Re: Planet conquering

>>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.).<<

This is true but if your attacking say FR or Greyhawk then most of the
countries have some form of central government.



> 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.

This is true as well. I would think that any smart invading SJ power would
attempt to ally itself with some of the locals to help conquer the other
nations of the planet.
It would benefit the SJ power to gather as much intelligence as possible
about the political make up of their target and exploit it to it's full
advantage.

> 4. Magic Level (if any)

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

For our group the gaming universe is made up of both Tech and Magic. Some
worlds have them and some don't. But for this scenario we will assume that
both sides have magic.



<<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).>>

However if the Outsider allow the local lords to keep some power (after the
king is killed/captured/turned into a rabbit.) Then the outside force may be
able to control them especially if the Outside force can offer some good
rewards for sticking with them. After all most of these lords are greedy
anyway :)



 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.>>>>>

So you think that air power would be useless. I think not, now keep in mine
that I said nothing about not using ground forces. In any war that you
intend on taking ground you will need a ground force. But a ground force
supported by aerial assaults and transportation will have the advantage over
a ground force that does not. And there is the moral factor to take into
account here. Imagine your in some grounding army and these flying ship
start pounding your position wit large rocks, ballista bolts and anything
else they can find. Then they drop ground troops behind your lines to out
flank you. I think your moral would suffer a little.
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