Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ogiwan Nov 23, 2009 22:23:51	Greetings, all. When i was running my game not too long ago, I had told my players that Karrnathi undead units were designated "Risen Patriots" instead of Infantry, Cavalry, or whatnot. This really stuck a nerve with them, and when I was attempting to describe an Emerald Claw flying zombie that would drop alchemist's fire on them, one of my player asked me if it was from the "Karrnathi Risen Grenadiers". I stopped dead and just stared off into space just thinking about that. It is a unit that would be entirely in keeping with the character of both the Last War and Karrnath, and simply by the nature of its name, provokes an evocative image. In Bound by Iron, Ed Bolme writes of the Iron Band, a crack infantry unit. It is distinctive, it is a catchy name, and it makes you imagine. Mentioned in several of the books are the Cyrean Storm Cavaliers. That is another name that is evocative, catchy, and really makes Eberron pop. So, let's start thinking. Forges of War was a good start on the organization and conduct of the Last War, but it was, at best, a start. Let's start our own threads on the Last War. This one will be for unique units. Be as brief or as detailed as you want. You can tell us exactly what they were, what they did, and where they did it, or you can be vague. Here's my first: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Karrnathi Risen Grenadiers/Karrnathi Risen Foot Guard (formerly 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Royal Risen Patriots, formerly 6th, 7th, 19th, 20th, 27th, 31st, 42nd, 59th, 66th, 104th, and 112th Risen Patriots) The Risen Grenadiers are an elite regiment of Karrnathi skeletons, and the Risen Foot Guard an elite regiment of Karrnathi zombies. Karrnathi undead possess the capability to learn, which means that veteran Karrnathi undead are formidable foes indeed. After a particularly vicious battle that featured six Risen Patriots units being shattered, the Karrnathi undead, extremely skilled after the pitched battle, were consolidated into several Royal Risen Patriots regiments. The Royal Risen Patriots regiments were normal Risen Patriots regiments that had been augmented by the Karrnathi undead from the shattered Risen Patriot regiments. The performance of the Karrnathi component was superb, but the mundane undead components were no better than normal. Planners, though, suggested simply fielding just the Karrnathi undead, and allocating the mundane undead to other units. With the near-destruction of several other regiments, though, there were enough veteran Karrnathi undead soldiers to fill a pair of regiments. The planners decided to compose one regiment each of "pure" skeletons and zombies, instead of mixing them as doctrine espoused. The logic was that the unit would fight in the main effort, and would thus have support from the other units committed to the main attack. Keeping the units "pure" would also maximize standardization and combat efficiency. The result was the Risen Grenadiers and Risen Foot Guards. The Risen Grenadiers are Karrnathi skeletons equipped as heavy infantry; instead of paired scimitars, the Risen Grenadiers wield large shields, heavy armor, swords, and alchemical items. On the attack, the Risen Grenadiers would advance to throwing distance and lob a cloud of alchemical ordinance before charging in. On the defense, a volley of alchemical ordinance would break the momentum of the enemy's charge, allowing the elite skeletons to crush the attack and counterattack. The Risen Foot Guards are Karrnathi zombies equipped also as heavy infantry. Instead of the sword and shield commonly used, though, the Risen Foot Guard has heavy plate armor and a very long pike, with a sword for close work. Thanks to the extreme discipline and training of the Risen Foot Guard, they can charge with pikes leveled, a feat few of the most elite human soldiers can maintain. On the defense, the Risen Foot Guard is virtually unmovable, as the bristling wall of pike can stop virtually any charge.
#2 MrCelsius Nov 23, 2009 23:38:42	Just in brief, I started a military campaign in Eberron in which the PCs were recruits in the Brelish infantry.  I made up my own uniform code in which one's insignia badge indicated rank while the metal of which it was made indicated tenure.  A platinum general would have been in the service for at least five years longer than a golden general, for example.  A golden private was a career grunt.  A first-year soldier, usually a private, was known as a 'Copper' or 'Copper Charlie' because of this tradition.  More colourful explanations among the troops suggested that the name was because no new recruit was worth more than a copper, or that they were called such because, like a copper piece, nobody'd stop to pick them up if they found them lying on the ground.      The PC squad made a name for itself on a few occasions, surviving tight spots that soldiers of their inexperience normally wouldn't.  Eventually their squad came to be known as the Bad Pennies because no matter how rough the situation got they kept turning up after the battle was over.  If the campaign had continued they'd have climbed in rank at unprecedented rates (special services to the crown and so on), prompting speculation in the press that Breland might yet see its first copper generals.
#3 Ogiwan Nov 26, 2009 10:03:11	Haha. I kinda like that. 'Specially the "Bad Pennies" name. I have to admit that I'm surprised that Karrnath never had undead cavalry. To my thinking, skeletal cav would be light cav, and zombie cav would be heavy cav. Both would be equipped with sword and lance, but skeletons would have lighter armor, and zombies heavier. I suppose you could also do a historical thing, and give the skeletons an excellent scimitar-like sword, and the zombies a heavy, straight sword......