Guards and Soldiers

[Shadowsoul]

Guards, soldiers, minions. The bread and butter of an adventuring party's opponents. I caught myself describing a couple of soldiers that my players encountered the other day as 'guards' and making no further attempt to individualise them. Now the PCs in that campaign are powerful enough that normals without good equipment barely warrant getting the combat rules out. But I still feel that I missed an opportunity for a memorable encounter.

 

So I thought it might help to stockpile ideas for units and groups of soldiers/guards/mercenaries that people could draw on to add a little colour to the faceless minions of lords and generals that stand in your players' way.

 

So please, post any units/regiments from your games that you like or are particularly proud of. Or any units from books/games/films that you like. Or just a unit that you come up with on the spot. All I ask is that the unit should be usable in at least one of the major fantasy sub-genres e.g. High, Sword and Sorcery. (Preferably not Urban Fantasy). Package Deals are welcome but are not necessary.

 

Here are my initial ideas. I'll try to use generic names to make them more easily transferable into a particular setting.

 

The Scar Wood Irregulars. Many commanders swear by these skirmishing mercenaries from the back-woods of Scar. Ok, they aren't good at taking prisoners, tend to slaughter the enemy, (and friendly), wounded with excessive enthusiasm and give normal troops the creeps. But they possess a wiry strength and a curious indifference to death that makes them excellent light fighters and shock troops.

 

The truth is that Scar Wood is a primordial place and traces of the inhuman creatures that once lived there can be seen in the current human inhabitants. The people of Scar Wood are hairless, possessed of unnaturally long limbs and gifted with flesh that does not bear wounds for long. There is something horrible lurking in the too-wet depths of their dark eyes and if any outsider has heard the names of their gods then he has not lived to tell the tale.

 

Scar Wood Irregulars are lightly equipped with leather armour, (at best), axes, picks, clubs and a few bows. Their superior strength and eerie presence make them dangerous fighters. Scar Wood boasts an unusual number of Warlocks.

 

Lord Dire's Guards.

 

Lord Dire lives a reclusive life in a vast tower and carries out experiments in alchemy, necromancy and demonism. Only the most desperate or foolhardy willingly join the ranks of his mortal servants and they are poor fighters for the most part. The things they have seen have made them pale and jittery and their secondary role as test subjects has given many of them skeletal limbs or demonic mutations.

 

Lord Dire's Guards wear tattered chainmail and wield swords and shields. They are less healthy than normal soldiers and their morale is poor. Nonetheless, those that survive more than a few months amongst Dire's experiments and 'pets' develop excellent nightvision and a rudimentary resistance to magic. A few guards possess undead limbs or other 'useful' curses that make them worthier opponents.

 

The Ausburg Artisans.

 

Named for the Artisans Quarter which they traditionally recruit from, these mercenaries are typically sons of merchants or succesful craftsmen. Each Artisan uses his own funds to buy the superbly crafted crossbow he carries. The Artisans take pride in their appearance, sporting uniforms of darkest burgundy complete with bicorn hats and jackets of light chainmail.

 

Unfortunately the Artisans see themselves as elite marksman and tend to become panicky if a commander allows an enemy to get within sword range of their precious hides.

 

The Ausburg Artisans carry heavy crossbows and short swords and wear chainmail. Their skill in marksmanship is far superior to their abilities in a melee.

 

The Half-Tooth Crews.

 

When the paranoid Merchant Lords of the city of Guilder confiscated all foreign ships in their port they left many a poor sailor wandering the docks with nothing but the shirt on his back. Banned from working on Guilder ships, many of these sailors banded together into a loose alliance and now work as thugs and enforcers for anyone who will take them.

 

The Crewmen can be picked out from other gangs by their mix of races and cultures and the piratical sea-slang that they use to communicate with each other. Crews are led by Captains and the toughest fighter is elected to be the First Mate. The name Half-Tooth refers to the less than average number of teeth owned by the Crewmen, either the result of too much hard-tack or too many drunken brawls.

 

The Crewmen do not wear armour and are variously equipped with knives, bludgeons, cutlasses and crude flails made from rope and dockside wreckage. They rely on numbers and stubborness in a fight and are not particularly skilled fighters for the most part. The Crewmen show little loyalty to their employers and are easily bribed with offers of money, alchohol or the chance to sail the seven seas once again.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

And a few more.

 

The Dragon Guard of Sorceria.

 

Many are the tales told of the Dragon Guard, few of them pleasant. In every bar and tavern in Sorceria people speculate about what might lurk beneath the steel that covers them from head to toe. Some whisper that their faces are every bit as monstrous as the snarling dragon helms which mask them. Others say that it is not flesh that hides beneath the armour, but the spirits of the restless dead. No one who does not serve the Tyrant of Sorceria can say for sure.

 

But all agree that the Dragon Guard wield their axes with consummate skill and ferocity and that their line has never been breached in battle.

 

The Dragon Guard wear full plate armour, included banded iron gauntlets, visored helms and steel reinforced boots, and carry pole-axes. Their discipline and skill are superb but, despite the rumours, they are well trained humans with a fearsome reputation, not monsters. They do possess the superb strength and endurance required to wear plate armour for hours at a time, however.

 

Lady Curvedanger's Bodyguard.

 

Lady Curvedanger requires that all her bodyservants be handsome, strong and graceful. She has often been heard to remark, with a wicked smile on her face, that they serve her best with their armour off.

 

This is true, though not just in the way that people might think. These bodyguards are trained in the subtle arts of stealth and assassination, so that they might further their mistress's ambitions while protecting her from the machinations of her rivals. More than one hired killer has crept up on a seemingly dumb brute of a bodyguard, only to fall to the curved dagger or poisoned dart of his partner.

 

Lady Curvedanger's Bodyguard wear ceremonial half-plate and carry spears or decorative maces which they are not especially adept with. They use shuriken, garottes, daggers, darts and poisons with considerably more competence and can melt a woman's heart with a single smile.

 

The White Wards of Hind.

 

One in twenty five children born in the teeming city of Hind are albino. No one knows why this happens, but the superstitious Hindites view these unlucky children with disgust and relegate them to the bottom of the caste system. They are the refuse collectors and gravediggers, doomed to perform only those tasks without honour.

 

To the albinos falls the task of guarding the only people with lower status than them - the wretched criminals imprisoned in the labyrinthine dungeons beneath Hind. The albinos of Hind are not kind to those in their care; though they have no more natural cruelty than any other human, each Ward has suffered a lifetime of unjust persecution and most relish the opportunity to visit that pain on others.

 

The White Wards of Hind wear thick leather armour and executioners' hoods. They are not allowed to carry the swords, spears and bows sacred to other castes and must content themselves with whips, punchspikes and clubs. The White Wards are torturers rather than soldiers, they fare poorly against trained fighters.

 

Kir's Marauders.

 

Kir is one of the many barbarians that ventured into civilised lands in order to make his fortune. He soon recruited a band of like-minded warriors and now pillages the known world, for a price.

 

You must belong to a suitably savage or warlike tribe to join the Marauders. Apart from that all Kir asks of his men, (and women), is that they know their way around an axe, can ride a horse well and can survive at least one drinking bout with their leader.

 

Kir's Marauders are cavalry. They wear heavy furs, though some have better armour, and carry a bewildering array of edged weapons, with axes being the most common. They are tough and ferocious, but are also impatient for battle and hard to control.

 

The 3rd Legion of Darkness, "The Fainthearts".

 

During the Battle of The Murky Plains the 3rd Legion of the army of the Demonlord D'arc fled without even drawing their swords. The fact that they had been running from a dragon summoned by the other side's wizards did not appease their master's wrath. He placed them under a curse, saying that the soul of every member of the Legion who did not die bravely in battle would suffer eternal torment in the Elemental Plane of Agony.

 

Since then the 3rd Legion have laughed as they run into battle and flung themselves onto their enemies' swords with desperate abandon.

 

The Fainthearts carry longswords and kite shields. Only their fear of a cowardly death marks them out from any other unit, though they are quite competent as soldiers go.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Kalden's Fanatics

Kalden the alchemist has created an highly addictive elixer that grants the imbiber heightened strength, speed, and resistance to damage. This has allowed him to create an elite fighting force who are fanatically loyal to him as he is the only one who can supply the drug to which they are addicted. Kalden has them spend most of their time training to make them even more dangerous. He uses the most skilled as bodyguards, but gladly rents the rest out as fearless mercenaries to help fund his alchemical research.

 

Chaos Warriors of Ashgar

The rebels against the despotic king of Ashgar found that unpredictability gave them an edge in fighting the king's forces. The decentralized groups developed peculiar fighting styles that often incorporated esoteric martial arts, acrobatics, sleight of hand, odd equipment (ropes, cloaks, smoke bombs etc.) and even magic to make their combat styles inscrutable. Although the king of Ashgar is long dead, individual Chaos warriors still travel the land as mercenaries (or heroes, or villains), taking on apprentices now and then to perpetuate their art.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

This is, perhaps, what I should have done with the guards I mentioned in my first post. Though the party had already met non-humans with similar weapons.

 

The Redguard of Castle Yumah.

 

Humans drafted into the service of a ruthless Vampire Lord the Redguard are butchers as much as soldiers. They stalk the jungles around their castle home looking for prey, human and animal, to offer up to their bloodthirsty masters.

 

Agile, stealthy and possessing the raw cunning and savagery of the Vampires they serve, the Redguard are not to be taken lightly. They are expert climbers and can easily ambush their opponents if encountered in a forest environment.

 

The Redguard wear very light armour made from knotted plant fibres. They carry javelins and snares and various close combat weapons intended to bleed and butcher their victims; sawtoothed knives, curved daggers, half-moon blades, barbed spears and axes. Though skilled enough and inured to violence the Redguard are not especially brave or disciplined.

 

And just for fun.

 

Ghost Riders.

 

Cavalry recruited from the criminals and brigands of Nelmore by the evil mage Yartan Blacktongue. The Ghost Riders aren't dead but their skeletal mounts are, and so are most of their enemies. When not killing or looting the Ghost Riders indulge in wild parties involving drink, drugs, destruction and women, (willing women are optional).

 

Unlike many cavalrymen the Riders enjoy a good brawl at ground level and carry plenty of close-in weapons just in case. If they have any loot left over after a party they tend to spend it on exotic weapons.

 

The Ghost Riders wear distinctive leather armour, consisting of a studded leather jacket, leather trews and steel toed boots, often accentuated with bandanas, horned helmets, fetishes and the bones of dead enemies. They carry cavalry maces as well as an assortment of brass knuckles, chains, daggers and clubs. Their mounts are decorated with bits of metal armour, spikes, charms and more bones. Some Riders carry magic weapons, explosive potions or hand cannons.

 

Warlord Breed's Frog Soldiers.

 

So named for their distinctive leap attack, the Frog Soldiers were once a clan of acrobatic horse thieves before being recruited by Warlord Breed to serve as shock troops.

 

The Frog Soldiers wear few clothes and less armour, apart from hideous fanged helmets, though a few have fashioned breastplates from pieces of stolen horse armour. They carry swords or short spears. The Frog Soldiers can overwhelm even cavalry and organised infantry by literally jumping on them, but die quickly if pinned down or caught by missile fire.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Thanks for contributing, Ockham's Spoon. I particularly like the Chaos Warriors, I can see a lot of different story threads developing out of their adventures.

 

Just a couple more from me for now.

 

This unit is the result of watching too many episodes of The Wire. I intend no disrespect towards American Servicemen of any origin.

 

Taurian Army, 2nd Regiment, 9th Company.

 

The empire of Tauria outlawed slavery decades ago. But slavery was once its lifeblood and many of the freed slaves, whose ancestors hailed from the mysterious continent of Roycath, still live in poverty in the slums and ghettoes of the great Taurian cities.

 

Violence and crime are rife in these places, where honest work is rare and a decent wage is rarer still. The Royjans have their own culture, music, dialect and traditions and they share little of the wealth of the empire. The Taurian Army gets many recruits from the Royjan slums and these soldiers are amongst the toughest in the empire. Sometimes entire companies can be drawn from the same area, companies such as the 9th.

 

The soldiers of the 9th are pikemen and they wear scale armour. Many of them use non-standard equipment however, particularly the weapons that served them well in their inner-city homes. Favoured weapons, named in the almost incomprehensible street language of the city-dwelling Taurian Royjans, include: 'Bats' - long slim wooden clubs and 'tin' - mass produced pistol bows made from cheap metals. The 9th is not an elite unit, but they are brave and hardy fighters.

 

Everyone should be able to guess the origins of this unit.

 

Bio-Troopers of Oort.

 

Oort is the birthplace of Biomancy and there are many weird secrets hidden inside the palatial laboratories of its ruling class. Giant insects and multi-headed monsters, talking dogs and birds with human faces. But few people realise that the troopers who guard the Oortian labs were born within them.

 

Nonetheless it is true; every Oortian Bio-Trooper has the same face, they are biological copies of a long-dead soldier. The Oortian armour, moulded from a white clay-like substance extruded by biomantically engineered Arachnoids, makes each trooper appear identical and so disguises the fact that they really are interchangeable.

 

Oortian Bio-Troopers wear full bodysuits of biomantic armour, including a helmet equipped with smoked glass eye-covers and an air-filter of spider silk. Bio-Troopers fight with pressurised harpoon guns, (intended to incapacitate escaped experiments), and short swords. While they are disciplined and skillful combatants the Bio-Troopers are trained to fight in small groups or alongside biomantic monsters, they are not used to the massed infantry tactics which are second nature to most soldiers.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

With just enough variation to evade copyright issues on a couple of these , you just about have enough for a Fantasy Hero supplement. Now the only little detail you need is write-ups (although that could defeat the generic nature). Nice thread.

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

I've got one though, I have to add a little about the leader and his 2 lts. for flair. Note: I thought up all this at work so any resemblance of this to any other material is purely coincidental

 

The Damned Horde of Iocles

 

Not much is known of Iocles previous to his emergence in these realms. The prevailing legend is that he was exiled from a far off land with an ancient yet advanced culture. Born of a human mother of that kingdom, and a father of "fiendish" blood. Of the few that have lived the tale he is described as a tall and strong man with blonde hair and red eyes (yes, that is what they say red eyes!!!) that glow like the fires of torment.

 

Important to stories of Iocles are his Lts. The first is the "cursed" Dark Elf princess and Iocles' own lover Tiome cast out out from her people by her own mother. She serves as his chief mage. Iocles' right hand man is the bloodthirsty Sir Borcephas the Hellknight. A man who sold his lands (and according his rumors, also his soul) to take on the life of a nomadic mercenary (taking his not-so-willing small group of soldiers and servants with him). Borcephas rides upon the horse he lovingly calls "The Devil Mare" the only living thing he truly cares for. An eery looking beast black as night yet has the pinkish eyes normally found upon albino creatures. An animal so wild, only Borcephas himself can ride. Borcephas himself is said to have depravity so limitless that enemy soldiers have been known to flee in terror or commit suicide right then and there rather than risk being taken prisoner.

 

The Damned Horde themself harbor a great many races many of them outcast in their own society (a source for the legends of Iocles being an exile, though it may be more that when creating an army from scratch, "beggars cant be choosers") as well as some bandits looking for more, and in some cases remnants of armies conquered (that Borcephas wasnt allowed to have). While many races are represented it is still mostly humans with helathy amount of orcs (mostly from conquered Dark Lords' realms) with an occasional renegade elf (most of whom belong to the archery unit). They even have 4 skeletal warriors who form Tiome's personal guard. (remnants from a defeated Liche's army, they somehow gained independence from him though likely from an unholy spell by Tiome herself). And Iocles himself has a retinue of monstrous beasts. Mutations of slain mad wizards who he has taken on to personally train.

 

Weapons are varied. And armor if any is the responsibility of the individual member often taken from the dead on the battlefield. Mostly light armor as Iocles prefers swift attack in battle. Despite the rabble appearance Iocles has a certain tactical genius in him and has shown superb ability to train his men giving the Horde an even more fearsome reputation.

 

Generally Iocles, leads from behind, though not out of fear. It is really a combination of better view to command, Borcephas love of blood letting as he is never satisfied until he is drenched in it. But, mostly it is the fact Iocles considers only the bravest and strongest even worthy of his direct attention. Tiome usually stays in the back with her guard and the beasts not needed for the battle to cast her spells from afar. But, if you do get to her dont make the mistake that she is not a combatant. She is herself an expert fighter with various lighter swords. And has magically enhanced quickness giving her the ability to strike quickly with vicious ferocity.

 

 

 

Well I probably could have put this together better, but I wanted to cover my brainstorming.

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

With just enough variation to evade copyright issues on a couple of these ' date=' you just about have enough for a Fantasy Hero supplement. Now the only [i']little[/i] detail you need is write-ups (although that could defeat the generic nature). Nice thread.

 

When you say copyright issues, you're thinking of the Ghost Riders arent you?

[ClassifiedTSBBR]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Taurian Army' date=' 2nd Regiment, 9th Company.[/b']

 

Everyone should be able to guess the origins of this unit.

 

Whilst I normally take great pride in not being "Everyone", in this case it just leaves me confused.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Probably the Buffalo Soldiers. Just a guess.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Thanks for the Damned Horde, Badger. You've described their leaders in such detail that I think they could be the major villains of a whole campaign!

 

About the Taurian Army, 2nd Regiment, 9th Company. They were based on turning the Barksdale crew in The Wire into fantasy soldiers. But don't worry if you didn't guess that, guys. When I said that everyone should be able to guess the origins of 'this unit', I was referring to the Bio-Troopers of Oort, who are of course fantasy versions of Star Wars clone troopers. Sorry to have confused people.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Oh, oops. I forgot the description of that unit. Just saw the name. Loved The Wire.

[ClassifiedTSBBR]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Thank you for the clarification of the Taurians & Oorts.

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

The Tarantula Men

 

The mad wizard Corvellon discovered a way to turn spiders into his own personal army via a magic potion (whose chief ingredient is human blood). Now his loyal army guards his castle and the surrounding countryside. Although, lightly armored they make up for it somewhat with 6 arms often and are often armed with multiple weapons or shields. They also are great climbers resulting in great ambush attacks.

Tarantula Men is a bit misnomer as he used all spiders he could find tarantula or not , and most are female to boot. It should also be mentioned Corvellon is a deviant and has taken one female black widow that looks near human (except for the extra arms of course) as his general and lover. (Hopefully, he takes better precautions than your average lover of the female black widow. ) It should also be mentioned that the Tarantula Men prefer to capture alive if possible. As one side effect of the potion has developed their taste for live human flesh. So they will take the captives back to their web for later. Strangely, Corvellon seems immune to their cravings.

 

 

Note: Actually, I borrowed a bit from resources on this. Though not Spider-Man, but more the Island of Dr. Moreau.

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

The Dragonians

 

Tribalistic warrior society. Apparently, sharing a common distant ancestor with dragons. Then off-shot to become very humanoid. Generally, larger than humans (6"0 to 7"0+ tall) most have an extreme hatred of humans as well as elves and dwarves. Though they will occasionally ally with Orcs and their Dark Lords usually serving as an elite infantry unit in such forces. Contrary to popular belief only their greatest wizards and mages have the ability to breathe fire (and then only limited at best)

 

Edit: Option: Extra Appendage: Sweeping tail

[Zeropoint]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Well, if we're allowed to do thinly-veiled "tributes", then here's mine:

 

The Span-Torchers

 

This squad of sappers specialized in unconventional warfare and combat engineering. Members include both men and women of any race or ethnic group, provided they have half a brain and show dedication to the unit. They are equipped with helm and chainmail armor, and armed with crossbows for ranged combat and shield and shortsword for close-quarters fighting. If available in the setting, they will make heavy and disturbingly creative use of alchemical munitions. Their creativity is linked to a lack of respect for tradition and authority, but how much of a disadvantage that is will depend on the commander.

[Lucius]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Too many of these are too powerful and too exotic. We need more common, low end soldiers.

 

 

Here, let's go to the extreme low end...

 

 

The Omega Squadron.

 

If the player characters are sniffing out trouble - or making trouble - in a place where no trouble was expected, they may come across the Omega Squadron.

 

The Omega Squadron consists of the gutter-sweepings of the Imperial Army. The chronic discipline problems who for one reason or another never earned an appointment with the headsman's ax, the strong but clumsy oxen who could trip up a whole formation despite their own best intentions, the dull witted moon calves who don't always know which end of the spear is which, the enthusiastic but somehow untrainable zealots who are a danger to everyone around when given a sharp weapon, and oh yes, that poor lump who handles his arms well enough, and whose legs march unhesitatingly into danger when commanded, but is, shall we say, a coward only around about his belly parts and always lets go in combat...doesn't slow him down much but everyone else smells it and the humiliation on his face afterwards is painful to behold. In short, soldiers who got transferred from unit to unit because no one wanted them, until fetching up here. Omega Squadron is always posted in some fort on a quiet border, or as garrison in a port city where a naval detachment handles most of the real security, or chasing bandits in some place where banditry is more an annoyance than a serious threat to trade. Their leader, Captain Peter Principio, is pushing fifty but looks older, and drinks to forget whatever it is in his past that guarantees he'll never be given further opportunities for promotion or glory. He never expects to see real action or any sort of challenge again, and he and his soldiers will be woefully unprepared when it comes on them by surprise.

 

Whether they are inspired by the player characters and rise to the occasion, blunder around and provide only comic relief, or prove to be the weak link whose incompetence leads to irreversable tragedy, depends on the needs of your scenario.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary Cavalry

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Well, as far as any of mine who may be too powerful I will say.

 

The Damned Horde well really arent intended to be all that powerful, except for the specially mentioned ones. The average member probably gets by partly on the fearsome rep of the unit. Not they are weak, either mind you.

 

Tarantula Men Didnt mention it, but I only envisioned a handful (100 or so tops). Saw them more for more experienced adventurers who might be treasure hunting in the neighborhood.

 

Dragonians Definitely saw them as a small elite mercenary unit who are hired to offset weaker armies. Mostly orc armies given heir racial hatreds.

 

Just saying for clarification.

[Lucius]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Just saying for clarification.

 

Naturally.

 

And just saying for clarification from my end, I said "too powerful and too exotic" and should have said "too powerful OR too exotic."

 

And I don't mean all of them, either, but I feel like I'm seeing a preponderance of either elite units, or what I'd call "fantastic" units - and that could just be my perception, I haven't counted them up. I was expecting more mundane units that have enough detail to "individualize" them and perhaps even make them memorable...something like this -

 

 

The Apple Valley Militia and Apple Valley Irregulars.

 

As a rural frontier region facing occasional banditry and incursions of monsters, astride a minor trade route that was an invasion route only a generation ago, the people of Apple Valley have a tradition of defending their own homes, fields, and orchards at need. Most able bodied adults are familiar with at least one weapon, and the local militia can muster up to two hundred trained volunteers given time to assemble.

 

They are issued helms, boots, and leather jerkins that they keep at home, and a store of pikes is kept in the armory (see below.) Each carries a personal knife and many have spears, slings or bows, or even a shortsword. They are trained to march (at fairtime teams of twenty compete for acclamation in a drill contest) and drilled in infantry formations and tactics, and also in one on one and melee combat unarmed or with knife. Most of them have seen real combat (if only against goblins) and their morale is good. About a fourth of them have and ride horses, sometimes as scouts or couriers, but they're not trained to fight from horseback and usually won't try it. They trust their leadership and are disciplined and stubborn in battle.

 

Their leader, Captain Miller, is an experienced tactician and an officer of the king's standing army. He also has charge of the mill, but out of the profits of that and his stipend he is expected to provide the militia's supplies and equipment, kept in an outbuilding by the mill. He's trying to get either the king or the regional duke to come up with shields. He wears chainmail when expecting to fight, carries sword and shield, and is very good with his weapons as well as being an effective officer. He also owns and rides the only cavalry horse around. He usually has a cadre of assistants such as a sergeant and handful of soldiers on temporary post or a couple of knights sent by the duke.

 

Those who have served two years in the militia, know bow or sling, and show some talent at woodcraft and stealth, may be recruited to the Irregulars. Commanded by the Head Ranger (chosen by themselves by secret ballot) they are the "secret weapon" and unconventional guerilla force of Apple Valley. Skilled at tracking, riding (although most don't own horses all are taught to ride) and remaining undetected, they are all at least competent in the techniques of reconnaisance, ambush, and harrassment. And some of them are very good shots indeed.

 

 

See, here's a couple groups that are maybe a little tougher than expected but not all that powerful, and despite the temptation I felt to add a druid to the Irregulars, they have no magic and all of them are 100% Human. They can fit in the lowest of low fantasy (if you drop the reference to goblins) but something like them could also be found on the borders of Gondor in Middle Earth.

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary Enterprises

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

I think I see. I think I got one that might work like that.

 

The Fireblood Bandits

 

A loosely organized group of bandits that raid the countryside and travellers. Led by the fraternal twins "Brother Crimson" and "Lady Scarlet". They number between 120-150. Most are armed with bows (though most have swords for melee). They prefer the ambush from the forest. The only known requirement for membership is to pass a still unknown (to non-members) initiation ritual.

 

 

Note: I guess the initiation angle is a little exotic. But, I was thinking a little "freemasonry" as I was doing it. And I couldnt figure out another tie in to how they are united.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Thanks everyone for contributing!

 

I personally have no problem with exotic or powerful units, or even units that are both. However, I agree that this thread is aimed at giving GMs ideas for minion level guards and soldiers. So low powered troops with a bit of flavour to make them more memorable are a great addition to the ranks. But mutants, martial artists and non-humans are good too. All entries are appreciated.

 

I've tried to post a range of troops. From the underpowered Half-Tooth Crews and White Wards of Hind to competent soldiers like the Ausburg Artisans, Fainthearts and Taurian Army, 2nd Regiment, 9th Company and bizarre or elite units such as the Ghost Riders, Scar Wood Irregulars and Bio-Troopers of Oort. I admit that I have a weakness for weird and exotic characters and that this has coloured a lot of my own entries. So I appreciate Lucius and Badger providing some more 'low end' troops that could easily fit into almost any Fantasy setting.

 

That being said, I liked the stranger entries like the Tarantula Men, even if the Black Widow consort gave me bad images.

 

Oh and tributes, veiled or unveiled, are definitely acceptable. I have a couple of 5er package deals which would fit the 'Span-Torchers' eerily well. Though I think I'd want to rework them a little now that I have finished reading 'that' series. http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/67932-Malazan-Hero/page4?highlight=malazan

[Lucius]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

I think I see. I think I got one that might work like that.

 

The Fireblood Bandits

 

A loosely organized group of bandits that raid the countryside and travellers. Led by the fraternal twins "Brother Crimson" and "Lady Scarlet". They number between 120-150. Most are armed with bows (though most have swords for melee). They prefer the ambush from the forest. The only known requirement for membership is to pass a still unknown (to non-members) initiation ritual.

 

 

Note: I guess the initiation angle is a little exotic. But, I was thinking a little "freemasonry" as I was doing it. And I couldnt figure out another tie in to how they are united.

 

I don't think that's exotic at all. It could easily be a test of courage type trial, or then again it could mean that these bandits are like the thuggee of India.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary Initiate

[Enforcer84]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Horace's Company: named after famed native son and former Lieutenant of the Kings army, Horace Rotwrangler, the Company is made up of local boys who want out of sleepy Juniper Grove and the surrounding areas. Horace, a farmer who left town to see his fortune and see the world as a soldier (he was rather naive about the fortune part) came home and put together a mercenary unit to help others find their way from the well protected, tragically dull community.

 

Horace's Company is made up of mostly young men and women, too young to inherit their families' farms, escaping their boring lives and seeing something of the world. They are highly sought after caravan guards, skirmishers, and due to a fair number of expert forresters, scouts for the true army. Horace, now in his 40's and wearing down, has put much of the Company's coffers into a modest keep in his hometown where he personally trains the new recruits. They are recognized by their banner, A brown flag with a map of the dale lands showing where they're from.

 

The units are broken into: The Skirmishers wear studded leather and carry crossbows, short swords, and several daggers; The Scout units swap longbows for the crossbows; and the Footmen wear chainmail carry a shields and a weapon of their choice, usually a longsword or axe.

[Badger]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

I don't think that's exotic at all. It could easily be a test of courage type trial, or then again it could mean that these bandits are like the thuggee of India.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary Initiate

 

Thanks, for the input. You are right about the levels. I have to admit sometimes I get a little carried away in creation.

[Lucius]

Re: Guards and Soldiers

 

Thanks' date=' for the input. You are right about the levels. I have to admit sometimes I get a little carried away in creation. [/quote']

 

Yeah, I had to rein myself in on the excessive detail of Apple Valley. I doubt you want to know how many total dairy cows they have and how much cheese they provide to the duchy...

 

Lucius Alexander

 

They have no palindromedaries