Dawn of the Republic: Corporate Alliance

[Darasuum]

It would actually work a lot better to just arm the merchants. Why upkeep a dedicated navy when you could just get the traders who are already running the routes to defend themselves?

yes, arm the transports and individual merchants. make it known that the faction doesn't accept piracy. on top of that if we have a fleet of actual defense and not just transports with a laser turret. with an actual fleet the faction can back their own assets, protect installations and act on as well as intimidate opposition or predatory factions.

 

[Hatebackwards]

Some thoughts I had today.
One thing I wanted to chat about is the word magistrate. It usually has to do with law. I think a simple Director would do. I also think the Directorate needs a Chairman. We are going to have to have an actual FL whether that is Aleksandr, Romaar Sancolt or someone else. I also think the term Acquisition Specialist is weird because specialist is also a rank. So I would have the Directorate look like this.

Alliance Directorate:
Directorate Chairman
Director - Banking and Finance
Director - Acquisitions and Security Division
Director - Design and Manufacturing
Director - Information and Media
Director - Pharmacy and Medical
Director - Trade and Shipping
Alliance Senator

I like the ranks that were brought up for Acquisitions and Security but I think there should be three branches:
Collections - Elite SWAT teams.
Close Protection - Droids that protect the top executives.
Security - Most of the division. Protects vessels and buildings.

 

[Tristyn]

I agree with the above statement.

 

[Aleksandr]

A magistrate is someone who administers the law, which in our case is the law of the Corporate Alliance. Anyway, I don't agree with the more specific positions since each magistrate is supposed to represent their corporation, not a specific field.

Also, I don't see the point of dividing the Collections and Security Division into branches when it will most likely have very few members anyway.

 

[Dunbar Snackbar]

I wish I could be a faction leader for this but I don't think I should be considered. I have a lot of history in battle simms and RL organizational leadership but I don't think I have the experience to lead this group. Even if the IGBC had stayed solo I still would have wanted someone else to lead it. I appreciate the thought though.

 

[Tristyn]

You should be

 

[Hatebackwards]

A magistrate is someone who administers the law, which in our case is the law of the Corporate Alliance.

We can't create law, that would be the job of the Senate. If you are very attached to the word, I'll go with it. It just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, I don't agree with the more specific positions since each magistrate is supposed to represent their corporation, not a specific field.

When we used established names, some people had a problem with it. So my idea is that the Directors of these fields, instead of just being the Chief Executive of a single corporation will be the Director of a specific field with which they are supposed to gain subsidiaries and holding companies. The Directors can also be Chief Executives of their own companies.

Also, I don't see the point of dividing the Collections and Security Division into branches when it will most likely have very few members anyway.

Collections and Security will likely mostly be NPC's. Close protection will probably just be droids, the security teams will likely just be NPC's. Collections would be interesting for PC's to role play.

 

[Korvo]

This is just a thought, but we could theoretically handle the faction OOCly the same way we do ICly, through a concensus in the form of a council or board. The FL could just be the "editor", in a sense, and in effect there wouldn't be a faction leader, but leaders.

Of course that may also not be desirable or practical. Just a thought, throwing things out there to see what sticks.

 

[Kiro]

A magistrate is someone who administers the law, which in our case is the law of the Corporate Alliance. Anyway, I don't agree with the more specific positions since each magistrate is supposed to represent their corporation, not a specific field.

Yeah, you guys are just a bunch of overpaid executives. None of you are politicians. You can set up corporate policy, but you can't dictate law. That's up to the Senate of the Galactic Republic. And if you want to stay in business within the Republic, or deal with member worlds of the Republic, you'll have to abide by the laws set by the Senate. Otherwise, you might just find your profit margins going into the red.

 

[Tristyn]

I approve of this post.

 

[Eccles]

I think there's plenty of potential to change/alter Republic Law if they do is right. We can talk albout the Senate having all the power, but at the end of the day every vote can swing either way. If your executives have an iffy moral compass you could pressure PC senators in swinging a vote or take the hardliners out of the equation.

It's politics after all.. politicians don't have that much say. ;)

 

[Korvo]

Yeah, you guys are just a bunch of overpaid executives. None of you are politicians. You can set up corporate policy, but you can't dictate law. That's up to the Senate of the Galactic Republic. And if you want to stay in business within the Republic, or deal with member worlds of the Republic, you'll have to abide by the laws set by the Senate. Otherwise, you might just find your profit margins going into the red.

Something to keep in mind is that this is not the film-era Republic, or even the Legacies-era Republic. Their influence is budding, it's not everywhere, and they're not the juggernaut they're commonly identified as, at least not at this point. There is certainly the possibility that a number (potentially even all) of the worlds from which the Corporate Alliance operate are independent, not under the Republic or Border Alliance's sovereignty.

In this measure, laws and order (gavel-slam!) are dictated by the worlds where the Corporate Alliance chooses to operate, and these can all vary wildly. Some worlds may be very lenient, allowing markets to trade everything from weapons to people and beyond. Some may be monarchy-ruled and have strict regulations and laws on how business can be conducted. Some worlds may be similarly corporate in nature, or some may even be criminally driven, like the Hutts. All of those scenarios can exist without Republic worlds.

Now, I'm not saying that business people establish law, because they don't. They may have work ethics and regulations, but they aren't a governing power in that sense. However, how they conduct business elsewhere should be of no concern to the Republic, so long as the CA abides by the rules in their space. And even if they choose not to, many, many businesses in the Star Wars galaxy thrived and expanded without specifically-designated trade with the Galactic Republic or Empire. And avoidance certainly wouldn't bankrupt them, considering indie (neutral) parties can simply take their business to whichever side they wish.

 

[Kiro]

However, how they conduct business elsewhere should be of no concern to the Republic, so long as the CA abides by the rules in their space. And even if they choose not to, many, many businesses in the Star Wars galaxy thrived and expanded without specifically-designated trade with the Galactic Republic or Empire.

Do consider however, that the Senate can issue sanctions against your corporations if you do shit that the Republic/Senate cannot tolerate. And while yes, you can operate outside the Republic, be aware that most of the genuinely wealthy worlds, Coruscant, Chandrila, Corellia, etc, are part of the Republic. And if you can't operate within the Republic, you'll loose a massive portion of the galaxy as customers. At least legitimately. You could always try to smuggle your goods in, but that'd be risky, and very very very expensive...

 

[Outlander]

Basically, you need to think about this whole venture not in terms of territory and power, but in terms of what will bring in the most money. Operating within the republic would most likely be the way to go about this.

 

[Beta12]

Some thoughts I had today.


Alliance Directorate:
Directorate Chairman
Director - Banking and Finance
Director - Acquisitions and Security Division
Director - Design and Manufacturing
Director - Information and Media
Director - Pharmacy and Medical
Director - Trade and Shipping
Alliance Senator

I like this idea, but may I suggest Director for Research and Development as well? It would allow for a more sciencey division for anyone who might want to make scienctists.

 

[Korvo]

Do consider however, that the Senate can issue sanctions against your corporations if you do shit that the Republic/Senate cannot tolerate.

That is unlikely to occur in the Republic as a whole. In the outset, the Republic in this period is largely autonomous, meaning each world is self-governing. It is not centralized. Both in the Senate and the Border Alliance, independence is the norm. Republic worlds are loosely affiliated by common goals and purposes and it already has a degree of corruption. One world might get pissed of by something that another couldn't give two shits about. Only if the Senate as a whole unanimously (or by a very significant majority) decided against something could they declare a universal sanction. Even then, they could barely enforce it as they have no real military or policing power.

Further still, if the Corporate Alliance did indeed operate within Republic space, they could attain a voice(s) within the Senate to prevent such a thing from happening, legally and legitimately.

And while yes, you can operate outside the Republic, be aware that most of the genuinely wealthy worlds, Coruscant, Chandrila, Corellia, etc, are part of the Republic.

That is unconfirmed, considering we don't even know which worlds are indeed part of the Republic. And even if many were, that does not exclude potentially greater profit by consorting with many other entities, such as the Border Alliance, the Hutts, the uprising Sith, and even potentially the Jedi Knights. That also doesn't consider the numerous independent worlds and the fact that there are no doubt many planets financially powerful enough to suffice growth and profit.

Finally, Legends and Canon alike already showed that the Republic's dependency on resources has had them bend their own moralities. During the era of the Old Republic, Clone Wars (Republic even still conducted business with the CIS Banking Clan) and the New Republic, the Republic had business dealings with entities they had either condemned or were outright criminal.

And if you can't operate within the Republic, you'll loose a massive portion of the galaxy as customers. At least legitimately. You could always try to smuggle your goods in, but that'd be risky, and very very very expensive...

Potentially, and while smuggling isn't exactly the ideal and I can't see the CA forcing themselves in, the Republic of this era has no real police force or military. But more importantly, the Republic of this age is just starting to grow from their dark age. They are brokering business and trading deals, strengthening themselves economically to try and get back on their feet. A sanction would probably do more harm to them than to the CA.

Again, not saying anything like "us doing shit" would even happen to begin with

 

[Dunbar Snackbar]

So we need to decide what makes us most able to do this? Got it.

Disclaimer: Diving into a bunch of gold coins would hurt. Therefore, Scrooge McDuck is a grade A bad ass.

 

[Green Ranger]

Just quickly addressing some point here since there's a bit of confusion.

That is unlikely to occur in the Republic as a whole. In the outset, the Republic in this period is largely autonomous, meaning each world is self-governing. It is not centralized. Both in the Senate and the Border Alliance, independence is the norm. Republic worlds are loosely affiliated by common goals and purposes and it already has a degree of corruption. One world might get pissed of by something that another couldn't give two shits about. Only if the Senate as a whole unanimously (or by a very significant majority) decided against something could they declare a universal sanction. Even then, they could barely enforce it as they have no real military or policing power.

The Republic is by an large a government founded on trade, and so regulation of trade is a large part of what the Senate is involved with, so the Senate does have some significant influence in terms of determining whether a party outside of the Republic should do business. Planets are largely autonomously, sure, but they operate within the agreed framework of trade guidelines set by the Senate. Is there wriggle room in there? Absolutely. But if the Senate does clamp down and publicly denounce a corporation, then it is probably going to have a fairly major impact.

Further still, if the Corporate Alliance did indeed operate within Republic space, they could attain a voice(s) within the Senate to prevent such a thing from happening, legally and legitimately.

They could send an ambassador or representative delegation, sure. They wouldn't have full representation in the Senate, however, as an outside third party. Their voice in the Senate would not be a voting voice.

That is unconfirmed, considering we don't even know which worlds are indeed part of the Republic. And even if many were, that does not exclude potentially greater profit by consorting with many other entities, such as the Border Alliance, the Hutts, the uprising Sith, and even potentially the Jedi Knights. That also doesn't consider the numerous independent worlds and the fact that there are no doubt many planets financially powerful enough to suffice growth and profit.

Generally speaking, the closer to the core, the more wealth you'll find. There are certainly exceptions to that rule, for sure, but losing trade rights withing the Core Worlds would be a major blow to any company. You can mitigate that damage in various ways, sure, but...yeah the Core Worlds aren't just the heart of the Republic because they're in the middle of the galaxy. They're old and incredibly prosperous worlds that have been the center of trade for millenia, so it's something to be aware of.

Finally, Legends and Canon alike already showed that the Republic's dependency on resources has had them bend their own moralities. During the era of the Old Republic, Clone Wars (Republic even still conducted business with the CIS Banking Clan) and the New Republic, the Republic had business dealings with entities they had either condemned or were outright criminal.

To be fair, that was in the middle of a war that was bankrupting them. Desperate times and whatnot. We can't realistically argue that the Republic we'll be RPing in will be in the same dire position.

Potentially, and while smuggling isn't exactly the ideal and I can't see the CA forcing themselves in, the Republic of this era has no real police force or military. But more importantly, the Republic of this age is just starting to grow from their dark age. They are brokering business and trading deals, strengthening themselves economically to try and get back on their feet. A sanction would probably do more harm to them than to the CA.

Again, not saying anything like "us doing shit" would even happen to begin with

Actually, this is a Republic on the decline - we're essentially starting at the start of the Dark Times, not the end. So the Republic's lost a lot of territory and influence, sure, and their best days are behind them...but they're still the dominant (and largely unopposed) galactic power at this time. I wouldn't say they don't have an army, they just don't have a single standing army in the name of the Republic - local planets have their own militaries and police forces that are busy with local concerns.

Regardless of how you try to spin it, if the Senate enacted sanctions, the CA would lose...let's say a quarter of the galaxy in terms of potential markets, some of which are the oldest or wealthiest planets in the galaxy.

It's going to hurt the CA more than it is the Republic, since the Republic's prospered under pre-existing trade agreements for millenia.

 

[Lav Savak]

This would have to start as an infancy. A business is not the same as a faction, correct? So why not have a meeting between these different PC controlled businesses who then sit down and create this Alliance. The PC characters are already established in their businesses and with the power of this Alliance, growth can come naturally while buying other companies etc. Then as we grow, we realize we need a seat on the Senate so we go through all that political nonsense to arrive to that. It could be that we all have our intiial businesses on the same planet and this is our way of coming together to grow.

 

[Outlander]

This would have to start as an infancy. A business is not the same as a faction, correct? So why not have a meeting between these different PC controlled businesses who then sit down and create this Alliance. The PC characters are already established in their businesses and with the power of this Alliance, growth can come naturally while buying other companies etc. Then as we grow, we realize we need a seat on the Senate so we go through all that political nonsense to arrive to that. It could be that we all have our intiial businesses on the same planet and this is our way of coming together to grow.

This comes back to issues I was talking about earlier with resources if people have their own businesses (Which do actually count as factions), then come together in this alliance, there might be a problem.

I'll say again that the original idea of one corporation with smaller corporations within it is the best way to handle it.