Basic Training [Archive] - Wizards Community

Basic Training [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lord of Shadows
10-25-05, 10:00 AM Hello again,

Some of you may have read my Wartime Campagin thread. This is sort of a continuation of that. My player has chosen to play a human barbarian drafted into the army by chance.

His character will first need to go thorugh basic training and I'm wondering about a few things.

First, what kind of training might he go through? I'd like to test all his skills and abilities dureing this time so I can see first hand what he'll be able to accomplish on his own without aid from support troops.

I want the tests to also test all his combat power, not just his ability to hit and do damage, but also his grappling, chargeing, and mounted skills. In game terms these tests will show the commanders what missions he'll best be suited for, and it will serve the same purpose for me.

So, does anyone have any good ideas for basic training? Thanks in advance for any help.
prettyripples
10-25-05, 11:23 AM Assault Course.
--------------
This staple of training would be severely updated for the D&D world. Various spiders, snakes and felines might be added to the usual array of pits and climbing walls. To make things more interesting, stipulate that the barb goes in unarmed, and anarmoured (making grapple, trip etc far more appealing than usual).

Of a squad of 20 cadets, the 4 fastest through the Unarmed Assault Course face off in a knockout tournament (heal between round1 and the final, but not between the UAC and r1).
Vapthorne
10-25-05, 01:38 PM If you're intent is see how the barbarian would do alone without other troops, then you might be better off going through some sort of advanced / special forces training.

But for Basic Combat, first they would have to go through weapon familarity: both melee, ranged, and mounted. Then when they can hit stuff, they might go through a series of combat drills: simulated battles of what a typical militia-man might encounter. Also consider skill training that might be important: ie, not getting lost in a forest, first aid, stealth, survival, knowledge of the enemy (if they're known to use magic/undead, what to expect) and maybe resisting enemy torture. Basic knowledge of military customs is also going to be teached.
Cantankerous
10-25-05, 02:20 PM The only thing that your first level Barbarain is going to get out of the basic training given to militia troops is a superiority complex.

This isn't the Marine Corp bootcamp basic training, this is VERY basic weapons training, not too many steps above "you don't hack with the spear you moron, you thrust with it".

He might get a basic idea of how line troop movements work, but with the quality of training that peasant militias got, the average 1st level Player character would be able to intuit how to do it more effectively than the militia was being taught to do it.

Keep in mind that MOST of the others taking basic will be 1st level Commoners built on either the standard or non-elite array. A FEW will be 1st level Warriors, maybe a few might be 1st level Experts. The point is that even the typical 1st level Barbarian will already be a LONG step above the rest of the militia. He will likely be stronger, faster and more durable than just about anyone else and he'll be one of the most, if not the most, skilled of the bunch. Any "competitions" that might be in the offing are pretty much stacked in his favor. His Fast Movement alone will make him an icon among the other troopers.

Now, it might be smarter to stick him almost immediately among the elites. He'll be recognized as a stand out and he'll probably be a bit cocky after being a god among men with the rest of the militia. so then he gets stuck in among the elites, where he's still a 1st level Barbaian among men twice his age and four or five levels higher in a few cases. THAt may help him more than you know though. Being brought back down to earth by having to struggle to keep up, being shown up on occasion, these things should drive him and make him cautious, both in one stroke. Something that may help him to one day become an oddity, an old, bold adventurer.

Isshia
weasel fierce
10-25-05, 02:27 PM Basic training for medieval infantry would tend to be "stand in line, stick spears forward, dont run away"

If you want to have something thats more 20th century, drop by the library and check books on modern military forces. If you're in the US, they're bound to have a pile of them.
astute1
10-25-05, 03:41 PM A first level barbarian is likely to be far more advanced in skill already than most of the warriors in the army. He'd probably go to some sort of advanced training, or go directly into a field apprenticeship. If they're just testing him to see if he measures up to the basic standards of the army, you can just tell the player that they spend an afternoon testing him, and be done with it.

An advanced training mission is probably going to be real field work: go out and scout out this enemy position without letting them see you. Eliminate the goblin threat to Jarlsburg. Deliver these "important orders" to the garrison at Midnight Point. Stuff like that.
UmbraLux
10-25-05, 08:04 PM There are some elements that apply to basic training throughout time, I'll try to summarize the ones I think are applicable to a medieval training regime.

1. You will get very little sleep while in basic training.
2. You will do everything as a group. Everything.
3. The entire group may be punished for real or imagined infractions of even a single individual.
4. Did I mention no sleep?
5. Every where you go, you get there by marching in formation.
6. Except when you're running in formation.
7. Much of your time will be spent drilling, again in formation. Drilling isn't combat training, it's learning to march and move as a unit on command.
8. Your 'free' time is spent cleaning. Whether cleaning your equipment or barracks or whatever your sergeant wanted clean at that time. Even if it was already clean.
9. You get trained on the basics of how to use a weapon. Most of this consists of how to avoid hurting yourself or your squadmates.
10. No sleep!

Real weapons training isn't done in basic, it's in the advanced schools. The US Army refers to the standard weapons and tactics course as 'Advanced Infantry Training' or AIT. Basic is mostly about learning to follow orders, work together, and continue working towards seemingly pointless goals while under stress.
Cathon
10-25-05, 08:30 PM Formation training would probably be the biggest thing, since that's what you'd have to do in a medieval infantry, march in formation with your weapons without killing yourselves or losing your formation. And, of course, fostering the group comraderie so you are less likely to drop your weapon and run screaming because you'd let your buddies down.

(All that marching around in formation stuff, with sudden turns and about faces is much more important when you are training to actually do that kind of thing rather than modern warfare. A unit of pikes ability to raise up their weapons, turn and then lower them in a different direction in unison is a life saving skill on the battlefield.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lord of Shadows 10-25-05, 10:00 AM	Hello again, Some of you may have read my Wartime Campagin thread. This is sort of a continuation of that. My player has chosen to play a human barbarian drafted into the army by chance. His character will first need to go thorugh basic training and I'm wondering about a few things. First, what kind of training might he go through? I'd like to test all his skills and abilities dureing this time so I can see first hand what he'll be able to accomplish on his own without aid from support troops. I want the tests to also test all his combat power, not just his ability to hit and do damage, but also his grappling, chargeing, and mounted skills. In game terms these tests will show the commanders what missions he'll best be suited for, and it will serve the same purpose for me. So, does anyone have any good ideas for basic training? Thanks in advance for any help.
prettyripples 10-25-05, 11:23 AM	Assault Course. -------------- This staple of training would be severely updated for the D&D world. Various spiders, snakes and felines might be added to the usual array of pits and climbing walls. To make things more interesting, stipulate that the barb goes in unarmed, and anarmoured (making grapple, trip etc far more appealing than usual). Of a squad of 20 cadets, the 4 fastest through the Unarmed Assault Course face off in a knockout tournament (heal between round1 and the final, but not between the UAC and r1).
Vapthorne 10-25-05, 01:38 PM	If you're intent is see how the barbarian would do alone without other troops, then you might be better off going through some sort of advanced / special forces training. But for Basic Combat, first they would have to go through weapon familarity: both melee, ranged, and mounted. Then when they can hit stuff, they might go through a series of combat drills: simulated battles of what a typical militia-man might encounter. Also consider skill training that might be important: ie, not getting lost in a forest, first aid, stealth, survival, knowledge of the enemy (if they're known to use magic/undead, what to expect) and maybe resisting enemy torture. Basic knowledge of military customs is also going to be teached.
Cantankerous 10-25-05, 02:20 PM	The only thing that your first level Barbarain is going to get out of the basic training given to militia troops is a superiority complex. This isn't the Marine Corp bootcamp basic training, this is VERY basic weapons training, not too many steps above "you don't hack with the spear you moron, you thrust with it". He might get a basic idea of how line troop movements work, but with the quality of training that peasant militias got, the average 1st level Player character would be able to intuit how to do it more effectively than the militia was being taught to do it. Keep in mind that MOST of the others taking basic will be 1st level Commoners built on either the standard or non-elite array. A FEW will be 1st level Warriors, maybe a few might be 1st level Experts. The point is that even the typical 1st level Barbarian will already be a LONG step above the rest of the militia. He will likely be stronger, faster and more durable than just about anyone else and he'll be one of the most, if not the most, skilled of the bunch. Any "competitions" that might be in the offing are pretty much stacked in his favor. His Fast Movement alone will make him an icon among the other troopers. Now, it might be smarter to stick him almost immediately among the elites. He'll be recognized as a stand out and he'll probably be a bit cocky after being a god among men with the rest of the militia. so then he gets stuck in among the elites, where he's still a 1st level Barbaian among men twice his age and four or five levels higher in a few cases. THAt may help him more than you know though. Being brought back down to earth by having to struggle to keep up, being shown up on occasion, these things should drive him and make him cautious, both in one stroke. Something that may help him to one day become an oddity, an old, bold adventurer. Isshia
weasel fierce 10-25-05, 02:27 PM	Basic training for medieval infantry would tend to be "stand in line, stick spears forward, dont run away" If you want to have something thats more 20th century, drop by the library and check books on modern military forces. If you're in the US, they're bound to have a pile of them.
astute1 10-25-05, 03:41 PM	A first level barbarian is likely to be far more advanced in skill already than most of the warriors in the army. He'd probably go to some sort of advanced training, or go directly into a field apprenticeship. If they're just testing him to see if he measures up to the basic standards of the army, you can just tell the player that they spend an afternoon testing him, and be done with it. An advanced training mission is probably going to be real field work: go out and scout out this enemy position without letting them see you. Eliminate the goblin threat to Jarlsburg. Deliver these "important orders" to the garrison at Midnight Point. Stuff like that.
UmbraLux 10-25-05, 08:04 PM	There are some elements that apply to basic training throughout time, I'll try to summarize the ones I think are applicable to a medieval training regime. 1. You will get very little sleep while in basic training. 2. You will do everything as a group. Everything. 3. The entire group may be punished for real or imagined infractions of even a single individual. 4. Did I mention no sleep? 5. Every where you go, you get there by marching in formation. 6. Except when you're running in formation. 7. Much of your time will be spent drilling, again in formation. Drilling isn't combat training, it's learning to march and move as a unit on command. 8. Your 'free' time is spent cleaning. Whether cleaning your equipment or barracks or whatever your sergeant wanted clean at that time. Even if it was already clean. 9. You get trained on the basics of how to use a weapon. Most of this consists of how to avoid hurting yourself or your squadmates. 10. No sleep! Real weapons training isn't done in basic, it's in the advanced schools. The US Army refers to the standard weapons and tactics course as 'Advanced Infantry Training' or AIT. Basic is mostly about learning to follow orders, work together, and continue working towards seemingly pointless goals while under stress.
Cathon 10-25-05, 08:30 PM	Formation training would probably be the biggest thing, since that's what you'd have to do in a medieval infantry, march in formation with your weapons without killing yourselves or losing your formation. And, of course, fostering the group comraderie so you are less likely to drop your weapon and run screaming because you'd let your buddies down. (All that marching around in formation stuff, with sudden turns and about faces is much more important when you are training to actually do that kind of thing rather than modern warfare. A unit of pikes ability to raise up their weapons, turn and then lower them in a different direction in unison is a life saving skill on the battlefield.)