Adridos, on 28 December 2011 - 12:44 PM, said:
"But we still have 7 planets, it's more than enough!" "We will hold the Clans on our borders and won't let them through!"
I love the enthusiasm of those 2-3 guys representing their house and being so foolish to actually believe that.
Never underestimate the ability a couple of men or women who are fanatically devoted to their cause have to accomplish their goals.
This goes doubly so if they have deep pockets and a modicum of strategic sense.
Just as the clan players are playing alongside them, they will be playing alongside many of these clan players, watching, waiting, and collecting intel on the enemy within (or collaborators as I expect them to be dubbed).
My thoughts would be that you will see two clearly defined 'waves' when the clan invasion starts - a huge zerg rush initially of clan players, with the front lines most exclusively composed of newer, unreasonably enthusiastic players. The clans will in all likelihood use these initial conflicts as impromptu trials, cherry picking the ones who perform reasonably into proper line units and consolidating any gains made by the rush.
Knowing that they are outnumbered, if their commander has their wits about them, he or she will commence an elastic defence, giving ground where neccessary, reinforcing key strategic points such as critical jump points, drawing the clans into inconclusive, extended campaigns where key units are held up and unable to reinforce assaults elsewhere, and attempting to force the clans to overextend their supply lines as was done in canon. Afterwards,anticipate black ops behind enemy lines, assassinating key commanders and attempting to foment disarray in the ranks where possible (much more likely amongst ardent crusaders who are likely to be hot heads than with warden players).
A large part of how things play out will also depend on the implementation of zellbrigen - will clan players be penalised for failing to adhere to it? You'd hope so, else there's little to stop clan players (RP considerations aside) from simply resorting to massed forepower, or not bidding away their forces at the commencement of an engagement to minimise losses.