Link to original thread: http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133340
Raskholnikov wrote:In his most controversial poem, written at the end of the 19th Century, British Imperial Poet Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem entitled "The White Man's Burden", whose first stanza in particular still stirs strong emotions today:
"Take up the White man's burden --
Send forth the best ye breed --
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness
On fluttered folk and wild --
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child."
Although these views aptly describe the European world view between the late 15th to the middle of the 20th Century, today we rightly disapprove of this colonialist mind-set and have learned to respect and value the civilizations of those peoples we once described in disparaging terms as "half devil and half child".
In order to illlustrate how "The White Man's Burden" was once seen as a "noble calling" and the tension between this colonising ideology and the reality of thriving cultures and peoples whose histories were forever altered by 500 years of European expanision and dominance, this tournament will be played on three of CC's newest and artistically most impressive maps, First Nations North America (N), First Nations South America (S), and First Nations North and South America, as well as on one additional map portraying the spread of European dominance: Eastern Hemisphere (E).
Settings: foggy, no spoils, chained, casual.
Play:
Round One: The tournament will have 64 players, initially divided into 8 groups of 8 players each. Each group will bear the names of some of the most important indigenous American leaders: Mayan Ruler K'inich Janaab' Pakal (615 – 683), Toltec king Topiltzin Cē Ācatl Quetzalcōatl, whose reign is set between 923 and 947, Inca king Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438-1471/1472), last Inca ruler Atawallpa (1497 - 1533), Aztec Emperor Motecuhzoma Ist Ilhuicamina (c. 1398–1469), Motecuhzoma IInd Xocoyotzin (c. 1466 – 1520), Iroquois Confederacy founder Haiëñ'wa'tha (approx. 15th Century), and Choctaw Nation Chief Tuskalusa (approx. 16th Century). Each group will play each map twice. The top four players in each group will qualify for the second round.
Round Two: The remaining 32 players will be divided into 4 groups of 8 players each. Each group will bear the name of a famous European Discoverer: Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506), Amerigo Vespucci (1454 – 1512), Vasco da Gama (c. 1460 or 1469 – 1524), and Jacques Cartier (1491 – 1557). Each group will play each map twice. The top four players in each group will qualify for the third round.
Round Three: The remaining 16 players will be divided into 2 groups of 8 players each. The groups will bear the names of the two most (in)famous conquistadors: Hernán Cortés (1485 – 1547) conqueror of the Aztec Empire, and Francisco Pizarro (c. 1471 or 1476 – 1541) conqueror of the Inca Empire. Each player in a group will play each map twice. The top four players in each group will qualify for the fourth round.
Fourth Round: The remaining 8 players will form the Cecil Rhodes (1853 - 1902) group, named after perhaps the most successful British colonialist of the 19th Century. Each group will play each map twice. The top two players will qualify for the Final.
The Final: The final will consist of 12 games, three on each of the four maps mentioned at the start. In case of of a tie, a three-out-of-five run-off will be played on the Eastern Hemisphere map.
Prizes: Winner: One year's CC membership. Runner-up: six months' CC membership. Remaining two members of the Cecil Rhodes group: three months' CC membership.
Scoring for Rounds 1 to 4: Winner: 6 points; Runner-up: 4 points; 3rd place: 2 points; 4th place: 1 point.
Please indicate your interest below. I am looking for 64 interested players plus 10 alternates. This will be a fun, tournament with a great theme and unique, round-robin play, so that the winners will not be determined simply be the luck of one drop or the knowledge of one map. I hope you all join!
Please reply on this thread to let me know if you are interesed. I will confirm when you are added, and which initial group you belong to.
Thanks,
Raskholnikov.
Groups at Start of Round 1.1:
Mayan Ruler K'inich Janaab' Pakal (615 – 683): Commander9; machrs; mickunited333; theheadholes; chutley; Trieu; Wingnut 16ga; bohemians
Toltec king Topiltzin Cē Ācatl Quetzalcōatl (923 - 947): uckuki; rdsrds2120; LFAW; The Bison King; catnipdreams; Tricky Rick; uslaryan; Caeleth
Inca king Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438 - 1472): SIDI; magiiiiiic; ZionT; therustyslab; Napoleon47; Gabriel13; CorinthianEyes; crossinator
Inca ruler Atawallpa (1497 - 1533): Lubawski; Colonel Krink; gameplayer; bradimus_prime; Billy Jackhammer; PenumbralRadianc; yemphan; jielking
Aztec Emperor Motecuhzoma Ist Ilhuicamina (c. 1398–1469): Kabanellas; 6D9; smix; koontz1973; Clacie; mr_chopper; Lord Harrier; ender516
Aztec Emperor Motecuhzoma IInd Xocoyotzin (c. 1466 – 1520): MudPuppy; Pajarito; joeaggie98; Raskholnikov; jeraado; noddy_nuts; dunk2802; dumhic
Iroquois Confederacy founder Haiëñ'wa'tha (approx. 15th Century): WILLIAMS5232; Oasis77; spartacus65; tecoman; GeneralJestix; rossteacher; MattiWacklin; rmjw10
Choctaw Nation Chief Tuskalusa (approx. 16th Century): darkseb; ThrushAAX; stokiepaul; mr. CD; rdunn13; kairoX; kiwi3; crazycolin