Martin:
> In war, the fact that a worker in a factory never sees the enemy or even
> understands what the war is about has no impact on the definition of his
<snippy-snip>
Yes, but the phrasing you're using puts the military at the *center*.
The other POVs that people are expressing and can express are equally valid:
* The Military is just the Big Stick the cookie-pushing boys wave about; * The Military are the "caravan guards" for the national economy; * The Military are a bunch of thugs that keep the proles/serfs in line; * The Military are an extension of politics and *controlled* by politics; Etc., etc.
For example:
> A magical ritual, used to strength crops is a strategic asset. It gives
> food, which feeds the base population, which enhances the logistical
> attributes of the nation.
But the Earth priestess *knows* that the Crops are the most important
thing. The military keeps the odd nomad horde and trolls away from
crops, and thus enhances your crop. They're basically farm help with
shiny toys.
The concern, here is, I believe, whether SGU is going to be chock-full of military viewpoint only ("The grain goddesses are a key cult in the empire. Their grain is eaten by soliders, whose eating habits...") ;) and not allow people to focus on an aspect of the Big Conflicts besides Guys and Dolls with swords. E.g., will you be talking about the political, "regional," economic, religious aspects of the Moonson Bad Thing from *their* POVs: what does political strife mean to the political players?
COMPLETE NOVICE SUGGESTION:
Rather than having nasty battles between rival factions when Moonson's
bitz normally get reintegrated, IMG I'd think it keen (and probably
already suggested by the RMM models -- I never did LoM -- and in
Martin's work) to stress that this is all, essentially, a game of
maneuver and shadow. The factions move regiments around as "threats in
being," but don't actualy *use* them against each other, because it'd
Piss Off The Big Gal. Moving six friendly regiments into an area the
enemy can only move one still shows who's boss, and saves wear and tear
on the scimitars (thus pleasing the Imperial Accountants). There's some
gentlemen's rules about it, much like certain aspects of the Great Game
or the Cold War.
Ergo, when Moonson doesn't come back, it's a *big* shock when some bright boy gets the clue to actually order his troops to attack the others, since it's Not Done That Way, and it makes it an especially violent interregnum. That's what the Dart Competitions are for -- the Army is supposed to be Off Limits to that kind of screwing around. (Not that it probably is, 100%, but involving it usually brings in punishment).
Some resemblance (if not tons) to Shaka's changes in Zulu warfare, if I recall correctly. ("Screw this tossing spears at 'em and boasting -- let's go stab everyone to death.")
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