TV - Fall 2012

[viper37]

I am glad I saw this thread in time to see  Revolution.

I liked it, despite wondering why everyone in the US suddenly misplaced their guns while developing the technology necessary to manufacture high quality swords in just 15 years.

it's not hard to manufacture a sword for a limited number of militia men.  Presumably, they took existing swords (Monroe was a US Marine, and from the looks of it, it seems he took power from the US Marine Base he was stationned at) and simply changed the hilt to an american fist.

Not everyone as a sword, so it's not harder than during the middle ages where high quality swords could be produced for some nobles.  They have the knowledge, it isn't hard to reproduce some tools to recreate sword handles.

[merithyn]

it's not hard to manufacture a sword for a limited number of militia men.  Presumably, they took existing swords (Monroe was a US Marine, and from the looks of it, it seems he took power from the US Marine Base he was stationned at) and simply changed the hilt to an american fist.

Not everyone as a sword, so it's not harder than during the middle ages where high quality swords could be produced for some nobles.  They have the knowledge, it isn't hard to reproduce some tools to recreate sword handles.

Also, keep in mind that we have a very different understanding of how to use steel than they did in medieval times. It wouldn't be too difficult to make useable swords out of existing bits and pieces that are ground down to be sharp and to make a tang for a hilt. I was disappointed that the ones in the show all looked very medieval, because I would foresee very different blades if they became the necessary weapon of today's world.

[dps]

I am glad I saw this thread in time to see  Revolution.

I liked it, despite wondering why everyone in the US suddenly misplaced their guns while developing the technology necessary to manufacture high quality swords in just 15 years.

The Big Bad Black Guy explained that. "You know that guns are illegal."

Yeah, it's sort of like how in the real US, pot's illegal so nobody has any or knows how to grow it or anything.  Oh, wait.

[Viking]

Revolution is the new Falling Skies or Terra Nova. Sci-Fi premise, hott chick, decent action and sfx and family values.

I expect I will watch it but doing so is my version of the emo chick cutting herself. I suspected the premise would piss me off the most, but hey, it didn't. Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider, Superman is an alien from Crypton and somebody changed the laws of physics. I accepted the premise from flash forward, so I suppose this isn't too bad. It had a bit of a jericho vibe to it. But, the teens pissed me off. They pissed me off alot. Boy gets dad killed and girl gets uncle killed (until uncle proves to be more kick ass than chuck norris).

It just would take more than 15 years to degenerate to feudalism and kids raised in feudalism do not retain the moral compass of disney TV characters. 

[Tonitrus]

it's not hard to manufacture a sword for a limited number of militia men.  Presumably, they took existing swords (Monroe was a US Marine, and from the looks of it, it seems he took power from the US Marine Base he was stationned at) and simply changed the hilt to an american fist.

Not everyone as a sword, so it's not harder than during the middle ages where high quality swords could be produced for some nobles.  They have the knowledge, it isn't hard to reproduce some tools to recreate sword handles.

Also, keep in mind that we have a very different understanding of how to use steel than they did in medieval times. It wouldn't be too difficult to make useable swords out of existing bits and pieces that are ground down to be sharp and to make a tang for a hilt. I was disappointed that the ones in the show all looked very medieval, because I would foresee very different blades if they became the necessary weapon of today's world.

Agreed.  More likely, the common sword would be some kind of shaped sheet metal, and probably without a proper guard just some leather wrapped around the hilt.  Kinda like a glorified machete.

[Josephus]

Big boobs for a 15/16 year old too.

Most girls her age now get new boobs for their prom.

[Josephus]

I am glad I saw this thread in time to see  Revolution.

I liked it, despite wondering why everyone in the US suddenly misplaced their guns while developing the technology necessary to manufacture high quality swords in just 15 years.

I don't think they misplaced them so much. They are illegal. That was explicitly pointed out.

[viper37]

I was disappointed that the ones in the show all looked very medieval, because I would foresee very different blades if they became the necessary weapon of today's world.

To me, they looked more like 19th century  cavalry saber with a different hilt.  Something you'd expect from a US Civil War era army officer maybe.

[viper37]

Yeah, it's sort of like how in the real US, pot's illegal so nobody has any or knows how to grow it or anything.  Oh, wait.

if it was a hangable offense, without trial, to posses or use pot, less people would do it openly.

[viper37]

It just would take more than 15 years to degenerate to feudalism and kids raised in feudalism do not retain the moral compass of disney TV characters. 

That, I think is very real.

No electricity, no techology, except for a few who seems to know how to get it back for a short while.  Let's exclude them for now.

So basically, what you have is a society where law enforcement officers can't properly coordinate their efforts, because they have no way to communicate with each other over long distances.  Same goes for the army, soldiers are camped in their barracks without orders.

There's no rich people, money is in the bank, on a computer wich doesn't work.  The central government is quite innefective at covering a large territory, as we have seen through medieval times.  Money has no real value, there's no supply chain for the goods, and having money for your crops or your protection doesn't mean much, so people go for the old trade in nature.

Many prisoners are most likely released or escape, jails rely on electric security system.  Hungry prisoners would riot and overpower their guardians.  Lots of dangerous people on the streets.

Add to that that every army in the world has its share of SiegeBreakers.  These people would likely attemp, even succeed in taking control of their local army/navy/air force base and institute their own little empire.  And there's no one to stop them until it's too late.  The President can't call in the army, because: a) he knows of the SiegeBreaker coup only weeks after it happenned in South Carolina and b) he can't quickly dispatch an army unit there, and even if he could reach them, there's no way to tell if they'll listen or if they'll riot on their own.

Besides, soldiers without pay tend to get angry.  No supply chain, remember?  No new food and drinks on base.  Soldiers ain't farmers.  An army marches on its stomach.  They'll eventually forage the land, and there's a lot less farms than there were in the 18th century, what with industrialization&mechanization of farms and all.  Without electricity, you can't keep the milk cold enough to preserve, so big farmers are screwed.  And there's not truck to take the milk to a factory.  And they can't distribute food to their animals anymore, generators won't work.  They can't harvest their huge fields without manpower, lots of it.  Crops perishes in the fields.

I think 15 years is generous.

[Malthus]

Yeah, it's sort of like how in the real US, pot's illegal so nobody has any or knows how to grow it or anything.  Oh, wait.

if it was a hangable offense, without trial, to posses or use pot, less people would do it openly.

In reality, wouldn't the people using guns be making the laws/hanging people? 

[HVC]

Yeah, it's sort of like how in the real US, pot's illegal so nobody has any or knows how to grow it or anything.  Oh, wait.

if it was a hangable offense, without trial, to posses or use pot, less people would do it openly.

In reality, wouldn't the people using guns be making the laws/hanging people? 

militia has more guns

[Darth Wagtaros]

Without electricity or cars food couldn't be transported effectively, which means the larger towns and cities would face starvation on massive scales.  Civil breakdown wouldn't be far behind.

I watched a new show called Last Resort about a rogue Ohio class nukuler sub.  Some big conspiracy stuff.

[viper37]

In reality, wouldn't the people using guns be making the laws/hanging people? 

this is what seems to happen: General Monroe has established his own militia over a part of the US territory and made his own rule.  More likely, most people with guns joined his militia after a few of them were shot.  There's no internet anymore, so people are much less taller and much less braver

[Josephus]

Yeah, it's sort of like how in the real US, pot's illegal so nobody has any or knows how to grow it or anything.  Oh, wait.

if it was a hangable offense, without trial, to posses or use pot, less people would do it openly.

In reality, wouldn't the people using guns be making the laws/hanging people? 

Yes. Just like in the show.