Where will the steel come from?

Where will the alliance's steel come from? Three suggestions have been offered

This depend of grade of steel. They could relatively easily re-install the captured Grik industry in Madras, but they wouldn't be able to obtain high-grade steel quickly. Definitely not the armor-grade or gun-grade, and totally not instrumental-grade.

The only nation that could produce high-grade steel, that Alliance currently in contact with, is the Republic. They have at least XIX century-level of steel industry, and could produce it in large quantites.

So, i think currently the Alliance would need the republic's steel as short-therm solution, and rebuild the Madras as long-time solution.

For me the problem is not steel but mines. They are manpower intensive. Madras is impossible (you would need too many workers).

@ Admin we have no idea of the population of those once forced out of India returning, they have fielded over 1,000 mounted warriors. Given the manufacture of machine guns in Baalkpan the alliance is learning to make steel. We know both the Bessemer converter and the open hearth furnace is in use.

Madras is impossible (you would need too many workers).

Well... they could always organise the Grik breeding. After all, they captured pretty enough civilian Grik's on Madagascar - probably a lot of low-rank females, too. If they would establish strict population control - with lemurian supervisers, and a breeding program, aimed on selection of non-agressive Grik population - they could pretty fast obtain the enclaves with non-agressive Grik's, who would be capable to provide Alliance with man... hm, grikpower for heavy industry.

I see two problems, one Matt Reddy's and the Destroyermen's abhorrence of slavery. Well POWs were expected to work, and when they surrender agree to work for their keep. Sending them to India might be a smart move.

However removing the Grik civilians from Madagascar to India would also rise the second, the Czech Legion (true Czechs and their 'cat allies) hate the Grik. This would cause a problem. Another is the fact most are Hij rather than Uul.

I see two problems, one Matt Reddy's and the Destroyermen's abhorrence of slavery.

Well, make this as war reparations; they produce workforce as a part of the war compensation list.

However removing the Grik civilians from Madagascar to India would also rise the second, the Czech Legion (true Czechs and their 'cat allies) hate the Grik. This would cause a problem. Another is the fact most are Hij rather than Uul.

Well, currently the Legion is the least valuable of all Alliance members; they have virtually no industrial capabilites and their population is relatively small. And the India is large. After all, if Alliance would not come to reclaim India, the Legion would still be no more than nuisance for Grik's.

And also, the Lemurians would probably not want to allow Griks to live on Madagascar anymore. This is their sacred motherland, after all.

I do not think that the Czech Legion would complain about war repatriation or the use of captured prisoners in reconstruction in fact given the conditions I would think they would expect it