> So , I think maybe we should close this never-ending discussion about
> ramks which leads us so far from our main interest. (Is it really your
> main concern when you look at the series to know if Schenkopp is an
> Admiral, a general or a bertender ?)
>
*ugh* yeah, i think we've kind of beaten this topic into the ground
already. to the point that now i almost regret even bringing the topic up
(and not even out of interest in ranks, per se, as StarFleet and
Reichsflotte fleet organization). yeow!
i guess that we should be satisfied that schenkopp is "a fairly
high-ranking dude" in the FPA army. ;-)
changing the subject...
during the first and second TV series, as well as in the first movie,
we see the empire use nukes (ie. legmiza, westerland, and heinessen). i
wonder why it is that they don't resort to nukes more often. i mean, they
have some pretty powerful ones that can lay waste to a whole planet. i'm
especially curious, since at the same time, i can't think of any instances
of the alliance using nukes... does the alliance even have them?
you'd think that the alliance, being shorter on conventional military
resources, might be more driven to use at least tactical nukes. iserlohn
comes to mind. and those large, neat imperial formations make an inviting
target for tactical weapons. no, usage of nuclear weapons seems limited to
the empire.
and when they are used by the empire, they seem to be used without much
thought, as a weapon of convenience. rienhard drops one at legmiza to
ignite the hydrogen atmosphere of the planet; braunschweig decides to make
an "example" of westerland; mittermeyer takes out the FPA army's strategic
HQ from orbit.
i was wondering if tanaka has an explanation in the novels as to why
nukes are used only by the empire or aren't used more often. or, are the
use of nukes in the TV series another deviation from the manga?
does anyone have an explanation?
-- Wayne H. Yin why@mail.utexas.edu