Amateurs attempting Gaugamela

[beausefaless]

In your dreams, if you can't handle heat stay out of the kitchen, know wonder Alexander preferred Hephaestion to most wemon! Take care sweetheart,
Andrew

[beausefaless]

You have lots of class Marcus! Thanks for being a good sport. I always enjoy your post's, they keep me motivated, be looking foward to them in the future
All the best
Andrew

[beausefaless]

As always, nicely said! Just think of me as Andy Jackson and his dirty shirts, a surprise with no mercy (Wellington never had a chance), I bury them with full military honors and they have earned my respect, for now.

[aen]

Yeah, Andrew. That's great.All in-training units are put through war games. It's a time honoured familiarisation method.Point is that Phalangites didn't leap enthusiastically out of their mothers' wombs armed and trained, and ready for war. They had to learn and familiarise. In any organised military structure no one commences training on the actual battlefield. They acquire experience in those conditions, but they don't train in them.It strikes me as dismissive to sneer at the blokes down-under because they're starting the same way every young Macedonian trooper probably did; hacking about in a field to get a feel for the weapon.Cut some slack.

[beausefaless]

No can do ace! As you know these are students trying to make a conclusion on a theory not young Macedon's being groomed (like young Spartans) for future military service, contrary to your belief, there's a difference as you and I differ on this issue. I salute your will of mind, as far as the slack scenario, can't help you, look foward to your next response for you have some back bone and you're a worthy advisory. Bye

[davej]

Thank you for your support, Karl, Thalestris, Aengus and Nick. It is nice to be appreciated or at least supported by you guys. Marcus, you are conspicuous in your absence.Now to you Andrew my friend let me address a couple of things. My last post may have been boring to you, however if I recall correctly it was not to you. As this is an open forum you can feel free to respond or read as many messages as you like. I would just ask that they are constructive rather then just to GÇ£wake me upGÇ¥. If I recall correctly the boring message was solicited by Yannis who asked me to clarify my position on something. If I recall completely I think I warn all potential readers that it was going to be long winded. Not a bombastic pontificating attack on somebody elseGÇÖs research area. I am not surprised that you have backed away from an intellectual debate again. If I recall the last time you GÇ£woke me upGÇ¥ it was over spelling and the Spartan army which I confess you have some knowledge of. If your are going to be spelling police make sure you get it right yourself, for the record Boar is a male pig, well in English anyway. You yanks can continue to bastardise and proliferate your @#%$ed up spellings via Microsoft word as much as you like. English will always be English not American.As for you patronising comment donGÇÖt hurt yourself, I wonGÇÖt. We have completed our tests already and I donGÇÖt make it a habit to run around in fields with sticks GÇ£going bang bangGÇ¥. On drilling and training. I am sure the American army like armies all around the world familiarise themselves with their weapons. You know take them apart put them back together, feel the weight and handle them in general. And I am sure you didnGÇÖt really mean that none of the war game activity was any use in combat. If it wasnGÇÖt why would so many countries spend so much money on it. Watching the ground in front of you disappear or hearing bullets whizzing past you head is different to having an electro sensor beeping annoyingly loud in your ear or wearing some paint. However the running through fields fully armed, relying on your mates and commander to get the job done donGÇÖt change. I am not a professional soldier so I donGÇÖt presume to know what combat is like and I am deeply sorry if you have experienced it. However I would contend that war games are closest and best method of preparing for war, as you would doubt agree paper targets, like the poor defenceless pieces of timber you lamented earlier do no

[yiannis]

And if both of them (junior and senior) would sit on their eggs and didn't wage wars around the globe (especially since neither of them is Alexander), the world would be a much safer place than it is now.

[Linda]

AndrewHave you *heard* of Mrs Thatcher? Women like a good fight too, as I said to the judge only last week.Much as I disapprove of the Iron Lady, at least her wrong-headed bullying and aggression seemed to have some sort of principle involved, however evil. Picking a fight for the sake of it is less laudable. Cowardly, I'd say.* Dave - don't let him annoy you...he sees that as victory. And Amricans (some) do still need to crow over the War of Independence. See it as teenage rebellion. The most powerful country in the world, and so insecure. (I have just watched Bowling for Columbine. Anyone notice?)Linda* only in jest Andrew! I always thought your nickname was an anagram of "be awful useless". I thought it showed humility and a sense of humour!

[S]

Greetings Dave,Will you be doing an article for Pothos on your study of the sarissa? I believe that modern studies of ancient weapons can, indeed, bring out new facts.For example, I would be interested in your views on the relation to human height and manueverability with the sarissa. It would interest me to read about how they handled for you, how the length and weight was determined, how the people trained to be able to use them, and what the results were when tests were run.I realize "war games" are not like being in battle, but I also feel that many military personnel today have not actually had to engage in hand-to-hand and often, the fighting is done at such a distance, and the training has de-humanized their responses so much, that there is little visceral reaction- war and the killing of men, women and children becomes somewhat abstract. (Until a person has had to kill someone or something in a one-on-one, it is all theory anyway- killing, at least for a sane person, is not easily done, which is why people have to be drilled over and over until they *can* do it). So the study of ancient warfare- and its personal engagement- and theoretical/practical training is a legitimate exercise. Even in a staged engagement, some of the visceral/emotional/physical responses would be similar.I would enjoy hearing more about your field tests, especially in an article form. Is there an URL you could suggest? Regards,
Sikander

[beausefaless]

Because of USAMA BIN LADEN and Saddam Hussein have not been found our mission has been a failure in both theaters, until this changes. It's a shame that the civilians suffer the most in any conflict and that was no different during some of Alexander's campaigns. I do support all the troops, including the British, Australians and all the other countries who are willing to sacrifice their troops in the name of freedom. If what I just said bothers you I apologize, but with all due respect I will not change my mind and I don't expect you to change yours either. I disagree when you say, "the world would be a much better place".

[beausefaless]

In the past because of me you said "I will never post on this site again", I'm glad you changed your mind and I truly support your freedom of speech.
I love old Maggie, she has lot's of spirit and I hope some day in the future (08), we will have a woman as president.
Thank you for your pompous statement your a real piece of work (unique), L&nda? Bigotry still lives' with very few people in the UK? Maybe not.

[Linda]

I wasn't being pompous, I was being patronising.

[davej]

It pains me to agree with you. I suffered once before for mentioning my support for the war on this site. I am perplexed how anybody who admires Alexander does not judge him by the same pacifist standard. They did'nt name him the Great for hosting great Tea parties. I am sure you would agree that the lose of life is tragic. The world is not a nice place, and never has been.I had to laugh about a month ago a woman asked me to give money for world peace. I asked her how much they needed to stop the world fighting. Absolutly absurd.

[davej]

I will try to get something done this week. I have packed the wife and kids off for a holoday down the cost. I am enjoying some time to myself. Hopefully I can get some constructive work done rather then engaging in sense feuds with Andrew. I should no better. I like to debate, but find useful name calling futile.See Ya later,
The stick wielding maniac from Down Under.PS. I have footage on DVD if you really want to see it. I must tell you it is fairly poor quality. Format is PAl BG or sector 4.

[Nicator]

Dear DaveJ,Is there any way I can get a copy of that DVD? I'd luv to see it!Nick