I felt I should follow-up on and expand on my idea from yesterday's post, considering the feedback I got on it.
First, the latest news on BoB.
The worry to me right now is the assets the Goons now have could create a critical mass effect, allowing them to eventually take full control, or at least effective domination of nullsec. This worry is compounded by the fact that Goons have never hidden that they'll gladly ruin the experience of players who are not goons by any means necessary. Their actions are often (if not always) dishonourable, even by New Eden standards.
Now, you may be asking yourself, "Hey, I don't care about nullsec. I'm a pirate or an indy or in FW or in low-sec. It has nothing to do with me". You'd be wrong. If this were to come to pass, Goon control of the markets through O.0 resources would be a problem affecting everyone as far in as 1.0 systems. The implications of an alliance like the Goons with that much control would be problematic for all.
There is a chance that they'll get penisy and expand too quickly, over-stressing their ability to hold space, and in the end turn up with less assets than they started with pre-BoB implosion. That would be the best scenario for all.
Perhaps I should qualify my use of "implosion". IMHO, it's BoB's fault that the Goons accomplished what they did. Others have commented on the horrible state of inter-BoB politics, so I won't rehash that. It'll be perfectly apparent once their forums are published. That said, NO alliance deserves this fate. I wouldn't even wish it on the CVA or the Privateers, whom I hate deeply.
BoB may rebuild, but the ifs and whens are still too many for anyone to count on them to hold the balance they created with the Goon threat. We may have to think a little... radical.
A coalition would not operate the same way as an alliance. An alliance in EVE is a registered entity, one that can be just as vulnerable as it can be effective against a foe such as this. A coalition would be a banding-together of alliances and corps through diplomatic and economic channels in common interest. Remaining separate entities with their own autonomous command structures and operations, they would commit to unified anti-goon operations and policies.
If nullsec becomes an us vs. them situation, then we best be sure that we are ready to show a united front.
If such a conflict were to go hot, it would make any previous event in EVE history look like a pissing match between grade-schoolers. The heroes of this event would not be warriors, but the peace-makers and the diplomats. In human history, people like that in dark times are considered as true heroes and patriots and visionaries. Their names echo through the ages along with songs and poems of their epic deeds, burning souls and mettle hearts.
Let me know what you think. Am I being too dramatic about all this? Is such a coalition possible? Would such a coalition even work if the Goons accomplish what I fear they may?
Other than that...
Planning on posting several times on the weekend in an effort to keep up with the Alliance tourney finals. I'll also be on Twitter and in-game channels commenting. At night hopefully I'll find the strength to write some of that ENN fiction still in limbo.
Next week, A review of Roc's Bio, a big step forward IRL, my first serious use of drones, and hopefully some fiction.
o7
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9 comments:
Keep in mind the following...in the past 6 weeks goons have lost a majority of Esoteria. They have also had a huge triple A(-A-)a wedge between their two forces driven hard to the south by this alliance(splitting suppliy lines) they ahve lost a large part of their former Jump bridge network.. Shadow of Death have removed them from the northern reaches of 0.0. To say they were/are still in a shit storm of epic proportions doesn't begin to describe what is happening. C0ven, Stain Empire and Sys-k are not alone. -A- and others have been hitting the goons rather effectively all over their 'border'. Good idea of a coalition sadly I am nowhere in sys-k's chain of command.
The thought that any entity could grow powerful enough to subjugate even half of 0.0 is foolishness in my opinon. Too many factors against such an accomplishment:
1) Internal fragmention leading to disputes and ultimately civil war.
2) Controlling space is becoming harder.
3) The size of an alliance required to control that much space means multiple insertion points for spies and thus sabotage.
4) The fastest gun in the west is the one every hothead likes to challenge. The biggest and most powerful alliance in Eve will always be targeted by everyone with a gun to shoot. The bigger you get, the more people gunning for you.
To summarize: chaos will ensue in the vacuum created by Bob's demise, but natural forces will prevent anyone from doubling in power as a result. In a few weeks or months, all will be stabilized.
I agree with Kirith in this matter.
Besides, it seems very unlikely that a coalition consisting of supporters from all over New Eden could effectively manage standings and get ops organized/supplied to move against Goons in 0.0. FW fleets are to some degree the same kind of structure if you think about it. As those of us who've been in FW know, getting larger FW fleet ops organized can take HOURS and despite the best FC'ing, are often very difficult to manage. And that's without having to worry about bubbles, fleet transport, and supply lines.
Even if an anti-Goons coalition were to consist only of alliances already in 0.0, competing agendas and other factors would probably sabotage such an effort from the get-go.
@Manasi: Those are some interesting facts. It does shed some light on their ability to manage their space while encroaching on others.
@Kirith: I believe I mentioned such a possibility. Hopefully you're right. I think your 4th point stands as the most deal-breakery.
@Mynxee: That would be the largest hurdle, of course. Not an easy thing to manage by any means. FW does seem to point to such a thing being nearly-impossible. My opinion is that competing groups will often try harder to find common ground when faced with a mutual threat.
Thank you all very much for your comments. I appreciate it.
I think, at this point, if it was someone's intention to strike a major blow to the Goons, now is an excellent time.
I am not deeply familiar with 0.0 politics and strategy, but if someone could coordinate the opposing alliances and get them all to attack different points along the Goons border within 24 hours, their defensive resources would be stretched so thin that they would inevitably loose even more space.
@Leumas: I'm not so sure. They just got a huge resource boost.
This is stuff pubbies who buy the old Bob line tend to spout.
Fact is, Goons enjoy Eve, which is why we play it. People who believe the Mittani-as-CEO 2007-era propaganda about ruining Eve just because we suicide-kill macro-miners in highsec are kinda misled.
Second fact: we owned Geminate, half of Etherium Reach, Scalding Pass, Detorid, Tenerifis, Feyth, Esoteria and gave away Omist and Paragon Soul. And we gave it all away. We have tasted what it is like to own a quarter of the map, and are quite happy with our new, compact regions. Goons have no desire to run 50 jump-bridge towers again.
Third: there are slightly less than 6000 Goons. Yes, we can beat any single alliance one on one (though PL would hurt). But nobody rolls alone. When we were stalemated in the south we were fighting seven major alliances, from AAA and Bob to Stain and Coven. 6000 is not enough to "take over Eve".
So chill and enjoy Eve. Unless you harbour Kenny members there's no real reason to believe we'll be coming after you any time soon. Bob said they were going to take over all of eve, and fell on their faces (largely thanks to us in 9-9). We're not as dumb as they were.
Heh, also Leumas you're right to caveat your post with your lack of knowledge regarding 0.0 politics. PL border us to the north (and reserve the right to live there and reset us to farm status when the job is done here for themselves), while every alliance who is hostile to us is already attacking us on the Querious, Aridia, Stain and Period Basis fronts.
We Goons may be awful at Eve but we are good at the meta-game, including choosing competent, PvP-centric allies.
All history and politics aside...
I've been fighting the goons in Delve with Nulli for a good 3 months and have developed a burning hatred for everything they stand for and what they have done and are doing to the universe of Eve.
If someone ever came up to me in RL with the arrogance and sheer evil intent that this alliance shows at all times in game I swear one of us would be going to the hospital in a matter of minutes - I feel that strongly about it.
The fact is, this alliance encourages all the worst things human nature can offer and I only can hope I am somewhere around when Karma eats those f#ckers alive, in-game and RL. I fervently wish this daily as the only thing these folks value is misery and they will get their fair share upon them one way or another. Everything in the universe is accomplished through time and pressure....
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