This will probably take place at a time when the Known World is overrun with Orcs, so they will be the main enemy. I'm seeing some potential for parallells to Caesar's wars on the Gauls etc. I was thinking the HBO series Rome might also be a source of inspiration, though I havent decided how Roman I want Thyatis to be at this time.
How much autonomy would a single legion, or a group of legionaires have? I know my players like to run things on their own and not have some NPCs decide over their every action. Any advice on how to deal with that?
What kind of adventures could I run with such a campaign concept? I'd actually prefer not to use the War Machine, but determine outcomes of battles on PC actions and intelligence gathered etc as well as my own whims.
Other advice/suggestions?
Havard
Regards
Gary
How much autonomy would a single legion, or a group of legionaires have? I know my players like to run things on their own and not have some NPCs decide over their every action. Any advice on how to deal with that?
That's pretty difficult with a legionnaire campaign, unless the PCs are generals.
A single legion might be an autonomous unit in guard duty, or part of a larger expedition (C. Julius Caesar had four legions in his Bellum Gallicum, M. Licinius Crassus had seven in his campaign against the Parthia).
Depending on the commander and the type of campaign, the legates commanding each legion might have more or less autonomy, but smaller units would not, unless they were scouting units.
Of course, you wouldn't be running a Roman legions campaign, but a Thyatian legions one, which means you have additional freedom -- and more varied units, since the Thyatian legions are likely to include wizards and priests.
Basically, I can see three types of scenarios:
1) The "grunts" scenario: the PCs are soldiers, possibly part of the same tent (contubernium), led by a Decurion or similar NCO; the degree of autonomy is minimal, the PCs are allocated a tent, possibly a pack animal and some other shared resources, and are issued standard equipment (banded mail or chain mail, short sword, dagger and javelins); it's a campaign that is suitable for a single party of fighters and other warrior types (unless you decide that the rate of clerics and wizards is so high that, e.g., 1 man in 8 is a cleric, so that every tent has its own chaplain). They may have more autonomy if their unit is detached from the main army for some purpose, or is otherwise isolated (e.g., transported to the Hollow World, cut off from the main army due to a route, etc.); in this case, they have to overcome some additional issues: they're not likely to have a diverse set of talent, and even surviving in the wilderness may be difficult. This campaign is suitable for first level characters, or up to third or fourth level -- even veteran units would not be entirely composed of mid to high-level characters!
2) The "reconnaissance unit" scenario: the PCs are a crack team or reconnaissance unit outside the standard chain of command -- they probably answer directly to a senior officer -- and can have any equipment they find useful, since they're not going to be involved in battles -- except as messengers, guards, or infiltrators. This is the more standard campaign -- the PCs act as a party of adventurers, except that their patron is the commander of the legion. It is suitable for average level characters (I'd say third to sixth level).
3) The "tribunes" scenario: the PCs are high officers (Tribuni), and therefore command the legion (you might have an NPC commander, who is generally inept since he was elected in or bought the office, though he might be well meaning and willing to let the PCs handle the campaign). If the legion is alone, or is sent to handle a secondary problem or secure a side area while the main army is facing the enemy, your PCs may have a lot of autonomy. However, this campaign is really an option only for mid to high-level characters.
You might also use type (1) at first, and let the veteran PCs be "promoted" to a special unit during the campaign, moving to type (2). Moving from type (2) to type (3) would be more difficult, unless you allow a time-skip to let the PCs get to the status of veterans, allowing them to become tribunes or high-ranking centurions (the latter required a lot of time in RW legions).
As an additional option, you might try a variant of (3) where the PCs are the commanding group of a single century -- you might have a Centurion (Captain), an Optio (lieutenant), a Tesserarius (Sergeant), a Signifer (communication officer), a Chaplain and a War wizard.
I love HBO's Rome series, but there is actually very little shown of the legions in action. However it will give you some ideas on what soldiers do when at camp and on the march. One idea in particular from the show that would make for a good, short adventure is one of the legion's eagles was stolen- a terrible omen in the minds of the troops if word got out. So it was necessary to send out a reliable soldier to get it back. Overall, though, the series is more about politics and the lives of the people during a very turbulant time.
I prefer to keep the Thyatians more Romano-Byzantine (think more the Age of Justinian, rather than the Pax Romana) because our campaign changes have a separate nation that fills niche of Classical Rome but here are some things to help get you started:
Legionary fighting is about teamwork and compact, efficent, workman-like combat. It is not flashy, and it definitely isn't fencing. In combat, you were expected to follow orders and keep with your ranks- breaking ranks, even for a good reason could get you serious trouble. Discipline is the backbone of the legion and is what kept you and your brothers alive.
The best use of PCs would probably be in not-so-standard duties- foraging parties, scouting and recon, guards for the engineers sent ahead of the main army to find suitable camp sites and layout the camp before the soldiers arrived to build it, escorting/guarding important people, delivering critical messages- there are some very interesting duties Pullo and Vorenus are given in the first few episodes where politics intersects with the military. Building a camp every night after the march is one of the most iconic aspects of the Roman legions. Romans did not use "special forces" in the same sense as we do, so avoid too many scenarios that might show up in a modern war movie or on 24.
I would highly recommend checking out Mythic Vistas: Eternal Rome (a d20 Rome Sourcebook) and The Glory of Rome AD&D supplement. I can also post some of our own campaign info on organization/decorations and other fantasy Roman things if you'd like.
If you have specific ideas and questions let me know (Roman Military history is my biggest hobby), I'd love to help you out- there are a lot of things that can factor into a Legionary campaign.
Some thoughts: I like the model GP sets up, perhaps moving from being grunts in the first couple of missions to moving into a sort of recon mission type group.
Something I have also considered is giving each player two PCs, one being a a higher ranking officer or somesuch, allowing the players to have input on the overall military campaign, and the other being more of a grunt. The two could be related so that one would have some interest in helping the other. What do you think, could that work?
As both GP and Traianus point out, Thyatis isn't Rome. A mix of Rome and Byzantium is probably the way to go. This also gives us some leeway. That makes me worried about making the HBO reference to my players though. On the one hand they may be excited about such an idea, but on the other it may give them the wrong expectations.
What room will there be for different character classes or such (may not be using D&D, but we'll see) in such a campaign? GP mentioned Clerics. Would the legions bring along magic users? Would they have special uniforms?
I could also see some measure of politics being thrown into the campaign. Perhaps intrigue back in Thyatis city results in assasination or kidnapping attempts in the field. A major plotline could be an attempt to overthrown the emperor, possibly while he is out inspeciting the legions.
Since this is Mystara, stirrups will be known to the Thyatians. Would that revolutionize their armies? Would "Knights" play a role at all? I probably won't try to include the Knights of the Air or any of that in this campaign. I would like to make it more down and dirty than too magical.
How about races? Would the legions allow for non-human members?
Traianus: Any good info on titles and ranks in the legions or even other kinds of rewards and honors that could be given to the PCs?
Thanks again to all of you for the feedback so far.
Havard
Traianus: Any good info on titles and ranks in the legions or even other kinds of rewards and honors that could be given to the PCs?
Seconded by me! I'd be really interested in seeing what you've done up.
Awards:
There are several awards that soldiers can achieve- some are limited to officers, and some only enlisted personnel can attain.
The first is a corona civica, a crown of silver oak leaves awarded to men who save the life of another soldier in battle while in great danger themselves. The second is the corona muralis, a small gold crown engraved with battlements, given to the first man (officer or enlisted) over the defenses in an assault on enemy fortifications. For bravery in battle, an armilla (bracelet), phalera (medallion) or torque may be awarded. Usually armillae are given for brave acts, phalerae for exceptional performance on the battlefield, and torques for service above and beyond the call of duty at great personal risk. These will be made of precious metals (indicating the magnitude of the act). All of the above are available to officers as well as enlisted men.
The following awards are for officers only. The first is the hasta pura, a small silver spear, given for exceptional bravery on the battlefield. The second is the vexillum, a small silver version of the unit’s Eagle or Dragon standard. It is awarded for exceptional performance in a campaign, not particularly bravery in a single battle. The corona aureus is awarded to an officer that consistently excels in all aspects of a campaign, particularly in the battles. It is a golden crown of laurel leaves. A corona navalis is awarded to the commander of a naval force that routs an enemy fleet and captures or sinks the enemy flagship. The final and perhaps most honorable award is the corona obsidionalis or the siege crown. Made of platinum and formed like a circular bundle of reeds, it is awarded to the leader of a force that delivers a besieged city or military unit (either the leader of a relieving force that breaks the besieging force, or the officer that rallies the besieged troops and leads them to victory). This is a very difficult award to attain.
The following two awards are usually only bestowed upon a legate or admiral, but sometimes adventurers may be so honored. The first is the Ovatio. This is a public acknowledgment of heroic acts in the service of the Principate. The definition of heroic act varies according to the Princeps, but usually a successful campaign or foiling an enemy plot will qualify. It consists of a parade (the recipient rides a white stallion at the end of the parade) to the Forum (with the troops of the forces involved), where the honoree is received by the Princeps and presented with a special weapon or armor. The second and greatest honor is the Triumph. Only a military commander can win a Triumph. It is won by the exceptional handling and execution of a military campaign- it should be a series of resounding victories, with minimal loss of Thyatian lives and money. The campaign should be finished quickly and stand to benefit the Principate. A Triumph begins with a two-day holiday for the populace, complete with the Ludi. On the third day, the soldiers and participants in the campaign, followed by the commander who is riding in a chariot pulled by four white stallions, parade through Thyatis City to the Forum, displaying the prisoners and captured booty as they go. At the Forum, the Princeps greets the victorious troops and especially their commander, who receives a special weapon or armor, and a statue of himself to be placed in the grand entry hall of the Senate. This is a joyous and festive occasion for all citizens, and perhaps the zenith of a military career.
Having won one or more crowns is worth a permanent reaction bonus from any Thyatian citizen: +1 for a corona aureus or corona navalis, +2 for a corona civica, and +3 for a corona muralis or corona obsidionalis. Double the bonus if the person reacting to the character was a witness to the character’s actions. Characters receiving a Triumph or Ovatio get a +5 reation bonus from Thyatian citizens.
Discharge from Service
A Missio is a general discharge from service. It is gained through the following means: it is usually given to any soldier who leaves the service before completing 10 years of service. It may also be given to a soldier who has served 10 years but has had minor discipline and performance problems (they may still keep their arms and armor). Finally it is given to a soldier who is seriously injured and unable to continue service when the injury was not received in the carrying out of their duties. While the Missio does not have the stigma of a Missio Ignominiosa, it is not the greatest way to leave military service.
A Missio Honesta is an honorable discharge. It is given to soldiers who have served 10 years in the military and have performed with distinction. It may also be given to soldiers leaving before 10 years for exceptional service to the Empire. Those receiving a Missio Honesta are able to retain their arms and armor, and receive a bonus of 500gp for troops and 2,500gp for officers.
A Missio Causaria is issued to soldiers unable to continue service due to an injury received in the course of duty. They may keep their arms and armor, and receive ¼ pay until death or the injury is completely healed.
A Missio Ignominiosa is a dishonorable discharge. A soldier can receive this for committing crimes, disobedience, cowardice etc… This is usually only given after a trial, and the reasons for this discharge may involve a prison sentence. Those who receive this discharge are often considered outcasts.
Ranks:
A Legate commands the legion. The decurion assists the legate. Tribunes command a cohort. Underneath the tribunes is the military Praefect, who commands a mantiple. The Centurion, the lowest ranking commissioned officer, commands a century.
Assisting the commissioned officers are several non-commissioned officers. These NCO’s are selected from the enlisted men, and generally they are experienced soldiers who have served several years in the legions but have not qualified for an officer’s commission. This should not be interpreted as a lack skill on their part- they are fierce, battle-hardened warriors who have a great deal of experience and knowledge to pass onto the officers. The first of these is an optio. An optio is an assistant to the centurion, typically commanding the opposite side of the line. There is one optio for every centurion. The second NCO is the tesserarius- the chief of the watch. They are responsible for posting the watches at the correct times and locations. They are also responsible for getting the watchword from the legate, passing it to the officers, and making sure the watch knows the password. There is one tesserarius in each cohort. The next type of NCO is the custos armorum, a NCO in charge of weapons and equipment, whose primary purpose is to insure all soldiers have their equipment in working order. If soldiers are missing items, they procure the replacement and decide if it should be deducted from the soldiers’ pay. There is one custos armorum per cohort. Another NCO is the vexillarius, who oversees the speculares, or scouts. The next type of NCO is the campidoctor, the chief drill instructor of the force, who is in charge of the training of the troops. The final type of NCO is the primus pilus- the ‘first spear’ of the legion. This is generally the most experienced, bravest, and skilled soldier in the legion. He serves as an advisor to the legate and his command staff, and oversees to day-to-day activities of the legion. This position is one of the most important in the legion. NB: The Primus Pilus historically was a centurion, but in working the ranks into War Machine, I decided to make it an enlisted soldier.
Other Various People:
Velites: Lighly armed skirmishers
Signifer (Standard Bearers)
Aquilifer (Eagle Bearer)
Draconifer (Dragon Bearer {cavalry standards are dragon windsocks})
Imaginifer: Carried the Standard bearing the image of the Emperor as a constant reminder of the troop's loyalty to him.
Cornicen (Horn blower)
Tubicen (Trumpeter)
Beneficiarii (administrative aides)
Actarius (in charge of administrative personnel)
Quaestor (quartermaster)
Ratiocinatores (accountants assisting the quaestor)
Librarii (Clerks)
Stratores (Messengers)
Medici (battlefield medics)
Speculatores (scouts)
Cartographer
Armorers
Smiths
Weaponsmiths
Equerry
Veterinarii
Issued Equipment:
The standard arms and armor of a legionary is the lorica segmentata (banded mail), a gladius (short sword), a pugio (dagger), 2 pila (javilins) and a scutum (Heavy wood shield). Legionary cavalry use a light wood shield, a contus (lance), and a spatha (long sword) along with the lorica segmentata. All legionnaires are issued some standard equipment. They may supplement this as they see fit.
An infantry legionnaire is also issued the following equipment: a backpack, a long cloak (for bad weather), a hammer, a small knife, 12 iron spikes, 100’ rope, 2 torches, a tinderbox, a belt pouch, two large sacks, iron rations, a waterskin, a wineskin, bandages and wound packing, mess-kit, a small spade, a pick-axe, a bed-roll, and two blankets, one wool and one cotton.
A cavalry legionnaire also has: spurs, a saddle and associated tack, saddlebags and (optionally) scale barding for his heavy warhorse.
Officers typically carry whatever equipment their troops carry, although they are a free to exclude items at their discretion. Infantry officers also receive a riding horse and associated equipment to travel on, but not fight on (cavalry officers already have a horse). A legate has a heavy warhorse (superior quality) with chain barding (optional), and associated equipment. All officers have a special piece of equipment- centurions, praefects and tribunes carry a vitis, or vine-rod. It is a symbol of their authority, and is often used to discipline unruly troops. A legate carries a Baton of Command (please see the New Magic Items section). This is a magical rod presented to the legate by the Princeps, giving the legate the authority over the legion. It is an ivory rod capped with a small golden eagle. It has the properties of a Rod of Victory and a Rod of Health.
Organization:
A legion roughly contains 4800 soldiers and 300 cavalry. Auxillary forces can be added, usually archers, slingers, light and heavy cavalry and mounted archers. Auxillia are typically non-mainland Thyatian (Hinterlanders, Pearl Islanders, mercenaries, demi-humans)
Each legion has 10 cohorts of 480 men. Each cohort has 6 80 man centuries. Two centuries form a mantiple. Contubernium are 8 man squads. Cohort I is the elite part of the legion and will have the primus pilus. Cavalry are formed in wings known as Alae.
A mainland Thyatian campaign would probably be more like Byzantium, given the long history and development of the region. However, in the Thyatian outlying provinces, things might be a lot more like their Roman roots. In particular, I'm thinking that the frontiers in the Hinterlands would be very similar to Gaul, with very little in the way of "civilization" there (even Ravenscarp would probably be considered backwoods).
Isle of Dawn regions would vary, depending on where you were, but they might also provide a better outlet for a legionnaire campaign than the mainland. Alphatians vs. Thyatians, Thyatians vs. monsters/the environment, new colonial expeditions, putting down upstart rulers, etc. Plus, you could have some fun city expeditions when the legionnaires take their leave to return to the mainland.
Ochalea would probably be very settled and obviously the Asian influences would provide a very different feel from either Byzantium or Rome, but might make for an interesting diversion. The culture clash/combination would be more pronounced in the major cities, of course, far less so in outlying areas.
The Pearl Islands would also be a Hinterland-like setting (though North African as opposed to Gaul).
The fun thing about the Thyatian colonies, IMO, is the likely presence of arenas in these regions. Rome had arenas all over the place- Spain, North Africa, etc.- so you could bring that into play as well. Give the legionnaires some extra-curricular entertainment, or conflicts with gladiators, etc.
In summation, if you want a more Roman-era feel, the Hinterlands or Pearl Islands are your best bets. Byzantium, stick to the mainland/Known World. In-Between would be the Isle of Dawn. Something more exotic would be Ochalea.
In any event, I like it. Gives me some inspiration... :lightbulb
Great feedback so far!
Something I have also considered is giving each player two PCs, one being a a higher ranking officer or somesuch, allowing the players to have input on the overall military campaign, and the other being more of a grunt. The two could be related so that one would have some interest in helping the other. What do you think, could that work?
Yes it could work with good players. Roman society had a number of conventions tying people together: family, clan, region you are from, part of the city you live in, patron/client...so you could easily find connections for this.
As both GP and Traianus point out, Thyatis isn't Rome. A mix of Rome and Byzantium is probably the way to go. This also gives us some leeway. That makes me worried about making the HBO reference to my players though. On the one hand they may be excited about such an idea, but on the other it may give them the wrong expectations.
I am a huge fan of the show, it could be a good way to convey some of the flavor to the players- how soldiers act, their demeanor, how they relate to their officers, but its not Gladiator, which really could pump up expectations in the campaign.
What room will there be for different character classes or such (may not be using D&D, but we'll see) in such a campaign? GP mentioned Clerics. Would the legions bring along magic users? Would they have special uniforms?
Clerics can participate on several levels: healing both on and off the battlefield, serving as priests charged with appeasing the appropriate immortals, augurs....
Magic-users would be more special (there wouldn't be many), likely staying close to the commander in battle to provide a big punch where needed most. The spells they could provide could be very beneficial to their legion. Outside of battle, producing magic items, and recon work would be good tasks.
Rogues are perfect for scouts and light armed skirmishers.
Since this is Mystara, stirrups will be known to the Thyatians. Would that revolutionize their armies? Would "Knights" play a role at all? I probably won't try to include the Knights of the Air or any of that in this campaign. I would like to make it more down and dirty than too magical.
Probably you would see cataphacts, the heavily armed Byzantine cavalry. Keep in mind, stirrups were only part of the developement of the true medieval heavy cavalry. You also need horses big and strong enough to carry a fully armed knight, as well as large numbers of them to have any type of effective charge. A philosophical change is necessary too: a move away from armies highly trained and numerous professional infantry supported by cavalry to smaller armies of highly trained heavy cavalry supported by infantry mercenaries and levied peasants. The Byzantium of Justinian probably is a midpoint between the two extremes.
How about races? Would the legions allow for non-human members?
The true legions would be human, probably drawn from mainland areas. Auxillia could be from the extended empire, and could contain non-humans. Their officers would be Thyatian however. To make it easier, you could say Thyatians in the Legions regardless of race, and mercenaries in the auxillia.
Traianus: Any good info on titles and ranks in the legions or even other kinds of rewards and honors that could be given to the PCs?
Thanks again to all of you for the feedback so far.
Havard
No problem
Wow- that's pretty impressive stuff there! Does this fit pretty well with the information on the legions in DDA2, or would it require some adjustment?
In any event, I like it. Gives me some inspiration... :lightbulb
Somehow, I never managed to play DDA2, so I'm not sure.
Since this is Mystara, stirrups will be known to the Thyatians. Would that revolutionize their armies?
The current military setup for Thyatis (and the rest of the KW) seems to pretty much assume that the stirrup is common. I know that the Kerendans in Thyatis are reknown for their cavalry (there's even a military academy for cavalry in Kerendas- Eusebius was an alumnus, IIRC). It would have made a difference for RW Rome, but as its part of the default of Mystara military, I don't think it would make a major difference.
In terms of some of the other suggestions I made above (Hinterlands and Pearl Islands), I think it would make a negligible impact. I can't imagine those jungle territories would be terribly hospitable to cavalry in any event, so you're more likely to see infantry at work. I'd assume, anyway.
How about races? Would the legions allow for non-human members?
I would say yes to this one. Rome traditionally was known for bringing foreigners into their empire. One of oft cited reasons for the downfall of the Roman empire was their habit of giving citizenship out too casually to the "barbarians", usually by bringing them into their armies.
Something I have also considered is giving each player two PCs, one being a a higher ranking officer or somesuch, allowing the players to have input on the overall military campaign, and the other being more of a grunt. The two could be related so that one would have some interest in helping the other. What do you think, could that work?
It could be interesting, if the players can keep their officer PC from favoring the grunt NPCs.
What room will there be for different character classes or such (may not be using D&D, but we'll see) in such a campaign? GP mentioned Clerics. Would the legions bring along magic users? Would they have special uniforms?
Clerics would take the place of surgeons and field medics. Wizards can serve in several ways: diviners, enchanters, and transmuters could help with reconnaissance, and would therefore be placed in small, special units, while wizards with area effects can serve as portable artillery pieces or help disguise or protect their units (a wizard with protection from evil, 15' can be a great bonus for his unit, and even low level spells such as Phantasmal Force or Wall of Fog or Web can be useful). Spells such as Message can be used to allow quick and quiet communications. Higher level spells can support the units with summoned monsters, or with direct area attacks (Fireballs), or be used to gain tactical advantages (Wall of Fire). Mages that support a unit will be deployed among the troops, so they might well be assigned permanently to a century.
I would also assume that mid and higher level mages would have apprentices -- as did several specialists such as standardbearers in the RW legions. Apprentice mages, being low level (1-2) would be mostly in charge of protecting their master when he gets out of spells.
As to special uniforms, it's possible that they would use something like that, especially for all-wizard units.
Since this is Mystara, stirrups will be known to the Thyatians. Would that revolutionize their armies? Would "Knights" play a role at all? I probably won't try to include the Knights of the Air or any of that in this campaign. I would like to make it more down and dirty than too magical.
Definitely, the air forces change much, as does the possibility to use magic on the battlefield. Stirrups, OTOH, won't change much, as the Thyatian army is too large to be prevalently based on cavalry, and the territory is generally not favorable to heavy cavalry anyway.
How about races? Would the legions allow for non-human members?
Yes, though some races would be most likely found in certain roles, or would join as ethnic units (Auxilia): dwarves, elves, and lupins are the most likely members. Certain types of Lupins could well be found in the legions proper, especially the King Mastiff and the Pitbull.
Note that auxiliaries were quite important in the Roman armies, as they provided most archers, cavalry and other specialized units.
In Thyatis, we have two known ethnic units -- the Footmen of Hattias (heavy infantry) and Kerendan Cavalry (medium or heavy cavalry).
Other units could include dwarven sappers, Shar-Pei Halberdiers (armed with halberds, sabers and brigantine armor, and useful against cavalry and pike units), Chow-Chow or Vyalia scouts and archers, Nuari and Hinterlander skirmishers (with sling or bow, and spears, javelins and other throwing weapons), dwarven crossbowmen (useful for garrison duty), and Dunael light cavalry.
Specialized units within a legion could also include Doggerman military police, and Das Hund frumentarii (spies).
It's also likely that the emperors employ something on the lines of the Varangian Guard, probably formed by Ostlander mercenaries.
It is also possible that legions formed and equipped outside the mainland tend to adopt different equipment tipes -- including chain mail and longsword (Isle of Dawn) or brigantine, spear and saber (Ochalea).
GP
I used a lot of stuff from Glory of Rome Ad&D 2ed Historical reference (GoR). It is very nice and useful for a Thyatian campaign!
PC was (2ed rules, of course): a Thyatian Paladin Military Tribune (character kit from GoR), a Thyatian/Wererat Fighter Legionair (from PC4 and kit from GoR), a Vyalia Elf Magic-User Militant Wizard (kit from Complete Wizard Handbook), a Vyalia Elf Druid Natural Philosopher (kit from Complete Druid Handbook), a Vyalia Elf Thief Scout (kit from Complete Thief Handbook).
The Military Tribune started as the decurion of the party, a decuria of 6 men (some was NPCs, with Legionair kit). PCs got some special task, such as patrolling the Coliseum during the millennium games. They got order to clear from wandering monsters some seaside grotto... and some generic patrolling mission in Thyatis countryide.
The druid player asked to quit the campaign becouse he realized his PC was the wrong one in the wrong campaign... we quitted, but regretting becouse it was a nice campaign. Military Tribune was now centurion or primus piles...
:D (off topic I know but I couldn't resist) I wonder on the basis of have just been written. How would Thyatis main enemy Alphatia's military stucture look like. (I know that this is a hard question, as Alphatian has no RW comparison, and to my knowledge, nothing major has been written on the Alphatian military other than troop size)
just a thought.
The druid player asked to quit the campaign becouse he realized his PC was the wrong one in the wrong campaign...
Indeed, that's the big problem with military campaigns -- the player must, more than in other campaign types -- select race-class-kit combinations that allow them to actually involve their character in the campaign on a permanent basis: while an odd character might find himself forced to carry out military missions for some time (e.g., the Thief sentenced to military service, or the druid helping as a scout), it will quickly become more and more unrealistic.
Luckily, there are positions for each of the basic character classes in an army -- druids being a notable exception.
(off topic I know but I couldn't resist) I wonder on the basis of have just been written. How would Thyatis main enemy Alphatia's military stucture look like. (I know that this is a hard question, as Alphatian has no RW comparison, and to my knowledge, nothing major has been written on the Alphatian military other than troop size)
Actually, we do have a fair bit of info on the Alphatian military.
From VotPA, we know that the skyship fleet has basically three types of marines: the Boltmen (elves and wizards with wands of lighting, wearing some sort of XIX century uniform), the Light Marines (light infantry with wands of magic missiles) and the Heavy Marines (crack troops with heavy armor and bastard swords).
We also know from Ylaruam's history that Alphatian armies were composed mostly by wizard units, which were easily taken out by Makistani horse archers.
The Alphatian sea fleet is not know for its military effectiveness -- it probably serves mostly to carry troops rather than to fight, leaving that duty to flying units.
Finally, it's likely that the Alphatians rely to some extent on slave armies -- e.g. for palace guards -- which would be where general Torenal came from.
It's also likely that each Alphatian kingdom have its own military, possibly with different structure from nation to nation.
Field Tactics:
While tactical situations vary, and may alter the finer details, most legions operate a variation of a standard order of battle. Each legion is deployed in two lines of 5 cohorts each, with Cohort I stationed in the first line on the right. The velites and archer/slingers form in front of the cohorts, cavalry is positioned on the flanks.
The legion opens battle with missile fire, supplemented by field artillery (usually a ballista known as a "scorpion"), and magical area attacks if available. This often will get the opposing force to begin moving towards the legionary lines (or better, flee). As the enemy approaches, the archers and slingers will reposition themselves on the flanks to offer support to the cavalry and the main legionary line. The velites will move forward to hinder the enemies approach. The main legion then begins to move forward at brisk pace. Once the main line is within 50ft, the velites withdraw through the gaps between the mantiples, and the legionaires throw their pila at the enemy lines, draw their gladii and charge as a unit into the enemy line.
Legionaires are taught to thrust and stab with the sword rather than slash. This is for the following reasons 1) Stabbing is more efficent- a 2" stab wound is more likely to be fatal than a 12" slash wound 2) Stabbing allows the legionaire to target the weak points of the opponents defense better- the neck, groin, armpit typically- while minimizing exposure to one's own weakpoints. Typically stabbing has a better chance to penetrate armor than slashing 3) The compact action of thrusting allows the legionaires to stay close in the line, each gaining some measure of cover from his neighbor's shield on the unprotected sword arm 4) Stabbing expends less energy than slashing, an important consideration when battles can last for hours.
The right side of a legion will try to overwhelm the enemy's left side, and roll into the enemy center and right. The legion's left typically tries to hold ground long enough for the right to rout the enemy. The cavalry first tries to remove the enemy cavalry, then the enemy archers and missile troops, and then attacks the rear of the enemy. They also pursue routed troops.
Communications are standarized on the field. Trumpets and bugles relay commands from the legate to the signifers, who use their standards to help signal the centurians of the legate's commands. Centurians relate their commands to the troops through high-pitched whistles. In multi-legion armies, the legate may have Scrolls of Communication to stay in contact with the army's commander.
Field Defenses
The legions usually build fortified camps every afternoon after a march when on campaign. The main defense of the camp is an earthen ditch and rampart. The ditch is about 10ft wide and deep. The outer edge is vertical and the inner edge is about sloped 45 degrees. The rampart rises 10ft and is reinforced with sharpened wood stakes. The enemy attacking the camp usually sees the slope to the rampart and charges headlong into the ditch. Once realizing the difficulty of getting up the rampart in the face of legionary resistance, the fleeing enemy is then trapped against the vertical wall preventing their escape out of the ditch.
For camps that will be occupied for an extended period of time, the legionaires will add "lilies" in front of the ditch. A lily is a concealed, shallow pit containing a wicked iron spike. They are deployed in "fields," one every 5ft in a checkerboard pattern. Anyone entering a square with a lily must make a Reflex save vs DC 18. If failed the victim suffers 1d4 damage, 4 dexterity damage and moves at half speed until the damage is healed. If a victim knows the square contains a lily and he moves at half speed, the Reflex save DC is 12 (14 if moving normal speed). Lily fields are a minimum of 20ft deep, but may be as much as 150ft deep when used to help defend a Thyatian city.
Siege Operations
Thyatian legions are expertly trained to carry out siege operations. Most baggage trains carry the parts needed to construct seige artillery of various types and there are many seige engineers within the ranks to oversee field construction of siege mines, siege towers, earthen moles, and additional artillery. Many legionaires have rudimentary training in carpentry to help build these pieces in the field. They will harvest wood from nearby sources as needed for the additional pieces. For extended sieges, the legion will build its own seige works to envelope the city, and to protect its own troops from a possible relieving force.
Havard