Party Composition in Military Campaigns [Archive] - Wizards Community

Party Composition in Military Campaigns [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Fourthmensch
09-25-04, 04:51 PM The following question was asked on "Ask Keith Baker" (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=4474919#post4474919) thread (in regards to his practice of beginning campaigns with the PCs as Cyran soldiers):

1. How do you reconcile the makeup of the adventuring party (most of which are very diverse) with their identities as soldiers of Cyre? For example, how would you explain, say, a warforged fighter (who usually fight in units along with other warforged, right?), a human artificer (who probably don't often fight on the frontlines), a shifter ranger (who would probably have to have a good reason for being in Cyre in the first place), and a changeling rogue (who would be more of a spy than a soldier)? What about clerics, druids, or kalashtar?

At least one poster (stembolt, this is you :)) thought that this question warranted its own thread. So, let's discuss.

If you were running a "flashback" session where the PCs were soldiers in the Last War, how would you work their various identities and professions into a cohesive military unit? What kinds of alternatives can you think of? (For example, perhaps half the party was Cyran and the other half Karnathi, and they were actually fighting each other the moment that the Day of Mourning disaster occurred, and were forced to team up in order to survive.) How might these ideas contribute to a military campaign set in the present day, where the PCs are perhaps mercenaries in Brelish employ, or agents of the New Cyran government?
Neofish
09-25-04, 05:35 PM May the group were a special skrimisher unit, Or perhaps a mercenary group, mercenaries groups are always portrayed as a rag-tag group of misfits that seem like they'd never get along under normal curcumstances.

Maybe thier a prominate commanders bodyguard, chosen from the best of his men.

"Why us sir?"

"Because you men have all proven yourselves at one time or another."

"Grey, was it not you who felled that Brelish captain with one string of your bow?"

"And you Foehammer, your armored skin has never been pierced by any enemy."

"Puck, your recon before last Zul's battle proved invaluable to our intelligence."

"All of you have something to bring to the table, that is why i've chosen you for this most important assingment...."
nyysjan
10-16-04, 03:49 PM Four "4" words "Hand picked COMMANDO unit"
stembolt
10-16-04, 04:54 PM First off, you don’t necessarily need to run the campaign as a flashback to be military. There is plenty of action in a modern military campaign.

Who the PCs are will depend on the kind of characters they want to play. For example if you have: A fighter, a Rogue, an Artificer and a Cleric. The situation could be:

We think there are a number of undead hidden in the catacombs under the fort. We want you (the fighter) the soldier to lead a group consisting of a scout (the rogue) and two specialists anti undead (the cleric) and a salvage specialist (the artificer).

There is almost an unlimited number of ideas.

btw - commando refers to the unit as well as the individual. Meaning it is three words “hand picked commando.”
CzarGarrett
10-16-04, 07:29 PM I think if I were running a flashback campaign, I'd probably limit the locations of origin.

If the adventure is supposed to be 'siding' with Brelish forces, then Breland, Zilargo, and maybe Mror Holds could be the origins. Make it so there's only 3 or 4 options due to current alliances. Maybe at another time, it could be Karrnath, Lhazzer, and Valenar.
Splendide
10-16-04, 10:07 PM Yeah, I'd go with neofish, skirmishers makes sense.

Their unit originally had (at least) another three warforged in it in addition to the surviving fighter, with the human artificer being there as their handler. The shifter ranger was to act as guide for the troops through the backwoods terrain with the changeling spy acting as an infiltrator if need be for the groups they were to ambush. Basically the non-warforged are minders of the group, as no-one really rated warforged intelligence at the time.

Procedure: The Shifter scouts - finds enemy group. If they are already weak, just set up an attack. If strong, get away and plan.

The changeling may come into play here, acting as a diversion. Perhaps impersonating a wounded soldier of their own, or a superior officer demanding help, all sorts of things.

At this time, the warforged come in when the opposing group is spread out by shenanigans and start the bloodshed, with the artificer keeping them going....he'd probably be well-armored and shielded, just ready to cast repairs and such.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fourthmensch 09-25-04, 04:51 PM	The following question was asked on "Ask Keith Baker" (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=4474919#post4474919) thread (in regards to his practice of beginning campaigns with the PCs as Cyran soldiers): 1. How do you reconcile the makeup of the adventuring party (most of which are very diverse) with their identities as soldiers of Cyre? For example, how would you explain, say, a warforged fighter (who usually fight in units along with other warforged, right?), a human artificer (who probably don't often fight on the frontlines), a shifter ranger (who would probably have to have a good reason for being in Cyre in the first place), and a changeling rogue (who would be more of a spy than a soldier)? What about clerics, druids, or kalashtar? At least one poster (stembolt, this is you :)) thought that this question warranted its own thread. So, let's discuss. If you were running a "flashback" session where the PCs were soldiers in the Last War, how would you work their various identities and professions into a cohesive military unit? What kinds of alternatives can you think of? (For example, perhaps half the party was Cyran and the other half Karnathi, and they were actually fighting each other the moment that the Day of Mourning disaster occurred, and were forced to team up in order to survive.) How might these ideas contribute to a military campaign set in the present day, where the PCs are perhaps mercenaries in Brelish employ, or agents of the New Cyran government?
Neofish 09-25-04, 05:35 PM	May the group were a special skrimisher unit, Or perhaps a mercenary group, mercenaries groups are always portrayed as a rag-tag group of misfits that seem like they'd never get along under normal curcumstances. Maybe thier a prominate commanders bodyguard, chosen from the best of his men. "Why us sir?" "Because you men have all proven yourselves at one time or another." "Grey, was it not you who felled that Brelish captain with one string of your bow?" "And you Foehammer, your armored skin has never been pierced by any enemy." "Puck, your recon before last Zul's battle proved invaluable to our intelligence." "All of you have something to bring to the table, that is why i've chosen you for this most important assingment...."
nyysjan 10-16-04, 03:49 PM	Four "4" words "Hand picked COMMANDO unit"
stembolt 10-16-04, 04:54 PM	First off, you don’t necessarily need to run the campaign as a flashback to be military. There is plenty of action in a modern military campaign. Who the PCs are will depend on the kind of characters they want to play. For example if you have: A fighter, a Rogue, an Artificer and a Cleric. The situation could be: We think there are a number of undead hidden in the catacombs under the fort. We want you (the fighter) the soldier to lead a group consisting of a scout (the rogue) and two specialists anti undead (the cleric) and a salvage specialist (the artificer). There is almost an unlimited number of ideas. btw - commando refers to the unit as well as the individual. Meaning it is three words “hand picked commando.”
CzarGarrett 10-16-04, 07:29 PM	I think if I were running a flashback campaign, I'd probably limit the locations of origin. If the adventure is supposed to be 'siding' with Brelish forces, then Breland, Zilargo, and maybe Mror Holds could be the origins. Make it so there's only 3 or 4 options due to current alliances. Maybe at another time, it could be Karrnath, Lhazzer, and Valenar.
Splendide 10-16-04, 10:07 PM	Yeah, I'd go with neofish, skirmishers makes sense. Their unit originally had (at least) another three warforged in it in addition to the surviving fighter, with the human artificer being there as their handler. The shifter ranger was to act as guide for the troops through the backwoods terrain with the changeling spy acting as an infiltrator if need be for the groups they were to ambush. Basically the non-warforged are minders of the group, as no-one really rated warforged intelligence at the time. Procedure: The Shifter scouts - finds enemy group. If they are already weak, just set up an attack. If strong, get away and plan. The changeling may come into play here, acting as a diversion. Perhaps impersonating a wounded soldier of their own, or a superior officer demanding help, all sorts of things. At this time, the warforged come in when the opposing group is spread out by shenanigans and start the bloodshed, with the artificer keeping them going....he'd probably be well-armored and shielded, just ready to cast repairs and such.