One of the toughest manhunts in Canadian history occurred in 1932 in the depths of winter. It ranged across the Northwest Territories and Yukon in subzero temperatures and the near-perpetual darkness of the Arctic winter. The hunt was for Albert Johnson, later known as “The Mad Trapper of Rat River”. But what led him to flee into the frozen wilderness for over a month?

Arrival

The first record we have of Albert Johnson is when he arrived at Fort McPherson in July 1931. Johnson had been previously found by fur trappers. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) constable questioning him noted his foreign, Scandinavian sounding accent and that he had plenty of money for supplies. …

Mercenaries have been around for centuries. In the 4th century BC, an army of Greek mercenaries fought their way home from Persia. Vikings guarded the Byzantine emperors. It is nothing new for soldiers to sell their services to the highest bidder.

Names like Academi or Wagner Group have dominated the headlines in recent years. In the popular image, they represent a new breed of mercenary, a private army that can complete missions that national forces can’t (or won’t).

Most of these modern companies would call themselves PMCs (Private Military Contractors). …

The Homeworld series remains a defining classic of the RTS genre. It was a standout release, critically acclaimed for its immersive story and innovative gameplay.

The latest entry in the franchise, 2016’s Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, is a prequel to the original games, set on the planet of Kharak. A dying world, the deserts continue to spread, year after year, with most of the population concentrated on the poles. Their sole hope rests on the discovery of a mysterious artifact hidden in the sands.

The player takes control of a Coalition expedition venturing southward into the deep desert. The Coalition represents the last hope for the planet but is opposed at every turn by the Gaalsien, religious fanatics who wage a crusade of destruction against their sworn enemies. …

Mediterranean Lingua Franca or Sabir, was a pidgin language used widely in the Mediterranean basin from the Middle Ages until the 19th century. It was a lingua franca used predominantly on the coast, in the major port cities.

Lingua franca

Lingua franca literally means “language of the Franks” though nowadays we use it to mean a language that is spoken to enable communication between two or more groups that do not share a native language.

Frank was a term used to describe western Europeans by peoples of the Levant (eastern Mediterranean) though it originally only meant those from France. It came into popular use after the time of the Crusades which saw increased contact between east and west. …

The end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance was to see warfare change drastically in Europe. It saw the shift away from feudal levies to professional standing armies and the rise of gunpowder.

Three units dominated the battlefield, the gendarme (a professional version of knights), the pikeman, and the cannon. The pikeman defeated the gendarme, the cannon countered pikemen, and gendarmes could overrun cannons.

The Battle of Cerignola in 1503 was to dramatically change tactics in Europe. It is considered the first battle won by firearms and it marked the beginning of 140 years of Spanish dominance over the battlefield. …

South Africa in the seventies and eighties was a very different place. The country was under apartheid rule, a system of government where the white minority ruled over the rest of the population. It was a time of prosperity for some but one of hardship and suffering for the vast majority of South Africa’s people. The system was unyielding, based on the colour of one’s skin.

Beginnings

The son of a South African general in the prison service, André Stander seemed to have his life laid out for him. A mediocre student, Stander was groomed for a career in law enforcement. …

There is a theory that some people subscribe to that state's history is cyclical. It’s been around since ancient times when it was believed that civilisations inevitably went through a cycle of dark and golden ages, collapse and growth. While it remains just a theory, it is interesting to see concepts and ideas from times past reused in modern days.

A sterling example is the type of forts built by the French military this year in Mali. The French military has been deployed to the region as part of the fight against terrorist groups affiliated with Daesh and Al Qaeda. …

It’s been 21 years since Jagged Alliance 2 was first released in 1999 and yet in that time, no other game has come close to mimicking its winning formula.

Jagged Alliance 2 has you leading a small mercenary company that receives a contract to liberate the country of Arulco from a dangerous dictator. Queen Deidranna’s reign of terror must be stopped. Starting with a limited budget, you have to recruit and equip mercenaries before leading a resistance movement across the entire country.

The game is a unique mix of strategy and tactics. The battles might resemble XCOM but it’s the economic struggle that will challenge most players. You must pay your troops, hire other mercenaries, and bring in supplies. Scavenging and looting will only bring you so far, you need to keep control of an airfield to bring in top-notch body armor or fresh 5.56mm …