tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post7089623315327718408..comments2024-03-25T21:52:03.310-05:00Comments on Hill Cantons: Gladiators on TekumelChris Kutalikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-57104272506774434712011-09-08T07:30:41.927-05:002011-09-08T07:30:41.927-05:00@ckutalik:
Point taken! The Red-Hats' incursi...@ckutalik:<br /><br />Point taken! The Red-Hats' incursion into Livyanu went very well to start with, and pretty much trashed the place. It's turning into a quagmire for them, at the moment, as they only have the four legions of logistics specialists available and those lads can't handle both offensives. The Mu'uglavyani have slowed down quite a bit, and I'd expect a strategic stalemate on that front as well in the near future.<br /><br />I'd agree that the Professor was moving along his primary story arc; he'd been developing it since the 1940's, and I think we have yet to see the conclusion.<br /><br />I think you'll enjoy the Luttwak book; it's very good, and can be applied to all sorts of settings!<br /><br />Getting back to a day at the arena, you are indeed correct that the various areas of the audience are treated to a variety of bouts that take place in front of them. This gives the 'stage managers' time to set up the central 'spine' with the special layout for the wizards' duels, which are billed as special attractions. The gladiator bouts can be run as simple fights or as tournaments, with frantic betting on how long a favorite warrior or team will last. There's also light entertainment, such as jugglers and tightrope walkers, and the betting on these acts can get just as intense.<br /><br />We've built a modular arena model, and we've had some quite entertaining games fighting duels; we have a batch of suitably dressed 25mm gladiators, which get occasional outings. I took photos, and I'd better get them up on the Photobucket page for you!<br /><br />One of these days, maybe as a convention game, I'll run a full 'day at the arena' with all the trimmings; noble duels, tournaments, jugglers with torches, wizards' duels, and general mayhem all with lots of side bets!<br /><br />yours, Chirinechirine ba kalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15089801259918671141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-9370404587677940242011-09-07T09:24:10.652-05:002011-09-07T09:24:10.652-05:00@Chirine
I certainly defer to you on these matters...@Chirine<br />I certainly defer to you on these matters. I was thinking of the decisive Mu'uglavyani invasion and occupation of Livyanu in Lords of Tsamra more than anything and your point holds up for the rest of the wars (stalemate that is).<br /><br />Looking back at this I think I also made an unfair comparison to later Greyhawk. In that case it was pure cataclysm with whole nations disappearing brought on by marketing decisions by people who were removed from its creation. The political events in Barker's world have more internal logic. <br /><br />That said I did get the feeling from the later novels that the Five Empires were building to some kind of world-shattering climax. But perhaps that's just an illusion and the wheel will turn back to the ageless stability of that setting. <br /><br />Thanks for the book suggestions, I am always, always hungry for that kind of stuff. You can't read much military history without seeing a quote or three from Luttwak though I have still yet to read one of this works. Guess this is my chance.Chris Kutalikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-71719784724171590142011-09-07T08:13:09.973-05:002011-09-07T08:13:09.973-05:00@ckutalik: If I may comment on your digression:
(...@ckutalik: If I may comment on your digression:<br /><br />(A notion smashed on the rocks by the highly-decisive and volatile wars advanced by canon in later years—something akin to the shenanigans of Greyhawk's late-canon Götterdämmerung—but I digress.)<br /><br />May I politely disagree with this? The late civil war in Tsolyanu was indeed highly-decisive and volatile, but it was fought on interior lines of communication within Tsolyanu itself. The borders of the Five Empires all have terrain features that make full-scale invasions very difficult, as the Salarvyani have found in their stalemated invasion of Kerunan and the Mu'uglavyani have also found in the Chakas.<br /><br />Wars on exterior lines of communications have always been difficult on our part of Tekumel, as the Professor designed his world for maximum 'play value' over time; he favored, from a very early point, long 'campaign' adventures over quick and fast game scenarios.<br /><br />You've already mentioned Tony Bath's book on how to run wargame campaigns; may I suggest two books that the Professor introduced me to:<br /><br />"The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire" by Edward N. Luttwak<br /><br />"Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army" by Donald Engels<br /><br />Might be useful for domain game work... :)<br /><br />yours, Chirinechirine ba kalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15089801259918671141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-91436047835481555502011-09-06T20:49:31.129-05:002011-09-06T20:49:31.129-05:00You may find this link to be of interest.<a href="http://www.tekumel.com/tita/boardgames.html" rel="nofollow">You may find this link to be of interest.</a>faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-54099613197000146162011-09-06T17:31:01.733-05:002011-09-06T17:31:01.733-05:00*BIG grin**BIG grin*Victor Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-48826851187079231432011-09-06T17:13:59.100-05:002011-09-06T17:13:59.100-05:00Exactly. And you are all my gladiators. (Did I say...Exactly. And you are all my gladiators. (Did I say that out loud?)Chris Kutalikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389986049507804094.post-59182396628010651772011-09-06T14:39:31.387-05:002011-09-06T14:39:31.387-05:00Are building a ludus and then later building arena...Are building a ludus and then later building arenas phases of the Domain Game?<br /><br />;)redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.com