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[Patrick Hunt]

Again, thats not your choice. You've been hired by somebody so they will decide what you fight. You don't get to say " hey I'll work for you as long as you only send me to fight pirates and bandits otherwise I'll break my contract and refuse to fight for you. "

Nobody will hire a mercenary who refuses orders he doesn't like.

[Fniff]

Why would you choose a mercenary who has no real weaponry to fight against a well trained army? Surely you'd only choose such a force to deal with a small group of annoyances (Like bandits) when you're too busy with something else that requires your full attention? And why would you sign such a contract in the first place? Mercenaries can have specialties and specifications.

[Patrick Hunt]

Because I'm a mercenary, not a psychic. I don't know 6 months in advance who I'm going to be ordered to fight against. They might not even be at war when they hire me.

I can request I be given specific jobs but I don't have any choice in whether or not thats what I'm given.

Besides why are they going to spend money to hire mercenaries to deal with a bandit problem if they already have an army that can do it a lot cheaper?

[Fniff]

Because the army is busy fighting a much bigger enemy? I'm questioning your hypothetical superior's decisions to order an under-equipped force of mercenaries against an army.

[Patrick Hunt]

This was medieval times, throwing massive numbers of men with little or no training and basic equipment at enemies was generally how they fought battles so that smaller numbers of more elite units and the knights could smash the enemy while the massed numbers of fodder units soaked up the casualties.

[Fniff]

Yes, but they usually used peasant conscripts because they were much cheaper then a mercenary company.

[Patrick Hunt]

Fair point, but if you need to get it fast then a mercenary company is a good way to bump up your numbers in a short space of time.


I redesigned the company again, cut the horses entirely and altered it's equipment both to fit the new role and to make it a bit weaker so I wouldn't begin with the best.
I made up another new back story as well and just went with a typical guy who wanted to have an adventure and ended up in charge through no great skill, rather then the over the top characters I tend to use.



Name: Gerard Levon.
Position/Occupation: Leader of mercenary company.
Physical Description: Gerard is around 6 ft tall with a well muscled and completely unmarked body. He has dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes and is never seen outside of his armor.
A set of pure white plate armor with a faceplate shaped like a mans face full of sorrow and a huge onyx broadsword strapped to his back.
He has a leaf shaped green shield strapped on his lower back the sword and a compound bow in a case strapped to his side.

Company : 75 men, Chain mail armor, Long handled battleaxe with a wrist strap and a Mace, Leaf shaped shield, Composite bow and arrows.

Backstory: Gerard was a young man looking for a life of adventure, he grew up dreaming of the wider world and the wonders that it held.
Shortly after reaching adulthood he did what any young man seeking adventure would do, he became a mercenary.

Gerard was not your typical soldier, he found it hard to willingly hurt another living being even if they were trying to kill him but until finally he was almost killed himself and discovered that his desire to live outweighed his aversion to killing.

Gerard remained a gentle man even after this and as time grew he remained a happy man if somewhat haunted by what he had done and continued to do in battle and he took great pride in being part of a brotherhood.
His desire to explore was as strong as ever and he still took pleasure in exploring new places and meeting new and interesting people all across the world.
The company was most often used as either a raiding force, or as a force to hunt down raiders and had managed to avoid getting involved in major battles so far due in large part to remaining low in number to limit it's usefulness in such a situation.
Deep down he harbored a desire to advance and one day to have a family until finally that chance came when the former leader of the company decided to retire and chose him to replace him wanting a man who would put the companies best interests ahead of any other concerns.
Gerard has only recently taken over and is still looking for his first contract as leader of the company.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

Hehe, but that's only his bio till he becomes a preeminent warlord and catches a local daimyo with his pants down.

Looks like it's a pretty sober game ghazkull's trying to host, so go for something that's still interesting but very much mundane. You've probably got all the poetic license in the world, (inventing places ((we've even got a map to base it on!)) & people), so long as you keep it real.




7 responses while you had the post window open!

lemme see here...

Well, you are meant to be starting from the bottom in the political heriarchy. It'd be unfair to start out with a well-respected mercenary company. Hence why I'm starting out with a bunch of thieves and whores and a crappy old ship. Speaking of...

Hmm, one flaw: I don't see any country buying wares from the pirate terrorizing it's own shores. Why do that when they could confiscate the goods and kill the buggers as soon as they step on land? You've gotta pick out who you'll want to pillage and who you'll want to barter with once the 5 independents are settled.

That might be fine, except if I start with that I'll get wiped out in my first battle by enemies who have far higher numbers and have more experienced and have better equipment.

At least as a pirate you can avoid battle unless it's only a single enemy or you can pick weak targets, on land thats almost completely impossible to do in an era where cavalry ruled the battle field and will run down anybody retreating.

Welp, part of being a mercenary company is the horrific risk. You'll have to use your brains to survive, and to be fair 1: cavalry didn't rule the battlefield. 2: Boats can have varying speeds & strengths as well.

If you want the same success as mr. pirate, you could just go with a small 20-man band, possibly on horseback, and set clever traps on the roads.

...... which is completely impossible to do as a mercenary given that if they hired you it's fairly likely they lack a real army themselves and you don't generally know in advance what battles your going to be thrown into
You also don't get to decide if you do it or not, you either follow the contract, or you find nobody will hire you because you can't be trusted.


I'll redesign it again, but on a side note. A bastard sword can be used for horseback perfectly fine as long as it's used for charging and not a straight battle since with it's weight and length if you swing it in as you charge past it brings a massive momentum with it.

Depends on the market: are there not many mercs/a very high demand? You'll probably get a lot out of contract negotiations. Too many mercs/not enough need? You'll be front-lines grater meat, and you'll be contractually obligated to like it.

If it's a two-handed greatsword of a 'bastard' sword, good luck holding onto it, let alone swinging it. Keep in mind you have to hold it in one hand- the other's for the reins.

So? Just fight against bandits and pirates who are usually badly equipped and trained. You'll get money and respect fairly quickly. Going after a large force instantly is a bad idea anyway, work your way up.

Again, thats not your choice. You've been hired by somebody so they will decide what you fight. You don't get to say " hey I'll work for you as long as you only send me to fight pirates and bandits otherwise I'll break my contract and refuse to fight for you. "

Nobody will hire a mercenary who refuses orders he doesn't like.

More likely he'll be hired for guard duty & escort missions. Or criminer ercterviters. But then I'm not read up on how mercenaries really worked in the renaissance, sooo....you two should google it.




4 new replies were posted

Mk, lemme see...
A note:
Contracts don't consist of
-Stipulation 1: The party known as Mercenaries hereby agrees to be the slave of the party known as Master for no less than 12 months.
-Should stipulation 1 be broken, Mercenaries forfeits any and all wages promised by Master.

They're big legalese things negotiated to by both parties that contain stipulations and agreements regarding a wide variety of possible scenarios. The mercs, obviously, don't want to be fed into a meatgrinder, while the employers, understandably, want the mercs to stand up and bleed a little bit. The contract is there to make both parties happy.

[Fniff]

Hm, that's a good point, Grizzly. I'll edit it to specify that. Also, Miss Pirate.

[Patrick Hunt]

Yeah thats what I've done, cut the numbers down and taken an average guy and throw him into the job, I took away the horse entirely and that'll wait until I have enough money to buy horses for my little company.

But as a mercenary if the first thing I say is I won't fight for you in any big battles I'm going to find it very difficult to get a job.


Looking back at it what I was designing was more of a knighthood order then a mercenary company.

[TCM]

I'd like to reserve a spot.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

Yeah thats what I've done, cut the numbers down and taken an average guy and throw him into the job, I took away the horse entirely and that'll wait until I have enough money to buy horses for my little company.

But as a mercenary if the first thing I say is I won't fight for you in any big battles I'm going to find it very difficult to get a job.


Looking back at it what I was designing was more of a knighthood order then a mercenary company.

You know you could set yourself up as just that right? In fact, there's a new up-and-coming theocratic government around, and you could probably write yourself into the new position of papal guard captain High Commander of the Holy Papal Shield.

[Patrick Hunt]

Not anymore, I'm not allowed to join.

[Harbingerjm]

The One East of the Duchy of Kerns starts with a Size 3 City and a Road (but no Traderoute). He also has 15 Parcels of Land but has to deal with Horse Tribes living on his land every winter season.

What kind of horse tribes, and what kind of "deal with" are we talking?

[adwarf]

And completed.

Spoiler: King Samus XV (click to show/hide)

Name: Samux XV
Position/Occupation: King of the Heltanian Empire

Physical Description: A young man with short cut black hair, light green eyes, and moderately charming good looks. He is around six feet tall height, and is slightly lanky though he constantly wears the heirloom suit of armor, the sword, and crown that has been passed down through the royal family for many a king and queen.
 
Backstory: Samus has been brought up as almost every other first born son of the Heltanian Royal Family has been, from the moment he could talk and walk he was taught in all manner of politics and scholarly arts. Then when he was old enough to hold a sword his training in swordsmanship was started, swordsmanship, learning, and political games were his life from the moment he was born. His time spent at court made him mature faster then the other children of the royal family, while the other kids played and ran in the yard Samus would be in his room leafing through a tome on ancient history or practicing with his instructor in the training yard.

By the age of eighteen he was well versed in the art of the sword, and many facets of management, and politics that would be required of him when he came to rule. Sadly for Samus his time to rule came early as a month after his eighteenth birthday his father was assassinated, the assassin responsible disappeared before anyone found out about the act, and Samus was thrust into the position of King a mere week later ...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name of the City State: Heltanian Empire

Position on the Map: Northernmost City State

Government: Monarchy

Culture: The people of the Heltanian Empire are, for the most part, farmers, fisherman, simple craftsman, and the like whose lives are lead by their belief in the Heltanic Pantheon and in the royal family. The royal family, and the current King, King Samus XV, rule from the capital city Talrius on the edge of the Blackwater Coast, it is here that the primary (and last) cathedral of the Heltanic Pantheon is found.

The Heltanic people put much meaning into the workings of their daily lives, if their harvest was good then they had done enough to please Nimisius and if it was bad then they would work harder the next year to please him, giving both more offerings in their visits to shrines and longer prayers.

In the Heltanic Empire the ruling King or Queen may have absolute power but a council of sorts attends to, and aids the King in his decisions, this council is made up of a single person who is chosen by every major village, city, and town to help the King rule. The Royal Family itself is also part of this council, as decreed by Nimisius himself when he forged the Heltanian Empire so long ago.

Religion - The people of the Heltanian Empire worship the Heltanic Pantheon which consists of five major gods, and a large amount of lesser deities, demi-gods, and the like. The people of the Heltanian Empire are (for the most part) vastly devote to the Heltanic Pantheon worshiping it and letting it take a hand in leading their lives down the right path.

The first and foremost among the gods is Numisius, the God of War, Death, and Life, he is the patron God and father of the royal family as well as the first King of the Heltanian Empire. He is worshiped primarily by soldiers, and the royal family with offerings of cheap metals and the like during war time and food or drink during peace time.

The second among the gods is Rius, the Goddess of Navigation, Change, and Knowledge, she is the wife Numisius and mother of all knowledge in the world and guide to the lost. She is worshiped primarily by sailors, scholars, and inventors with offerings of paper and ink and lengths of ropes both during times of peace and war though daily prayer is also sufficient.

The remaining three gods are equals among each other though beneath Numisius and Rius who are the King and Queen of the Gods.

Falismir is the God Smith, the one who is said to have forged the sword and crown worn by the rulers of the Heltanian Empire. It is to Falismir that smiths and other craftsman worship, though unlike Rius and Numisius most who worship him give few offerings due to most being poor.

Ulgur is the God of Night and Shadows, he is the patron God of thieves and other criminals though he dislikes those who kill or commit crimes that lead to the deaths of others. Those who worship him leave offerings of scraps of black cloth, knives, and copper coins in the hopes of gaining some aid from him.

Kull is the God of Balance, Truth, and Discovery as well as the patron god of Orphaned children, he seeks to keep the balance of the world intact whether it be a good thing for the Empire or not. Those who worship him do it through daily worship and striving to keep the world's balance as Kull would, those who do this are called the Wandering Few and are seen by most people in the Empire with constant suspicion.


Past Glory: The Heltanian Empire once spanned from the Blackwater Coast, past the Western Peaks, and to the sea west of the Peaks. In its glory days the Heltanian Empire held the entire north in its grasp, and from the ancient capital in the Western Peaks the royal family ruled over the entirety of it.