| From: | ANGLISS BRIAN EDWARD <angliss@****.colorado.edu> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: realism in corporate life |
| Date: | Thu, 28 Dec 1995 19:08:31 -0700 (MST) |
On Wed, 13 Dec 1995, Mark L. Neidengard wrote:
> I appreciate your argument about misinformation pointing at Sheppard-Intrepid.
> As soon as any of the Big 8 learned that nuclear capability was involved, I'm
> sure there would be an immediate and thorough mobilization of
"investigative"
> elements. If the evidence pointed at S-I, it would be rigorous pursued, and
> the higher-ups at S-I could rightfully be "requested" to open their books,
at
> which point the investigators would find nothing. Maxim did not in fact
> avoid leaving some traces behind, and given their relatively meteoric rise to
> prominence, certain people would be naturally disposed to paranoia. Also, I
> rate the intelligence gathering ability of the Big 8 to be as good or
> substantially better than Maxim's.
Maxim was in enough of a rush to cover themselves that they most
definately did leave tracks. The plan was to sow enough confusion to let
Maxim complete the production of a weapon or two so that the corps would
be less inclined to screw with Maxim directly(who want's to have thier HQ
nuked from orbit?).
Velli's, and therefore Maxim's, motivation in this area are to make Maxim
equal to the Big 8 in prominance. As this idea was originally shot down
hard a year or so ago, Maxim will never make the AAA into the Big 9 on
the list, much as I'd it like to. And seeing as all the Big 8 have
nukes, Maxim having them would be a logical step in that direction. And
shutting Maxim down in this quest would be a very obvious statement.
> I know that your Maxim logs are not supposed to be public knowledge or even
> routed through public systems =) I take it that the fact you posted it to
> the list is an indication of your moving Maxim's plot ahead in your mind and
> keeping us appraised. If that is the case, I took the opportunity to post a
> statement of my take on the matter. And perhaps I did move some of the
> corporate elements too far on the gameboard without consultation. On the
> other hand, Maxim itself is moving with what looks like unlimited freedom,
> which in my view would be strongly curtailed by some of the other corps, if
> not by the world govevernments.
Personally, I've always felt that, for the most part, the world
governments are no longer in a position to dictate policy to the
megacorps. And Maxim's freedom will be curtailed very shortly, I'm
sure.
> I appreciate your position, but I have some problems with it. First, this
> information would trigger a cascade of subtle but direct attempts to weed out
> the corruption, much of which would have to come to some sort of fruition.
> Second, the Big 8 form a very stable oligopoly: everyone is clearly aware of
> the financial implications of a global price war. This forms a very strong
> incentive against such a free-for-all as you describe. Strong enough, in my
> view, to prevent the disaster that Velli fortold. Also, it is very much
> within the power of the Big 8 to simply blow Maxim basically off the map
> with a massive launch of cruise missiles, bombers, and other weaponry. With
> all its factory and major research installations destroyed, Maxim would
> degenerate into an underground terrorist group at best. In fact, if the
> evidence of Maxim's attempt at nuclear arms were to be made persuasively
> known to the governments, they would probably help. To say that Maxim's
> nuclear bid is a big gamble would be something of an understatement...
> Also, I don't know exactly what the Org was supposed to have been, but I
> personally doubt that they would have been able to do enough infiltration
> of enough of the corporate leadership to trigger the massive crash. The
> corporations are not static, but have large numbers of very talented people
> working to prevent just such intrusions from without. I certainly won't
> rule out some penetration, but I have problems with large-scale stuff.
> Thank you for clarifying your history though; I was unaware of most of it.
Actually, Mark, the very reason that Maxim was able to do what it was is
because The Org was powerful enough to do exactly what you don't think it
was capable of doing. And that's also why I destroyed The Org. It was
WAY too powerful for the list and I had started using it to allow my
characters to be nigh upon gods. And that wasn't fun for anyone. The
only reason that Maxim was able to keep itself from being blown off the
map was because Maxim was ready to do to the Big 8 what you
suggested(cruise missiles, etc) immediately, and they weren't. That, and
The Org being powerful enough to really frag with the important
facilities. However, The Org is gone, Maxim is still alive, and the
situation that I described no longer is in effect. Intentionally.
A couple of paragraphs ago, though, you mentioned that Maxim's
intelligence is probably below the Big 8, or at best equal. When The Org
was alive, it was greater by a lot. With the Org gone, it's fallen a
lot, again intentionally. I have the list version of Maxim with an
intelligence rating pretty much equal to the rest of the Big 8. I have
actual numbers for Maxim(using the Corp Shadowfiles stuff), but they're
in such flux that I hesitate to post them.
> If the evidence against Maxim was definitive enough, I could certainly see
> Azatlan getting into the act, though it would be more eager to act if it
> knew it had the cooperation of at least one other Big 8...
Actually, the Azzys were the first corp to run afoul of Maxim, and
they've not forgiven them. I originally introduced Maxim with a Desert
Wars battle between Maxim and Aztechnology that started in simulated
combat. Aztechnology was finding Maxim rather better than they had
thought and decided to teach this upstart a lesson with real combat.
Maxim intercepted the communications, and the next day defeated
Aztechnology. Or rather, inflicted something like 80% casualties on the
Azzys while only recieving something like 45% themselves. There's a LOT
of animosity between the two, even without the fact that Velli used to
work for the TT Peace Force and knows a few of the Princes(not the
Council ones, though). Not that many people know that fact, at least the
normal characters.
> Well, yes. But as I said at the outset, I see _no_ way for the Big 8 to
> tolerate such upstart behavior, Org history and whatnot aside. What you
> describe is tantamount to a "startup" company able to dictate policy to the
> most resource-rich economic powers in the world. If Velli is concerned
> about Maxim's continued health, she should have thought again before
> embarking on the nuclear trail. Having nukes does noone any good (unless
> she plans to launch them, in which case she's a psycho in addition to being
> a psychopath), and even trying to acquire them is a great way to piss everyone
> off. I'm sorry that I wasn't around when all this started or I would have
> tried to make some of these points then. I guess I'm compelled to make them
> now.
Actually, it wasn't Velli who should have thought more about it, but me.
This plan of action is very much in character for Velli herself, but
sometimes I fail to think through things, or more often, consult with
others. Hell, I've begun wondering if I shouldn't consult plot-d about
damn near anything Maxim does. At least the major stuff.... :)
Historically, Maxim did dictate policy to the Big 8. But it's definately
time for them to be shown who's boss.
> I guess I have a tendency to react with
> "enthusiasm" more often than circumstances demand. =)
You and me both.
Now, as this has grown long enough, I'll send a few ideas in another post.
Brian
