How powerful is the Island Nations?

Questions about the locations mentioned in the series; and those about the backstory not seen in the games.
Post Reply
Felenan Prince
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:27 pm
Location: The Island Nations formerly called Philippines

How powerful is the Island Nations?

Post by Felenan Prince »

Well during suikoden 2 Shu says something near the end about the various possible threats to Dunan. These included Harmonia Grassland and the Island Nations. And now in suikoden 5 Lucretia didn't want to have to fight against them. So how much military might does these islands have?
User avatar
redturn36
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:03 am
Location: guess where

Post by redturn36 »

It's just my theory but i guess the "rumor" about them having rune cannons would be a factor of their military might. Sure it was a rumor but many were afraid of it and considered it to be dangerous.

That's just one point,BTW[/b]
xa3
Albert Silverberg
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:10 pm
Contact:

Post by Albert Silverberg »

Well, here are what can possibly make them formidable, IMO:

- Rune Cannons. At the timeline of SII/V, we don't really know if there are still Rune Cannons. There may be some, or there may be none at all.

- Pirates!! Cmon, who would be happy to have Pirates as their enemy?

As for their Military might? Well they have their knights from Razril and the Obel Guards. That's about it, not counting even more pirates :)

Actually, I don't know if Shu considers that a formidable threat. Harmonia and Grassland, now these are real threats (Harmonia has a huge army, and the grasslands have . . . . . .LIZARDS AND DUCKS!). Maybe Shu really didn;t mean the Island Nations?
User avatar
redturn36
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:03 am
Location: guess where

Post by redturn36 »

Actually by the time of V there were still rune cannons and some active rune shells however there are only a few left. These however, still proved to be powerful.

Then i guess the knights factor might also be posssible.
xa3
User avatar
son_michael
Posts: 2235
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:24 am
Location: New York

Post by son_michael »

its obvious the Island Nations have become alot more powerful

this is what suikoden 5 tells us

they have soldiers

they have fleets assigned to captains

they have a millitary ranking system

they have a council

they have/had rune cannons

unfortunatley at the end of suiko 5 all the rune cannons get destroyed so the island nations dont have them anymore

as for the razril knights and stuff...keep in mind that a hundred and 40 something years have passed, the razril knights may not even exist anymore and if they do still exist there probably an exclusive force native to razril


The Island Nations are known for there tradding and there naval forces so its safe to assume there just a nice little army dedicated to protecting there islands

I'm not sure why shu would think the Island nations would wanna attack Dunan..but its obvious that the island Nations are a threat to any nation, the way Armes and Falena feared/revered them is a strong indication of that...it seems the weak little band of islands we knew of from suikoden 4 have become a force to be reckoned with
User avatar
Rivera
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:41 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Contact:

Post by Rivera »

Correction: The Rune Cannon Ammo gets destroyed. Even then, we can't rule out that eventually some powerful wizard COULD repeat the process over. Of course even with limited ammo it's still a bluff tactic. And if they can find ammo in a shipwreck in Suikoden V, they might be able to find more of it - Yahr only destroyed what they had - but it never ruled out there's more out there.

Speaking of which, I wonder if the shipwreck they find in Suikoden V is the pirate Steele's ship. It did have the Eyeball-Style Rune Cannons, and the monster was a humanoid-fish creature, and as we know, the Rune Cannons mutate those who get too close to it.
What is most important to you? Will you give me the happiness of taking it away from you?
User avatar
redturn36
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:03 am
Location: guess where

Post by redturn36 »

Thanks for correcting me there .

Then i agree with you. With what hey have i guess anyone would think they could be a potential threat
xa3
User avatar
Rivera
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:41 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Contact:

Post by Rivera »

Also another sidenote I just thought of. Eyeball cannons don't need rune ammo to be dangerous. The beam from an Eyeball Cannon is enough to transform people into monsters which for the most part attack indescriminately. you let an Island Nations vessel get portside with one of those and you're going to have a town of nasty Fishmen that will attack any humans they come across - not to mention that in Suikoden Tactics, it seemed there is a way to have limited control over those newly born Fishmonsters.
What is most important to you? Will you give me the happiness of taking it away from you?
Simeon
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:33 pm

Post by Simeon »

I dont know if you can call the island nations weaklings. By the looks of it they seem to be doing fairly well. A
Felenan Prince
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:27 pm
Location: The Island Nations formerly called Philippines

Post by Felenan Prince »

Yes Shu clearly mentions the island nations its at the end of the game after beating the beast rune and then you go to war room 1 last time and shu asks you to be president of Dunan.

I originally though they were completely weak considering how much land they Island Nations really have. I guess I underestimated them becouse of that :P
User avatar
redturn36
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:03 am
Location: guess where

Post by redturn36 »

About that shipwrecked ship

Wasnt that like a powerful Island Nation Federation ship that got destroyed 60 years before V? I believe it contained a rune cannon and some rune cannon ammunition.

Besides...Steele's ship gets annihalated.That ship there was mentioned by Yahr in his recruitment process if i remember clearly
xa3
User avatar
son_michael
Posts: 2235
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:24 am
Location: New York

Post by son_michael »

redturn36 wrote:About that shipwrecked ship

Wasnt that like a powerful Island Nation Federation ship that got destroyed 60 years before V? I believe it contained a rune cannon and some rune cannon ammunition.
yep, that ship was going to the island nations with a supply of rune amo and a rune cannon but it got pulled into the coral reaves and the crew was most likely killed by the monster

the ships name is clearly sated{I dont remember it though} and it was an Island Nations Federation ship

deffinatley no pirate ship
Eyedol
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:01 pm

Post by Eyedol »

Whether or not they retain the Rune Cannons, it's stated in Suikoden II that people from the Island Nations are superb fighters (or something to that effect).

Speculation:
  • By themselves, their military might is limited to sieges to coastal towns and naval skirmishes.
  • Their population numbers are small (because of the islands' size).
  • Arrable land is very limited, so they survive mostly by trading.
  • It's reasonable to say they have the most accurate sea charts.
I'm not sure whether Rune Cannons are gone for good; an Island Nations ship with a Rune Cannon and ammunition crashed 60 years after the Island Liberation Wars (and after the events of Rhapsodia/Suikoden Tactics) might hint that either someone else followed Warlock's steps or the Rune Cannon has been redesigned/reverseengineered (the cannons DO look different).

Either way, they would be an excellent ally for Falena to protect itself from northern-based incursions ... by picketing supply ships/fleets and laying siege to coastal towns/supply bases.
User avatar
Night
Posts: 361
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 10:21 am
Location: Land of the free and the brave

Post by Night »

Whether or not they actually have rune cannons and ammo makes no difference. It was said at some point during V that just the threat and bluster of potentially having these weapons gave the Island Nations considerable bargaining power.
Ice has formed and there's snow between the tracks/ And I have seen the surface tear and I can't look back/ And cool low sun has blinded you for days from horizon to horizon can I dream this all away
User avatar
ShardStar
Posts: 438
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:53 pm
Location: No Where
Contact:

Post by ShardStar »

They did mention that in fact, one of the soliders on Nivel Island says you'd be surprised how much milage we can get out of empty cannons. Sorta like saying you have Nukes, the other sides then worry what you may do with those Nukes. Whether those Nukes are any good is just something they don't know and don't want to chance.

Though they did as well hint that Yahr hasn't destroyed other shells convinscated, just the one that the Prince happened to be in the presence of.
Post Reply