Re: [Epic] Harsh conditions = tough warriors

From: Seth Ben-Ezra <Azathoth_at_...>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 17:34:25 -0500

On 24 Jan 97 at 15:43, Alan Brain wrote:

> 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...
>
> ---------------------- <> <> How doth the little Crocodile
> | Alan & Carmel Brain| xxxxx Improve his shining tail?
> | Canberra Australia | xxxxxHxHxxxxxx _MMMMMMMMM_MMMMMMMMM
> ---------------------- o OO*O^^^^O*OO o oo oo oo oo
> By pulling MAERKLIN Wagons, in 1/220 Scale
>
Do you live on a Deathworld or something? Sheesh! The most dangerous
thing around here are rabid Magic players! :)

Seth Ben-Ezra
Great Wolf
Received on Fri Jan 24 1997 - 22:34:25 UTC