Rome vs. North Korea

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

Now, this is pretty weird, but it should be very interesting. Premise: by the will of Allah (swt) modern North Korea and all its people fly away and land during Augustus' reign, let's say on the northern frontier of Gaul, replacing Britain and the english channel. Kin Jong-Un, since he wants to try peacock, invades the Roman empire. So, what would happen?

My two cents: (or perhaps considering it's a war over wealth, my ten cents) Just seeing what machine guns can do will probably rout the Roman army, never mind tanks and missiles. However, even w/1.2 mil or so under arms, I doubt North Korea could establish an empire. Their army is probably very bribable.

Other considerations:
Numbers: NK:1.2 mil Rome:~250,000
North Korea will probably suffer badly from disease.
NK probably has taller people.
Romans could resort to guerilla war, which might work, considering bribeability.
Guns et. al will seem really scary to the Romans.
Missiles will have ridiculous shock effect.

This is just what I could think of in a minute or so.

[New DeCapito]

However ineffective North Korea's nukes are, they could still destroy most of Ancient Rome with one. The Romans would give up after that...

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

However ineffective North Korea's nukes are, they could still destroy most of Ancient Rome with one. The Romans would give up after that...

They have nukes, but they don't have big enough missiles to utilize them. Their only use would be as a display or a giant land mine.

[MERIZoC]

Gee, a modern army against one using technology from 2000 years ago. I don't know, it could go either way.

[The Two Jerseys]

The KPA has no way to replenish their fuel and ammo stores once they run out. Rome will win in the long run.

[Allancia]

North Korea's food and nutrition is so terrible that they would not stand a chance, in direct fighting, against Roman soldiers, who are probably taller and more muscular. And as someone else said, once they run out of oil and fuel, they will no longer be able to wage mechanized warfare. As well, if the Roman army were to steal their ammunition and weapons supplies, they could learn how to use them. I'm placing my money on Rome, albeit with heavy casualties against the modern North Korean military.

[Napkiraly]

Gee, a modern army against one using technology from 2000 years ago. I don't know, it could go either way.

Obviously Rome. *nod*

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

NK doesn't have any factories? OK, I think we all agree NK will win short term. What do you think will happen long-term. Probably Rome and NK would both be gutted, the second by sickness. The Gauls, however, thanks to Caesar probably don't have the strength to rise up, and the germans too disorganized. I think NK would have to retreat to Gaul, and Rome would probably lose most of its empire.

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

North Korea's food and nutrition is so terrible that they would not stand a chance, in direct fighting, against Roman soldiers, who are probably taller and more muscular. And as someone else said, once they run out of oil and fuel, they will no longer be able to wage mechanized warfare. As well, if the Roman army were to steal their ammunition and weapons supplies, they could learn how to use them. I'm placing my money on Rome, albeit with heavy casualties against the modern North Korean military.

People were pretty short in Roman times.

[Napkiraly]

North Korea's food and nutrition is so terrible that they would not stand a chance, in direct fighting, against Roman soldiers, who are probably taller and more muscular. And as someone else said, once they run out of oil and fuel, they will no longer be able to wage mechanized warfare. As well, if the Roman army were to steal their ammunition and weapons supplies, they could learn how to use them. I'm placing my money on Rome, albeit with heavy casualties against the modern North Korean military.

People were pretty short in Roman times.

5'6 really isn't all that bad.

[MERIZoC]

People were pretty short in Roman times.

5'6 really isn't all that bad.

Average height of a North Korean male is actually estimated at 5'5.

[Nilla Wayfarers]

What? How could the North possibly lose? They could use weapons from 2 centuries before and still crush Rome.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

Whats wrong with you? Honestly this is just a special kind of stupid match up, why make this?

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

Whats wrong with you? Honestly this is just a special kind of stupid match up, why make this?

As I said, I only thought of it for a minute.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

Whats wrong with you? Honestly this is just a special kind of stupid match up, why make this?

As I said, I only thought of it for a minute.

It shouldn't even take a minute!

[Washington Resistance Army]

It's the same as the match up between a USMC group and the Roman Army, the Marines/Norks would start out nigh untouchable but once they start to run out of supplies they have to fight the Romans on their own terms. Not to mention the other side will probably be scavenging anything they can.

The Norks will have no way to refuel, no way to produce new ammo, no way to produce more medicine etc etc.

[Napkiraly]

5'6 really isn't all that bad.

Average height of a North Korean male is actually estimated at 5'5.

Checkmate on Kim Jong-Il.

[L Ron Cupboard]

This is ridiculous, single technological advances have proved decisive, a couple of thousand years worth of technological knowledge is certainly going to. Why is height even being talked about?

[Napkiraly]

It's the same as the match up between a USMC group and the Roman Army, the Marines/Norks would start out nigh untouchable but once they start to run out of supplies they have to fight the Romans on their own terms. Not to mention the other side will probably be scavenging anything they can.

The Norks will have no way to refuel, no way to produce new ammo, no way to produce more medicine etc etc.

Also a lot of their soldiers are going to go into meth withdrawal mighty fast.

Olive oil addiction > meth addiction.

One gives you an empire, the other turns you into a stand in on the Walking Dead.

[United Marxist Nations]

It's the same as the match up between a USMC group and the Roman Army, the Marines/Norks would start out nigh untouchable but once they start to run out of supplies they have to fight the Romans on their own terms. Not to mention the other side will probably be scavenging anything they can.

The Norks will have no way to refuel, no way to produce new ammo, no way to produce more medicine etc etc.

While the Romans were indeed famed for their resolve and refusal to give up after losing horrendous numbers, the Norks would have so much ammunition just on their persons that they could kill the entirety of the Roman Army, and still have considerable numbers in reserve.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

NK.

Guns trump ancient body armor.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

1 million men army with guns goes up to 250.000 men strong force armed with short swords and metal army. Tanks versus shields. Guns and tanks win. This kind of premise only becomes interesting when the technologically superior force gets outnumbered significantly. This way... There is nothing to debate. Gun beats gladius. MiG beats equites. The amount of resources the North could produce would mightily outweigh that of the Roman Empire. Even with the economically destructive Stalinism at the helm, modern combustion engines would prove the downfall of the Romans. The North Korean army would march into Rome within the week.

[Napkiraly]

1 million men army with guns goes up to 250.000 men strong force armed with short swords and metal army. Tanks versus shields. Guns and tanks win. This kind of premise only becomes interesting when the technologically superior force gets outnumbered significantly. This way... There is nothing to debate. Gun beats gladius. MiG beats equites. The amount of resources the North could produce would mightily outweigh that of the Roman Empire. Even with the economically destructive Stalinism at the helm, modern combustion engines would prove the downfall of the Romans. The North Korean army would march into Rome within the week.

Until Titus Pullo saves the day.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

Yeah, definitely agree that you have to be a Rome fanboy to not see NK winning here. I could only imagine Rome winning, maybe, if they had years to scout out their own invasion and adapt to stolen tech.

Also why are people talking about disease? The Romans would likely be much more hurt by introduction to modern diseases than the Koreans would be hurt by ancient ones.

[Islamic Meritocratic Transoxiana]

Yeah, definitely agree that you have to be a Rome fanboy to not see NK winning here. I could only imagine Rome winning, maybe, if they had years to scout out their own invasion and adapt to stolen tech.

Also why are people talking about disease? The Romans would likely be much more hurt by introduction to modern diseases than the Koreans would be hurt by ancient ones.

I think it would go both ways.