Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

It certainly came as a surprise that dear brother Javen streamlined his succession plans. He doesn't usually display any flair or drama at all.
Still, Dotty's a good prospect, and we should show her our support. Miaplacidus needs stability and we may be able to use this opportunity to strengthen it. Javen broke precedent and disinherited me to declare his daughter's status in this way. We can heal that breach by recognizing his act on the behalf of the house and formally recognizing her place and titles. The power is seen to be more clearly as from us and not her father.

Let us hold a feast in Baron-Heiress Dotty Nichols honour.

Commisioner Oriole Weiss posted:

It's not a good precedent for another house to upstage one of us like this, and it is an insult to my honour.
We can recover the initiative without weakening Dotty's claim (and Daddy Javen's pride) by spending some cash now.

Let's appear gracious about it and reaffirm our hard-won status.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

On a more geopolitical topic, recognizing the value of our Rotanev presence, might we not repair the message drone hangar there? Bordered as it is by Pruitt and Lindsey we need to bolster it like Vega.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

I'm always in favor of bringing in new talent and avoiding a monocultural approach.
I see risk in putting Dull with Greedy & Proud, despite the Intelligence

I am in favor of the alternate selections Hadley Horton and Geraldine Fardell.
And we set them up to train in ways to compensate for their beginning challenges.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

OK class. Who can name at least three things that ruler did wrong?

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Priorities, priorities...
Our security requirements have jumped just a touch. Noelle and I can only handle so much at once. Personal security for Jane is the must...
To keep the new secret a secret we can count on, it needs someone to wrangle and herd it along to safety. Can we get another headcount in order not to distract Noelle from watching over Vega?

I can't requisition Bella, so I must put the question of how to allocate Jane's security to Jane herself. Either Noelle or I would have to leave our current assignment in order to invest in our stealthy secret.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Technologists Bloodline
We will shine all the more brightly as an example as we invest in a future we can open to everyone

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

All right! I told y'all I could hit the broadside of a barn and then pull off the Silly Straw Maneuver at 20 gees.

With regards to state secrets, does the size of empire affect our ability to cover up? It seems like everybody and their uncle got a selfie with our UFO before we took the high ground.

nweismuller posted:

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

The request pertains to actions and consequences prior to our introduction. We have no ground to protest in the history of it.

This is a debt of the past, which can now be quenched with a symbolic act. To preserve our House honor would be a light price for any of us.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

I'd like to see Ms. Vanida in Security. She can start with the Archon's Protective Detail, and we can consider if there's any Spy Networks we might want to run on really thorny / pesky neighbors. Or do we have any more secrets to suppress?
In favor of Justified Taxation
What's the next system on our list to bling out with improvements?

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

I have an idea now for Vanida, if I may claim her for security.
Protective Details are free training, and we need some Heir Defense. I propose assigning her to protect Thomas and his Administrative Super Skills (A97).

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Werner League...
We can't have them getting too cozy with McCoy or we may end up with a powerhouse neighbor with fits of expansionism, intrigue, and violence.

Can we send some feelers out to see if maybe we can't do a charm offensive and gain local footholds in Alathfar? Later us would be most grateful to have something to build on from a sympathetic enclave.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Shannon's a nasty bear trap waiting to happen, and keeping our borders reliably quiet is the best policy. Diplomacy seems the best option considering their Security strength.

Why not try two prongs at the same time on Werner? We try the open hand with diplomacy, and the open eye with security. We get both kinds of information and from there we can go to either useful or hilarious options.

quote:

Commissioner Oriole Weiss muses:

quote:

Commissioner Oriole Weiss takes a soothing sip of tea.

Ilario Weiss posted:

It is obvious that these intelligences are not true thinking beings. Rocks taught to think do not have that spark of the divine that is infused in each and everyone person, from the highest archon to the lowest serf. At best, what these are relics of the advanced technology from before the collapse. They are certainly more advanced than the programs our computers run, but they are still just programs.

Commisioner Oriole Weiss posted:

A hated man is a vulnerable man. Do we wish him weakened or removed entirely in service of a loftier need?

Fink around and blow up infrastructure annually, then he gets to find out. How much purpose could we achieve if he were expended entirely in service to the League, atoning for his choices? Let's be creative...

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Since the fool is surrounded by high value infrastructure, treaty obligations, and an otherwise blameless populace, he must be most gently extracted.

This is a case calling for the body politic's own immune system to seize upon him of its own accord. We must aspire to wield the cleanest hands to cause the least toxic blowback.
Learn his secrets. Charm away his friends. Let the universe present us with the opportunity to use only the slightest nudge to neuter him.

Set up the highest skill spy network.
Can we marry away skilled yet eligible functionaries from his council and clan?
Do we finance the usual security espionage options at any point? They do leave fingerprints and secrets take a bit of stomping to send them to never never land. We could take a certain reputation hit to the face if it served the needs.
Let's keep an eye to our expedition status to see how close we are to discovering some form of new wild card. Sometimes they bring acute advantage to just such a dilemma.

Director-General Jane Weiss posted:

A modest proposal

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Or if we have already come to hippity-hop, chippity-chop time, then we must decide whether we can handle a surprise attack depending on current flotilla status and ability to hire mercenaries. We mustn't count on his leaving voluntarily upon such an ultimatum and we must win the ensuing coup de main.

EclecticTastes posted:

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

I have no records of AI inciting revolts or assassinating council members. While their births may not have been recorded to married partners, AI have to date behaved better than some of our upstanding citizens.

Vanigo posted:

It looks like Saiph is the only colony you'd need to get to Sigma Draconis, and it's reportedly at risk of collapse due to rattle lung. If it does collapse, how hard would it be to recolonize it?

wedgekree posted:

Convinced to join the Justified Taxation Thresshold.

And if I only had the time and creativity to take on a character I would... If only inspiration gave enough, alas.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Loremasters - one and done
Superior DNA reduces time and efficiency lost to illness and injury. This impacts every member of the house every year, and should be the first research goal of any rule.
Technology is an attractive path and Natural Doctors would only add to this strength. Unfortunately we have so many low hanging fruit that a long investment focus here would delay other critical paths.

Spy Masters - pass
Espionage Pairs looks nice, but spy networks cost money to spin up and we need the Intergalactic Trade Markets to give us the cushion to invest in espionage as a major tool of statecraft. Until then we can get by with Archon protection and keeping tabs on the home system at a minimum.

Diplomats - one and done
Diplomats in the Blood is another vital milestone as our Diplomacy sets the frame for all interactions we have with the rest of the galaxy. Every turn this passively impacts our allowable range of options and the most desirable outcomes.
Skilled Legalists may eventually be wanted. We can choose to not deal with diplomatic requests in order to conserve action points in a turn, and in a war every action point is a chance at reinforcements and allies.

Merchants and Administrators - Mergers and Acquisitions - key to a winning economy
Invest early and often all the way to Intergalactic Trade Markets. Only delay here to invest in absolutely critical developments. Along the way we make some nice friends like Justified Taxation.

Fleet and Conquest - maybe one, then done
Warrior Bloodline is a nice general buff to our house skill, and then things that only help if we're serious about aggressive wars. I'm dead set against that strategy and there's no good in lingering on this path.

Engineers - pass
Like Fleet and Conquest, this is a dead end strategically, so leave it till much, much later.

Pirates - pass
Appalling options. Even if we were bent on commerce raiding, we have far better fighting perks and buffs available.

Internal Affairs - a good side investment
Like the economy, managing opinion keeps the really bad events from heading into a failure cascade. System Leaders, Stable House, and Dedicated Officers are all awesome, and on the way Funeral Rites and Home Surveillance are useful things to have. After Merchants and Administrators, this is a nice, stabilizing path for us.

Popular Approval - one and done
Diligent Serfs are not top priority, but the next best thing to that.

Strength and Discipline - go only as far as we need
Disciplined House and Renowned Peacekeepers are two good insurance policies against morale getting out of control. If we have both of those, then Focused Dogfighters helps us farm the tourney duel system for advancement points.
Leading Through Peace helps keep unrest nailed down if we can get it all green in the first place. Then the rulers of those systems like us so much more, which means we get to focus on head-knocking duty where it's needed, not just 'everywhere'. Martial Law is a a nice dopamine hit to engage but not a solution to anything as 4 actions are usually better spent elsewhere.

dervinosdoom posted:

I can see different types of governments coming back eventually. Because people will start thinking past just surviving once the living situation is more stable. I'm thinking in the hundreds of years, barring any more collapses, of course.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

That was a well-placed blow, and now we have our logical path to Sigma Draconis. Algorab will fall soon of its own accord. Good odds of coming to our way of thinking, and same odds of going along with the Simpson gang. We should grab them first and put off conflict with the Simpsonians until we're good and ready with those mercenary megabucks.

The integrations of Algorab and Saiph help seal our borders, and better reinforce Alhena. Algorab would be vastly cheaper to take ASAP, now that the valor of the McCoys has been beaten, and we are conveniently already at war with them.

EclecticTastes posted:

I don't think there are actual mechanics for beating the poo poo out of idiot vassals that won't stop blowing each other up, much as I'd love there to be. There is sadly no Space Pope penalizing pointless infighting.

nweismuller posted:

Commissioner Oriole Weiss has been pleased to once more be permitted to compete in tournaments, despite not recently claiming a victory. She has been overseeing the Security department, maintaining personal protection details for Jane, and handling the education of her and Thomas' youngest daughter, Anna. She had made relatively rapid progress in military affairs using resources provided by Prudence, which hopefully shall improve her odds in future tournaments.


Vanida Weiss has seen immense development as a Security agent over the past two years, as her husband Allen spent much of that time providing research materials for her while she continued to track down information in distant Alathfar. Still, what precisely she is accomplishing there remains somewhat obscure.

Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:

Happy as always to take the tournament risks on to protect the rest of our House. Better to go out with one's boots on showing Weiss grit all the way.

Vanida can set up shop now on Sigma Draconis. A spy ring there will potentially help dig up useful secrets as well as intelligence for securing our ultimate goal in all of this. Anything that reduces our risks in consolidating that system is worth the effort. Maybe we can find leverage in improving relations with their local ruling family too. What does the Foreign Office say about that?

I'd rather pay gold to win a fight over blood, all things considered. Let our opponents expend their loyal followers while we weaponize our financial surplus and go into terraforming with a full treasury. You just know there will be cost overruns to prepare for as well as jealous, regressive neighbors.

Can we get a zymurgist in here? Our House needs its own brew, perhaps something named for our popular and beloved ruler. A Jefe-Weiss, if you will...