Shikaku- Mon gets the Secret

[Tom Mazanec]

I could probably think of half a dozen ways it could happen...capture a Homeline Conveyer, capture a Reich-5 Mule, a Van Zandt doppleganger, an "Elisha Gray" independant inventor, birth of a World-Jumper...it's probably only a matter of time.
So, how does Homeline respond? My Aesop would probably be one of the first worlds found, how does Shikaku-Mon react to it http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=1465 ? How would they react to Reich-5? To the discovery of Magic? To Weird Parallels like Microword (also on Quantum 3)? To the Communism of Lenin-6? Any other observations?

[Astromancer]

The Reich-5 vs. Shiaku-Mon seems the most interesting. The conflict could draw in the Cabal and that could pull in Merlin-1. As soon as Homeline discovered this cauldron of horrors they be panicked. And once that happens Centrum will find out. And Centrum will panic as well and pull out the stops.

This would ratchet up the Centrum/Homeline war just at the time Homeline has to deal with Quantum Three's madness. It would be like FDR's America having to fight the USSR to the death while needing to prevent hellish disaster in a fight of Germany/Japan/Italy vs England/France/China.

[whswhs]

I would think that if you have Shikaku-Mon, and you want to explore their reactions to alternate timelines, you might think about making up a handful of timelines that are alternates to THEIR timeline, looking for key events in their history that might have gone otherwise. From the viewpoint of Homeline, of course, these would be second-order alternates.

[Tom Mazanec]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I would think that if you have Shikaku-Mon, and you want to explore their reactions to alternate timelines, you might think about making up a handful of timelines that are alternates to THEIR timeline, looking for key events in their history that might have gone otherwise. From the viewpoint of Homeline, of course, these would be second-order alternates.

Good point, whswhs. I have noticed there never seems to be a branch off of a timeline. Even the various Dixies are independent variations of the Confederacy Wins.
Another set of timelines might be versions of Lizardia, Snoopy and Jumbo. Garfield for cats? Rikki-Tikki for mongooses? Of course Pogo is on their Quantum. And they would have different nicknames for those worlds.
Also, BTW, I like how they updated the background from 2015 to 2027. Do you think Steve Jackson might extend the Setting to say 2039 in a few years?

[patchwork]

This depends immensely on which corner of the Square World is now roaming the timescape in search of Truth and Fun.

If it's one of the Brazilian megacorporations, White Star probably bites the bullet and brings them in on joint ventures and mergers. It makes conflict with the other three powers inevitable down the road, but then that was true anyway.

If it's France, they're hampered by the fact that Homeline France objects strongly to most interventions in outtime Frances and is likely to use its veto to prevent any sort of swift or united action. I think they still choose to partner with one or more Brazilian megacorps as the least objectionable option. Square France can be brought onside later, because this probably precipitates a world war on Shikaku-mon with the potential to spill onto Homeline.

The war possibility is because if the Swedish Empire and Reich-5 encounter each other they'll work together without much difficulty. Which gives Reich-5 access to Homeline if prevailing theories are correct. Which can't be allowed happen. No matter who gets crosstime capability, the eradication of the Swedish Empire just became an urgent priority, the kind where nukes are authorized. Speaking of which, this might trigger Operation Firefall in one go.

Square Japan has no real analogue on Homeline and is just....kind of alien. If they find Reich-5, they'll be dealing with its Japan, which won't likely be too warm but also won't be immediately hostile. I think formal diplomatic relations become the only practical immediate step. But the eradication of Reich-5 and the Swedish Empire are going to be things Homeline demands, and I don't know that Square Japan will simply agree to them. A cold war or three-way war are both possibilities.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by patchwork

This depends immensely on which corner of the Square World is now roaming the timescape in search of Truth and Fun.

This is the biggest question. Centrum has one power. Infinity has... multiple powers, but one power clearly leads, and the geopolitical situation is pretty mellow.



Shikaku-mon is explicitly multi-polar, though if one power leads, its Japan.



The Japanese Empire basically runs on classical imperialism. Homeline is not going to like that, and its going to make them a fairly dangerous foe to both out-timers and worlds they find. I don't know why they wouldn't just march in an add them to the empire in one fashion or another.



Brazil is a mess, and I don't know if infinity would be will to work with them or not. They'd probably spread through the quantum the fastest, but they'd also probably make the smallest ripples. Infinity might work with them over that, though I'd foresee lots of small but serious conflicts bubbling up if they try that.



France seems to be the sanest power, and giving them the conveyors would upset the balance of power the least, because it fits into their existing role. I think if Infinity want to work with someone, it works with France.



The Syndarchists... yeah, that would be a mess. Though they honestly seem more concerned with oppressing their own people than conquering others.

[maximara]

Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec

Good point, whswhs. I have noticed there never seems to be a branch off of a timeline.

Well that all depends on what echos really are.

Reich-A was an echo of Reich-2 until things went totally pearshaped when on July 22, 1943 the Eldridge vanished with Nikola Tesla onboard

Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec

Also, BTW, I like how they updated the background from 2015 to 2027. Do you think Steve Jackson might extend the Setting to say 2039 in a few years?

Except SJG didn't update the majority of the worlds Homeline was in contract with effectively creating Homeline-2.

In GURPS Classic Infinity's present was 2015 in our 1991 (24 years from OTL's present) but GURPS Infinite Worlds, first published 2006, has Infinity's present as 2027 (19 years "ahead" of OTL's present). Also the years of many worlds either have not changed in the 12 years that have passed for Infinity or haven't seen 12 years pass for them.

For example, Cherokee is still in 1930 and Holly is still in 1989 but Merlin-1 went from 1998 to 2004 (only 8 years) when it should be far later based on when the books in OTL came out. Centrom-Beta lost 15 years going from 1910 to 1895 confirming the Homelines of Classic and 4e are different.

[AlexanderHowl]

What happens if Shikaku-Mon Japan encounters an pre-WW1 version of Japan in another timeline? They might start quietly helping them develop TL7 technology in order to establish a strong client state. Of course, they would likely just build orbital conveyers and use them to nuke Reich-5 into the Stone Age if they are sensible (from an uninhabited timeline, of course, so their enemies in their timeline would not know what they are doing).

Additionally, it will only be about five minutes after discovering the Secret that the nations of Shikaku-Mon would start figuring out how to attack their enemies through other time lines and that the only way to defend against such attacks is defense in depth. The first evidence that Infinity may have of Shikaku-Mon developing crosstime travel would be a massive invasion of neighboring timelines to prevent oblique attacks. For example, a TL8 infantry division would be able to destroy a TL6 army without much difficulty.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by patchwork

This depends immensely on which corner of the Square World is now roaming the timescape in search of Truth and Fun.

True, and yours is an interesting reading of the reactions of each of the four powers - if it had come to know about the secret, and it was the only one on Shikaku-Mon. But I think it would be in keeping with the spirit of Shikaku-Mon if none of them had the monopoly.

[AlexanderHowl]

I could imagine one of the neutral powers discovering parachronic travel and either loses it to the espionage of the four major powers or sells it to each of the four major powers.