Interstellar Alliance Factbook

[Ulkesh]

Any chance of an Interstellar Alliance sourcebook coming out in the future? A book that governs the structure of their government and military from season 5 of B5 to the distant future where a future "earth" government is fighting the IA?

I know there is the Rangers book and the League races book but I think an IA book could cover very well how these factions work together. Example being how Gaim warriors work together with Ranger infantry in ground combat or how Abbai ships help defensive formations of Whitestars etc etc as well as the politics of such a body. I mean I know there was that small scuffle with the Drazi so not all the League-ers are happy with the IA so its not exactly a stable body.

Also things like the branches in their government such as what agencies and intelligence services are present. How telepaths work in the IA and the various ships being developed as well as specialist technology they are developing.

Anyway, what do people think?

 

[Mage Ash]

I would love this and would definitely purchase it. I think that we need to know more about the ISA and its various branches.

Speaking of books, I wonder if they ever plan on giving us a book with future plot ideas. You know, to take B5 into the far far future.

 

[Natxomann]

No future Earth governement fought against the IA . There was a civil war on Earth between two political factions , one that was expansionistic (and that wanted to take full control of Earth's colonies , so appear that was some problem with them) , and other that wanted nothing to do with such a thing . The first faction was ruthless enought to begin the war for the control of the human homeworld obliterating entire cities , while the other one wanted to avoid full scale destruction ... which they almost completely failed to achieve .

And for the problems with the drazi... well , you must remember that the IA is a sort of UN with much more power , authority... and teeth , so if you see how things work in real life , imagine how they would in the B5 universe . :wink:

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I always figured that that AI used Minbari Technology as the carrot to bring the less advanced races (just about everyone else) in line. Doesn't mean that every race LIKES it, but if they want that cool artificial gravity technology and Stealth, then they have to sign up.

The Whitestars, as a mix of Minbari and Vorlon technology would be AI use only, at least at the beginning.

LOTS of internal problems in the AI that's for sure. A sourcebook would be great.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

It's a book I'd like to see done, I must say.

 

[Kizarvexis]

No future Earth governement fought against the IA . There was a civil war on Earth between two political factions , one that was expansionistic (and that wanted to take full control of Earth's colonies , so appear that was some problem with them) , and other that wanted nothing to do with such a thing . The first faction was ruthless enought to begin the war for the control of the human homeworld obliterating entire cities , while the other one wanted to avoid full scale destruction ... which they almost completely failed to achieve .

And for the problems with the drazi... well , you must remember that the IA is a sort of UN with much more power , authority... and teeth , so if you see how things work in real life , imagine how they would in the B5 universe . :wink:

In "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars", Daniel (date 2 January 2762) talks about opposing the IA.

Daniel introduces his simulation with the following. "To recap for Politdivision Central, the purpose of this simulation is to provide reverse-correct infospeak as support for current changes in Earth policy. It is the new policy that the Interstellar Alliance is restrictive and against the best interests of Earth. Intent is to deconstruct historical figures revered by prole sector thereby legitimizing current government policies."

He brings in holograms of Sheridan, Delenn, Garibaldi and Dr. Franklin that have their actual psychological makeups. Daniel then says, "The holograms will thus perform in a fashion consistent with realfact. He asks them a few basic questions and then downloads the info from 2262 to 2762. Delenn asks if they are dead and Daniel confirms that.

Then Daniel says, "We have reconstructed your thought patterns and your forms for a series of vids designed to help..." Sheridan interrupts with, "Designed as propaganda to justify your break from the Interstellar Alliance." Daniel rebuts with "Not propandanda. Goodfacts. As opposed to realfacts. Facts the government has endorsed."

Garibaldi replies, "I don't get it. Why are you doing this? Why the break with the Alliance?" Daniel responds with, "Five hundred years of working with the Alliance has weakened the position of humans in the greater scheme of things. We have lost our uniqueness. We have been polluted by too many outside ideas."

Sheridan scoffs, "That's a great story. I'm sure that's the one you're putting out. What's the real one? The realfact, not the goodfact." Daniel responds, "Earth needs room to expand. The Rangers and the Alliance prove a uh... hindrance to our plans to expand."

The Earth Alliance is split and and the factions are fighting over land and resources. The force opposing Daniel's side is still supporting the Interstellar Alliance and Earth is on the cusp of a civil war over that support. Daniel then changes Sheridan and Dr. Franklin and shuts down Delenn, while making false records of attrocities.

Garibaldi tricks him into revealing the plan and broadcasts it to everyone. The Earth Alliance supporters of the Interstellar Alliance then pre-pre-emptively strike Daniel's side leading to the Great Burn.

So, while there wasn't war yet against the IA, the side Daniel was on definently had it in for the IA and was all in for a civil war against the EA-IA supporters. The IA opposes fighting in between factions of the IA and will support the faction attacked. Since the IA is blocking the Earth expansion, fighting that blocking would be pretty likely. Earth wanted to return to the old ways. Garibaldi, in supporting the IA, just got there first.

Kizarvexis

 

[Mage Ash]

What's interesting is that while Earth itself becomes a primitive world nothing like that happens to the rest of the EA. This means that humanity is still amongst the stars - Mars and its extra-solar colonies still exist and are still functional. It also means that Humanity is still advancing in technology and probably also in space territory.

Its quite an interesting thing, while our homeworld is damaged our species goes on.

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

First, on topic: Yes, I'd buy an ISA source book. A chapter on all the fires the rangers have to put out to keep the former League members from infighting would be worth the price alone. If you want a run a ranger game, I can't think of a better time period or sourcebook than ISA.

On to the topic we've wandered into, I've always enjoyed the technologically advanced character trying to blend into a primitive culture. From Connecticut Yankee to the Technomages, there's just something fun about having to disguise technology and blend with the natives. Rangers on post-burn Earth would be a pretty cool one-off campaign setting, if you ask me.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

I was once fiddling with a D&D con game set in medieval Europe where a mysterious 'elf ranger' (Minbari Ranger) assembled a band of adventurers to rescue a 'sorceress' (prototype human telepath) from a 'demon' (Shadow servant sent to Earth to foil the Vorlons. The elf was being guided by an 'angel' (Vorlon researcher who was experimenting with the creation of human telepaths').

 

[Mage Ash]

First, on topic: Yes, I'd buy an ISA source book. A chapter on all the fires the rangers have to put out to keep the former League members from infighting would be worth the price alone. If you want a run a ranger game, I can't think of a better time period or sourcebook than ISA.

Yeah, definitely.

I have always felt that there is much more to the ISA than just the Rangers, whose a major part, but not the whole. That is why I wish a book existed to cover the more political and economic aspects of it. Plus the ISA will exist for hundreds or thousands of years.

On to the topic we've wandered into, I've always enjoyed the technologically advanced character trying to blend into a primitive culture. From Connecticut Yankee to the Technomages, there's just something fun about having to disguise technology and blend with the natives. Rangers on post-burn Earth would be a pretty cool one-off campaign setting, if you ask me.

I agree with you, the cocnept of a person from an advanced world being dropped into a primitive world is a cool one. I especially like the cocnept if he is a techno-mage for example, for though he is in a primitive world he can live pretty comfortable. In fact a techno-mage can come into a world with nothing but the clothes on his back (and maybe a staff) and can live quite comfortably using his spells.

So yeah, I think that would be an interesting campaign to play.

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

David Weber has a book out on this theme called "Off Armageddon Reef" that reads quite well if you like the "technologically advanced individual dropped into a medieval setting" thing.


I also agree that seeing the political and economic structure of the ISA would be very useful. It's got to be an eclectic mix since the whole thing is hammered out, basically, over a weekend with Londo, Delenn and G'Kar as the principal architects. Honestly we get so little of the actual mechanics of the ISA, ANY details would be interesting to see.

For that matter I'd love to see a discussion of ISA military compared to more conventional militaries. The rangers are the primary ISA military, but the rangers are, basically, an intelligence organization. That's got to impact their rules of engagement and strategy. It's got to be a challenge to get the rest of the old League military pointed at any particular target...

 

[Aramanthus]

I'd love to see a source book on this subject too!

 

[Ulkesh]

For that matter I'd love to see a discussion of ISA military compared to more conventional militaries. The rangers are the primary ISA military, but the rangers are, basically, an intelligence organization. That's got to impact their rules of engagement and strategy. It's got to be a challenge to get the rest of the old League military pointed at any particular target...

I always picture the Rangers as Intelligence/Special Forces/Detectives who are highly trained but are elite. But perhaps something new could be introduced as the IA grows into its own and possess its owm army or marines or whatever because the problem with an alliance is that you depend on troops loyal to their own government perhaps so maybe something of their own could form in the future.

Also don't forget that telepaths are a major asset in B5 so I could see the IA forming their own telepath organization. Nothing as strict and nasty as the Psi Corps or its successor but something that uses telepaths.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

Yeah, that's what I meant, that the rangers are really the only military DIRECTLY under ISA control.

As for telepaths...Garabaldi proposed it and tried it. And then Byron did his thing. I imagine they'll be pretty slow to try it again, but it is inevitable. Or maybe they just wait for teeps to come to them this time, kind of like how the rangers don't go out of their way to recruit.

 

[lastbesthope]

There might be a few teep Rangers

LBH

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

I don't think there's any reason NOT to have teep rangers, but we never saw them...I always got the sense that there was an unspoken tradition that Minbari telepaths didn't go into the rangers, and that that might have transferred over to human teeps as well, but I don't really have a factual basis for this. Just a sense.

 

[Valarian]

During the Shadow War era, Human teeps joining the Rangers would be rogues and hunted by Psi Corps. They wouldn't be very useful as they couldn't go on missions in Earth space due to the risk of capture and information about the Rangers getting out. The Minbari would probably just give them sanctuary on Minbar. If they join up with the Rangers, they'd probably be assigned to helping at the Tuzenor training centre.

In the Interstellar Alliance era, after the Telepath War (2264?), the options for teeps open up and they would be able to join up with the Rangers. They'd still be subject to periodic checks to ensure that they hadn't been abusing their abilities.

 

[lastbesthope]

I don't think there's any reason NOT to have teep rangers, but we never saw them...I always got the sense that there was an unspoken tradition that Minbari telepaths didn't go into the rangers, and that that might have transferred over to human teeps as well, but I don't really have a factual basis for this. Just a sense.

Well the thing about Minbari teeps is that they serve, if they answer the calling of their heart to serve in the Rangers, who's to stop them?

LBH

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

I suppose there is that. I think it's just Garabaldi's line in the 5th season where he says something along the lines of "Everyone else has telepaths to use, we need some too." That implied they don't really have teeps among the rangers, but logically I don't see anything keeping a ranger from being a telepath. I just have to assume it's very rare.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Also remember that early in Season 5, the IA is still young. Maybe the Minbari Teeps didn't WANT to join the IA yet. They may still feel that serving the Minbari, especially after the civil war, was more important.