Thread:Zillafire101/@comment-4960835-20160524105213/@comment-25309944-20160813012648

If anything, this incident might demonstrate just how ill-prepared France is (by design) to fight an offensive war in Mirus. Even with some advanced warning, both the blockade and the front line erected along the border are paper-thin. As France moves into those positions, entrenches its troops, restocks its fortifications, stations, and bases, etc, it will take them time to reach full strength. It won't be able to launch a significant bombing campaign of the Mendel territory until well into the second week, though its fighters will be flying sorties in support of the blockade equipped with a limited number of anti-ship missiles.

The blockade is not a military maneuver, it's a diplomatic shield France is erecting around itself. By swaying so many nations to participate in it, France created a situation where, if the Mendel were to challenge the blockade, they would also be attacking the Draconid Imperium, the TIAF, the Eldarisian Empire, the Waptoria, and whoever else opted to participate. Whether the Mendel are willing to risk going to war with all of Mirus at once is their call, but I hope the choice would at least give them pause.

There's a chance France might escalate its demands in the second week when its military situation improves, threatening to bomb if the Mendel doesn't scale down to pre-Crisis troop levels.