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[ShadowHammer]

So I was reading rangers apprentice and I was like, wow these countries are pretty much the countries in Europe in the Middle Ages. Then I realized that the setting was Middle Ages Europe. 
Then I was playing df and saw that the humans had pretty much all bronze stuff, like the ancient Greeks.

So then I realized that:
Dwarves are like Vikings, cause they're axe wielding drunken berserkers;
Elves are like Persians, because their arrows blot out the sun, and they're all light infantry;
And as I previously mentioned, humans are like ancient Greeks.

But who are goblins?

[krenshala]

The germanic tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals, etc) are probably the closest to the goblins.  They tended to raid in all directions.

Humorously enough, the Vandals were one of the tribes used as mercenaries for the Roman army.  When Rome couldn't pay, the Vandals started sacking Roman towns ... you know, they vandalized them.

[Thuellai]

The germanic tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals, etc) are probably the closest to the goblins.  They tended to raid in all directions.

Humorously enough, the Vandals were one of the tribes used as mercenaries for the Roman army.  When Rome couldn't pay, the Vandals started sacking Roman towns ... you know, they vandalized them.

That is indeed the origin of that term.

The whole stealing children and raising them as their own thing is rather Ottoman though, although Janissaries were primarily voluntary surrender to the state.

[Matoro]

Urist McMatoro cancels to Read Forums: Historical Fact misplaced.

1. Different ethic group/culture isn't same as "different race".

2. Your "Vikings" are based of common misbeliefs and Hollywood: They weren't any more drunk than others during the Medieval. They used swords as much as axes. There were special "Berserk" soldiers only among the Danish ranks.

3. Persians had heavy cavalry and heavy soldiers and didn't use arrows much more than the others.

4. Ancient Greeks used bronxe because it was a fucking bronze age. Everybody used bronze at that time. And it wasnt Middle Ages. And DF humans use iron, too.

But otherwise, the setting of DF is technically pretty much the Middle Ages. About 1050, to be precise. It's fun that originally DF worlds had that long history.

[MattStriker]

Actually, the vikings used axes (and especially spears) a lot more than swords because swords were expensive. Axe blades or spearheads were easy to make with the piss-poor iron they usually had available, but to make a proper sword blade took a lot of effort and skill. We see a lot of viking swords in archeological finds from that period because most of those finds tend to be gravesites, and the people who'd get graves that elaborate are also the ones most likely to own swords.

Also, in our 1050 metallurgy was quite a bit more advanced than it is in DF, where only dorfs have proper steel .

[ShadowHammer]

Lol. Sorry about the historical inaccuracies. I realize now that the term "races" was misused, but I deliberatey used sweeping over-generalizations about all the cultural groups, because not everyone is as historically minded as you. (By "you" I mean matoro)
I know that not all Scandinavians were even raiders, much less berserkers, but alcohol was important in their culture. I recognize that they didn't get drunk all that much, though. Also, rl classical Greeks used iron too, but I didn't mention that because, as stated earlier, sweeping overgeneralizations. About the Persians, during their Bronze Age invasion of Greece, which is what everyone associates them with, their main forces were light infantry (and cavalry, but shhh), because the army was far too large to outfit everyone with heavy equipment. They had some heavy infantry, but refer to words 20 and 21 of this post. Their number of archers may have been proportionately similar to everyone else at the time, but considering that their army (yes i'm referring to the one at Thermopylae, because again, that's what everyone associates them with) was at least, according to modern estimates, 100k strong, so they would have had more archers than most other ethnic groups' armies at the time.

But thank you for noting my mistakes. I will try to remember that many of the people on this forum are smarter than I give them credit for.

And it wasnt Middle Ages.

Rangers apprentice wasn't Middle Ages?

[Button]

...but alcohol was important in their culture.

Alcohol was important to every culture in Europe and many beyond, because there are only two ways to purify water in a way that doesn't hurt humans using technology that was available to them at the time:

• Boil it.
• Add alcohol.

Pre-scientific revolution, urban civilization is pretty much impossible to develop without either a tea culture, or an alcohol culture (and often both) to prevent the spread of disease. Alcohol culture in the middle east goes back to the beginning of agriculture, and spread from there to Europe. Compare coffee in South America, tea in southeast Asia.

So yes, alcohol was important to Scandinavian culture. But no more important than it was to any of the cultures of those who lived around them.

[Matoro]

And it wasnt Middle Ages.

Rangers apprentice wasn't Middle Ages?

Ah, forget it. My bad, just a mistake. Or something.

but alcohol was important in their culture.

I like this because I'm living in Finland I can totally agree with this. People here just drink too much...

It's always interesting to have a discussion about history.

[Golbolco]

What would the kobolds be?

[kesperan]

I like this because I'm living in Finland I can totally agree with this. People here just drink too much...

It's always interesting to have a discussion about history.

I love Finland because they take some of the heat off Scotland (my home) for rampant alcoholism and heart disease. Go Finland!

[ShadowHammer]

how do I fix the title on all the posts? I want to make it "nations" instead of "races".

Also, kobolds could be the French, seeing as how they always run away from battle.

Lol how's that for historical inaccuracy?

[InfinityOrNone]

how do I fix the title on all the posts? I want to make it "nations" instead of "races".

Also, kobolds could be the French, seeing as how they always run away from battle.

Lol how's that for historical inaccuracy?

Kobolds: described as "skulking filth", attacked by every race outright, forced to steal which reinforces their reputation, and do not build many settlements, suggesting a migratory lifestyle. In the middle ages.

There are two options that would work here, and both would get me stoned to death, so I'll let you do the figuring for me.

[ShadowHammer]

I see what your getting at. Good choice on not saying it; you probably would get stoned.

EDIT: stoned as in rocks thrown at you

[InfinityOrNone]

Of course. To my knowledge, you cannot get 'stoned' to death unless it involves rocks.

[Matoro]

how do I fix the title on all the posts? I want to make it "nations" instead of "races".

Also, kobolds could be the French, seeing as how they always run away from battle.

I think you can change the title just by editing the first post.

And...  Check this out. The myth of "French running away" born during WWII, since they surrendered. Before that they were the greatest military power of europe (before the unification of Germany and Prussia). After 17th century french armies kicked some ass and during Revolutionary/Napoleonic wars they fought against whole europe and fucking won 3/4 of the battles. During the Middle Ages they fought hundred years war with England and ultimately won it and conquered all England's lands in French soil (except Calais).

It seems like I'm not being exactly helpful now.

Now, who is HFS?

I'd say it's russians. Napoleon marched too deep, Hitler marched too deep into russian soil. And then they unleashed the wrath which destroyed them. Nazism is pretty much like a story of a Dwarven Fortress - a peaceful start, fast and amibiguous expansion, wins after wins, then they piss off the world and the fortress slowly falls into a chaotic ruin.