F4U Corsair
Spaceman
Go ahead, who wins?
Nephilim vs. Steltek
- Thread starter F4U Corsair
- Start date
F4U Corsair
Spaceman
I concure
All That Remains
Spaceman
Steltek would win. bugs don't have a chance.
What if the Nephilim enlisted the help of the Aligned People, whom we know nothing about? Seeing as how the Nephilim are a part of the Aligned People it is only common sense that they would help the Nephilim if they are threatened. But I have not plalyed Privateer and have thus little knowledge of the Steltek and their weaponary/capabilities.
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
We don't really know anything about either group, and it's a situation that by the very nature of the Steltek w/could not occur.
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Versus threads sometimes make sense - we can give an intelligent comparison of all sorts of things (one fighter versus another, for instance)... but in this situation it's "the aliens we don't know anything about from Prophecy" compared to "the aliens that all we know about them is they don't go around fighting people from Privateer" - which is a silly thing to debate.
Dundradal
Frog Blast the Vent Core!
This is one of those not good "Hey well let's assume this about them because it would make for a more interesting debate" ones.
The Steltek are very much against encountering others unless necessary. They meet Burrows in the middle of space with no one around and only tell him enough so that he can destroy the drone.
The Steltek are very much against encountering others unless necessary. They meet Burrows in the middle of space with no one around and only tell him enough so that he can destroy the drone.
X_FIREFALCON
Spaceman
Hmmmm...
I don't know, guys...I kind of think it's an interesting thought to ponder, though the most any of us could probably do is speculate.
I myself have never played Privateer, so I just know little tidbits here and there about the Steltek, so please correct me if I'm wrong, guys:
From what I gather, basically their technology is probably thousands upon thousands of years (hell, maybe EONS) ahead of Confed. But of course, coupled with that is the fact that the Steltek are no longer expansionists...they've become reclusive and once their empire collapsed, they kind of faded into obscurity and moved to the center of the galaxy; there they sit and observe the stars tirelessly, making sure that their technology doesn't fall into other races' hands.
But when I develop an image of the Steltek, my brain wants to liken them to the elves in Lord of the Rings. If their empire spanned most of the galaxy but now only occupies the center, does that mean their numbers were completely decimated? Does it mean that the Steltek themselves may be dying off (genetically?), and just choosing to remain out of the way of the other races - to leave the universe to the others as their race fades into nothingness?
Even if you move beyond this whole doomsday interpretation, I'd still have to envision them as numerically inferior to some of the other races, and being that they've seen their own technology and development as the downfall of their empire, I'm also inclined to think that they may have also come to shun them, and perhaps that knowledge (and power) may begin to be lost over time.
And then I think about the Nephilim...when I first posted to these forums and expressed an interest in writing a continuing fan-fiction storyline to follow up on the events of Prophecy, I asked the WC Community about a variety of things. The issue of the Aligned was brought up, and this fueled a discussion in and of itself. From what I gathered, it was intended that the Aligned was a collection of 3 prominent races with perhaps an entity overseeing the alliance/alignment of these 3.
If this is a simple case about the Steltek versus the bugs, I'd have to agree with what most are saying here - that the bugs would get their butts kicked...
...but if we're talking about the Aligned versus the Steltek, I don't think that one is quite as easy to answer, and the most any of us can do is probably base things on opinion.
Above, you read my opinion on the Steltek - whether right or wrong, whether you agree or disagree.
As for my feelings on the Aligned...I envision the bugs as being grunts of this alliance. I envision them having large colonies that span countless star systems (they are, afterall, insects...so for every human, there's about a bazillion of them on this planet, right?)...of the alliance, I also envision their race probably being the best pilots as well (if you ignore the whole human-Kilrathi conflict and just think about the natural abilities of creatures on the Earth, what would you envision the best natural aviators to be? If you ignore the fact that they both fly into windows, I would probably put birds and insects into this category...or as that would translate into Wing Commander...Firekkans and Nephilim; that's as "natural" pilots).
As far as my storyline goes, I was also trying to come up with some idea of what the other races would be. I figure that the Nephilim would be used by the Aligned for air/space superiority (even if they couldn't win technology-wise, they could use "zerg" tactics to swarm an area)...but while the bugs themselves could STILL be used as ground forces as well, I instead picture the need for one of the races to be elite shock troopers...by no means as numerous as the bugs, but perhaps better equipped to wage ground warfare. Assuming all of this fits into the Kilrathi Prophecy, this could also be a race that the Kilrathi encountered WAYYYY back when - to the events that transpired to give rise to this Prophecy. When I asked the Community for ideas on what the other races might be, the idea of some kind of canine-like alien was suggested...cats afraid of dogs; sounds kind of funny, but I can't throw the idea out altogether. And if you think of some kind of technologically advanced werewolf-like race....ehhh, it has the potential to be a bit of a scary adversary to wage a ground campaign against.
At this point, let me also say that I realize there were bugs being fought in stations during the Prophecy and SO engagements, so we know they're not exclusive to ships...but we never actually saw any planetary engagements in either campaign either (so there was either the potential for there to be another race involved for those battles or perhaps the bugs alone engaged Confed and the Kilrathi when they ventured into our space.
So if we have our ground troops and our pilots of the Aligned, what would that leave us with for a third race? The only thing I could think of would be the highest race on the scale that would govern and/or intimidate the others (whip them into submission). They would be to the Aligned what the Royal Family was to the Kilrathi, only this would be a different alien race than what it oversees. Perhaps this race would not have to be as numerous as the others, but maybe they have better technology or are far more intimidating to behold? I have thought of what I want this race to be, but will not discuss it here...this is just to properly analyze the question and answer it as best as I feel my creativity (or lack thereof) can.
Then, assuming this race itself was not the head of the alliance/alignment and there was some ultimate power above it, you would have to determine what that godly (well, godly by Aligned standards) is and what it is capable of.
So if you follow my reasoning...and you consider that the Steltek at one time HAD the best technology and the largest size numerically, but has been steadily declining...and then you take the violent expansionist Aligned, and figure that they are growing, their technology and knowledge expanding with each race they consume and/or eliminate...
...eventually you come to that threshold where you look at both groups and think to yourself, "hmmm...that could be ugly."
So as for my answer, I'm going to say that I think there's a chance the Aligned could be a match for the Steltek - even if it means their numbers alone would have to negate the superiority of Steltek technology.
Or perhaps another consideration - having been as vast as the Steltek Empire once was, they perhaps had the knowledge of the entire galaxy. The Aligned are known for "consuming" other races...perhaps this means that they try to glean as much knowledge and wisdom as they can from their prey before they eradicate them and move on....perhaps the Aligned are trying to move towards being as wise and omniscient as the Steltek. Maybe they left the Kilrathi alive back when and left the Prophecy as they did so that they could come back and absorb all that progress, knowledge, and perfection that went into the Kilrathi psyche. Maybe their plan has little to do with the Confederation or the Kilrathi directly...maybe their objective is to make it to that point where they could perhaps defeat (and "consume") the Steltek to usurp the title of the ultimate force in the universe, and Confed and the Kilrathi are simply a means to that end?
Well, some interesting points to ponder...I don't want to stray too much from the topic at hand (though I realize I probably already did)...
To summarize...when I think about these two groups (Aligned and Steltek) put against one another...I just think it has the potential to be one hell of a fight...
- FireFalcon ~};^
I don't know, guys...I kind of think it's an interesting thought to ponder, though the most any of us could probably do is speculate.
I myself have never played Privateer, so I just know little tidbits here and there about the Steltek, so please correct me if I'm wrong, guys:
From what I gather, basically their technology is probably thousands upon thousands of years (hell, maybe EONS) ahead of Confed. But of course, coupled with that is the fact that the Steltek are no longer expansionists...they've become reclusive and once their empire collapsed, they kind of faded into obscurity and moved to the center of the galaxy; there they sit and observe the stars tirelessly, making sure that their technology doesn't fall into other races' hands.
But when I develop an image of the Steltek, my brain wants to liken them to the elves in Lord of the Rings. If their empire spanned most of the galaxy but now only occupies the center, does that mean their numbers were completely decimated? Does it mean that the Steltek themselves may be dying off (genetically?), and just choosing to remain out of the way of the other races - to leave the universe to the others as their race fades into nothingness?
Even if you move beyond this whole doomsday interpretation, I'd still have to envision them as numerically inferior to some of the other races, and being that they've seen their own technology and development as the downfall of their empire, I'm also inclined to think that they may have also come to shun them, and perhaps that knowledge (and power) may begin to be lost over time.
And then I think about the Nephilim...when I first posted to these forums and expressed an interest in writing a continuing fan-fiction storyline to follow up on the events of Prophecy, I asked the WC Community about a variety of things. The issue of the Aligned was brought up, and this fueled a discussion in and of itself. From what I gathered, it was intended that the Aligned was a collection of 3 prominent races with perhaps an entity overseeing the alliance/alignment of these 3.
If this is a simple case about the Steltek versus the bugs, I'd have to agree with what most are saying here - that the bugs would get their butts kicked...
...but if we're talking about the Aligned versus the Steltek, I don't think that one is quite as easy to answer, and the most any of us can do is probably base things on opinion.
Above, you read my opinion on the Steltek - whether right or wrong, whether you agree or disagree.
As for my feelings on the Aligned...I envision the bugs as being grunts of this alliance. I envision them having large colonies that span countless star systems (they are, afterall, insects...so for every human, there's about a bazillion of them on this planet, right?)...of the alliance, I also envision their race probably being the best pilots as well (if you ignore the whole human-Kilrathi conflict and just think about the natural abilities of creatures on the Earth, what would you envision the best natural aviators to be? If you ignore the fact that they both fly into windows, I would probably put birds and insects into this category...or as that would translate into Wing Commander...Firekkans and Nephilim; that's as "natural" pilots).
As far as my storyline goes, I was also trying to come up with some idea of what the other races would be. I figure that the Nephilim would be used by the Aligned for air/space superiority (even if they couldn't win technology-wise, they could use "zerg" tactics to swarm an area)...but while the bugs themselves could STILL be used as ground forces as well, I instead picture the need for one of the races to be elite shock troopers...by no means as numerous as the bugs, but perhaps better equipped to wage ground warfare. Assuming all of this fits into the Kilrathi Prophecy, this could also be a race that the Kilrathi encountered WAYYYY back when - to the events that transpired to give rise to this Prophecy. When I asked the Community for ideas on what the other races might be, the idea of some kind of canine-like alien was suggested...cats afraid of dogs; sounds kind of funny, but I can't throw the idea out altogether. And if you think of some kind of technologically advanced werewolf-like race....ehhh, it has the potential to be a bit of a scary adversary to wage a ground campaign against.
At this point, let me also say that I realize there were bugs being fought in stations during the Prophecy and SO engagements, so we know they're not exclusive to ships...but we never actually saw any planetary engagements in either campaign either (so there was either the potential for there to be another race involved for those battles or perhaps the bugs alone engaged Confed and the Kilrathi when they ventured into our space.
So if we have our ground troops and our pilots of the Aligned, what would that leave us with for a third race? The only thing I could think of would be the highest race on the scale that would govern and/or intimidate the others (whip them into submission). They would be to the Aligned what the Royal Family was to the Kilrathi, only this would be a different alien race than what it oversees. Perhaps this race would not have to be as numerous as the others, but maybe they have better technology or are far more intimidating to behold? I have thought of what I want this race to be, but will not discuss it here...this is just to properly analyze the question and answer it as best as I feel my creativity (or lack thereof) can.
Then, assuming this race itself was not the head of the alliance/alignment and there was some ultimate power above it, you would have to determine what that godly (well, godly by Aligned standards) is and what it is capable of.
So if you follow my reasoning...and you consider that the Steltek at one time HAD the best technology and the largest size numerically, but has been steadily declining...and then you take the violent expansionist Aligned, and figure that they are growing, their technology and knowledge expanding with each race they consume and/or eliminate...
...eventually you come to that threshold where you look at both groups and think to yourself, "hmmm...that could be ugly."
So as for my answer, I'm going to say that I think there's a chance the Aligned could be a match for the Steltek - even if it means their numbers alone would have to negate the superiority of Steltek technology.
Or perhaps another consideration - having been as vast as the Steltek Empire once was, they perhaps had the knowledge of the entire galaxy. The Aligned are known for "consuming" other races...perhaps this means that they try to glean as much knowledge and wisdom as they can from their prey before they eradicate them and move on....perhaps the Aligned are trying to move towards being as wise and omniscient as the Steltek. Maybe they left the Kilrathi alive back when and left the Prophecy as they did so that they could come back and absorb all that progress, knowledge, and perfection that went into the Kilrathi psyche. Maybe their plan has little to do with the Confederation or the Kilrathi directly...maybe their objective is to make it to that point where they could perhaps defeat (and "consume") the Steltek to usurp the title of the ultimate force in the universe, and Confed and the Kilrathi are simply a means to that end?
Well, some interesting points to ponder...I don't want to stray too much from the topic at hand (though I realize I probably already did)...
To summarize...when I think about these two groups (Aligned and Steltek) put against one another...I just think it has the potential to be one hell of a fight...
- FireFalcon ~};^
BlackJack2064
Spaceman
Well at least he is thinking it out logically and not going for the fanboy...BIGGER IS BETTER theme.
X_FIREFALCON
Spaceman
*shrugs*
Pretty funny, Delance. Honestly, why even bother throwing a race like the Mopok into the Wing Commander Universe to begin with? I guess it makes more sense than having everyone be at the same point evolution-wise...but I dunno - there's just something that baffles the mind when you're watching a story about the future of mankind, and then we stumble upon a race of humanoids in loin cloth toting spears; when the past and the future meet, the brain (at least my brain) has a hard time keeping up with what's going on.
BlackJack2064, thanks for the praise for me not falling into the foolish fanboy state of mind.
Edfilho, yeah, you're absolutely right. Unfortunately, as the topic of discussion was presented...about the only way any of us COULD answer, though, is just through opinion and therefore in the realm of what we'd all call "Fan Fiction." I mean, to my knowledge there's been no official documentation in the WC Universe about any hostile engagements between the Steltek and the Nephilim, so it all comes down to a matter of opinion. I voice mine, and I'm willing to concede that I could very well be COMPLETELY wrong. But it's a topic that's fun to at least think about (and for those of us frequenting these boards, some of us could USE such a distraction!), so I just walked you all through my thought-process, and gave my own opinion as to how to answer the question.
By all means, feel free to tell your own opinions...it's an interesting discussion, and I'd definitely take an interest in reading what others have to say on the topic.
I'm not one of these unreasonable types who believes he's right and everyone else is necessarily wrong...especially in such matters of opinion as this. I never intended to hold my thoughts out there as truisms, and apologize if anything was conveyed or interpreted that way.
I just thought it was an interesting topic, so I thought I'd share my views, opinions, and interests in it...whether for better or worse, though hopefully better.
Humbly,
Your fellow WC community fan,
FireFalcon ~};^
Pretty funny, Delance. Honestly, why even bother throwing a race like the Mopok into the Wing Commander Universe to begin with? I guess it makes more sense than having everyone be at the same point evolution-wise...but I dunno - there's just something that baffles the mind when you're watching a story about the future of mankind, and then we stumble upon a race of humanoids in loin cloth toting spears; when the past and the future meet, the brain (at least my brain) has a hard time keeping up with what's going on.
BlackJack2064, thanks for the praise for me not falling into the foolish fanboy state of mind.
Edfilho, yeah, you're absolutely right. Unfortunately, as the topic of discussion was presented...about the only way any of us COULD answer, though, is just through opinion and therefore in the realm of what we'd all call "Fan Fiction." I mean, to my knowledge there's been no official documentation in the WC Universe about any hostile engagements between the Steltek and the Nephilim, so it all comes down to a matter of opinion. I voice mine, and I'm willing to concede that I could very well be COMPLETELY wrong. But it's a topic that's fun to at least think about (and for those of us frequenting these boards, some of us could USE such a distraction!), so I just walked you all through my thought-process, and gave my own opinion as to how to answer the question.
By all means, feel free to tell your own opinions...it's an interesting discussion, and I'd definitely take an interest in reading what others have to say on the topic.
I'm not one of these unreasonable types who believes he's right and everyone else is necessarily wrong...especially in such matters of opinion as this.
I never intended to hold my thoughts out there as truisms, and apologize if anything was conveyed or interpreted that way.I just thought it was an interesting topic, so I thought I'd share my views, opinions, and interests in it...whether for better or worse, though hopefully better.
Humbly,
Your fellow WC community fan,
FireFalcon ~};^
Haesslich
Spaceman
At this point, the only things we know about each race are as follows:
Steltek:
Nephilim:
Steltek:
- Have been around for several million years
- Have had spaceflight for at least several million years
- Can create wormholes wherever they wish
- Were highly advanced as a species, though they've had little to no contact with the known races since recorded history began
- They have some way of monitoring our space, if only because they discovered the Steltek Drone was actively pursuing Grayson Burrows
- Are probably not humanoid, and are very reclusive
Nephilim:
- Have been around for at least several thousand years in their present form, if not millions
- Have had spaceflight for at least several thousand years
- Can create wormholes at specific locations
- Fairly advanced technology, though their rate of technological development is unknown
- Have probably had contact with at least one known species within recorded history, possibly more
- May have had some way of monitoring our space, given that they did return to Kilrah after all this time, though the possibility that it is coincidence cannot be discounted
- Are definitely not humanoid
- There are more of them than just those we saw
F4U Corsair
Spaceman
Based on my Limited knowledge of insect Biology... and other types of Sci fi... the mother creature was prolly like the Borg Queen, or the Alien Queen something like that, or a Queen from a Bee hive. Yes the Nephilim were the Bugs... I have a feeling "alligned people" was just something else they called themselves, like the Bentusi called themselves the "Unbound" I could be wrong, but thats my best guess.
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
Nephilim is the Confed code-name for the attacking aliens, not what they call themselves.