Q of the Week - Time travel?

[Leon]

This weeks question is a bit more fun:

If you could go to any point in military history, where would you go and why?

[clibinarium]

If we go do we simply observe in a disembodied sense, or are we actually present? I don't want to start messing with the time space continuum.

[lentulus]

I'd head for the early 16th century, and find out exactly how the Swiss and landsknecht pike drills actually worked.  I would bring enough gold to hire a well paid bodyguard, and carry a concealed uzi and half a dozen hand grenades, because we are not talking boy scouts here..

[Hurley]

I would love to see a Gothic plate knight fight a late era Samurai. Think about the cool fights you could set up and it would be real not like the stupid show.

Hurley 

[Leon]

If we go do we simply observe in a disembodied sense, or are we actually present? I don't want to start messing with the time space continuum.

I'll leave that to your discretion, although you seem slightly more concerned than Lentulus, who's about to unleash automatic firearms on a load of men with pointy sticks...

[lentulus]

I'll leave that to your discretion, although you seem slightly more concerned than Lentulus, who's about to unleash automatic firearms on a load of men with pointy sticks...

Purely in self defense; and hopefully if needed none would prove ancestors.

[Steve J]

Maybe Agincourt or Crecy just to see how the longbow really performed. Being a field archer when I get the chance, I would find it fascinating.

[Leon]

Purely in self defense; and hopefully if needed none would prove ancestors.

[17-21l]

A Victorian 11th Hussar Officer. Bags of cash, a uniform that smart its got a Masters from Oxford, and a cracking set of whiskers to-boot. London society of course, non of that fighting malarky (dangerous stuff). No I would look the part -treat my men like the scum that they were, smoke charoots, drink Gin and play Billiards in the Guards and Cavalry club.  Evening/night activities would consist of womanising and more drinking- Ahhh what a life (oh no! we've declared war on Russia- that'll spoil things)!!

Obviously Im a big Flashman fan! ( he did go on to join the 17th Lancers although their uniform was not as 'dashing'

God save the Queen

[Patrick R]

Ancient battles.

How did Phalanxes work ? Was it a long drawn out clash or temporary charges and counter charges until one side broke ?

My guess is that the sheer butchery would probably be hard to bear.

[nikharwood]

I'd have to go tooled-up a la lentulus to be honest...and I can't pick one, so here's my Top Ten 

In no particular order:

- Troy
- Thermopylae
- Masada
- Gettysburg
- Balaclava
- Austerlitz
- Bastogne
- Yorktown
- Dien Bien Phu
- Naseby

And my Follow-on Five:

- Agincourt
- Ciudad Rodrigo
- Sedgemoor
- Trafalgar
- Stalingrad

[Leon]

Ancient battles.

How did Phalanxes work ? Was it a long drawn out clash or temporary charges and counter charges until one side broke ?

My guess is that the sheer butchery would probably be hard to bear.

I'd be tempted by something Ancient, it could be quite a spectacle.  Or maybe Waterloo, see if I can spot Boney.

[Leon]

I'd have to go tooled-up a la lentulus to be honest...and I can't pick one, so here's my Top Ten 

In no particular order:

- Troy
- Thermopylae
- Masada
- Gettysburg
- Balaclava
- Austerlitz
- Bastogne
- Yorktown
- Dien Bien Phu
- Naseby

And my Follow-on Five:

- Agincourt
- Ciudad Rodrigo
- Sedgemoor
- Trafalgar
- Stalingrad

any point

I was thinking slightly more singular, but never mind!

Where would you stand at Thermopylae, I can't see there being much room for observation?

[Ben Waterhouse]

A Victorian 11th Hussar Officer. Bags of cash, a uniform that smart its got a Masters from Oxford, and a cracking set of whiskers to-boot. London society of course, non of that fighting malarky (dangerous stuff). No I would look the part -treat my men like the scum that they were, smoke charoots, drink Gin and play Billiards in the Guards and Cavalry club.  Evening/night activities would consist of womanising and more drinking- Ahhh what a life (oh no! we've declared war on Russia- that'll spoil things)!!

Obviously Im a big Flashman fan! ( he did go on to join the 17th Lancers although their uniform was not as 'dashing'

God save the Queen

Oi. That's my fantasy 

[nikharwood]

Where would you stand at Thermopylae, I can't see there being much room for observation?

That's me there - behind / underneath the shields