Favorite Rebellion alternate ending?

[Golan2072]

My alternate (that is, Virus-less) ending to the Rebellion is a near-total economical and political collapse of the Imperium and the SolConfed, somewhat similar to what happened to the Stalinist Eastern-Europe in the early 1990's, with hundreds of warlords and pocket-empires fighting each other for scraps of the past age. To quote Babylon 5: "The Giants have left the Playground, but they've left their Guns behind..."

Order is dead. The economy is at a horrible depression and collapse. Pirates and scavangers of all kinds abound. Petty dictators and warlords abound.

The Imperium is "undead" - a sector-wide absolute monarchy centered on Capital with the victorious Dulinor at its head, fighting (ironically) the Illelish Coalition (a representative democracy formed by a mutiny of a part of Dulinor's forces who got sick of the endless bloody war and wanted to fight for their homes, not for the cursed monarch), not to mention several other insurrections and frontier rebellions against it. The "undead" imperium calls itself the "Third Imperium", though most people outside of it call it "Dulinor's Imperium".

The Solomani Confederacy has split along faction lines, with the pan-sophonists taking Terra and founding (alongside the formerly-illegal Solidariti movement) the Terran Community (formerly I called it "The Unity of Gaia"); the Hardliners control parts of the Aldebaran Sector and try (so far unsuccessfuly) to retake the former Confederacy space; and alot of petty tyrants and not-so-tyrannical states control tiny shards of the shattered Confederacy.

The Hivers sit aside and watch (or do they have a bigger scheme in mind? who knows...

); the Aslan Ihatei have invaded parts of former Solomani and Imperial space, with a certain part of the new Rimward Aslan states becoming a Female-dominated state (something strange for Aslan, but their economy is one of the best around); Vargr raiders abound, with no real leader; the Zhodani have created a buffer zone in the Spinward Marches and are content to keep to themselves in peace while the Rimward-Trailing Threat (AKA the Imperium) is neutralized; and the K'Kree huddle in their space, forever vigilian for the Meat-Eater hordes who, doubtlessly (in their mind), are just waiting for an excuse to try and sink their teeth into the sweet K'Kree flesh.

 

[Golan2072]

My alternate (that is, Virus-less) ending to the Rebellion is a near-total economical and political collapse of the Imperium and the SolConfed, somewhat similar to what happened to the Stalinist Eastern-Europe in the early 1990's, with hundreds of warlords and pocket-empires fighting each other for scraps of the past age. To quote Babylon 5: "The Giants have left the Playground, but they've left their Guns behind..."

Order is dead. The economy is at a horrible depression and collapse. Pirates and scavangers of all kinds abound. Petty dictators and warlords abound.

The Imperium is "undead" - a sector-wide absolute monarchy centered on Capital with the victorious Dulinor at its head, fighting (ironically) the Illelish Coalition (a representative democracy formed by a mutiny of a part of Dulinor's forces who got sick of the endless bloody war and wanted to fight for their homes, not for the cursed monarch), not to mention several other insurrections and frontier rebellions against it. The "undead" imperium calls itself the "Third Imperium", though most people outside of it call it "Dulinor's Imperium".

The Solomani Confederacy has split along faction lines, with the pan-sophonists taking Terra and founding (alongside the formerly-illegal Solidariti movement) the Terran Community (formerly I called it "The Unity of Gaia"); the Hardliners control parts of the Aldebaran Sector and try (so far unsuccessfuly) to retake the former Confederacy space; and alot of petty tyrants and not-so-tyrannical states control tiny shards of the shattered Confederacy.

The Hivers sit aside and watch (or do they have a bigger scheme in mind? who knows...

); the Aslan Ihatei have invaded parts of former Solomani and Imperial space, with a certain part of the new Rimward Aslan states becoming a Female-dominated state (something strange for Aslan, but their economy is one of the best around); Vargr raiders abound, with no real leader; the Zhodani have created a buffer zone in the Spinward Marches and are content to keep to themselves in peace while the Rimward-Trailing Threat (AKA the Imperium) is neutralized; and the K'Kree huddle in their space, forever vigilian for the Meat-Eater hordes who, doubtlessly (in their mind), are just waiting for an excuse to try and sink their teeth into the sweet K'Kree flesh.

 

[Flynn]

I never got the chance to play through it in the height of MT, so I don't know what I would have done then. Now, I would likely run the former Imperium through Hard Times to collapse the UWPs into a Dark Night scenario, left the Virus aside, and rebuilt the former Imperial Space into surviving polities no larger than a sixteen subsectors or so in size, and likely much smaller.

I would have preserved the history of the past, built on new traditions for each area to reflect their cultural diversity, and given MTU a number of cool playgrounds to play in without losing so much of the past in a holocaust of such epic proportions.

I'd essentially have used Hard Times and the Short Night as an excuse to revamp the OTU into a personally more internally consistent model.

My two credits, anyway,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

I never got the chance to play through it in the height of MT, so I don't know what I would have done then. Now, I would likely run the former Imperium through Hard Times to collapse the UWPs into a Dark Night scenario, left the Virus aside, and rebuilt the former Imperial Space into surviving polities no larger than a sixteen subsectors or so in size, and likely much smaller.

I would have preserved the history of the past, built on new traditions for each area to reflect their cultural diversity, and given MTU a number of cool playgrounds to play in without losing so much of the past in a holocaust of such epic proportions.

I'd essentially have used Hard Times and the Short Night as an excuse to revamp the OTU into a personally more internally consistent model.

My two credits, anyway,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

I never got the chance to play through it in the height of MT, so I don't know what I would have done then. Now, I would likely run the former Imperium through Hard Times to collapse the UWPs into a Dark Night scenario, left the Virus aside, and rebuilt the former Imperial Space into surviving polities no larger than a sixteen subsectors or so in size, and likely much smaller.

I would have preserved the history of the past, built on new traditions for each area to reflect their cultural diversity, and given MTU a number of cool playgrounds to play in without losing so much of the past in a holocaust of such epic proportions.

I'd essentially have used Hard Times and the Short Night as an excuse to revamp the OTU into a personally more internally consistent model.

My two credits, anyway,
Flynn

 

[kc130flyer]

In my view, I never saw the need for the Rebellion, Virus or progression into TNE. Want to change the rules to fit the GDW House Rules set, fine, but why change the setting as well?

While several others have made their points about the about having numerous smaller states within close proximity to one another and the intrigue and adventure plots available with this type of setting, I guess I never felt stifled by the 3I setting. Nor was I ever so desperate for plot lines that I thought to change the entire backdrop of the game.

A person can live their entire life right here on Terra and never have a lack of things to do or adventure. So why when given the opportunity to live on and travel to over 11,000 settled systems did some people find a lack of storylines and adventures? Sorry just never got that.

The fact that GDW chose to go that route destroyed my campaign. When the Virus was introduced as canon my players became distraught. Even when we decided to keep our campaign going as before, the fact that GDW went out of the CT/MT era made many of the players lose interest and soon afterwards they left the game.

At the point that the last of the players gave up I had them working for a IN flag officer who was gathering men and equipment for his bid to claim himself Regent by right of fleet control, following the historical plotline of the Civil War. This would have allowed for a Arbelltran outcome had the players been successful, but I was letting the outcome of our weekly adventures write history as we went along, so who knows where it would have ended.

(One of the players confessed some time later that they were plotting to secretly kill the admiral off and take control of the fleet themselves.)

A map in my notes for that period show a smaller Imperium with a wide neutral buffer zone and several border states, some client states (i.e. Margret) while others are rivals (i.e. Vland).

Unfortunately for my group several of the players never came back to gaming (of any kind) after the Virus.

 

[kc130flyer]

In my view, I never saw the need for the Rebellion, Virus or progression into TNE. Want to change the rules to fit the GDW House Rules set, fine, but why change the setting as well?

While several others have made their points about the about having numerous smaller states within close proximity to one another and the intrigue and adventure plots available with this type of setting, I guess I never felt stifled by the 3I setting. Nor was I ever so desperate for plot lines that I thought to change the entire backdrop of the game.

A person can live their entire life right here on Terra and never have a lack of things to do or adventure. So why when given the opportunity to live on and travel to over 11,000 settled systems did some people find a lack of storylines and adventures? Sorry just never got that.

The fact that GDW chose to go that route destroyed my campaign. When the Virus was introduced as canon my players became distraught. Even when we decided to keep our campaign going as before, the fact that GDW went out of the CT/MT era made many of the players lose interest and soon afterwards they left the game.

At the point that the last of the players gave up I had them working for a IN flag officer who was gathering men and equipment for his bid to claim himself Regent by right of fleet control, following the historical plotline of the Civil War. This would have allowed for a Arbelltran outcome had the players been successful, but I was letting the outcome of our weekly adventures write history as we went along, so who knows where it would have ended.

(One of the players confessed some time later that they were plotting to secretly kill the admiral off and take control of the fleet themselves.)

A map in my notes for that period show a smaller Imperium with a wide neutral buffer zone and several border states, some client states (i.e. Margret) while others are rivals (i.e. Vland).

Unfortunately for my group several of the players never came back to gaming (of any kind) after the Virus.

 

[kc130flyer]

In my view, I never saw the need for the Rebellion, Virus or progression into TNE. Want to change the rules to fit the GDW House Rules set, fine, but why change the setting as well?

While several others have made their points about the about having numerous smaller states within close proximity to one another and the intrigue and adventure plots available with this type of setting, I guess I never felt stifled by the 3I setting. Nor was I ever so desperate for plot lines that I thought to change the entire backdrop of the game.

A person can live their entire life right here on Terra and never have a lack of things to do or adventure. So why when given the opportunity to live on and travel to over 11,000 settled systems did some people find a lack of storylines and adventures? Sorry just never got that.

The fact that GDW chose to go that route destroyed my campaign. When the Virus was introduced as canon my players became distraught. Even when we decided to keep our campaign going as before, the fact that GDW went out of the CT/MT era made many of the players lose interest and soon afterwards they left the game.

At the point that the last of the players gave up I had them working for a IN flag officer who was gathering men and equipment for his bid to claim himself Regent by right of fleet control, following the historical plotline of the Civil War. This would have allowed for a Arbelltran outcome had the players been successful, but I was letting the outcome of our weekly adventures write history as we went along, so who knows where it would have ended.

(One of the players confessed some time later that they were plotting to secretly kill the admiral off and take control of the fleet themselves.)

A map in my notes for that period show a smaller Imperium with a wide neutral buffer zone and several border states, some client states (i.e. Margret) while others are rivals (i.e. Vland).

Unfortunately for my group several of the players never came back to gaming (of any kind) after the Virus.

 

[kafka47]

I rather fanced the idea that Dulinor came to claim an empty throne and started to rebuild the Empire from the bottom up. This led to a clash with the old nobility and the young guard leading to a Cultural Revolution type setting sweep across Chartered Space. Just when the Aslan & Vargr were at the gates a messianic figure appears to lead the reminants of the factions into a final victory by uniting to people before unleashing the Final Weapon - Virus which I had intitally thought of as an Ancient computer virus rather than the whole Ommicron development.

 

[kafka47]

I rather fanced the idea that Dulinor came to claim an empty throne and started to rebuild the Empire from the bottom up. This led to a clash with the old nobility and the young guard leading to a Cultural Revolution type setting sweep across Chartered Space. Just when the Aslan & Vargr were at the gates a messianic figure appears to lead the reminants of the factions into a final victory by uniting to people before unleashing the Final Weapon - Virus which I had intitally thought of as an Ancient computer virus rather than the whole Ommicron development.

 

[kafka47]

I rather fanced the idea that Dulinor came to claim an empty throne and started to rebuild the Empire from the bottom up. This led to a clash with the old nobility and the young guard leading to a Cultural Revolution type setting sweep across Chartered Space. Just when the Aslan & Vargr were at the gates a messianic figure appears to lead the reminants of the factions into a final victory by uniting to people before unleashing the Final Weapon - Virus which I had intitally thought of as an Ancient computer virus rather than the whole Ommicron development.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

In mine:

Dulinor learns the hard way about what the Imperial Security Tax revenues pay for, as an experimental and sophisticaed TL H shield device (maybe) protects Strephon from attack long enough for Dulinor to be gunned down by palace guard.

The resulting investigation rocks the Moot to its foundation, as the plot spawns a rash of real and invented treason trials and conspirator hunts. No Noble is safe from the new crop of Imperial Agents watchful eyes. The structure and placement of Noble Holdings begin to change... These pressures bring old grudges between factions to light, and Civil War is in the Air...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

In mine:

Dulinor learns the hard way about what the Imperial Security Tax revenues pay for, as an experimental and sophisticaed TL H shield device (maybe) protects Strephon from attack long enough for Dulinor to be gunned down by palace guard.

The resulting investigation rocks the Moot to its foundation, as the plot spawns a rash of real and invented treason trials and conspirator hunts. No Noble is safe from the new crop of Imperial Agents watchful eyes. The structure and placement of Noble Holdings begin to change... These pressures bring old grudges between factions to light, and Civil War is in the Air...

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

In mine:

Dulinor learns the hard way about what the Imperial Security Tax revenues pay for, as an experimental and sophisticaed TL H shield device (maybe) protects Strephon from attack long enough for Dulinor to be gunned down by palace guard.

The resulting investigation rocks the Moot to its foundation, as the plot spawns a rash of real and invented treason trials and conspirator hunts. No Noble is safe from the new crop of Imperial Agents watchful eyes. The structure and placement of Noble Holdings begin to change... These pressures bring old grudges between factions to light, and Civil War is in the Air...

 

[jfetters]

I never actually played this out, but I had envisioned Lucan and Dulinor essentially annihlating each other and Margaret's forces (who had been basically sitting tight) sweep up the peices.

In the games I did run at the time with Traveller newbies, I explained the rebellion and let them claim their allegiance. They invariably chose Margaret, so that is where that plot started from.

 

[jfetters]

I never actually played this out, but I had envisioned Lucan and Dulinor essentially annihlating each other and Margaret's forces (who had been basically sitting tight) sweep up the peices.

In the games I did run at the time with Traveller newbies, I explained the rebellion and let them claim their allegiance. They invariably chose Margaret, so that is where that plot started from.

 

[jfetters]

I never actually played this out, but I had envisioned Lucan and Dulinor essentially annihlating each other and Margaret's forces (who had been basically sitting tight) sweep up the peices.

In the games I did run at the time with Traveller newbies, I explained the rebellion and let them claim their allegiance. They invariably chose Margaret, so that is where that plot started from.

 

[SanDragon]

Originally posted by William:
I actually don't mind the official ending, though playing out Hard Times can be fun. But if I were there again, it would be either Wounded Colossus or Death of Fools.

William

Don't leave unexploded ordnance like this laying around!

Elaborate!

 

[SanDragon]

Originally posted by William:
I actually don't mind the official ending, though playing out Hard Times can be fun. But if I were there again, it would be either Wounded Colossus or Death of Fools.

William

Don't leave unexploded ordnance like this laying around!

Elaborate!

 

[SanDragon]

Originally posted by William:
I actually don't mind the official ending, though playing out Hard Times can be fun. But if I were there again, it would be either Wounded Colossus or Death of Fools.

William

Don't leave unexploded ordnance like this laying around!

Elaborate!