Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Winter of '79 - DIM Force, Brunel University

May I introduce you to the Direct Action International Marxist Force of Brunel University, better known as DIM, a splittest  offshoot of the university's local trots, the International Marxist Group.

They have acquired some AKs, RPGs and Uzis from fraternal comrades in the Malaysian Embassy and Big Ron at the Dog & Duck public house in nearby Uxbridge.

The Polish T55 was acquired from the Engineering Department who were doing it up as a rag week stunt to attack our enemies in City University (next to Sadler's Wells).

I was a student at Brunel in the early 70s and remember the IMG well. They were very unlikely urban guerrillas but, hey, this is a fantasy.

I studied for my PhD from Brunel in the late 70s, which meant I missed meeting SF author Ken MacLeod who was a postgrad there in the mid 70s. Both of us were in Zoology: Brunel specialised in the new mathematical methods being introduced to biology: Ian was in biomechanics and I was in mathematical ecology.

Incidentally, if you want to get the atmosphere of Brunel and London in the 70s, I heartily recommend you read the Star Fraction trilogy by Ken. It starts with an explosion in the Brunel University Biology building and affectionately parodies left wing politics (and right wing). Ken was a member of Brunel's IMG at the time.

Actually, even if you are uninterested in 70s London, The Star Faction is a damn good read.
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16 comments:

  1. Zzzzzz2 March 2016 at 15:42

    Polish ? Why the Czech roundel ?

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    1. John Lambshead2 March 2016 at 20:36

      Czech? It was sold to me as Polish. Swizzo!

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    2. Zzzzzz3 March 2016 at 21:27

      I'm now imagining a fun backstory where some Czech agents are trying to get back their tank, sold to the Student Union by a small time Polish crook who got lucky.

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    3. John Lambshead3 March 2016 at 21:45

      I feel a novel coming on. :)

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  2. Lasgunpacker2 March 2016 at 19:06

    Someone who went to University in the US in the late 90s, I find the idea of a campus Marxist club delightfully bizarre. However, it obviously makes for a fun faction in this game!

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    1. John Lambshead2 March 2016 at 20:37

      Things is different here. :)

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    2. Lasgunpacker3 March 2016 at 18:26

      yes, and the past is a different country as well.

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    3. John Lambshead3 March 2016 at 21:45

      Absolutely. Everything changed in the 70s in the UK.

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  3. Musings of a Smurf2 March 2016 at 21:29

    It was nice to hear about your previous academic escapades. I've just graduated with a PhD in biology myself. Glad to know there are others knocking about in gaming circles :)

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    1. John Lambshead3 March 2016 at 17:15

      I've just retired, Smurf, so we are at opposite ends of our careers.

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    2. Musings of a Smurf3 March 2016 at 17:40

      Lucky you! I'm not sure I want a career in science academia these days

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    3. John Lambshead3 March 2016 at 21:44

      Indeed, things are going to hell in a handcart.

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  4. Peter Ball2 March 2016 at 21:50

    Lovely! I must get round to getting more of MacLeod. I picked up The Star Fraction back in the '90s, but never saw a sequel in Smith's at the time. It definitely deserves revisiting.

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  5. alastair3 March 2016 at 15:18

    There's a whole game just based around leftish student politics with the infighting between all the different groups. Back in the early 80s I was part of the Clubs Committee at Strathclyde Uni and the skullduggery that went on was amazing (and great fun!). We had a more serious job keeping the Iraqi and Iranian clubs apart!

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    1. John Lambshead3 March 2016 at 21:43

      I seem to remember the IMG and the ISG were at each others throats the whole time.

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