I don't know why larger factions wouldn't be able to have smaller groups within that factiontaht only represents one group. Trying to RP as being some sort of massive umbrella that covers everything is much less interesting.
(05-31-2024, 12:09 AM)Czechmate Wrote: The examples you linked were just either awful or hilarious, but freelancers making a state from scratch? Why not - Natio did something like that
It can be done, it's just difficult - it requires you to have:
A. A realistic set of initial goals. I learned this mistake the hard way with Ouroboros the first time around. Going after Order, KuGov, and Gallia was a big, big mistake, when I should have focused on Kusari and made Order and Gallia targets of opportunity. Getting too aspirational out of the gate can fuck you really good. Even Auxesia started small, if I remember from their lore.
B. A group of pre-existing players who are interested and committed to it. If you're not associated with an existing house or faction, you are going to find it harder to be able to survive out there. It doesn't help things that the rigidity of generic IDs makes it difficult to play quasi-lawfuls without being a freelancer, and being a freelancer is as rigid as it gets, not without good reason, of course. Natio survived for as long as it did because it had a group of players who were intent on making things work. Sadly I don't have much to say on their collapse as all I know is from hearsay long after collapse, which boils down to the usual 'disco drama' and other similar grievances. Doesn't help that Saronsen got banned, and he was one of their biggest players.
C. A structured plan and understanding of where your faction plays a role in the greater world. With all due respect to Auxesia and Natio Octavarium, its' players, its' characters and the sort - what good were they going to be for Ouroboros if they were their only major allies, when both distance and ideals didn't properly align? Sure, we had plans to try and work with say, BDM (Keep in mind, this was well before recent events with how RhGov is with Aux today) under Geoffacake, but other than an iffy position with Auxesia before I left, we didn't really have all that much going for us. Having the support of a major house or big player like the Outcasts or Corsairs is important - it means you can call on them to aid you if ZoI and the sort allows, help on mutual prospects and assure things. The state of the houses and the sort can cause logistical issues for this matter.
It's all a very complex array of issues that adds more logistics to faction development that is vital to its' survival. I dunno about you, but I wasn't about to go fight against Werdi and the KNF with just me and Jadon all by our lonesome, nor was I gonna put up with GMG and their POB-yeeting nonsense.
All in all, Microstates are very nice when done well, and Auxesia and the Natio are prime examples of them working in the modern day. But executing on them takes time, resources and planning.
I mean yeah, if we're talking along the lines of growing another CR or Auxo from nothing with grand political ambitions, I lose interest. I think that period of Disco history is well left behind. The term "playing Stellaris" gets passed around from time to time, and I think it captures missing the point of roleplay in this game pretty well. Natio is a nice example, being that Canberra has suddenly tooted out of existence (I liked that base). They had their own IFF and everything. Did it add anything to the game that lasted beyond the people who made it? I wish, but just memories, as far as I can tell. You could focus on making those instead from the get-go. Hope I'm getting across what I mean here.
Kind of hard for me to imagine factions like Auxo or CR as "micro"states anyway, if they have aim to have sovereignty over a whole planet, with shipyards. Even in the Sirian context, they're just states at that point from my PoV. Look at real ones. San Marino doesn't have a military, and is dependent on Italy.
And yes, realpolitik in Sirius is nasty and brutal and even if it was a little new state that wasn't fighting to have a physical presence in space or trying to get big, someone will eventually force them to compromise on their sovereignty or have powerful benefactors (meaning quid pro quo) and make enemies doing so almost no matter where you are.
Quote:fairly confident GMG beat the microstate allegations when they won the eighty years war
(05-31-2024, 04:22 PM)Wildkins Wrote: fairly confident GMG beat the microstate allegations when they won the eighty years war
Sigma-15 is not a battleground they can face Rheinland-proper from.
(05-31-2024, 04:30 PM)Proselyte Wrote: Kind of hard for me to imagine factions like Auxo or CR as "micro"states anyway, if they have aim to have sovereignty over a whole planet, with shipyards. Even in the Sirian context, they're just states at that point from my PoV. Look at real ones. San Marino doesn't have a military, and is dependent on Italy.
You're overlooking that this term is used to properly picture the relative influence, in competition to the Houses.
Might be a hot take but currently the microstates in Discovery are Crayter and Coalition - might be more factions with the same Power Level - but those two at least present themselves as such.