Why isn't Vulpes Inculta the successor to Caesar?

[Starstruck Paladin]

He is much smarter than Lanius and Lucius, and proved himself time and time again during Operation Racket. With NCR holding the Dam, him penetrating the south and destroying whole towns, infiltrating Curtis even before NCR came to Nevada, bribing the Omertas and all that makes him a very intelligent and smart leader in my opinion.

Legatus Lanius is a fearsome warrior, but he doesn't understand logistics to effectively lead the Legion. He is also short-sighted, and while he understands battle tactics and detection of traps, it doesn't make any sense to put him into charge.

It makes much more sense for Vulpes to be in charge.

[no1schmo]

I think it's because The Legion is built as a cult of personality for Caesar, because he forces everyone to bow to him. Whoever takes over the reins, not having the advantage of everyone being brainwashed from birth to kiss his rear, has to be able to get that kind of loyalty. Lanius is a terrifying and fearsome opponent; anyone who questions him privately will be too scared to say it out loud, and everyone else will respect the heck out of him, as an utterly fearless warrior and capable general who inspires the troops to fight. Sort of like Alexander the Great and Belisarius and other front-line fightin' generals of the past. You make a very good case that Vulpes is a very smart, clever individual, and would likely do well if there was any sense of democracy or even plutocracy, but I think there are some lines in the game that even many of the Legion do not trust him for that very reason, that he's sort of viewed as a snake. He is their snake, but he doesn't get the rank-and-file fired up and ready to fight and die.

[R.O.T.O.R.]

Vulpes' greatest strength lies in not being the man on the big chair, so it would work better for him if Lanius or someone else (assuming he can be on the winning side) is on the big chair

[Starstruck Paladin]

Originally posted by no1schmo:

I think it's because The Legion is built as a cult of personality for Caesar, because he forces everyone to bow to him. Whoever takes over the reins, not having the advantage of everyone being brainwashed from birth to kiss his rear, has to be able to get that kind of loyalty. Lanius is a terrifying and fearsome opponent; anyone who questions him privately will be too scared to say it out loud, and everyone else will respect the heck out of him, as an utterly fearless warrior and capable general who inspires the troops to fight. Sort of like Alexander the Great and Belisarius and other front-line fightin' generals of the past. You make a very good case that Vulpes is a very smart, clever individual, and would likely do well if there was any sense of democracy or even plutocracy, but I think there are some lines in the game that even many of the Legion do not trust him for that very reason, that he's sort of viewed as a snake. He is their snake, but he doesn't get the rank-and-file fired up and ready to fight and die.

I felt through the game that those under Vulpes were pretty loyal to him. Frumentarius Gabban and Atticus in particular were very fond of him, calling him "the Great" and such. What he could do is get himself someone tough as a sidecick, to fill in that void, much like Eddie uses Scrambler. Much like Caesar uses Lanius.

Originally posted by R.O.T.O.R.:

Vulpes' greatest strength lies in not being the man on the big chair, so it would work better for him if Lanius or someone else (assuming he can be on the winning side) is on the big chair

And where does it say that? Lanius is even more "tough" and "coleric" than Caesar, yet he is the second in command.

[no1schmo]

Those under Vulpes, yes. But, and I could be wrong, I seem to recall some rank-and-file soldiers not liking him. Which is pretty normal; regular soldiers usually distrust the intelligence guys and spies even today. Getting a right-hand man might work...but the problem with right-hand men is that they are basically in the perfect position to depose you, especially if you promote them precisely to be the popular friend/hero of the troops. I mentioned Belisarius earlier; Emperor Justinian relied on him heavily as a great general, and yet, he had to constantly reassign him to avoid the possibility of him gaining the loyalty of the troops and taking over Constantinople, aka, doing exactly what Julius Caesar did. Justinian had another general, I can't remember his name, started with an "N", but he was a somewhat old eunuch, so the Emperor was far less worried about him doing the same. This may also be a factor as to why Vulpes isn't the number two; Caesar knows what I just said, obviously, and he may have feared Vulpes was clever enough to orchestrate a coup or assassination if he was second in command. I think it's hinted that such a thing may have also motivated Caesar to get rid of Joshua Graham (in addition to the stated reason). I just downloaded the game to play it again after several years, so my memory is not crystal clear on this.

[R.O.T.O.R.]

Vulpes as head of the frumentarii is a spy and uses shady tactics to achieve victory while Lanius is more the person to break down the front door, given how power dynamics like this normally work out yes Lanius is the second in command

[Castyles]

Lanius is the alpha and Vulpes is the sigma.

[R.O.T.O.R.]

it's almost like the power structure of the legion in inherently unstable

[Scythia]

Because he died in Nipton after telling the Courier to attack him if the Courier disagreed with the wholesale slaughter Vulpes had carried out there.

[Danny]

Personally I could see a 3-way leadership between Lucius, Lanius and Vulpes.
They'd effectly be the council of the Legion, drawing on each others strengths to lead the Legion.

[Starstruck Paladin]

Originally posted by Danny:

Personally I could see a 3-way leadership between Lucius, Lanius and Vulpes.
They'd effectly be the council of the Legion, drawing on each others strengths to lead the Legion.

Their methods are too different, they'd end up doing stuff like charging enclave remnants and losing hundreds of legionaries for lacking a direction

[R.O.T.O.R.]

Originally posted by Danny:

Personally I could see a 3-way leadership between Lucius, Lanius and Vulpes.
They'd effectly be the council of the Legion, drawing on each others strengths to lead the Legion.

because the Tetrarchy worked out so well for Rome

[Danny]

The Legion will die regardless of what leadership is in charge, if the Courier doesn't to join them.

When the Courier does join them, even a female Courier, would definitely triple the Legion's chances of survival.
Like Ulysses said, you (the player) have the power to make or break a nation.