Re: Planet conquering

> It is not impossible to take control of a large nation or planet with
> Spelljammers.  The degree of success (or failure) would depend on
> several
> factors.
> 1. Tech Level

Actually I'd say it's more based on social concerns.  You can win all
the battles you want but if the enemy is not centrally controlled or
doesn't fall apart when the central authority does then you've lost the
war (see Iraq, most feudal and tribal societies, etc.).

> 2. Type of Government that the people are familiar with, such as
> Monarchy.

Relates to above.

> 3. The degree of superstition (or gullibility) of the population.

This reminded me of the "conquest" of Mexico City (I forget what it was
called then) and the Aztecs.  Of course, the outlying tribes joined
with the invaders and control wasn't really what we think of it as.
Disease ended up doing most of the final work.

> 4. Magic Level (if any)

In an SJ game I posit there will always be some magic level, even if
it's just shamans.

> 5. The amount of resources that the Spelljamming nation is welling to
> use on
> this operation.

And here's the clincher:  occupation by a large army or direct conquest
as we think of it in modern terms is impossible given the baseline SJ
economics (costs of helms, size of ship transportable, etc.).  So
again, I think colonization of some sort or recruiting/integrating
local power is necessary for any sort of space conquest.  Of course,
some people prefer games where this happens, so all I suggest is
adjusting the economics of SJ to make it reasonable.  :)

> In most cases if the Groundling empire is of a Medieval level or
> below and
> is run my a dictatorship or monarchy (or similar forms of government)
> then
> all the SJ nation has to do is to win key battles against the
> groundling
> army. (Take the main castle that the King lives in, Capture a key
> trading
> town, Decimate an army sent against the invading SJ nation etc.)

Of course a feudal structure leaves all those other local lords there
to claim the title of king and keep fighting.  Outsiders rarely have
legitimacy simply by killing the reigning monarch and SJ economics will
prevent an army of occupation from being flown in across space
(especially an extra-sphere army).

 Keep
> in
> mind that any battles the SJ forces fights against a groundling army
> are
> going to weigh heavy against the groundling nation due to the
> airpower being
> used (unless the groundlings have some magic or tech that would be
> effective
> against the ships)

And here I disagree.  Air power can't win a war.  So if the enemy
builds fortifications effective against aerial assualt (like going
underground) or uses highly maneuverable ground troops (like cavalry)
SJ ships have little effect.  You have to use ground troops to take and
hold ground.  In the (A)D&D world the existence of an underdark ecology
(or the possiblity of one) as well as all that magic for food and such
you were going to use to support your SJ army can make Sj ships a
needless and vulnerable burden.

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