Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM

Scott in the Sea of Time

1. Before telling me how silly this is, none of the initial conditions was my idea

2. I was going to go to Roman Germany as with a year to brush up I could relearn enough Latin to get by - Rurri wanted Eire so this has to be a joint expedition - he is celtic languages, culture and warrior leader - I'll do economics which is more my thing anyway

3. We need a ship - wooden with copper sheathed hull [nice to have something that has a chance of being repairable with 3rd century tech], paddled wheel with boiler that can take coal or wood [Mark Twain era tech], also auxillary sails. Cargo would be some modern medical supplies, fishing equipment, modern swords, seed potatoes, modern crossbows, a lot of books, celestial navigation gear, and coin. By the standards of the 3rd century copper and silver are extremely cheap. It is not counterfeiting to make coin shaped objects as long as you do not copy actual currency or attempt to sell as fake antiques. Being a silly cow I say we make copper palters and silver rurri's - I can get molds cheaply enough as many fantasy types make such things. Would prefer to make it coinage of Mordor given my politics but why risk getting nabbed before our time travel.

4. Now how we recruit a Celtic Irish crew I leave to my partner. I know enough of Rome to play the game there. So I will do hand waving on how we get a crew to sail with us across the water without cutting our throats and stealing everything. Route is Iceland - Greenland - Labrador-Newfoundland -Banks to minimize crew fear of open water. Crew will bug out when they see how rich the fishing is. Every man will be franticly memorizing the route so he can sail some little boat himself with kinsmen and get the riches for himself next time. This is a GOOD thing. You need to cure shortage of sailors, fear of transoceanic voyaging, fear that we are idiots or demons. Seeing ordinary folks get rich via something as ordinary as fish cures ALL of that. No magic transmutations. Just plentiful fish, shellfish, marine mammals, birds to take, smoke or salt and sell at a big profit in any Roman port. It is VERY important not to rush this stage, as the credibility will be extremely important.

5. Being enterprising folk some of the fisherman will set up shore camps, explore Mainland, perhaps hunt/trade/raid. Fine. As long as we partners are not directly involved we cannot get the blame when the natives prove able to fight back. Also we do not get the later blame for the biowar effect of exposing virgin populations to Euro disease pool. However the protosettlers will form at their own expense bases we can use as some of their attempts will suceed. Higher tech level, higher social level, metal weapons, horses, MUCH bigger population pool to draw from.

6. Introduce the potato to Eire. this sets off a huge population explosion. Means 15-20 years down the line you will have hordes of later children who live and will need to emmigrate. It is the sort of silly thing no ruling class ever catches the implications of in time.

7. within a few years we will just be the biggest boat in a transAtlantic fishing boom. This is a good thing. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down and stealing from strangers instead of doing business with them is an old 3rd century meme.

8. You now stock a voyage with tools, pots, pans and similar useful metal stuff. Hire some hardboy/warrior types for a 'trading' voyage. You should attract attention. A few ship owners will approach you about wanting in on whatever this new thing of yours is. Fine. People are more likely to follow if they think they hustled you into it. Refuse to explain but use the manna from the success of fishing and potatoes. You know someplace that you can get VERY good prices on tools. It is a major sail beyond the Banks but that side of the water. Locals may not be friendly and may not stay friendly so we must make sure to take tools, not weapons. Locals might not be friendly forever [or ever] so why help arm them.

9. Sail for Vera Cruz. Actually anywhere on the coast will do but why not start with the best harbor in the region. I'd have a few language books but as they are for Aztec and Maya speech a mere 13 centuries later presume they are useless - I am also an abysmal linguist. Essentially show up. If attacked defend. If opportunity presents loot, preferably including a few younger females who can be made into translators over time [essentially what the Spanish did]. If offered a chance try to barter. The utility of bronze and iron tools and cook pots will be fairly obvious. You want more than their weight in silver and gold. Price is set by scarcity. Eventually you find a city with bright boys and everybody gets rich.

10. You have also practiced biowar and culture war. Biowar is the virgin field problem. Estimates put the first generation dieoff at 90%. Using a bit of modern medicine [hydration, sanitation, bread mold/penicillin] more of those who cooperate with you will live than those who shun you as demons. Will make the hybrid Amerindian Celtic fusions seem to have powerful manna. Culture war is FAR more fun. This is the gunpowder revolution in India and the Sudan. You have introduced a superior military tech that the locals need zero new memes to use - iron war hammer beats club edged with obsidian but that the locals haven't a clue as to how to make. So it is trade with you or die. And initially ALL you want is gold, silver and a few slave girls. The locals will beat their civilization to death finding the precious metals for you.

11. Within a decade the disease and endless war will have destroyed Mexico and Mayapan as organized civilizations. Now buy land, establish ports, push inland, intermarry your 3rd and 4th sons of the Celts who migrate into the local gentry - form fusion states...From Mexico you expand outwards to both continents.

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