Sith Strategy

[trayuscore]

Assume that you're the Sith Empire beyond the Outer Rim. The Mandalorian Wars are over as is the Jedi Civil War. You've been keeping an eye on things in Republic space things having gone pretty much as you planned it, and now the galaxy is open for the taking. How long do you wait after the events of Malachor to attack? Where do you attack first? And what will you do about that pesky Revan wandering about?

Just something to think about..

[Darth Itchy]

I think I'd want to strategically take worlds on the Outer Rim and build a stronghold, while pushing my way toward Coruscant. First on my list would probably be either Korriban or the unknown world from KOTOR I, if only because a) no one would notice, and it could therefore be done with subtlety and b) there's probably still some goodies buried on those planets that they could use.

Next would be Manaan from KOTOR I, since it's the only source for Kolto, and would therefore crush any attempt for defense by the Republic. This, of course, would throw all subtlety out the window, but once you control the Kolto that no longer matters.

After that, and maybe a few more Outer Rim worlds, you could probably start picking off the more central planets without much to worry from the Outer Rim, since the OR has already been decimated.

[Chimaera182]

Taking Manaan wouldn't work. If you recall, the Selkath were prepared to destroy the source of the kolto if the Sith invaded. If the Sith don't manage to protect the kolto from the Selkath, they'll blow it up (or possibly some Republic saboteurs will do the same). Not to mention that Manaan is a more central world. You take that and the Republic would definitely respond with force. Either way, not the smartest of moves to make.

The Unknown World, on the other hand, would be a more realistic target. After all, the temple's likely to have plans for the station, and maybe it could be rebuilt. Of course then it's a whole "Didn't we blow this up before?" deal like we had to go through with the Death Star.

[Darth Itchy]

You're probably right about Manaan, Chimaera. I forgot about that threat from the Selkath. Here's a thought, though, wouldn't it still be in the True Sith's best interest to destroy the galaxies kolto altogether. After all, the TS are coming from an uncharted area, have never been in direct contact with the Republic, and so probably have their own healing methods. If that's the case, destroying the republic's only source of kolto only helps the TS, since it puts the Republic at a huge disadvantage.

Sorry if it seems like I'm harping on the Manaan thing, I'm just curious to know what your thought are on this angle.

[trayuscore]

Good points. I hadn't even considered the kolto element. I did wonder if they Sith would follow up their earlier subterfuge with covert strikes against known Jedi locations like the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and Enclave, just to make sure that the Jedi threat was neutralized, especially considering getting rid of the Jedi is their favorite topic.

[MErkx]

If I where a smart true sith lord I would do my very best to get Revan on my side cuzz he's a great strategic mastermind, you all know what he did to the mandalorians maybe he can do it even better vs the Republic. But the question is: how do you get him to join the forces of the true sith empire?! I'm not so sure wheter he went truly dark, a li'l bit dark, or lightside (after the whole star forge battle) when I listened to the Kreia's story's. If he went truly dark it shouldn't be so difficult to join the TS.

[Darth Itchy]

What Kotor II seems to imply that even when Revan went dark, he did so because it was necessary to protect the greater good. Revan's downfall was caused by two factors: 1) His desire to make things better, no matter the cost and, 2) his ego, which tells him that only he knows what's best, and that anyone whogets in his way must be wrong, stupid, or evil. In a nutshell, he believes that the ends justify the means.

What all of this means is that the way to convert Revan is to convince him that somehow his conversion serves some greater good. What that greater good is however, eludes me...

[Chimaera182]

[QUOTE=MErkx]If I where a smart true sith lord I would do my very best to get Revan on my side cuzz he's a great strategic mastermind, you all know what he did to the mandalorians maybe he can do it even better vs the Republic. But the question is: how do you get him to join the forces of the true sith empire?! I'm not so sure wheter he went truly dark, a li'l bit dark, or lightside (after the whole star forge battle) when I listened to the Kreia's story's. If he went truly dark it shouldn't be so difficult to join the TS. [/QUOTE]

Even strategic masterminds have their limits, and Revan knew his/hers. That's why, during the Mandalorian Wars, when Revan presumably learned of this threat to the Repubilc, s/he went in search of the Starforge. Revan knew that the Republic's forces, such as they were, were no match for whatever the threat was that prodded the Mandalorians to go to war against the Republic (I remember some blurb being mentioned in KotOR where they practically said the Sith urged them to go to war against the Republic, but it seemed to be treated like some semi-great revalation in KotOR II). With the Starforge, Revan could build an army and navy that could be used to strengthen the galaxy. Without the Starforge and its ability to create ships/droids efficiently, quickly, and cheaply, there would have been no hope (and Revan didn't count fully on the Starforge, as Kreia mentioned when she brought up the point that Revan specifically left certain war material production facilities intact on many conquered worlds). A strategic mastermind is only as good as the equipment at their disposal; think of Thrawn if you read the Heir to the Empire trilogy. Thrawn, too, wanted to stabilize the galaxy from a threat outside the galaxy proper, but in order to do that, he also had to find a source of ships and men to do it (Katana fleet and cloning center). Without those two elements, Thrawn had no hope of truly fighting the New Republic, but once he got both, he was a force to be reckoned with; the same is true about Revan.

Which is why earlier I said taking the Rakatan homeworld would be important, to see if there were plans for how to build a Starforge. With a new Starforge and seemingly limitless force to throw at the galaxy...