[ShivanSlayer]

Freespace 2 honestly didn't touch logistics much compared to Freespace 1.  Attacks on supply depots and convoys were much less common

[Mito [PL]]

Any attempt of directly engaging the Sathanii would've been snuffed out with zero, or close to zero success. If not to Sathanii's own weapons or the onslaught of other Shivan units, then even under ideal circumstances, to simple technological wear and tear.

During the engagement with only the first Sathanas, even without taking a single beam hit Colossus has racked up months worth of drydock repairs due to technical wear and tear plus internal damage caused by pushing the ship to its limits to defeat the monster in a satisfactory amonut of time. The same would happen to the hypothetical assault effort, but by tenfold.

Realistically looking (outside of just game logic), I doubt the entirety of GTVA would have enough resources - ship durability, reactor fuel, heavy bombers and Helios bombs - to defeat more than several Sathanii, let alone twenty, let alone with fleets worth of smaller Shivan vessels likely moving to defend, let alone with an evacuation to handle, let alone with a short time limit... Even if they somehow managed it, I expect they'd be met with Shivan fleets rampaging through the core worlds. Not ideal.


If there was anything to change the outcome I can think of, it'd be one of:

a) certain higher up decisions being done earlier and/or differently - hindsight is 20/20, but a faster decision to abandon the nebula exploration might have led to Knossos destruction being successful, or starting preparations to nuke existing nodes earlier might have put GTVA in a position where they could disable the Capella-Gamma Draconis node before it was too late,

b) something completely ridiculous and desperate - what if instead of nuking nodes, the GTVA attempted to disrupt whatever Sathanii were doing by detonating all of Meson bombs close to the star?

c) any other plot point/MacGuffin you could imagine, from wonder weapons to divine interventions. My favourite thought is a group of desperate GTVA survivors stuck behind enemy lines deciding to go out in glory, trying to deal as much damage to whatever looks important as possible, potentially striking something VERY important to Shivans that would distract them from Capella.

It's all about what kind of an alternate story you'd want to write...

[ShivanSlayer]

Any attempt of directly engaging the Sathanii would've been snuffed out with zero, or close to zero success. If not to Sathanii's own weapons or the onslaught of other Shivan units, then even under ideal circumstances, to simple technological wear and tear.

During the engagement with only the first Sathanas, even without taking a single beam hit Colossus has racked up months worth of drydock repairs due to technical wear and tear plus internal damage caused by pushing the ship to its limits to defeat the monster in a satisfactory amonut of time. The same would happen to the hypothetical assault effort, but by tenfold.

Realistically looking (outside of just game logic), I doubt the entirety of GTVA would have enough resources - ship durability, reactor fuel, heavy bombers and Helios bombs - to defeat more than several Sathanii, let alone twenty, let alone with fleets worth of smaller Shivan vessels likely moving to defend, let alone with an evacuation to handle, let alone with a short time limit... Even if they somehow managed it, I expect they'd be met with Shivan fleets rampaging through the core worlds. Not ideal.


If there was anything to change the outcome I can think of, it'd be one of:

a) certain higher up decisions being done earlier and/or differently - hindsight is 20/20, but a faster decision to abandon the nebula exploration might have led to Knossos destruction being successful, or starting preparations to nuke existing nodes earlier might have put GTVA in a position where they could disable the Capella-Gamma Draconis node before it was too late,

b) something completely ridiculous and desperate - what if instead of nuking nodes, the GTVA attempted to disrupt whatever Sathanii were doing by detonating all of Meson bombs close to the star?

c) any other plot point/MacGuffin you could imagine, from wonder weapons to divine interventions. My favourite thought is a group of desperate GTVA survivors stuck behind enemy lines deciding to go out in glory, trying to deal as much damage to whatever looks important as possible, potentially striking something VERY important to Shivans that would distract them from Capella.

It's all about what kind of an alternate story you'd want to write...

Sealing the Capella - Gamma Draconis Node after the fall of the first Sathanas was Command's best move.  The portal was open too long and stabilized the Nebula node.  Knowing the Shivans, this would have only delayed them, but it could have bought the GTVA time to arm up to fight the Shivans.