For a Few ReincAARnations More - A Tibetan AAR

All: Thanks for the comments! For those of you who don't know it already, the scanned images were extracted from the comic book by Edgar P. Jacobs "The Secret of The Swordfish" ("Le secret de l'Espadon" in the French original version).

For those interested in seeing more Tibetan warmongering, I recommend you that book, it's a good read


RedFoxBandit: I'm trying to document myself about those facts. Some references may be included in a next update, if I don't get too much fed up with all those mystic proto-aryan ramblings :wacko:

Expect next update uh... as soon as I have time to write it. I still haven't finished playing the game, though, so it takes me some more time!

Snake IV said:

He, I though it looked like Tintin, those comics.

Click to expand...

That's well observed : Edgar P. Jacobs was from the "graphic school" created by Tintin's author Hergé : the "ligne claire" style (aka franco-belgian school). E.P. Jacobs worked with Hergé too before creating his first books, hence the strong similitarity in style.

I don't know though where he got that idea of the World Empire of Tibet

Young Reting Rimpoche observes his father polishing a large knife. His father looks at him with amusement, then begins to tell a story, while still working.

Father: Let me tell you the tale of the world when it was young, my boy. When the Buddha went to teach his precepts to our world. The Giant Kings didn’t like him because he professed peace and respect. Thus, the Giant Kings went to war against Buddha and his followers, and they battled for many, many years. During the battle, the Giants stole from the Buddha the secret of the silvery metal that when bent, can spring back into shape again : and that metal is called steel.

Young Reting Rimpoche: What happened next ?

Father: The Buddha was angered for the only time in is life, and he struck down the Giants in a great battle, but he forgot the secret of steel on the battlefield. The first men who "found" that secret were the Tibetans. We are but men, and the secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, my son. You must learn its discipline.

Young Reting Rimpoche opens wide eyes.

Father: No one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. (he points toward the blade of his knife) But this... this you can trust.

Young Reting Rimpoche: But that’s not steel. That blade was carved into the horn of a yack.

Father (begins to sob): I wish so much that I knew what real steel looks like ! *sob* *sob*

Young Reting Rimpoche: Loser.



Lhassa, 9th June 1943
Royal Military Academy

Reting Rimpoche and most Tibetan generals are gathered.

Reting Rimpoche: Gentlemen, today we will launch our first large scale offensive in our war against Japan and China. The goal of that operation is to set a line of defense against China, that we can hold easily thanks to its rough geography, thus freeing enough troops for further offensives against Sino-Japanese forces into Chinese mainland. Its codename: Operation Anvil of Buddha!

Generals: Hurrah!


Reting Rimpoche: The operation Anvil of Buddha will be split into several phases. General Jampal Rabgyé Rinpoche will lead the first phase, codename Operation Attack-North-And-See-What-Happens.


Murmurs.

General Bapa Yeshe (shily): Uh... may I ask what phase 2 will be?

Reting Rimpoche and Gyato Wangdu look discreetly at each other. Gyato Wangdu shrugs out of helplessness.

Reting Rimpoche: We uh... keep that a secret for now. State secret, that is. Hum. Well, on to the next point: we will need to release Sinkyang, because we need every troop that they can send us to assist our armies. The tricky point will be to find Sheng Shicai who took the hills some years ago, and to convince him to assume power in Sinkyang again, but in our alliance this time. Knowing that our one-sided agression and brutal repression of their numerous uprisings do not plead for our cause.

General Kalsang Tsultrim (lights his half cigar): I think I can do that. I got used to that guy. I think he got used to me, too, somehow.


Sheng Shicai and general Kalsang Tsultrim sit at a table in the royal palace, playing cards. Piles of coins are on the table.

Sheng Shicai (passably inebriated): Today is my lucky day, Kalsang! With the hand I have, I’ll regain everything I lost!

Kalsang Tsultrim: The excitment is killing me.

Sheng Shicai: Ah! You don’t believe me? Here! Look what I bet!

He puts a paper on the table that reads “military control of Sinkyang”.

Kalsang Tsultrim: Hmm. I think I’ll raise on that.

He puts a paper that reads “end mastery over Sinkyang’s puppet government”.

Sheng Shicai: I know you as well as I know myself, Kalsang! Ah! Ah! I perfectly know when you are bluffing!

He puts three little sheets of paper that read “Hotan”, “Korla” and “Qumul”.

Sheng Shicai: I call! Look! A full house! Kings by tens!

Kalsang Tsultrim (puffs on his half-cigar and shows his cards): Quinte flush.

Sheng Shicai: Arg! Damn you! Damn all Tibet!

Kalsang Tsultrim: It’s not your lucky decade, is it Sheng?

Don't miss the climactic sequel of this AAR : the Revenge or Sheng Shicai !

Or not.

In any case, stay tuned for more Tibetan fun and glory (tm) !