Technology and Metallurgy of the Generals

[DocHex]

I was wondering which metals would be most appropriate to and coveted by each general. What base metal would best suit each general for making weapons? What metal would each general regard as most precious? I soon realized that I would first need to decide how technologically advanced each society was.

I began by attempting to rank each general by the level of technology he possesses and assigned a Historical Age to his society.


From most primitive to most advanced we have:

Copper Age (-3300BC) - Ullar

Bronze Age (3300BC-1200BC) - Aquilla
Iron Age (1200BC-400AD) - Einar
Industrial Age (1700-1900AD) - Utgar
Machine Age (1900-1945) - Jandar
Space Age (1957-) - Vydar

I was a little surprised by how primitive Ullar seemed compared to the others; but I suppose they are far less concerned with technology and much more in tune with the mystical forces of nature. Einar was easy to place, as Greeks, Romans, and Samurai all flourished during the Iron Age. I reasoned that the three generals with soulbourg races were the most technologically advanced.

Note:
I realise that dates are irrelevant in Valhalla, but I included earth years in parenthesis for reference. (The gap in the timeline between the Iron Age and the Industrial Age is the period known as the Middle Ages. I omitted the Middle Ages, as few developments in metallurgy occurred during this period.)

I then thought about what metals were known during each Age and what technology was available at the time to process the metals into useful objects. This is how I assigned the metals to the generals.

AGE -GENERAL -BASE METAL (weapons) -PRECIOUS METAL

Copper Age - Ullar - Copper - Copper
Bronze Age - Aquilla - Bronze - Gold
Iron Age - Einar - Iron - Pewter
Industrial Age - Utgar - Carbon Steel - Silver
Machine Age - Jandar - Stainless Steel - Palladium
Space Age - Vydar - Titanium - Platinum

Copper, Gold, Bronze, and Pewter have been known to man since ancient times. While stainless steel, titanium, platinum and palladium are much more modern discoveries.

I wasn’t really expecting to find a strong link between the colour of the metals and the colour schemes of the Generals. However, I found that some interesting correlations were revealed.

• Ullar’s colour scheme is brown and green. A copper penny will turn brown in few weeks; and will tarnish to a green patina if left exposed to the weather.
• Aquilla’s colour scheme is yellow and black. Gold is yellow; and Bronze is dark sepia colour.
• Einar’s colour scheme is tan/orange and purple. Iron Ore is a purple-grey colour that will oxidize to a reddish-brown. Pewter is a grey metal with a purple/blue tinge to it.
• Utgar’s colour scheme is black and red. Carbon Steel exposed to air will quickly take on a charcoal colour; and if exposed to moisture will rust to a reddish colour. Silver will tarnish to black if not maintained.
• Jandar’s colour scheme is white and blue. Palladium is a white metal. Stainless Steel has a blue tinge to it.
• Vydar’s colour scheme is grey. Both Titanium and Platinum are grey metals.

This little exercise actually seems to have resolved itself quite nicely. In fact, the relationships seem quite logical to me; much better than I had initially hoped for.

[King of Blanks]

The results of your investigation are interesting, as is the premise. Good to see some original and thought-provoking posts like this one still popping up on this site.

[Jdet]

I don't think you can pigeonhole Jandar into the first half of the 20th century. His units date back to at least the 12th century with the Templar knights, plus steel has been around since the Medieval period (if not earlier). Good call on some of the other ones though.

[Simpsons Scaper]

I agree. The other 4 seem accurate to me, but Jandar and Utgar both cover a wide range of characters, from futuristic to medieval.

Anyways, good work DocHex!

[Kroc]

Personally I would put Jandar in the Medieval period, even though metallurgy didn't develop during that period. He represents all the traditional values of that period. Honor, chivalry, etceteras.

[Soundwarp SG-1]

Cool idea

Also, as a bench jeweler, I find it hilarious that Utgar's precious metal is Silver. If there's one metal most jewelers would call 'evil', Silver would be it.

[Dr. Weirdscaper]

Keep that silver away from my wolves!!!

+rep

[Kepler]

Umm . . . I wouldn't put Ullar in the Copper age and Aqullia in the Bronze age. Both draw troops from Feylund and being a typical fantasy world I would put their tech at medival levels (i.e. steel weapons).

Also for Einar didn't Samurai use steel weapons as well?

[ForTheGem14]

All I can say is nice, You got my brain working early today thanks

[Tai-Pan]

I like the initial post, very interesting. Everyone else, does it really matter which age they come from? They are all about at the same technological level because they all come from the same place at the same time (Valhalla). They draft units from totally different places and times, but they themselves should not be much more or less advanced than each other.