Re: [Epic] Harsh conditions = tough warriors

From: Alan Brain <aebrain_at_...>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 15:43:00 -0800

Jason Stephensen wrote:
 

> >>-the strange idea of harsh environments=make super humans (Fremen,
> >>Sardaukar, Katachan Jungle Warriors)

> Here in Australia, we have a reputation of breeding great soldiers, and it
> used to be claimed it was the harsh life on the land that did this. However,
> when the researchers finally bothered to check the facts of the situation,
> most of the soldiers of the first and second world war came from the city.
> I'm not debating the truth of the harshness breeding good soldiers, but it
> isn't always the case. Sometimes the best seems to come from the breeding
> and the desire to win.

You've got to remember that the majority of people reading this list are
either from the US or the UK. In the US, if shows like COPS are to be
believed, Necromunda is not that far from reality. And there are parts
of the UK - Brixton comes to mind - where Harsh is exactly thge right
word to describe the environment. I'm told that THE BILL is relatively
truthful, even optimistic. ( Jeez, no wonder the Poms came up with the
WH40K Universe).

Australian cities are relatively benign. Petrol stations do not look
like fortresses. Even Banks don't usually have any security glass, it's
all open and over the counter. Sydney has about a 100m by 300m area,
called Redfern, that's an exception. Police go there in pairs. But
that's it.

Of course our wildlife has machine guns and an attitude - Redback
spiders (basically, Black Widows), Funnelweb Spiders ( Tarantulas ),
Death Adders, etc etc plus Sharks, Crocadiles, the Sea Wasp ( a very
deadly jellyfish - one of the few poisonous beasties on the planet which
is really lethal to a fit adult human), Blue-Ringed Octopi.... Most of
these beasties are found only in the wild. But the spiders are common
round the suburbs. Snakes somewhat less so. (For example, in Sydney,
about 20 miles from the city centre, I'd find 10-20 Funnelwebs and 2-5
Redbacks in the garden in any one year, but only saw one Death Adder in
10 years, and only a dozen poisonous snakes in total).
  
I'll let the Colonel tell you about Cane Toads...

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Received on Fri Jan 24 1997 - 23:43:00 UTC