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TheRiov
2007-10-18, 02:53 PM
Ok so lets play the hypothetical again:

(I think in history they call this: Assuming the Counter-Factual)

Star Wars universe exists as written right up until the Battle of Bilbringi Shipyards (where Thrawn was killed)

Instead of reading aloud the message revealing that the Noghri switched sides, Paellaeon turns out NOT to be an utter moron and quietly informs Thrawn out of earshot of Ruhk. Thrawn has Ruhk killed by a squad of stormtroopers, and is able to pull out a Victory at Bilbringi. Albiet a slim one. Most of the New Republic forces survive.

However with Thrawns cloning facilities destroyed and Master Joruus C'Boath killed, Much of Thrawn's tactical advantage is lost.

Thrawn pauses his offensive, intent on rebuilding for a new attack. He now still controls 1/3rd of the Galaxy, including several major shipyards.

During the pause, Palpatine Returns and takes command of the Empire back from Thrawn. Thrawn is now inconvient (as he has the loyalty of much of the Empire) so Palpatine sends him back to outlying regions to increase the Empires' hold there.


With the Empire's hold on the Galaxy much stronger, though still ultimatly weaker than the New Republic, the conflict (as played out in the Dark Empire comics) is even fiercer leaving Coruscant utterly decimated (not just damaged)
The galaxy now has 2 capitals, one at Byss and the New Republic relocates to Mon Calamari. The Emperor is killed eventually. Cardia is still destroyed by Kyp Durron. Both sides enter a cold-war of military buildup, and sporatic conflict but open warfare does not resume.

Thrawn has spent the last 10 years bringing large sections of the outlying regions under his control (leaving Paellaeon to moderate the peace and manage the military buildup) With Thrawn managing the outlying regions he gets advance notice of the Yuzahn Vong invasion. Realizing that while he still has 2 years before the Vong invade in force, not enough time to bring the galaxy back entirely under his control, he instead approaches the New Republic with a military alliance offer.



Any facts I've left out of the scenario are up to you to determine. Try to avoid major character deaths up to this point, but after that the skys the limit.

How does the Yuzahn Vong invasion play out? Both the Republic and the Empire both control similiar military resources now. Thrawn still lives but is untrusted by the Republic. The Republic is nearly as fractious as described in the NJO series except perhaps with the Empire to fight they still retain a little more solidarity.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-10-18, 03:13 PM
Palpatine would never tolerate an alliance with the New Republic, so unless he died somewhere in there and I missed it, it's not gonna happen. The Yuuzhan Vong will come in, make an alliance of convenience with Palpatine over Thrawn's objections, wipe out the New Republic, and then turn on their erstwhile Imperial allies. Thrawn might manage to escape to the Unknown Regions with a cadre of loyal followers (maybe even some survivors from the New Republic). He'll put up a valiant fight and no doubt try to lure the Yuuzhan Vong into attacking the Chiss Ascendancy. There might be a stalemate for a while, but I think that the Vong would win, absent any convenient plot devices thrown in by the writers.

turkishproverb
2007-10-20, 01:58 AM
Palpatine would never tolerate an alliance with the New Republic, so unless he died somewhere in there and I missed it, it's not gonna happen. The Yuuzhan Vong will come in, make an alliance of convenience with Palpatine over Thrawn's objections, wipe out the New Republic, and then turn on their erstwhile Imperial allies. Thrawn might manage to escape to the Unknown Regions with a cadre of loyal followers (maybe even some survivors from the New Republic). He'll put up a valiant fight and no doubt try to lure the Yuuzhan Vong into attacking the Chiss Ascendancy. There might be a stalemate for a while, but I think that the Vong would win, absent any convenient plot devices thrown in by the writers.

Ah, but this does involve forgetting: Thrawn knew they were coming. If he HADN'T died, he would have spend time adn whatever resources he could building a defence against them. I image if Palpatine returned, we'd see Thrawn instigate an Imperial Civil War before letting Palpatine sell them all into ruin by either siding with the Vong or instigating his bizzare "Dark side EMpire" policy. He would probably even pull a Palleon and side with the Republic in defending against the Yuzzon Vong.



ANd really, I don't think Palpatine would get that much support from those whom were actually following Thrawn. People liked thrawn. He had people VOLUNTEERING to return to imperial rule. Most of the people whom would side with palpatine woudl be the ones whom had been corrup beurocrats, Dark Side Cultists, or anti-alien biggots to begin with. Esp considering the fact that By and in large, they would not view Palpatine as the same palpatine that left, simply because of his newer younger body.

Not to mention Palpetine having the disadvantage of Thrawn's knowledge of and manipulation of Yalsmari.


The real issue is tha fact that Thrawn would win, but he would do so without nearly the qualms the republic would have. He would probably end up making brilliant use of both the anti-vong droids, and of the biological weapons that were desighned to combat the vong.

Especially because he would have seen Nom Anor and the other pre-invasion vong at some point, to say nothing of the previous attack force.

And the vong's Bio Creatures ARE their Art.

Victory Thrawn.

Nerd-o-rama
2007-10-20, 02:19 AM
The original post mentioned Palpatine dying in the same manner as normal in Dark Empire, so Thrawn and Pellaeon are running the show.

As to the question...I didn't read NJO because the first two books were awful, so I can't really contribute. Default assumption is Thrawn wins.

turkishproverb
2007-10-20, 02:22 AM
The original post mentioned Palpatine dying in the same manner as normal in Dark Empire, so Thrawn and Pellaeon are running the show.

As to the question...I didn't read NJO because the first two books were awful, so I can't really contribute. Default assumption is Thrawn wins.


I only read most of the later books because I was the resedent star Wars expert where I used to live, and my comic-shop guy agreed to give me a discount if I didn't give up on the series. Evedentally he was using me to settle bets or something.