“Tall Grass” Pikeman (5e Champion Fighter variant)
by Marc SaindonThis is a character kit not named after an animal motif, but the impression of what a large group of them look like when assembled together. The Tall Grass Soldier is inspired by the second and third regiments (F1 light infantry) of the 12 divisions of Ochalea's army. They are conscripted peasants, the grunts trained with spears and provided with minimal armor. But don't expect them to serve as fodder: they are the "people" in the Ochalean Peoples' Army, the public face of the Ministry of War, the ones you send in to make requisitions to villagers or to set up a town watch, as they'll behave because they are part of the community they protect, not some occupying army.
Tall Grass soldiers usually know a useful trade like carpentry, fishing, or (mostly) farming, as they are almost always demobilized when the Ochalean army gets back to its standing numbers. They have jobs to get to, families to raise. Because of these skills, if given an engineer to oversee them, these troops can double as workers to build military infrastructure like ditches, roads, bridges, palissades, walls, earthen ramparts... They maintain their rudimentary equipment themselves. When demobilized, officers and a few squadrons remain to maintain the barracks and the arsenal of the community, while the rest of regiment is typically called back for monthly exercices and the annual village parade - although since 1007 AC, Ochalea has kept its army at its wartime numbers for an unprecedented duration.
As said before, the light infantry isn't used as fodder as one would expect. They cooperate with archers (now crossbowmen) in combined tactics (“pike and shot”) against cavalry and other infantry (they are vulnerable to archers, though). They do lack the drill and training to perform more complex maneuvers on the field (being level 1 Fighters).
While Ochalea standardizes its armor and weapons for its army, light infantry is the one exception where the concern is access to local resources: a "leather armor" might be supplemented with bamboo, pannels of wood or even small metal sheets depending on the region. Each regiment cultivates the same look for its unit, but soldiers are going to recognize from what village a squad is from. These "local colors" are encouraged by the Ministry of War so that the community supporting the regiment identifies with it. Weaponry will also vary locally, such as sharpened bamboo poles, spears, tridents, halberds and other polearms, although each regiment keeps the same kind of weapon for the sake of uniformity.
Currently, the Tall Grass Soldiers are fully mobilized and training, receiving new indoctrination on defending against an unspecified invader, although most assume Alphatians. They are wrong, as Ochalea is actually preparing itself against a Thyatis invasion, once the legions are done expanding into the Isle of Dawn.
Few Tall Grass Soldiers get promoted in ranks. Successful soldiers might transfer to heavy infantry ("Crab Soldiers") or as NCO, but commoners are mostly kept out of officer ranks. Light Infantry does, however, have a strange tendency to produce a "Hero" (a much higher level Fighter) more often than other units (and you thought "heart" was a lame power in Captain Planet). Heroes are officially discouraged by the "cogs-in-the-machine" approach of the Ochalean officers, but they do become popular among their men as they save lives and slay the dangerous foes. This may lead to internal tensions between officers and their men, and should conflict be prolonged with Thyatis, the increased number of Heroes that emerge might produce a major social change in Ochalea.
Tall Grass Soldiers might adventure to defend their villages, participate in peasant revolts, organize guerillas, work as mercenaries, or even act as brigands (if evil). Since they are often eligible for demobilization, they can have enough leave to become PCs, unhindered with official assignments.
(Image from: https://deadideas.net/2017/12/24/mohism-i-ancient-chinese-leftists/ancient-chinese-pikemen/)