The Tuffleymeister spoke thusly:
Bearing in mind that the whole
[OFFICIAL] background is there purely
and simply for FUN, rather than any real
kind of pseudo-future-historical
"accuracy" (whatever the hell that is), I tend to go along with this feeling.
The Gurkhas should still be in NAC service, though I also like the concept of
allowing some of them to hire out as Mercs for other conflicts provided they
don't actually fight against NAC troops, allies or interests. Why does the
idea of a harsh, barren
Gurkha- settled colony world just
scream "Dorsai" at me....? :-)
Jon (GZG)
This was the kind of feedback I was looking for. I'm collaborating with Adrian
Johnson to come up with a draft timeline for the Nepalese. I think (in order
that they can serve the House of Sa'ud, the NAC King, other Sultans and such
in the IF, and even with the ESU (Indian component) or OU) they should have an
independent colony. And obviously, it should be harsh and
feature mountainous and jungle-like
terrain types.
I will post either the article itself or an URL to same when it reaches a
decent stage. I firmly plan to see Ghurkas in action against the KV Hordes....
:)
Owen sayeth:
Concerning the Ghurkas; it may be worth considering that the Ghurka's as
"Ghurka's" have been so, predominantly due to the tradition of their service
with the British Army. I think you may find that though 'posted' to Brunei
that all the unit officers are still British.
===================
Possibly. However I don't believe this is true of the huge number of Ghurkas
serving in the ESU at present (India) and I'm not sure about Singaporian
Ghurkas.
===================
If a percentage go to the ESU then I would be inclined to suggest that they
would be Nepalese troops rather than the traditional Ghurka as such.
===================
Unlikely. Ghurka is (if I read my Nepalese history right) a reference to
Ghorka, which was an ancient Nepalese empire during their expansive period.
And more specifically, it refers to Eastern and Western
hill-bred youths recruited by galla wallas. I suspect that the Ghurkas
the British forces get are the pick of the litter, as it is kind of what
everyone wants, but I suspect their are Ghurkas (though they may be called
Nepalese troops... I'm not sure how the Indian Army would name them) serving
in other places.
It is true that, in the general army, the British connection is shunned as
decadent and even traitorously loyal to the NAC. However, in marine units,
particularly those attached to ESU ships, the fighting spirit, no matter it's
association, is cherished by every wise commander.
I know I never feel so safe when making a command tour aboard a Warsaw as
when the Gurkhas are watching my aft sections. ;->=
Ush., Capt. 3rd Cl., Black Scorpions
On the topic of british traditions in other countries, if you look at any
former british empire area, you will find they have distinctly British militry
looks and sounds.
I was watching the Michael Palen's around the world in 80 days show, and
was bemused to see the Kyber Rifles on parade for Palen (a visiting Celebrity
from GB, he was surpised to find himself inspecting the troops). They had the
characteristic Brit "swing the arms up parallel to
the ground when marching" march. They also had similar modes of dress and
methods of giving commands, as well as the characteristic stomping of boots.
Oh, btw, while I'm posting here. I have recently discovered that one of the
CNN Center security guards is a former Sgt in one of the Ghurka engineer
units. I just asked the fellow about it today and he was certainly happy to
realize that we know of them.
Any questions you wish me to ask?
I once heard an apocryphal story about a Gurkha game in WW2, involving
slitting an enemy sentry's bootlaces without alerting him to your presence.
Can your acquaintance confirm/deny such?
Brian
"The Irish are the only race of people on Earth for which psychoanalysis is of
no use."
- S. Freud
> From: Ryan M Gill <rmgill@mindspring.com>
> At 2:28 PM -0800 11/5/01, Brian Bilderback wrote:
Sure, I'll ask him. He's said many members of his family were Ghurkas as well.
Including his father. Possibly something he can ask of his family too.
> Brian Bilderback wrote:
> I once heard an apocryphal story about a Gurkha game in WW2, involving
The variant I've heard had the Allied troops ordered to tie their bootlaces
with a special knot so the Gurkhas would recognize them as friendly (by
feeling the knot in pitch dark) and refrain from slitting their *throats*
(or, more likely, push a kukri up their groins) :-/
Later,
I would believe either variant. I also heard a story of a time that a British
officer, feeling superior, hughtily instructed a Gurkha Sgt. heading out on
patrol to bring him a German officer's watch. reportedly the Gurkha complied,
but the watch was still on a wrist.
Brian
"The Irish are the only race of people on Earth for which psychoanalysis is of
no use."
- S. Freud
> From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com>
I would believe either variant. I also heard a story of a time that a British
officer, feeling superior, haughtily instructed a Gurkha Sgt. heading out on
patrol to bring him a German officer's watch. reportedly the Gurkha complied,
but the watch was still on a wrist.
Brian
"The Irish are the only race of people on Earth for which psychoanalysis is of
no use."
- S. Freud
> From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com>
> I would believe either variant. I also heard a story of a time that a
heading
> out on patrol to bring him a German officer's watch. reportedly the
I've heard the "I.D. by shoelace knot" story as well. I also recall my father
talking about his days as an RA gunner in the desert campaign (on 25pdrs at
Alamein!) and mentioning serving with Gurkha units at various
times - even our own troops were (respectfully) scared stiff of the
little blighters, especially after rumours that they were bringing Jerry heads
back with them from patrols....
Jon (GZG)
> Brian
That I believe as well.
Brian
"The Irish are the only race of people on Earth for which psychoanalysis is of
no use."
- S. Freud
> From: Ground Zero Games <jon@gzg.com>
> At 9:06 AM -0800 11/6/01, Brian Bilderback wrote:
Was the officer attached to the wrist?
No.
"The Irish are the only race of people on Earth for which psychoanalysis is of
no use."
- S. Freud
> From: Ryan M Gill <rmgill@mindspring.com>
My uncle served with a Gurkha unit at one point during the Borneo campaign in
the early '60's (he was a REME weapons tech, who also happened to be a
marksman and got sent to every miserable warzone during his time in the
army... said that Aden was the worst of the lot). He had some interesting
things to say about the Gurkha troops, their skinning knives (the little
knives that are also carried in the sheath of a kukri), and their policy
toward captured communist insurgents...
He also told of an occasion while on patrol with a section of Gurkhas along
the China-Hong Kong border - climing over a hill, they saw a large unit
of the Chinese army just over the border (he described it as "the whole
bleedin' Chinese army"). The Gurkhas (numbering about 10) looked at the
Chinese, looked at themselves, looked at my uncle (a sergeant at the time) and
the Gurkha section commander's comment was "fair odds"...
> Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 21:47:23 +0000
heading
> out on patrol to bring him a German officer's watch. reportedly the
********************************************
OK, OK! I give! I didn't even know who the Ghurkas were until the call for SG
minis for them sometime last year!
Now I need a book -- anyone recommend an account of the Ghurkas actions?
Nicholas Caldwell clcaldwell@kreative.net
[quoted original message omitted]