Mercenary campaign

[fl8m]

I'm kicking around the idea of a new campaign. I've always wanted to see what players could do if they focused on mounted combat, but of course a warhorse is a liability in a dungeon, so i figured a campaign based on a mercanary company of cavalry would work beautifully.
As i planned out the first few encounters I stumbled upon a problem how do i divide up wealth? if the pc's and npc's of thier company defeat brigands pillaging the villiage who gets the shiny +1 sword or even the crappy padded armor?
I thought perhaps it would all go to the company itself and then the pc's, and in theory the npc's as well, could ask for specific equipment captured or just upgrades to thier equipment. but that caused the problem of how much is appropriate to give and what exactly is available. average player wealth for level is a good guide but requires quite a bit of bookkeeping to determine how much any given pc's gear is worth.
I also have another problem, I have a bad habit of being a bit of a montey-haul dm so just judging off hand what the players should and shouldn't have is a skill i, quite frankly, suck at.

 

[DragonSword]

How about this: All money from pillaging and/or finding treasure goes to the company. Character are paid a standard salary, with bonuses for particularly good battles/fights. Players can then purchase magic items and other items that the company has pillaged on a credit system, paying a certain amount out of their salary per week. The better the item, the more the weekly payment, and the longer the payments last. That way, as long as you have the credit system sorted, the PCs shouldn't be able to get amazing items at low levels.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I would use reputation, building a level based on the success or failure of the groups leadership skill.

As for pay, that is a contract and the alignment of the members of the mercenary group would have to be used against that contract. If the contract said pay by rank (leadership) is X GP a day, plus X GP a combat, plunder is limited to 2/10th population and will go into the group fund, in case of death; family or person in last will will get 100 GP. Be creative in your contracts.

Types of missions:
..Guard - wagon train or city or person
..Hunt the bad guys - As a group you collect rewards for bandits
..War - nuff said

 

[xrpsuzi]

How big is the mercenary company?

Is it a small band consisting of only your PCs? Or are they merely a cell within a larger band? Or are they suppose to act "independent" of each other (each man for himself)?

When we had one of our regular players leave (DM rotation), we merely added up the value of all the "group's" loot, divide by the number of people, and auctioned the items (using the divided gp value as our bidding power). It worked out well, although it took some time since we worked our way from 1st to 13th by that time. If you did something like that more often, I could see how that would work. Sure a +1 sword is listed as +2000 gp, but if two of your players really want it, they will bid higher.

And it keeps at bay the hoarding instinct. Everyone wants cool stuff, but when you have to "pay" for it, it makes players think more about their greed.

You could incorporate this into something the company does (and have bonus for social standing as a previous poster stated).

And since this is a mercenary band, imagine the easter egg hunt when you come into town and your commander says you can loot freely.

Have fun,
-suzi

 

[Vonlok The Bold]

Sounds like an interesting campaign. Others have had great ideas about using their wages to buy loot. Another similar way with slight variation would be to allow characters to earn status for performing well during the campaign. The commander would give each player a certain amount of points for each appropriate heal, spell, charm, heroic blow, etc. Then after the particular mission the booty would be pooled. The player with the most points gets to choose first from all the pooled items. Then the player with the second most points etc.

I don't really know if this helps you at all, but mainly I just posted to tell you what a great idea for a campaign I thought it was.

 

[Gamecock]

Give the PCs & NPCs standard wages they signed up for, but as a DM, do not put anything of value in the mix.

Historically, mercs are given a wage and can keep whatever they find.

If you do not want PCs with +3 swords, than do not put them in the hands of your bad guys. All wands found have lost charges. Do not have only 1 round left, but depending on the fight they should be 1/2 empty. Have your bad guys use potions. Therefore, there are only empty bottles.

 

[fl8m]

thanks for all the responces, I was thinking the mercenary group as a whole would be about 100 people but the 2 pc's will spend almost all of thier time with a group of about 20 until they get higher level and i can start sending them off alone without the odd random encounter killing them.
I liked all the ideas i think i will just total the value of everything they plunder and divide it amongst the 20 mercenaries with a percentage sent back to the main headquarters. occasionally the pc's will be allowed to keep what they find, and every once in a while bonuses will come from command depending on the success or failures of the company as a whole.

my biggest downfall for handing out treasure has always been over equipping the bad guys there's just somethign wonderful about an npc wielding a +5 flaming burst brilliant energy greatsword I will just have to be more careful, maybe throw a 2nd or 3rd guy at them instead of just giving the one guy better equipment. hopefully dividing some of the treasure up with the company will help too.

 

[xrpsuzi]

Just remember: Everything you give an NPC will end up in your players' hands. Eventually.

 

[painandgreed]

Do it by senority. Top guy gets something, or first pick and so forth until it gets to the new guys. PCs get very little in the begining (while they've got 18 other guys to help) and as others die and they have been with the group longer they move up and get closer to the good stuff. You can still equip the bad guy with all sorts of stuff and then have the captian claim it or have to send it back to headquarters.

Or you could do it by whatever they can pick up (Heh. "Keep what you kill."). that way they are encouraged to attack the bigest foe they think they can handle. then that particular NPCs loot is split among only the people who helped kill him. Senority can claim the right to fight the big guys or the best stuff in cases of an assist.