The Star Citizen Star Map has be released to the RSI website. Intrepid citizens are presenting analysis of same. Based upon information acquired from the Citizen Con Stream, the Vanduul must know of jump points we don't to get a fleet to Vega with no warning.
So with the released Starmap including Jump Points, I was just messing around with it when I noticed something rather concerning to me, being an aficionado of strategy/tactics where concerned.
The way I see it, there's almost two "halves" to the known universe in the map. There's a "Lower" and "Upper" section (I am aware this is totally arbitrary, see picture for orientation) where Hadrian is the KEY system to the whole division. The reason for this is that there is no Large Jump Point (in the archive) between the "Lower" and "Upper" sections anywhere except the system of Hadrian. (alternatively, the chain between Ellis, Magnus, Stanton and Terra are along the same choke points, but being cut off at Stanton puts Terra on the other side, a capital, wouldn't cut anything off).
Admittedly, a great number of the large jump points form chains with no alternate routes, but some spots are a little more "vital" than others.
Please refer to the images below.
So realizing that, I saw some serious issues, and I think the UEE sees them too.
THE VANDUUL FRONT
The only connection for large ships to get from Sol (or anywhere past Davien really) is to head all the way around to Hadrian (166.74AU). For mediums it's a little easier, jump through Ferron to Idris and take the straight shot to Vega from there. But that's still almost 60AU. For smalls, well. The distance calculator was broken since those 3 jumps were apparently 60AU when 9 was 48AU. But clearly from the map smalls have it easiest, Croshaw to Nul to Vega. The point here is that if the UEE starts sending all the biggest ships it has to defend Vega and the like... it's a long way back.
Unless of course somewhere in those Red systems is another large jump point or two that bridges the gap. Which, given the supposed size of Vanduul space, is more than likely. This creates the problem. The Vanduul don't have far to go (potentially), but the UEE's biggest fleets would be stuck travelling for days if they had to be suddenly recalled.
Was the attack on Vega a UEE conspiracy? Maybe, but the Vanduul aren't stupid, as far as I know. An absolutely sound strategy would be to harass the "Upper" division of the map while preparing for real attacks in the "Lower" division. It did seem really convenient that the attack was fought off with no apparent warning, but maybe that's just how the Vanduul wanted it. The timing with the Senate hearing was just on their part to keep us off guard as to what they were doing. I can't speak for UEE Strategists, but the situation could become bad if too much firepower is sent to Vega for that reason. It is entirely possible this is why systems like Orion and Tiber were abandoned to the Vanduul. It just isn't feasible to keep lots of power out there when it could expose the defenses on the other side of the gap open to attack. But now that there's this big debate about whether or not to be more aggressive in the colonies, that probably means they'll be getting more ships. And since these ships come from other places, probably closer to Sol, that leaves Sol weaker, since new ships take time to build.
Of course none of this means anything if there are large jump points yet to be discovered anywhere between Sol and Vega. But that's some ways off, maybe the Vanduul are the ones who use them, who knows. The key thing here is that the UEE is vulnerable. Our claims are split in half (for big ships) across a dozen systems (it actually is 12 systems from Earth to Vega, including Sol). I'm not privy to fleet deployments, but that is just asking for trouble, especially when all that traffic has to go through Hadrian. If I was Vanduul and I knew all this (there's no reason to think they don't), that's the first place I would cause real trouble. Especially since Hadrian has minimal defenses, it's a trade bazaar. However, on that note.. attacking the travel hub between sectors would be a surefire way to make sure all the fleets stay at home. If the idea is to draw attention and personnel away from the lower area, then maybe more attacks throughout the colonies are needed.
So while all these ships are flying to reinforce Vega ever since Admirable Bishops' speech (not a typo), the Lower front is weakening. And I suspect that's just the plan here, assuming the Vanduul really do want us all dead.
From here on out it's all just nonsense ramblings and scenarios. The important stuff is above.
A fleet of small ships could even jump straight through Nul to Croshaw and cause havoc there, potentially even threaten Sol. It would be a long shot, but to cause as much terror as possible, that would be the way to do it.
XI'AN LINES
The Xi'an have much the same situation as the Vanduul (they have their own bridge across the gap). Except they happen to be close to Hadrian. As far as I know, our cooperation with the Xi'an is pretty cold, and we can't predict their moves. IF, and I stress if, the Xi'an decide to help the Vanduul for whatever reason, they could be the ones that split the Empire in half and destroy all our ability to maneuver. It wouldn't be that hard, they have a pretty straight shot. The unfortunate proximity to Terra is probably the only thing FOR us in that situation. But that doesn't seem very likely. On the other hand, that other alien race back there behind the Xi'an, if we contacted them and managed to piss the Xi'an off, it could happen.
THE BANU?
Well, I'm not convinced they'll ever do anything that might get them killed. But for posterity's sake, why not. If they teamed up with the Vanduul, they would have a pretty clear run down to Ellis, another choke point in the UEE travel line. But that is really stretching their luck, pretty far to go from their systems. They could have a connection to Tamsa, putting them in striking distance of Banshee and Idris, potentially pushing those lines in with the Vanduul.
LIST OF SYSTEMS THAT IF BLOCKADED WOULD CUT OFF AT LEAST TWO UEE SYSTEMS FROM LARGE SHIPS: (Assuming Terra and Sol are focal points)
Castra
Hadrian
Nyx
Idris
Nemo
There are other systems of importance, but that allow for bypasses to supply subsequent isolations.
Davien, Killian, Ellis, Magnus, and Stanton are key in the link between Terra and Sol. But attacking these locations would be just about suicide
Comments Concerning This Analysis:
Interesting analysis here - though I do have one thing to point out. Hadrian isn't 'lightly defended' - it may be a trade bazaar, but it's apparently heavily mined - fortifications were built up in Hadrian during the UEE-Xi'an cold war.
Concerning the Xi'an, I got the impression (through reading up on lore etc.) that their relationship with the Vanduul are quite a bit worse than those they have with us (especially since our relationships with the Xi'an seem to go uphill still).
The Vanduul have been probing the lines for decades looking for weaknesses and checking response times. They started with Elysium, but then moved north. Now, if they fake the UEE into moving ships north of Hadrian to Bremen it will leave a few short jumps from the Elysium to Sol with no backup coming from McArthur, since all Terran forces have been redeployed north of Hadrian to meet an advancing Vanduul.
Vanduul attack on Vega was a check. Now they send in a larger fleet to march to bremen and set up shop, raking havoc on neighboring systems. UEE has no choice but to send a large fleet in response not only to retake Bremen, but push Vanduul back beyond Vega, leaving Earth with no reinforcements. Earth has a rather large fleet patrolling it, but the Vanduul know this. It's not that fleet they worry about, it's the reinforcements...and there probibly wont be any.
Please check out the new Star Map on the RSI website.
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