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[Orris]

I've been reading the Dune series the last few months, and this reminded me of something from it.

Fremen(desert people) mothers would often throw their own babies at their enemies to give them a few extra seconds to eviscerate the confused target.

Maybe they're on to something?

[Airpi]

They need to do way instain mother> who kill thier babbys. becuse these babby cant frigth with?

it was on the anounmest this mroing a golbn in df who had kill three kids . they are taking the three babby back to coifn too lady to rest my pary are with the father who lost his chrilden ; i am truley sorry for your lots                   

POTY

[Mimidormi]

I now have this awesome mental image of a dwarf going 'HERE! CATCH!' tossing her baby to confuse a goblin while snapping their neck, retrieving the baby and doing this again and again in rapid succession to several enemies, everybody falling for it.

[martinuzz]

You throw the baby at the goblin
The spinning baby hits the goblin in the head
they explode in gore.
You have got 8 babies left in your quiver

[Christes]

That's a classic pic.  Last time I saw it posted here, the discussion degnerated into an argument about baby swaddling.

[it_is_coming]

The only children that are ever born in my fortresses come from the military. I think it's because the military spend all their time together.

[twwolfe]

I've been reading the Dune series the last few months, and this reminded me of something from it.

Fremen(desert people) mothers would often throw their own babies at their enemies to give them a few extra seconds to eviscerate the confused target.

Maybe they're on to something?

freemen were way more badass than dwarves. women and children versus Sardukar, and thay were winning.

[Vester]

I never read anything about fremen and throwing babies in the original books. Is that from Kevin J. Anderson?

[Itnetlolor]

Probably. I haven't read too much Dune.

BTW, awesome pic. Even babies are born with beards.

[Orris]

I never read anything about fremen and throwing babies in the original books. Is that from Kevin J. Anderson?

It was in Dune I, during Paul training the Death Soldiers, I think he was explaining them to someone.

[Vester]

Oh.

Well, I suck for not remembering that.

[Cheshire Cat]

it was many years ago that i read dune, but i do remember that bit. i think it may have been when the harkonnen left in charge of the planet is talking about how hard keeping the damned natives in line is to the baron. i remember when the baron asks why he does not just take hostages, the guy complains that whenever he takes prisoners, the fremen hold a funeral for their captured brethren then keep right on fighting.

i also remember ayla at the age of 3 goes around with a sandworm tooth knife during the massive end battle of dune 1, killing off the harkonen wounded "to collect their water, just like a good fremen child should".

the first dune book was absolutely great, if i remember frank herbert took a decade or so to carefully craft and polish it. most of the sequels by him and other authors are a jarrring step down in quality, but still not bad. i dont remember the fremen being portrayed as crazy awesome in any of the later novels though, again its been a while, but i think it was a plot point that they got somewhat soft after they kicked the universes ass and became rulers of all.

but yeah, dwarves and fremen are a nice comparison. im totally theming my next desert challenge fort after them.

[Vester]

My only issue with the first book is how the Baron introduces himself. It sounded like the kind of introduction needed for a radio dramatization.

"Is it not a wonderful thing that I, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, do?"

I mean, he knows he's the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Piter and Feyd-Rautha do. It's completely unnecessary to announce who you are to people who know you. And handwaving it by saying it's his megalomania that makes him talk like that doesn't wash, because he doesn't do it anywhere else.

And then after that single line I have a problem with, the book gets awesome. Although I liked the political parts better.

If you're playing as fremen-dwarves, that means an incredibly Spartan way of life, and probably very little digging.

That would be a great challenge.

It also means, yes, tossing dwarf babies at enemies.

[Neruz]

The only problem i have with Frank Herbert's writing is that it's nigh-unreadable. I had to read Dune three times before i actually worked out what the hell was going on.

His son is much better in that respect, but unfortunately lacks the same literary genius of his father (he's a good author mind you, just not as good), so it's kind of a lose-lose situation.

[DeathOfRats]

Really? I'll grant his writing is a bit dense, but I never found him all that difficult to read.

I think I've read two novels by his son, and while he does well enough, it's much more conventional sci-fi, imho, and that makes it less interesting for me.