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TL of a Balkanizatied world

Sir Brad

SOC-13
Case Study: a Balkanizatied world has it's developed nations with a uniform TL equal to (late?) 4, no one Nation or Bloc has enough key technologies to be classified as TL5, but collectively the various Nations and Blocs have enough to be classified as TL5, the problem is distance and rivalries prevent the requisite exchange to technology to allow any Bloc from bean classified as TL5 on their own merits. the people of this worlds developed nations live a TL4 lifestyle with a few TL5 toys and conveniences

do you slap a TL4 or TL5 label on this world?
 
TL 4.

If they want a TL5 rating they have to be majority TL5.

Perhaps they can pull together temporarily to get that better credit rating before resuming intramural festivities.
 
TL 4.

if the majority of the services available are TL4, then that world is tl4. in the same way that a low tech world with a IN base on it still be a low tech world, even though it has a significant TL 15 presence on it.

I might slap a "mature TL4" label on it. if the various nations services were all available at or near the starport, then their might be a case for a "early TL 5" rating. but scattered all over the planet? nah, it still TL 4.
 
No star port, this world is "Beyond the Frontier" and had no off-world contact in hundreds of years.

their space programs are non-existent in any practical way, last use of rocketry was during the Global Wars (not a world war since no Blocs where large or united enough to make it a world war) around 50 years back when tin plated salami where used to shoot down observation balloons, with the introduction of the dirigible and airplane at the end of the Global Wars (around 20-25 years back) some research was done by some nations to use rocketry for AA work, but the economic collapse that ended the Global Wars prevented funding for the projects when fighting was underway.
 
TL 4. The key is that no-one is actually at TL 5, even if the potential exists for the world to become TL 5.

And in fact, I would label that a "plot hook".
 
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