From: [d--r--r] at [mustang.uwo.ca] (Dave Harper)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Armies and PCs - Note
Date: Sat, 09 Nov 1996 08:14:45 GMT

My last campaign ended in August, but the new one begins in December.
However, with the new characters and new campaign, one of my players
wants to play a military campaign--something I had heretofore given
very little thought.  Over the last couple weeks, I've been trying to
put together some rules to cover military life in the middle ages, and
I'd appreciate any comments you all have BEFORE I try to use the rules
in-game.  It's not something I'm very familiar with, and I wanted to
get some feedback.  
        Note that my campaign uses a silver standard; metal items cost a lot
more than usual and are sold in gold coins; leather and furs are
usually sold in silvers, and food, clothing and lodging is usually
only a few coppers.  A lower class standard of living would be 16 gold
a year; middle class is 40 gold, and upper class is 200 gold and up.  


----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Ben K. Krauskopf" <[b k k 5806] at [tamaix.tamu.edu]>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Armies and PCs - Note
Date: Sat, 09 Nov 1996 11:36:07 -0600

Dave Harper wrote:
>         Note that my campaign uses a silver standard; metal items cost a lot
> more than usual and are sold in gold coins; leather and furs are
> usually sold in silvers, and food, clothing and lodging is usually
> only a few coppers.  A lower class standard of living would be 16 gold
> a year; middle class is 40 gold, and upper class is 200 gold and up.

The rules look interesting.  Remember that not all armies would have 
a set unit size or allow the purchase of a rank.  In a medieval setting,
armies were more fluid in unit size.  A unit tended to be composed of
however many of a type of troop you had or that number divided roughly
equally if you wanted multiple units.  Troops usually came with their
own officers and equipment as the lord they belonged to equipped them.
These people wanted to command their own troops or designate who did 
(a son for instance) and working out who the higher officers were could
take years (and did in the case of some of the crusades).  

What you have here looks pretty accurate for a roman army or a 
renaissance army.  None of these armies let people keep the equipment 
you gave them when they got out.  They could keep battle booty.  Roman
armies often had a train of merchants and slavers following them to 
sell their booty to after a battle.  Instead of equipment, roman troops
got a big cash bonus (equal to many years pay) when they got out, but 
they enlisted for a long period (20-25 years).  All armies depended 
heavily on booty to pay their troops in the middle ages and renaissance.
Better equipment was scavenged from the field.  They didn't give out 
better equipment as they went along, but your starting equipment was 
often quite good in the case of someones household troops.  Officers 
were paid a lot, but were expected to equip themselves suitably.

The history out of the way, it seems to be a pretty good system 
initialy, but I have to think on it more to see if any problems pop 
into my head.  

How long is a "season" in your campaign?  3 months?

For rewards:  Give land grants or minor titles to officers.  Land 
grants for soldiers are also a good idea.  Most of the people in 
an army of this period were trying to establish themselves (usualy
younger sons, etc.)  Soldiers might slowly build up enough land to
have a good sized farm and retire.  It depends a lot on your players.


-- 
Ben Krauskopf
Anyone in College Station, TX interested in an ongoing AD&D campaign
where the emphasis is on roleplay rather than combat?  If so, please
mail: [b k k 5806] at [tamaix.tamu.edu]