I'm bearly able to stand it

From: Steve Lieb <steve_at_necadon.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 17:41:55 -0500


Score one for the Glorantha Digest, once again, another discussion that was rolling along (the Rathori raids and the spin off discussions about yurts, for example) rather merrily IMO has descended to ad hominem attacks.

I'm not the list police here in any sense whatsoever, but would it be totally inappropriate for me to ask that people simply refute arguments and not insult people? None of this is *really* that big a deal. YGMV, IMO, etc.

Please flame me privately on THAT part, if you so feet inclined.

In regards to the Rathori raiding Char Un.

The Char Un are nomads, we all seem to agree with that. One might be inclined to suggest that nomads are inherently - tactically and strategically - more mobile than a footbound people. But this is moot; the point seems to revolve around whether

  1. a Rathori foot raiding party could close successfully with a Char Un village
  2. if they don't the raid fails; if they do, can the Char Un flee with enough valuables to make the raid not worth implementing (risk vs reward)?
  3. if they can flee with this consequence, the raid fails. if they must leave behind valuables worth it for the Rathori:
  4. can the Rathori raiders depart and return to their forest shelter with the goods before Rathori reinforcements arrive?

I'm trying to state it as objectively as possible here.

IMG, a) is conceivably possible, although unlikely. The Char Un raid each other too, and a Char Un village would be at least partly on alert most of the time, if only because it's logical that they are vulnerable precisely there.
b) the ones inhabiting a CU camp would likely NOT be the warriors - they would be the women and children and elders. They would be very skilled with horses, but unlikely to have much for fighting skills. Therefore their main defense would be flight.
I don't think the CU are that wealthy. I personally think the poorer CU - the ones that it was accurately pointed out would be the ones stuck with inhabiting lands where such raids are even conceivable - wouldn't have that much wealth to start with, and most would be portable. Their homes would not typically be broken down in the face of an attack. However, they would reasonably usually take everything they could grab. But not everything, human nature means some stuff would be left behind probably.

IMG, it's unlikely that this 'left behind' detritus is worth the serious risk of death for the Rathori. That's all. In your game the Char Un have much more minor portable wealth that they would leave behind could be interesting for raiders.

IMG V (value) < R (risk)
IYG R<V.

We're getting down to irresolvable esthetics, but don't let that stop a heated debate!


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