[G:TRAVELLER] You say you wanna start a revolution...well you know...

Koltar · September 05, 2007, 11:21:57 AM

My last game session there was a joke about a revolution... and suddenly 2 or 3 of us started singing the BEATLES old song :

"You say you want to start a revolution....

Okay, for those of you that know it, play it , or have read it - in The GURPS:TRAVELLER version of things:

How would you start a revolution or rebellion against the Third Imperium?

Remember all that Strephon assassination and virus stuff NEVER happened.

This might help for reference :
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/traveller/tns-oldnews2.html

and this too :
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/traveller/oldnews.html

http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/traveller/

- Ed C.

jrients · September 05, 2007, 11:46:39 AM

If I wanted to stir up trouble for the Imperium I'd look for hi-pop (A) worlds with low standards of living. Imperial taxes are often assumed to be on a 'per head' basis, so the worst, most polluted, most authoritarian, lowest tech hi-pop world is paying the same taxes as the nicest hi-pop world in the system. Why isn't the Imperium doing something about the vast disparaities between Shithole IV and Paradise III? The goal would be to use that hellworld to recruit and train rebels, who would then be sent to smaller pop worlds nearby. Don't forment an open rebellion on your base world, just use local conditions to your end.

Koltar · September 05, 2007, 11:50:46 AM

Jeff,

So in other words a long-term plan that would have to be underway for quite some time?

Interesting.

I've already laid down hints about that kind of thing in my campaign. Hell, the Maggie Thatcher herself might be a leftover ship that was originally used by the Phoenix Project.

- Ed C.

Dr Rotwang! · September 05, 2007, 12:42:06 PM

Depends on the Imperium IYTU. Why rebel against it in the first place?

See, in my Traveller universe, there's no real reason to. The Imperium really just serves as an excuse to have a few cultural similarities for the PCs to rely on as they go from place to place. I suppose you could argue that its diegetic* role in my game is to facilitate and encourage trade, because that's all I ever use the Imperium for in plots and so on, WHEN I use the Imperium for in plots and so on.

*Ooooh, mister college boy remembers his Comparative Film class!

Koltar · September 05, 2007, 12:46:45 PM

Well in my campaign one character is married to a Zhodani Officer, another is a former Pirate who scretly longs to start a pro-Solomani rebellion.

So the idea of fomentiing revolution might come up in my campaign - or organizations dedicated to that goal might be encountered as NPC groups.

- Ed C.

jrients · September 05, 2007, 12:58:50 PM

Quote from: KoltarSo in other words a long-term plan that would have to be underway for quite some time?

Yeah, I think so. The Imperium lasted at least 1100 years. It's not gonna crumble without some serious hard work and planning. Now, if you just want one world to break away and stay Imperium-free, that might be more doable. But a fullscale assault on the System is gonna be tough.

RPGPundit · September 05, 2007, 03:14:11 PM

Quote from: jrientsYeah, I think so. The Imperium lasted at least 1100 years. It's not gonna crumble without some serious hard work and planning.

Or you get this Virus see, and...

I kid, I kid!! I kid because I love...

RPGPundit

Settembrini · September 05, 2007, 03:20:50 PM

The Navy.
Find a faultline within the officer corps.
Maybe something like "Noble brass is incompetent and keeping the highly competent commoners down. That loses wars!"

Once you control the Navy, you are the next Emperor/Lord Protector/Ruling Council/Glorious Committee etc.

Especially as the population will not suffer in any way by the naval engagements, except for an increase in piracy.

beeber · September 06, 2007, 10:04:13 AM

Quote from: SettembriniThe Navy.
Find a faultline within the officer corps.
Maybe something like "Noble brass is incompetent and keeping the highly competent commoners down. That loses wars!"

Once you control the Navy, you are the next Emperor/Lord Protector/Ruling Council/Glorious Committee etc.

Especially as the population will not suffer in any way by the naval engagements, except for an increase in piracy.

that's the only way i'd see it, too. there has been precedent in imperial history for the navy to intercede in things. otherwise, there isn't really any reason to rebel. the 3I is pretty much hands off on most matters, so your average cluster of worlds is going to be busy with local issues.

maybe too many vargr and aslan ihatei (sp?) incursions not being repelled? frontier pressure leading to imperial naval intervention, that's the only avenue i could logically take.