December 6th, 2010, 13:59
thriller .. oops, I mean filler post ... 
***WARNING*** THIS THREAD CONTAINS RANDOM PICTURES OF SHAKIRA ***WARNING***
***WARNING*** THIS THREAD CONTAINS RANDOM PICTURES OF SHAKIRA ***WARNING***
December 6th, 2010, 14:39
Well my first PBEM thread .. so here goes
Firstly, here's the majestic form of our beloved leader:
![[Image: ShakaZulu.jpg]](http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/GingerEagle1969/RB-PBEM/ShakaZulu.jpg)
and his lovely wife:
![[Image: shakira_2.jpg]](http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/GingerEagle1969/RB-PBEM/shakira_2.jpg)
if I have nothing to post on any given day, I reserve the right to release further shots of the wife's WMDs [Weapons of Mass Distraction]
On 22 January 1879, 20,000 Zulu warriors, armed primarily with light throwing spears called assegais, stormed a camp of the British army near a hill called Isandhlwana. The British force consisted of 850 Europeans, including the 2nd Warwickshire, a battalion of veterans with twenty-one years' service. The British infantry was supported by two field guns and a rocket battery, and additionally by about 950 native troops who, though poorly armed and trained, nevertheless provided some support. Within a couple of hours, the British force was annihilated; only a handful of survivors returned to British lines in Natal. The Zulu casualties were estimated at 2000.
How was this possible? Throughout the British colonial experience, small forces of well-armed and trained troops had achieved overwhelming victories over `primitive' native troops. In fact, just a day after Isandhlwana, 4,000 Zulus attacked a mission station at Rorke's Drift which was used as a supply dump and hospital. Rorke's Drift was defended by only 100 British troops, many of them wounded and sick. Yet by morning, the Zulus retreated, and the British, though they suffered many casualties, were left in possession of Rorke's Drift.
In both cases, the British troops fought bravely, so to what can we attribute the difference in the outcomes? Donald Morris's detailed account makes it clear that the decisive factor was the quality of leadership. The British officers at Isandhlwana were complacent and conducted themselves and arranged their troops as if they were in a rear area; they did not distribute sufficient ammunition; they failed to send out enough patrols and they downplayed the reports of those that were sent out. In contrast, with only a few hours’ notice, the officers at Rorke's Drift brilliantly improvised fortifications from bags of food; they placed their troops with care and supplied them with ammunition. During the battle itself, they exercised impeccable tactical judgement.
Jared Diamond describes the defeat of the Incas by Francisco Pizarro at Cajamarca on 16 November 1532, where an Inca army of 80,000 was defeated by a mere 62 mounted men and 106 foot soldiers of the Spanish force. According to Diamond's thesis, the defeat was foreordained by massive advantages that the Spanish had over the Incas, such as superior weapons and horses, and that these advantages ultimately arose from a favourable ecology in Eurasia in terms of geography, climate, and plants and animals available for domestication. Yet as Morris claims, `A nimble man afoot with an assegai was almost a match for a mounted man with a single-shot carbine, ...' (Morris, 1965, pp. 530-531). One cannot help wondering that if the Incas had pressed home an attack with the courage and fortitude of the Zulus, or if Pizarro had been as negligent as Col. Anthony Durnford at Isandhlwana, the result would have been a massacre of the Spanish.
Of course, one battle does not a war make, and the Zulu state was eventually destroyed when the full might of the British empire was brought to bear upon them, as predicted by Diamond's thesis.
Diamond is adamant that the differences in the development of the different continents were not caused by any genetic inferiority or cultural inadequacy (though recognizing significant cultural diversity). This is proved by noting that once a new technology is introduced, it can be rapidly assimilated by indigenous peoples. Surely, some cultures should have taken to manufacturing modern weapons, if not to repel the Europeans, then at least to gain ascendancy over their neighbours.
The eventual defeat of the Zulus at Ulundi was foreordained despite the setback at Isandlwana. By the mid to late nineteenth century, European technology—steamships, railroads, and breech-loading guns with rifled barrels—was so advanced that no pre-industrial society was likely to catch up. But before then, the Spanish hold on South America must have been tenuous in the sixteenth century. If the Incas had massacred Pizarro's troops at Cajamarca, they would certainly have won a respite in which they could have copied or re-invented the Spanish technology. All they really needed was a Shaka to mould their army into a formidable fighting force ...
... well, they have that now!!!!
As said before, this is my first PBEM .. I have lurked these forums without creating an account for some time now, but felt the need to do so as I spotted a new game was just starting. With Sandover bowing out, this gave me the opportunity to seek experienced aid, and he agreed! I was originally thinking of Kublai Khan (or, indeed, Stalin) of the Zulus as my choice but when the Incas were still available, i had to pounce to stop someone else being over-powered. To gain the most synergy, Shaka was the obvious choice, and this choice may have caused shock-waves through the other players. I guess they'll expect me to be on the offensive all the time and will have to give me some respect despite my n00b status. My only worry at the time of writing is whether Rome, or indeed the Zulus, is the last choice .. fingers-crossed this isn't the case.
Ooh an note on city names [No namby-pamby 'Roses' or 'Pearls' here] I'm using the hits of the wifey .. the capital will be called 'Waka Waka Shaka' [or 'WakaWakaShaka' as I think spaces are not allowed] and I'll get 'SheWolf' & 'HipsDontLie' up as soon as possible
Workers will all be named 'ShaggyXX'
Quechua will be named 'ShabbaXX'
Scouts will be named 'WyclefXX'
'XX' being any number from '01' to '99'
Firstly, here's the majestic form of our beloved leader:
and his lovely wife:
if I have nothing to post on any given day, I reserve the right to release further shots of the wife's WMDs [Weapons of Mass Distraction]
On 22 January 1879, 20,000 Zulu warriors, armed primarily with light throwing spears called assegais, stormed a camp of the British army near a hill called Isandhlwana. The British force consisted of 850 Europeans, including the 2nd Warwickshire, a battalion of veterans with twenty-one years' service. The British infantry was supported by two field guns and a rocket battery, and additionally by about 950 native troops who, though poorly armed and trained, nevertheless provided some support. Within a couple of hours, the British force was annihilated; only a handful of survivors returned to British lines in Natal. The Zulu casualties were estimated at 2000.
How was this possible? Throughout the British colonial experience, small forces of well-armed and trained troops had achieved overwhelming victories over `primitive' native troops. In fact, just a day after Isandhlwana, 4,000 Zulus attacked a mission station at Rorke's Drift which was used as a supply dump and hospital. Rorke's Drift was defended by only 100 British troops, many of them wounded and sick. Yet by morning, the Zulus retreated, and the British, though they suffered many casualties, were left in possession of Rorke's Drift.
In both cases, the British troops fought bravely, so to what can we attribute the difference in the outcomes? Donald Morris's detailed account makes it clear that the decisive factor was the quality of leadership. The British officers at Isandhlwana were complacent and conducted themselves and arranged their troops as if they were in a rear area; they did not distribute sufficient ammunition; they failed to send out enough patrols and they downplayed the reports of those that were sent out. In contrast, with only a few hours’ notice, the officers at Rorke's Drift brilliantly improvised fortifications from bags of food; they placed their troops with care and supplied them with ammunition. During the battle itself, they exercised impeccable tactical judgement.
Jared Diamond describes the defeat of the Incas by Francisco Pizarro at Cajamarca on 16 November 1532, where an Inca army of 80,000 was defeated by a mere 62 mounted men and 106 foot soldiers of the Spanish force. According to Diamond's thesis, the defeat was foreordained by massive advantages that the Spanish had over the Incas, such as superior weapons and horses, and that these advantages ultimately arose from a favourable ecology in Eurasia in terms of geography, climate, and plants and animals available for domestication. Yet as Morris claims, `A nimble man afoot with an assegai was almost a match for a mounted man with a single-shot carbine, ...' (Morris, 1965, pp. 530-531). One cannot help wondering that if the Incas had pressed home an attack with the courage and fortitude of the Zulus, or if Pizarro had been as negligent as Col. Anthony Durnford at Isandhlwana, the result would have been a massacre of the Spanish.
Of course, one battle does not a war make, and the Zulu state was eventually destroyed when the full might of the British empire was brought to bear upon them, as predicted by Diamond's thesis.
Diamond is adamant that the differences in the development of the different continents were not caused by any genetic inferiority or cultural inadequacy (though recognizing significant cultural diversity). This is proved by noting that once a new technology is introduced, it can be rapidly assimilated by indigenous peoples. Surely, some cultures should have taken to manufacturing modern weapons, if not to repel the Europeans, then at least to gain ascendancy over their neighbours.
The eventual defeat of the Zulus at Ulundi was foreordained despite the setback at Isandlwana. By the mid to late nineteenth century, European technology—steamships, railroads, and breech-loading guns with rifled barrels—was so advanced that no pre-industrial society was likely to catch up. But before then, the Spanish hold on South America must have been tenuous in the sixteenth century. If the Incas had massacred Pizarro's troops at Cajamarca, they would certainly have won a respite in which they could have copied or re-invented the Spanish technology. All they really needed was a Shaka to mould their army into a formidable fighting force ...
... well, they have that now!!!!
As said before, this is my first PBEM .. I have lurked these forums without creating an account for some time now, but felt the need to do so as I spotted a new game was just starting. With Sandover bowing out, this gave me the opportunity to seek experienced aid, and he agreed! I was originally thinking of Kublai Khan (or, indeed, Stalin) of the Zulus as my choice but when the Incas were still available, i had to pounce to stop someone else being over-powered. To gain the most synergy, Shaka was the obvious choice, and this choice may have caused shock-waves through the other players. I guess they'll expect me to be on the offensive all the time and will have to give me some respect despite my n00b status. My only worry at the time of writing is whether Rome, or indeed the Zulus, is the last choice .. fingers-crossed this isn't the case.
Ooh an note on city names [No namby-pamby 'Roses' or 'Pearls' here] I'm using the hits of the wifey .. the capital will be called 'Waka Waka Shaka' [or 'WakaWakaShaka' as I think spaces are not allowed] and I'll get 'SheWolf' & 'HipsDontLie' up as soon as possible
Workers will all be named 'ShaggyXX'
Quechua will be named 'ShabbaXX'
Scouts will be named 'WyclefXX'
'XX' being any number from '01' to '99'
December 6th, 2010, 15:00
December 6th, 2010, 15:11
novice Wrote:Wow... Do you have similar essays prepared for the other civ / leader combinations you were considering? Most impressive.
may have .. or, at least, I would have Googled one
novice Wrote:Why is aggressive an obvious choice for the Inca?
I think it was quite obvious as Huayna Capac's original traits were Aggressive/Financial, plus this makes the Quechua UBER for a long, long, time into the game! Shaka also brings Expansive which means the Terrace is half-price .. so I get Aggressive, Expansive AND Creative (effectively) in one go!! WIN, WIN & WIN!!!
December 6th, 2010, 15:23
December 6th, 2010, 15:39
December 6th, 2010, 15:43
December 6th, 2010, 16:24
Selrahc Wrote:I was expecting it not to stack, just your comment about uber Quechas made me wonder.
right .. :neenernee
December 7th, 2010, 03:16
December 9th, 2010, 06:46
Sandover Wrote:Spaces are most definitly allowed, though there is an upper character limit preventing very long names.
(mainly replying to bump our thread to the top
)cool, I've play-tested a possible start & think the names w/o spaces still look OK, so I'll go with that .. dammit(!) am I really showing too much of my n00b status in these forums? Oh well, maybe the other players are in for a shock if they come calling early on .. :neenernee
early tech & build queues - open for discussion
tech:
1: Pottery (get those terraces out asap)
2: Hunting (Scouts & hopefully there's Deer/Furs - at least the worker isn't idle)
3: Mining (it's pre-req)
4: Bronze Working (get that Worker chopping!)
5: Archery (then we can defend cities better :ranatt: & release the Quechua's for aggressive scouting
)6: Animal Husbandry (there's bound to Cows/Pigs/Sheep, besides it's a pre-req to ...)
7: Horse-Back Riding (if there horse around, otherwise skip to ...)
8: Fishing (if we start by the coast - could be promoted to 2: if this is the only food supply)
build:
1: Worker (Shaggy01 - with Agriculture as a start tech, at least we'll have farms!)
2: Quechua (Shabba02, to defend - Shabba01 will scout close by until he's relieved to go exploring for city-sites)
3: Terrace (Pottery should've finished by now, Shaggy01 can start cottaging)
4: Scout (Wyclef01 - if Hunting's finished, on auto-mode, otherwise I'll forget to move him)
5: Barracks (extra promo for the Archers)
6: Worker (Shaggy02 - Shaggy01 will be getting tired!)
7: Settler (should have an idea where 'SheWolf' can be founded by now)
8: Archer (Timberlake01 - should be tech'd by now
- Shabba01 & Shabba02, now relieved, can go exploring with intent )think this'll get us to about turn 40+ ... will follow with another Settler if a site suitable for 'HipsDontLie' is available or we haven't already conquered a Barbarian city in a good location. I want 3 cities up by turn 50!