Russia wants to restore an empire. DAESH wants to restore the Caliphates, worldwide. The US wants to inflict laissez-faire capitalism and republican "democracy" on the third world by economic might. China is moving to dominate, as well...

It's very hard for me to see earth NOT globalizing the moment non-terran intelligences are found. If there's one, the odds are there are many...

Also, given your divergence point as implied doesn't change the Ancients moving humans to hundreds or thousands of worlds, the Solomani Hypothesis is likely to fuel visions of empire. Terrans are conquerors. I don't see that changing, either. The question isn't if there's a world government, but what low-double-digit percent aren't part, and how far can they extend their grasp.

The 6-month guideline for the size of empires fits. (Keep in mind, it's really about troop speed, not comm speed.)

Using a 9 day sustainable jump schedule, 180 days is 20 jumps.
So, given the apparent choice for early J2 era...
The strong control (round trip under 3 months) is 10 pc
The weak control (round trip under 6 months) is 20 pc
The weak hierarchical control (one-way to governors under 6 months) is 50 Pc from the capital. (40 to the governor, then his strong 10)

Interesting idea, overall, but I think we'd see a strong centralized 10 Pc radius Terran government, probably with local 4 Pc governors. (thus giving a 1 mont response time.)
Probably a wave about 20 Pc thick beyond where humans fleeing the Terrans keep re-vikinging generation after generation... and loads of minor states in the 3-6 parsec range.
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