Re: Merc Guild - Not Really

On Sun, 06 Jan 2002 16:58:04 -0800 Diamond <nezach@earthlink.net>
writes:
>At 06:46 PM 1/6/02 -0500, you wrote:
>>John said:
>> > When was the last time an Arab nation won a tank
>> > fight?
>>
>>Translation:
>>The doctrine they use--which to the best of my knowledge is Soviet 
>doctrine
>>for all of them, right?--turns out not to be effective against the 
>opponents
>>they've faced.
>
>
>What does any of this have to do with GZG games?
>
>
>Ndege
>

Well, there are at least two Canon Arab/Islamic powers - The IF and The
SK - Plus the Turks (Yes, to a much lesser degree - I have read about
their skill in Korea)  that either carry the past practices forward or
have 'solved the problems' that have been their fate since at least the
1900's.  

Although IIRC the Egyptians fought well against the Brits around mid to
late 1800's - forget what war, I'll have to look it up.  European
trained
and equipped, willing to fight but defeated in part to bad officers and
in part a case of "...Yes, I taught you all you know but not all 'I'
know..." and part insufficient infrastructure.

In the Tuffleyverse I assume that they have overcome illiteracy
(enough,)
lack of training (enough,) and rotten doctrine (enough,) to be second or
third tier players in the 'Game of Star Empires' in the games [FT, DS2,
SG2].  I mean if the IC can do it with the (form or lack of a)
government
given then why not the Islamic/Arab powers?  We need to keep 'current
real world Arab' and 'GZG future Arab' nations as separate.  Ditto the
Thousand Nations and my NPC from "Native American" cultures today.  And
also the PRC and the PHR of my little block of insanity...

And OT *and just to push John A's buttons*  <grin> - while I haven't
read
all of Clancy's books I did note that the only 'good guy'
Arabs/Islamicists seem to be the mole/assassin who tries to off Ryan and
some 'enlightened royalty'  in the books...  So Atkinson and Clancy
agree?

Stereotypes usually have some experiential seed of truth in the
experience of the holder of the stereotype.  It's frequently the
exception that becomes the perceived norm...

Gracias,
Glenn/Triphibious@juno.com
This is my Science Fiction Alter Ego E-mail address.
Historical - Warbeads@juno.com
Fantasy and 6mm - dwarf_warrior@juno.com

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