Anyone Running Mercenaries Capaigns?

[JoeGKushner]

So how would you go about setting up a mercenary game?

Everytime I watch the first 2 DVDs of Berserk I get inspired to run one.

I guess I should read the Black Company since everyone keeps talking about it. Sounds like a good series.

I guess I should also pick up Mercenaries from AEG but I'm hoping one of the web sites I do stuff for will get a review copy for me. I know, I'm cheap. What can I say?

Any historical books that bear looking into?

I was thinking that if I did run such a campaign, I'd have to limit the amount of spellcasting power so that magic, at least as a class, was rare for both divine and arcane uses.

Anyone run any campaigns like this?

Scarred Lands has some great legions but it's kinda high fantasy and to be honest, I think the way they do their companies are kinda stupid. One of 'em, the Crimson Legion I think, sticks with one weapon, one armor. "Yeah, I'd love to use this magical two handed sword, but I'm going to stick with the rapier..." More like an adventuring company than a mercenary one.

 

[sword-dancer]

Re: Mercenaries Capaigns?

So how would you go about setting up a mercenary game?

.

I guess I should read the Black Company since everyone keeps talking about it. Sounds like a good series.

It is a very good series!

Any historical books that bear looking into?

No, If i could find a good biographie of John Hawkins, and his whie companie.
But it gives a good RPG source, Rifts Mercenaries, most of it is full of Rifts stuff, but the first pages handles the roles andf concepts of mercs, and their background very well.
Take a look on it.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

The interesting thing is, this could take care of two major DM issues.

A) Getting the PC's to work together and compliment one another.

B) Getting them into the adventure you have prepared.

Mechwarrior books would be good to look into. A lot of that is mercenary action. Not the right genre, but this campaign needs research on feel, which these books would have.

Remember that anyone using mercs' is going to want to keep it quiet. No king or general is going to admit the need for out scourcing for skilled labor, except in times of full war. I don't think the PC's are going to want to be that front line of ablative bodies, though.

Have alot of their payment be in goods and services. MW weapons, food and lodging, ect. Make them force the coin out of you.

 

[Scott814thmpco]

Hi-
Joe; check out the Devil's Brigade. I cant remember who the author is but its about former SS soldiers fighting as mercenaries
in vietnam for france in the late 40's.
Also look into the Casca series by Barry Sadler, its about an immortal mercenary who fights different battles for the last 2000 years. Very cool series of books.


Scott

 

[hellbender]

As a rabid fan of the Black Company series, I must also chime in that these books are a great source of inspiration for running a mercenary game.
I must also agree that the RIFTS Mercenaries book has some great ideas in the front of the book, it can often be picked up at used bookstores, or try Noble Knight or the Palladium Books messageboards to buy a used copy from someone.
Using a Black Company-style campaign has advantages, not the least of which is that the DM can totally keep the game from being hack-n-slash, to stay alive against the odds, using dirty tricks and running keep the 'Company alive and ahead of the game much more off than entering combat (not that there are no scuffles or wars, either). Another advantage for the DM is that mercenaries travel often, and must use their resources, thus keeping the party from accumulating too much too fast.

hellbender

 

[Nightfall]

Re: Mercenaries Capaigns?

Scarred Lands has some great legions but it's kinda high fantasy and to be honest, I think the way they do their companies are kinda stupid. One of 'em, the Crimson Legion I think, sticks with one weapon, one armor. "Yeah, I'd love to use this magical two handed sword, but I'm going to stick with the rapier..." More like an adventuring company than a mercenary one.

No one said the Crimson legion was good. They are just cheap and easy to use. Besides you can't afford to equip EVERYONE with a +1 (named enhancement) great sword. Especially not the Scarred Lands current price.

 

[Crothian]

AEG has a great book called Mercenaries, it's perfect for what you are doing.

 

[hellbender]

AEG has a great book called Mercenaries, it's perfect for what you are doing.

Is the AEG book worth it? It seemed a bit overpriced to me, but then I am straying from AEG after buying many of their products.

h

 

[Mytholder]

Check out Mary Gentle's "The Book of Ash" - it's about a mercenary company in a fantasy variant of Europe, and has some quite good ideas despite being a bit overlong.

 

[BluWolf]

An excellent series is "the Deed of Paksinariaon" (sp?) or something along those lines. THe first book was called the Sheep farmer's (herder's??) Daughter. Written by Elizabeth Moon a former Marine Corps officer (YUT).

Sorry.

How are you planning on approaching this? A small group of mercenaries along the lines of special ops in a fantasy setting?
New recruits attempting to move up the ranks of a large mercenary outfit? The commanders of a mercenary company?
Do you plan to have resource managment as a feature? This is proabably the second most important issue after contract negotiations. Third being information gathering. Fourth, knwoing how to actually run military operations.

Each presents different issues and opportunities.