Crossing Europe-1499

[Aesop]

I won't change much in the past, maybe just add some graffiti to as many structures that will still be standing just to confound historians.

Romani Ite Domum. Get it right or we'll cut your balls off.

[Aglifter]

Re-introduce the Roman formulae for concrete, set yourself us a guild for pouring it and building with it, and make yourself a mint building.

The three big things that made the modern world what it is, is the rediscovery of concrete, the invention of the Bessemer process(cheap steel), and finding out that that icky black stuff that oozes out of the ground has some really nifty uses..

I know how to do all 3..

Calculus was the primary one.

[Kommander]

I have often wondered how quickly one could get a nuclear weapon built if one was sent back in time with the necessary information and could find a willing sovereign.

[slowpoke]

I have often wondered how quickly one could get a nuclear weapon built if one was sent back in time with the necessary information and could find a willing sovereign.

Hmm. while you would be able to work serfs in lethal conditions, would they have the know how to actually be useful?

[Greg]

I have often wondered how quickly one could get a nuclear weapon built if one was sent back in time with the necessary information and could find a willing sovereign.

Hmm. while you would be able to work serfs in lethal conditions, would they have the know how to actually be useful?

Not at first. Lot of 'making the tools to make the tools' needed, with a lot of supplemental improvised schooling along the way for the work force.

Definitely S.M. Stirling novel.

[Steamforger]

Re-introduce the Roman formulae for concrete, set yourself us a guild for pouring it and building with it, and make yourself a mint building.

The three big things that made the modern world what it is, is the rediscovery of concrete, the invention of the Bessemer process(cheap steel), and finding out that that icky black stuff that oozes out of the ground has some really nifty uses..

I know how to do all 3..

Calculus was the primary one.

Steam. Coal and oils are nice and all, but steam gets shit done.

[Netpackrat]

Meh. If I want to think about crossing Europe during the middle ages, a story that is close enough has already been done by a master. Including experiments with gunpowder.

[slowpoke]

I have often wondered how quickly one could get a nuclear weapon built if one was sent back in time with the necessary information and could find a willing sovereign.

Hmm. while you would be able to work serfs in lethal conditions, would they have the know how to actually be useful?

Not at first. Lot of 'making the tools to make the tools' needed, with a lot of supplemental improvised schooling along the way for the work force.

Definitely S.M. Stirling novel.

If they had the potential to do that kind of work, would they still be serfs though?

[Kommander]

The Russians didn't seem to have any issues building atomic weapons while having a large class of what were essentially serfs.

[First Shirt]

As the original poster, I decree that....this being the GunCounter, there's no way that we'd ever stay on topic. I've actually really enjoyed some of the responses, though I didn't expect them.

To head it slightly more back on track, I'd take a hand and a half sword as my long weapon and a pair of Okinawan sai for my small weapon. Sai are exceptionally useful, they can stab, strike, block, lock, break, throw, and punch. Since the Time Travel Commission is training me, I'll take a sling. Ammo, ammo everywhere for it. I think that Jered is right on with a buckler. Best bang per pound. Make mine out of modern steel and allow it to be attached to one arm so both hands are free if need be. The combination should allow me to deal with either heavily armed/armored opponents or and fast armed ones as well.

I won't change much in the past, maybe just add some graffiti to as many structures that will still be standing just to confound historians.

I'd be more comfortable with a good longbow, and a buttload of matched arrows. In fact, I'd hold out for a pack mule as well as a saddle horse. Sai would be a good option, but if I were doing it for real, I'd probably use a basket-hilt claymore, cut down to 16 inches or so, for a main gauche, and maybe a full sized one for a primary weapon. Lotta options with a good basket hilt.

As for the buckler, I'm pretty sure that two basket-hilted weapons would make a buckler irrelevant.

(This is a case where I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain.)