Sociotard Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 What kinds of jobs would be found in an army? Right now I'm building a small army of mounted archers (see the attached file). I think I have a good idea of what combat skills I want them to have, but I'd like to know, what individual skills would I find in camp? I set asside 6 points per man to represent things that not every unit would have. I'm not going to actually write up every man, but I'd like to know what kinds of proffesions would be a good idea to keep an army running? I just want a list of proffesion packages at around 6 points (or 3 - 9, I'm not constrictive) Here's what I have Quartermaster 2 SS: Logistics 11- 3 Trading 12- 2 PS: Appraise 11- 2 KS: Camp Inventory 11- This is the guy in charge of supplies, both aquiring them and distributing them. Scout 3 Tracking 11- 3 Stealth 12- Batman 2 PS: Servant 11- Apparently the servant of an officer is called a batman. I didn't know that. Cook 2 PS: Cook 11- 2 KS: Flora & Fauna Trainer 3 Analyze: Combat Skill 11- 2 PS: Trainer Horse Trainer 2 PS: Horse Trainer 3 Analyze: Horses Officer 3 Tactics 11- 3 Oratory 2 KS: Military Science Medic 3 Paramedics 11- 2 PS: Healer 11- 2 KS: Herbalism 11- And some obvious ones, Bowyer = weaponsmith: Bows Fletcher = weaponsmith: arrows guy to make swords, lances and axes guy to make leather armor Any other good ones I'm missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsider Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Military Policeman Chaplain Artilleryman Sapper/Miner Recruiter Messenger Bugler/drummer/piper (signals or morale) Driver (for supplies, if the army runs its own, or for combat vehicles (chariots/wagons) if it uses them) Engineer (probably an officer's job, with labor provided by infantry) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? If feudal, the Noble - which includes Officer and may include Quatermaster, Recruiter, Engineer or Jack-of-all-Trades (Nobles being the best educated usually). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale A. Ward Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? In any setting that depends on horse cavalry, you'll definitely need a farrier. In addition to shoeing the horses, he would also be responsible for maintaining the tack and harnesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? I was reading something in the man-at-arms series, during the late medieval period one page was required per four other men to tend the horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Don't forget the workmen. Blacksmiths, Ferriers, Engineer (build them siege engines) along with his Carpenters. Now, a number of jobs will be held by the same guy. An Engineer will likely be an Officer as well as probably something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Forager. He would have Survival, Tracking, perhaps Concealment. Maybe some interesting KS and PS skills. Lucius Alexander The palindromedary takes notes for the "Professions of Arms" series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? The cook should be a fair to good butcher as well as a forager, unless the army is large enough for separate individuals in those roles. He might also be a barber, medic, and herbalist, though again those roles can and will be broken up if you have enough men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted October 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Barber would be a strange proffession to put into a skill slot in HERO. I mean, it is is a skill, but a medieval Barber often does more harm than good, even if he is a good barber. it seems like in most fantasy fiction and rpg's that gets glossed over and the healers actually heal things. Oh, and for what it's worth, the army I'm making is actually kind of small, basically a 144-man company, divided into 12-man squads (I like base twelve). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Barber would be a strange proffession to put into a skill slot in HERO. I mean' date=' it is is a skill, but a medieval Barber often does more harm than good, even if he is a [b']good[/b] barber. it seems like in most fantasy fiction and rpg's that gets glossed over and the healers actually heal things. Oh, and for what it's worth, the army I'm making is actually kind of small, basically a 144-man company, divided into 12-man squads (I like base twelve). Kind of depends on genre, time period and the historians you trust. The Greeks and Romans had some fairly good doctors, and the Chinese had some very good ones. There were also always plenty of quacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Barber would be a strange proffession to put into a skill slot in HERO. I mean' date=' it is is a skill, but a medieval Barber often does more harm than good, even if he is a [b']good[/b] barber. it seems like in most fantasy fiction and rpg's that gets glossed over and the healers actually heal things. Oh, and for what it's worth, the army I'm making is actually kind of small, basically a 144-man company, divided into 12-man squads (I like base twelve). Not only barber, but perhaps Dentist too? I'm not sure when barber and dentist came together, but a number of dentists in the old west were also barbers. Shrug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? If it's a certain kind of army, there's the political officer, whose job is to make sure everyone's staying loyal--and the right kind of loyal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? A number of barbers were also surgeons The barber's pole being a reminder of days when blood letting was common (in Europe). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmadanNaBriona Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? A number of barbers were also surgeons The barber's pole being a reminder of days when blood letting was common (in Europe). And strangely enough, Bonesetter was a different profession from the Barber-surgeon, usually a sideline profession of the blacksmith (who was often the stongest man in any given group). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? And strangely enough' date=' Bonesetter was a different profession from the Barber-surgeon, usually a sideline profession of the blacksmith (who was often the stongest man in any given group).[/quote'] Cool! I didn't know that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Medieval medicine is equal parts fascinating, and frightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? I had a friend who had a civil war field surgery manual. Talk about frightening. It was filled with little gems like, "to treat an open wound for transport, pack it with clean sand." Keith "urk." Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbarron Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Frequently, ancient (and not so ancient) soldiers took their families with them campaigning. Because they would be gone so long, it was the only way to keep the family together. Plus, if the soldier died, there were plenty of guys willing to get married to the widow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Frequently' date=' ancient (and not so ancient) soldiers took their families with them campaigning. Because they would be gone so long, it was the only way to keep the family together. Plus, if the soldier died, there were plenty of guys willing to get married to the widow.[/quote'] Beats a chastity belt I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale A. Ward Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Beats a chastity belt I guess. Nothing beats a chastity belt!! <_< >_> What? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Alexander the Great suppossedly took bee hives with him on some of his campaigns, the idea being that the honey would be useful as a treat for the men. "Bee Keeping Officer" would be an interesting title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted October 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Wouldn't bumping along in a wagon P.O. the bees? Still, honey might be a safer treat than wine. I'd actually thought of having them take wasp nests. Wasp nest + onager = broken enemy formations. saw it on a cartoon once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? Wouldn't bumping along in a wagon P.O. the bees? Still' date=' honey might be a safer treat than wine.[/quote'] I expect the bees were not happy. They did take wine as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordGhee Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Re: What're the jobs in an Army? supposedly the romans used so many bee hives in sieges that it caused crop failure (form a book on ancient fighting methods that i am thinking of getting). How about COMMANDER LORD GHEE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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