More advanced technology, and an intact industrial base (unlike the Terrans, who's most advanced world is overrun by Zerg (Tarsonis) and the Protoss who lost their highly centralized homeworld (Auir)). The only thing the Dominion has going for it compared to the UED is that they likely have more developed psychic powers compared to Earth-Humans, thanks to the UPL's purges. Really, I think that Earth and the UED could probably crush any of the other factions if they weren't so far away from the action at this point in time.IskatuMesk wrote: Well, Earth would be immensely powerful by now, far more than the Dominion (barring any massive apocalyptic sunbursts or something). I can see them jumping in again if they wanted to; and losing a fleet would be good grounds for retribution (to keep the powers in the sector from ever threatening them?) I dunno, I'd think they would do something in sc2.
The only thing really stopping them from getting involved would be the distance, and their own willingness to get involved in that whole mess. Although it can't take too long for them to get from Earth to the Korprulu Sector, seeing how quickly they were able to get a fleet together and send it over there after the Zerg and Protoss showed themselves. I'd be willing to bet that we're going to see the UED invasion retconned into "DuGaulle's fleet was already on their way to conquer the Korprulu Terrans, saw what was going on with the Protoss and Zerg and decided to make enslaving the Zerg a secondary objective".
There's plenty of reason for them to get involved: They have a missing fleet, they'd still like to have control over the Korprulu Sectror Terrans, and there's the only two alien species they've ever encountered over there. One of which is quite hostile to you thanks to the whole "trying to enslave your hivemind" thing. The only real question is: would them getting involved serve any purpose in the story? To which, the answer is likely no.thebrowncloud wrote: I don't see the UED coming back in as much of a force as they were during the Brood War, especially since the Overmind is dead, as AA7 mentioned. They lost their only potential advantage and no psi disruptor certainly messes things up a great deal as well. I do, however, see a rallying of some of the remaining UED forces under the banner of newly resurrected Vice Admiral Stukov. I don't know what they would do, but my only guesses are that they would form a band similar to Raynor's Raiders or they would attempt to rebuild just enough to make it home. If they do get back to Earth, THEN I could see the UED potentially returning. Stukov, after all, was able to disassemble and reassemble the psi disruptor, so he has knowledge of at how it works, to a degree. And if they could outfit ships with that technology, they could do a great deal.