> >I guess these would have female and or mixed units - a development
Although there are female figures available for most nations (though does
anyone know what a femail Kra'Vak looks like?) I am sceptical about the New
Isreali and Islamic Federations (are there any female IF figures?) employment
of female troopers. Partly on Religious grounds (Particularly IF) but I seem
to remember that the Israeli Defence Force did employ female front line
soldiers and has since withdrawn them becase "Unnaceptable things happened"
when female soldiers were captured.
Anyone put me right?
> I am sceptical about the New Israeli and Islamic Federations (are there
Egypt and Iran have had female soldiers, so you can certainly justify it if
you wish.
> On Mon, Oct 28, 2002 at 08:51:05AM -0500, laserlight@quixnet.net wrote:
> Egypt and Iran have had female soldiers, so you can certainly justify
I find it very unlikely that the IFed, or any other power, will have no
female combat troops - I get the feeling from the GZGVerse background
material that everyone's spread pretty thinly, and throwing away 1/3 of
your potential combatant force (not half, because many women won't want
to be in the front lines - 1/3 is a guess) makes no sense.
However, I would find it entirely plausible that units, or even ships,
might have all-male or all-female personnel, particularly in a
"traditionalist" power like the IFed.
> --- Roger Burton West <roger@firedrake.org> wrote:
> However, I would find it entirely plausible that
It would depend on just how 'Islamic' the Islamic Federation really is. Is it
a 'Taliban' culture,
where women cannot read? Is it an Iran culture
with more freedom? Is it an Indonesia with
more western influence? Or is it a mixture
of all three? This gives a wide choice to the gamer, but can also provide
problems is the 'all three'
option is chosen. Just how would a 'Taliban'
squadron do when it joins a 'Indonesian' fleet? Time will tell!
Bye for now,
> At 10:51 AM -0800 10/28/02, John Leary wrote:
I can't see there being one Islamic culture *perod*. I have to wonder given
that Iran went through a golden age earlier last century where they had an
extremely egalitarian form. Sadly this all went away with the rise of the
religious state. A strong and just king was required
to have such a culture of open-ness. One has to wonder if some
nations like Malaysia or Morroco would become more open and just than say what
the IF is seen to be in the theoretical future. Islamic culture does have a
place for egalitarian forms and protocols, it's just not predominantly likely
with the current trend in politics.
> This gives a wide choice to the gamer, but
The same way they do now? Trust based on familial assocations and alligences
> It would depend on just how 'Islamic' the Islamic Federation really is.
> Is it a 'Taliban' culture, where women cannot read? Is it an Iran
I don't see the hardliners likely to have the ability operate and maintain
starships. Even somewhat more open regimes (eg Saudi) have a large number of
Western contractors to keep things running. If the IF is going to be
independent, I think it's going to have to be more like Egypt. The canon
history specifies that in 2163, Islamic fundamentalists seize power in New
Riyadh; however, "fundamentalist" does not inherently mean "ignorant hick" and
it could very well be that the resurgeance of the IF is partly due to better
education and work ethic than the previous government.
> At 4:00 PM -0500 10/28/02, laserlight@quixnet.net wrote:
I have to wonder though if "religious fundamentalists" are going to have the
same kind of trouble that "political fundamentalists" (read as Soviet Union)
had with operations and scientific development. Specifically with regards to
the oppression of the individual to such a large extent where those that are
truely gifted will fall afoul of church or political police whereby in a more
liberal society they'd flourish. Granted the Soviets had some great strides,
but they also lacked some of the flair that western developments had due to
the suppression on the individual in the name of the State.
G'day,
> I am sceptical about the New Israeli and Islamic Federations
If you want to go further back in history there have been many instances of
female Muslim fighters, IIRC one of Muhammads wives was also a general in his
army.
Cheers
G'day,
> I have to wonder though if "religious fundamentalists" are going to
Depends on whether you get the Evangelical kind that game fundamentalism such
a bad name or if you just get people returning to the roots of their religion.
If its the former then I reckon they would have a hard time, if its the later
then oppression is not a given. Once again up to the individual FH writer to
put their own spin on it;)
Cheers
> >I am sceptical about the New Israeli and Islamic Federations (are
I stand corrected. I guess it depends how fundimentalist you see these
nations, I haven't really thought about the IF, but I see NI as a very
insular possibly even pre-rabinic style Jewish state. 100% Kosha (sp?)
etc.
BTW are these female soldiers in the way we have them in the UK (i.e. everyone
but the people who actually fight) or like they appear in say the GZG range,
with a rifle and fighting like any other grunt?
I said:
> >Egypt and Iran have had female soldiers, so you can certainly
Richard said:
> I stand corrected. I guess it depends how fundimentalist you see
Let's say "repressive" rather than "fundamentalist", since that's more
accurate.
> I haven't really thought about the IF,
In some places it would be extremely unlikely (Saudi, Taliban Afghanistan); in
others it has already happened. Hey, it's your
universe, do what you want--there's justification either way.
> but I see NI as a very
Modern Israel is not that way. I suppose having the Holy Land nuked could
change that, though.
http://www.isayeret.com/overview/girls/overview.htm
> BTW are these female soldiers in the way we have them in the UK
The photos I've seen have been infantry with rifles; I believe UAE sent mixed
units to Kosovo as peacekeepers. Whether they ever actually fought or not, I
don't know.
> I am sceptical about the New Israeli and Islamic Federations (are
> etc.
(Kosher)
It depends how you build New Israel. I have them very different than you
envision. The state is perhaps more traditionally religious, but in a modern
Israeli sense rather than an Eastern European sense. You can
see my version of New Israel at nift.firedrake,org/NIhome.htm . Very
much a modern state. The dominant culture is nationalist and modernist rather
than regressionist. Women are equal as they want to be in all facets of the
armed forces, probably fewer of them desire frontline combat positions, but if
the spirit is there, there is no restriction.
I see many women in command positions - grunt and fleet. The way I've
developed New Israel, they are in fact closer allies to the core worlds and
the UN than the Big Four at the height of the Xeno War, due in part to
proximity to the core. The ironies of (future) History.
My New Israel pages do need some updating, but mostly in the fleet design
areas. I like the core society a great deal.