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... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

 Furyou Miko wrote:
... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

They're both on the same planet, which meant nuking the other without mutually assured destruction was unfeasible. Imperium ships in orbit wouldn't have that problem. Plus they could just replace our population with their own colonists. It's not like they haven't purged their own planets and repopulated them before.

 EngulfedObject wrote:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

They're both on the same planet, which meant nuking the other without mutually assured destruction was unfeasible. Imperium ships in orbit wouldn't have that problem. Plus they could just replace our population with their own colonists. It's not like they haven't purged their own planets and repopulated them before.

Also they were fairly equal in terms of firepower and technology level. If there was an imbalance of power, it would have looked more like the opium wars between the British and the Chinese.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

They're on the same planet, and unlike Imperial Ships we could actually kill each other. If the Imperium really wanted to make a show of force, they'd just bombard some desolate region of Canada or America to get the point across.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the American populace. There's a surprisingly large number of people who would attempt to oppose the Imperium.

... and be made horrible examples of on live television. ISIS beheading videos have nothing on the things the Imperium can do to you.

 Psienesis wrote:
Never underestimate the stupidity of the American populace. There's a surprisingly large number of people who would attempt to oppose the Imperium.

... and be made horrible examples of on live television. ISIS beheading videos have nothing on the things the Imperium can do to you.

"Helmsman do you see that city?"

"Yes Lord-Admiral?"

"I don't want to."

"Firing Lance Batteries at 10% power m'lord."

You don't operate your weapons from the helm, that's the job of the Ordnance Officer

But, still, again, never underestimate the stupidity of the American populace or, at least, sections of it. That is a road to ruin and despair.

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

They're on the same planet, and unlike Imperial Ships we could actually kill each other. If the Imperium really wanted to make a show of force, they'd just bombard some desolate region of Canada or America to get the point across.

Which is why every country in the world surrenders when the US or other nuclear power gives them a nasty look?

(OK, OK, the sole time nuclear weapons were used the victim surrendered, but that's a bit of an extreme case).

The problem is many many things cannot be gained by firepower, if the Imperium just wants Earth and not the people then they can unleash all sorts of weapons. Maybe a targeted virus that only kills humans so the infrasctructure is intact.

But if they want Earth's 7 billion people, cities, farms etc they'll have to be more clever.

Don't forget in the end the Imperium wants to save us and bring us into the Emperor's light. If they just want real estate they can set up shop in Mars or Venus and in a century or two have an inhabitable planet. In space real estate is cheap. It's people that are unique and special.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Which is why every country in the world surrenders when the US or other nuclear power gives them a nasty look?

(OK, OK, the sole time nuclear weapons were used the victim surrendered, but that's a bit of an extreme case).

The problem is many many things cannot be gained by firepower, if the Imperium just wants Earth and not the people then they can unleash all sorts of weapons. Maybe a targeted virus that only kills humans so the infrasctructure is intact.

But if they want Earth's 7 billion people, cities, farms etc they'll have to be more clever.

Don't forget in the end the Imperium wants to save us and bring us into the Emperor's light. If they just want real estate they can set up shop in Mars or Venus and in a century or two have an inhabitable planet. In space real estate is cheap. It's people that are unique and special.

Unlike the Imperium, the US can't nuke other countries without serious consequences or without nuclear retaliation. The Imperium can. This combined with the technological disparity makes the situation entirely different from a Cold War or present day scenario.

That and they've convinced countless human populated planets to join them before. If we were only a tiny branch of greater humanity, who have interstellar capability and a galaxy-spanning empire, what's to say we would be so hard to convince to work with them? They only need to bring our national governments to their side (through diplomacy, coercion, agents, assassinations, technological prowess, show of superiority, etc) and we'll do their dirty work for them by policing ourselves.

That, and we know the Imperium means business - if we make too much trouble, they would exterminate us without a second thought.

So while yes, there would be significant opposition, there would also be significant efforts on a national or supranational level at appeasement and suppressing that opposition in a headlong race to avoid extinction. It's human nature after all.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
... how long did the US and the USSR point nukes at each other before the cold war ended?

They're on the same planet, and unlike Imperial Ships we could actually kill each other. If the Imperium really wanted to make a show of force, they'd just bombard some desolate region of Canada or America to get the point across.

Which is why every country in the world surrenders when the US or other nuclear power gives them a nasty look?

(OK, OK, the sole time nuclear weapons were used the victim surrendered, but that's a bit of an extreme case).

The problem is many many things cannot be gained by firepower, if the Imperium just wants Earth and not the people then they can unleash all sorts of weapons. Maybe a targeted virus that only kills humans so the infrasctructure is intact.

But if they want Earth's 7 billion people, cities, farms etc they'll have to be more clever.

Don't forget in the end the Imperium wants to save us and bring us into the Emperor's light. If they just want real estate they can set up shop in Mars or Venus and in a century or two have an inhabitable planet. In space real estate is cheap. It's people that are unique and special.

The one thing the Imperium does not lack is manpower.