BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
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Paths of Civilization
- Thread starter Academia Nut
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Though a shitload of luck and study metal spam?
Don't forget the development of sunstones used by the viking. It can be used to locate the sun during overcast day.
Another resource to look in is the Polynesian Navigation wiki article.
Incidentally, I've been reading articles on nomadic cultures off and on for a few weeks now.
This one is probably the best- Why the Mongols?
It makes an interesting point in that nomadic cultures like the Mongols have been around pretty much forever- and yet despite engaging in low-level raiding and warfare throughout history, usually nearby sedentary civs can deal with them. Certain circumstances changed things with the Mongols. I found Appendix One- the search for a 'cause' of the Mongol invasion particularly interesting. As has been said before, overpopulation is often cited as a cause for nomadic raiding and warfare, and this is not really accurate- it treats what is an ongoing resource for the culture as a problem. Exploitation of foreign tribes and raiding for resources is the norm, and considered a net benefit to the home culture. No 'excuse' is necessary, similar to Norse traditions.
Another thing to note is that the Scythians near the Black Sea were perfectly able to grow wheat in the steppes- it simply isn't to the advantage of nomads to devote too much manpower to agriculture when a pastoral economy grants them greater economic flexibility and military power which they require to defend against their own nomadic enemies.
This one is probably the best- Why the Mongols?
It makes an interesting point in that nomadic cultures like the Mongols have been around pretty much forever- and yet despite engaging in low-level raiding and warfare throughout history, usually nearby sedentary civs can deal with them. Certain circumstances changed things with the Mongols. I found Appendix One- the search for a 'cause' of the Mongol invasion particularly interesting. As has been said before, overpopulation is often cited as a cause for nomadic raiding and warfare, and this is not really accurate- it treats what is an ongoing resource for the culture as a problem. Exploitation of foreign tribes and raiding for resources is the norm, and considered a net benefit to the home culture. No 'excuse' is necessary, similar to Norse traditions.
Another thing to note is that the Scythians near the Black Sea were perfectly able to grow wheat in the steppes- it simply isn't to the advantage of nomads to devote too much manpower to agriculture when a pastoral economy grants them greater economic flexibility and military power which they require to defend against their own nomadic enemies.
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UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
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*is reminded of Moana*
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
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@Umi-san There seems to be no information within the halls of Google as to whether lodestone can be used to dowse for iron. I'd expect that such a thing would really only work at close range, and as a confirmation that it is actually some form of magnetic ore, not necessarily iron.
To come up with a compass they need to find lodestone or something similarly magnetic, and then we need to make a screwton of boats. I figure someone will have the bright idea to explore using the "moving metal".
To come up with a compass they need to find lodestone or something similarly magnetic, and then we need to make a screwton of boats. I figure someone will have the bright idea to explore using the "moving metal".
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Hmm
Let me help~
...
it the least I could do.
*google powers Activate!*
Um Google points to yes given how Dip needles can be effected by magnetized deposits of iron ore and if something can be noticeably effected by it than you should be able to find them that way.
Edit: more stuff pointing to yes as "A Treatise On Ore and Stone Mining" outright states that the Dip needle has been used for such before by old miners. Take this with a grain a salt as I'm not sure the validity of this article/book.
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The metal that is currently believed to possible be cursed?
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
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Are you talking about the Ymaryn?
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Yes the metal that we is currently being worked on to be proven not to be cursed.
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convincing seamen that something is not cursed.
That's a quote from the article I recently linked. Probably cited to suggest we should seize the lowlands ASAP or maintain a military advantage over them.
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They'd still use them wouldn't they. Seamen are a known fickle and hypocritical lot.convincing seamen that something is not cursed.
...
It's not like they'd love to meet a siren even if it would mean their certain doom or anything.. yeah no siree
*pfft*
BungieONI
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Yeaaaaaaa. This is one of the main points of the pro-Lowland faction. If we aren't in them someone else will be, and that someone else will have the manpower to overwhelm us.
Even if they can't though, it will hurt. A lot, if they come knocking.
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Well I'm for going into the lowlands to claim some land... just as long as it's because some people attacked us first.
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Hmmmm...if we have shovels and metal tools, could we create a canal joining the 2 lowland rivers?
@Academia Nut Could we join the 2 rivers in the lowlands with a canal mega project now that we have shovels and other iron tools?
@Academia Nut Could we join the 2 rivers in the lowlands with a canal mega project now that we have shovels and other iron tools?
Surveys and Black Soil. We've seen previously that growing forests on non-forested terrain is very hard without more of the stuff.
I wonder what a double main there might do...probably not going to happen though.
I'd point out that a dam across the Black River would impede river traffic needed to supply settlements, and also presents a relatively easy way for nomads to cause diisproportionate damage downriver.
The big thing about shipbuilding was that it didn't just need wood, it needed wood from old, mature hardwood trees, stuff which can take decades to grow to usability compared to firewood. If you want a shipbuilding reserve you'd have to start cultivating the forests a century in advance
Agreements like that don't tend to last unless you can back them up with martial power though.
It...is, since desertified steppes can support only sparse herds, and thus maximum raid density will be dramatically cut.
But desertification also ruins all the nearby land, so yeah.
And of course our people will go nuts if we go around salting the steppes
"Finally, someone who understands!"
Limestone. The next step in tanning is to use lime.
Also it's more optimal for nomads to raid farmers than to farm
Magnetism can detect some iron ores, but the range isn't that good unless you're practically ON the ore, or have more sensitive equipment to distinguish the deflection from baseline.Hmm
Let me help~
...
it the least I could do.
*google powers Activate!*
Um Google points to yes given how Dip needles can be effected by magnetized deposits of iron ore and if something can be noticeably effected by it than you should be able to find them that way.
Edit: more stuff pointing to yes as "A Treatise On Ore and Stone Mining" outright states that the Dip needle has been used for such before by old miners. Take this with a grain a salt as I'm not sure the validity of this article/book.
So it's more identifying ore than finding it.
Guile
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I'm pretty sure the Xiongnu practice was to raid China to steal farmers to farm for them back home.
BungieONI
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That's pretty much what the Thunder Speakers did if I'm not mistaken.
Which factions?
The Highlanders, who've pretty much spread their influence to natural borders and dug in?
The Xohyssiri, who've shifted farther towards being traders every time they've been beaten back?
The Thunder Speakers, who no longer have a military to speak of?
Guile
Having a really great time right now
Thunder Horse and Highlanders, presumably.
For the Thunder Horse to come into direct conflict with the Highlanders, they'd have to take over the territory that the Thunder Speakers were exerting control over first.
The Thunder Horse are the absolute last group we want to be controlling those areas; they're big and organized enough to be a threat, and the lowlands would both give them significantly more manpower and put them in direct contact with us.
pblur
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The Highlanders and the Thunder Horse are currently the two major military powers in the lowlands. Contrary to what you said, the border of the Highlander kingdom isn't natural; they simply stopped expanding to dig in. The Thunder Horse is aggressively expansionist, so it makes sense for them to prep for a defensive war.
My argument is that we would like the current state of the lowlands to persist basically forever. So long as the Highlanders and Thunder Horse are in a cold war, noone is dominating the low land. (Fortunately for us, they also have huge social differences, so unifying is very unlikely.)
If our two biggest competitors burn resources in a staring match over the flood plains while we build tall, we win. And we win without further militarizing our society. We're asshole enough for the current need.