Quote from: zircher on November 25, 2024, 12:28:21 AMI'd probably die on day one after drinking some fermented yak milk.

Greetings!

*Laughing* Ahh, Zircher! Dying from drinking fermented Yak Milk!!!!

What a way to go, heh?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: jeff37923 on November 25, 2024, 01:45:39 AM

Quote from: ConanTo crush your enemies, See them driven before you, And to hear the lamentation of their women!

- quote is attributed to Ghengis Khan

Take over neighboring tribes. Using any means necessary, do the conquering be it by force of arms, treaties and negotiation, or political marriages. The Khanate must grow large.

Set up a protection racket in the border agricultural areas. Agree to defend these locals against tyrannical government in exchange for food and shelter during the winter months, but also threaten to raid them if they do not comply. This will help to establish the foundations of an empire.

Choose a single large and wealthy city-state that is not so big that it cannot be lost by its neighbors but also not so large that the tribe loses too many warriors in its sacking. Conduct a classic cavalry raid against that city-state. Make it so horrible, do so much damage, and take so much wealth, that future targets of the tribe would rather surrender than submit to a similar sacking.

And for the love of God, do not let John Wayne star as your Great Khan in a 1956 movie.

Greetings!

Hey Jeff! YEAH! *laughing* I love that Genghis Khan quote! Such a classic!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Start a writing system based on knots, easy to carry, hard for other literary cultures to decipher. And create a secondary symbol-based sacred language based on felting needling so major contracts can be embedded in pelts and blankets (and later inscribed on petroglyphs or stelae). Two secret language scripts helps buffer our culture in the face of more populace agricultural empires.

As fun as extorting tribute is for wealth (which I would still do), I would rather exploit our transportation escort services between bordering major literary agriculture (sedentary) empires. The percentage cut and potential to spy on their communiques would be priceless. Further it'd keep our tribes' raiding parties sharp as they are free to "play polo" (pretend banditry) among any agricultural empire's deleterious conversations, valued tech or political gifts, and or lowballed carriage fees. Keeps our lands confusing and mysterious while keeping our warriors entertained.

Encourage some "domestication" of our tribes through external marriage and borderland urban settlement, but always secretly place tribal allegiance first. This will cripple any Inner Mongolia, shattering of the Xuang Nu (Hunna), long-term befriending strategy set to split us apart internally. Further, it'd give us access to Their livestock largess as we'd be the professionals they'd rely on in their own empires. When things get heavy for any of their rebellions or wars (not against us), our "professionals" can safely move their herds into our grasslands... for a modest fee of course once peace returns to their lands. This allows us to greatly expand our populations and culture through their surplus farming, discreetly of course.

We'd be 'benevolent barbarians'. Friendly and neighborly and negotiable. We'll manage your export trade and animal husbandry because we're good buddies. Just don't make us angry. You won't like us when we're angry.