A simplified Rebellion could have featured the Main Event (Lucan versus Dulinor), plus a bunch of opportunistic invasions, mainly the Solomani, but also surprisingly capable Vargr and Aslan incursions.
"Hang on! The Vargr aren't supposed to be able to rout Imperial battlefleets! WTH? Everyone knows that Vargr are idiots who can never get their act together on a large scale!" etc.
A massive outbreak of internal intrigue would have been possible. Even if everyone assumed Dulinor was doomed - which would have ensured he was - plenty of local score settling could have taken place "while nobody was looking".
And the "Real" Strephon could easily have appeared once it turned out that Lucan was a Nero-esque bonehead.
And once you have one coup, another one becomes possible. The Imperial throne could easily have become part of a game of musical chairs.
I'm not sure that would have resulted in the fragmented Imperium that the Rebellion was supposedly supposed to create, but it would certainly have created havoc.
And, frankly, as a Traveller fan at the time, although one on the other side of the world, I wasn't exactly champing at the bit for the Imperium to be blown up. Although, of course, I was grognard enough both to love the canon and be able to create my own universe, just like it was done in the 70s.
Frankly, I like the TU as a piece of literature. I don't really need it to play the game. It's nice to have a common point of reference with other people though, especially people I haven't played with before. It's like a more obscure version of "it's the Star Trek/Wars/Gate/Search universe. You know how it works". Yes, that was a Simpsons joke.
"Hang on! The Vargr aren't supposed to be able to rout Imperial battlefleets! WTH? Everyone knows that Vargr are idiots who can never get their act together on a large scale!" etc.
A massive outbreak of internal intrigue would have been possible. Even if everyone assumed Dulinor was doomed - which would have ensured he was - plenty of local score settling could have taken place "while nobody was looking".
And the "Real" Strephon could easily have appeared once it turned out that Lucan was a Nero-esque bonehead.
And once you have one coup, another one becomes possible. The Imperial throne could easily have become part of a game of musical chairs.
I'm not sure that would have resulted in the fragmented Imperium that the Rebellion was supposedly supposed to create, but it would certainly have created havoc.
And, frankly, as a Traveller fan at the time, although one on the other side of the world, I wasn't exactly champing at the bit for the Imperium to be blown up. Although, of course, I was grognard enough both to love the canon and be able to create my own universe, just like it was done in the 70s.
Frankly, I like the TU as a piece of literature. I don't really need it to play the game. It's nice to have a common point of reference with other people though, especially people I haven't played with before. It's like a more obscure version of "it's the Star Trek/Wars/Gate/Search universe. You know how it works". Yes, that was a Simpsons joke.