Would the REF defoliate worlds with the FoL?

[Rabid Southern Cross Fan]

Okay,

I think its pertinent to ask just what else could the Regess in Symphony of Light mean by "The shadow of The Robotech masters has been allowed to rule this world for too long"? Isn't it likely the REF engaged in more than JUST planet annihilation with Neutron-S Missiles (which, of course, is bad enough)? Certainly denying the Invid the Flower of Life and Protoculture to squeeze them logistically would be a top priority. There is no reason to believe, given dialogue by Zor Prime and The Regess, that the Flower of Life can ONLY grow on the Earth. She does says its the last known protoculture (not Flower of Life) in the universe is on Earth in Symphony of Light.

So, if the Flower of Life (or mutated versions thereof, or even Zor-engineered substitutes that yield something LIKE Protoculture) could be spread all over Hell's Half-Acre. The REF certainly could have come across worlds where it was growing, giving The Regent sufficient energy supplies to run his war machine. Wouldn't it be militarily smart to poison/destroy those supplies and/or seize/destroy those stockpiles? Is it possible that by 2044, Earth was literally it as far as known sources of the FoL and Protoculture because the REF either destroyed or controls it all?

[ShadowLogan]

I am not sure that the REF/UEEF would do defoliate worlds unless a last resort, said worlds would prove useful to them given they also have a finite supply of PC. They would need those worlds to produce new stocks of Protoculture, which if TSC is to be believed by 2044 was exhausted to a 1year supply (maybe more with conservation and more efficient designs) but was somehow kept hush-hush.

The Novels did have FoL variations (mutations) that could be utilized by the Invid (and others). How much of that still remains I don't know. It would seem to make sense that worlds targeted by the Invid would have something of value to them I would think, "pride" alone type events (like Tirol per OVA) I suspect would/should be rare.

[Lt Gargoyle]

I think it would depend on the commander in charge of operations of a particular mission. If it was hunter, then no. Edwards without a second thought.

I do not think they would kill off a native population to starve the Invid. but they would blockaded the world to starve them.

[Chris]

Since the FOL is heavily invasive; in my campaign I just have them in a series of massive orbital farms well away from any colony world tended by loyal 'Stage 5' Invid. Figure that way if some Invid that didn't get the memo the war is over pop up they would go there rather then any populated area.

That's for the protagonist nation of course, the worlds of the Fantoma sector have a mix of orbital farm and surface plantation (Praxis, Garuda etc). Engine tech has also diversified using monopole ore and other forms of power generation so by 2155 (where the campaign is set) utter dependency on Protoculture is less of a thing then it used to be.

[Jefffar]

I'd say the willingness to use a potentially extension event inducing weapon on their own home world hints that the UEEF was not shy about using techniques potentially dangerous to life on a planetary scale.


That being said, the Haydonites desire to end the humans for being protoculture users does hint that human actions were not significantlydecreasing access to the substance .

[Lt Gargoyle]

Well from what I saw it was General Reinhardt who was all about firing the NS missiles. the Others seemed rather supportive of the idea in the briefing.