From: D. Pearton (pearton@u.washington.edu)
Date: Fri 12 Dec 1997 - 00:33:30 EET
I normally stay out of the military debates, but I have to correct some
Peter Metcalf:
The Nguni tribes from whom Shaka forged the zulu nation had indeed face
The zulus also often defeated the Brits and Boers - I believe that Peter
In addition the pre-Shaka conflicts were faught with a long spear,
I see the Agimori as javelin and short-spear armed, capable of forming
I also believe that, as with the Morocanth, they use terrain to their
The Agimori, as non-herders, also don't have much that the nomads would
odd notions about the zulus et.al.
> >IMG I've made the Agrimori peltasts instead. [...] This reduces the
> >discipline they need yet keeps them deadly. (Makes 'em more like the
> >Zulus too-I know the Zulus didn't use long spears) .
>
> The Zulus never had to cope with enemy cavalry and they could barely
> win against rifled infantrymen when the latter were fumbling with
> screwdrivers. The main problem the Agimori have to cope with is
> the nomad cavalry charge. If they scatter, they're doomed. If
> they equip themselves as peltasts (on the plains of prax), they're
> liable to scatter and thus doom themselves. But if they stand firm
> and present a row of points to the charging cavalry, the nomad animals
> (save the rhinos) are more likely to turn away than commit suicide.
cavalry in the form of the boers (and whipped them handily). Granted
these were not an army by any means.
might have seen Zulu Dawn a little to often.
basically two impis would face each other and throw long spears
(essentially javelins) at each other until one side ran away. An assegai
is a catch-all term meaning spear. One of Shaka's innovations was the
introduction of the Iquiwa, or short stabbing spear (named
onomatapoeically after the noise it made going in-and-out of somebody) and
the tactics to use it. Battles got a lot bloodier after Dingaan and
Shaka.
close formation and breaking into loose depending on the situation. Also
unarmoured except for hide shields. I also like the idea that you use a
diffferent hide shield depending on your status (or regiment). So the
young men would use impala-hide, graduating up to bison (etc) and finaly
rhino-hide shields.
advantage quite a bit. Yes, a group of Agimori surrounded by Rhinos or
Bison on the velt are going to get trampled, or surrounded by Impala
riders are going to get pincushinned. But I don't believe they would do
that too often - add hills, dongas, some scrub and thorn-trees and
things are very different.
want - what would they bother to raid for?
Hamba Khale,
iDave
- --
Dave Pearton
pearton@u.washington.edu
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Down he sank in a chair-ran his hands through his hair- +
And chanted in mimsiest tones +
Words whose utter inanity proved his insanity, +
While he rattled a couple of bones. +
+
"The Hunting of the Snark" Lewis Carroll +
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