Orcish Engineers

[Shades of Eternity]

One of the things I really like in Master of Magic I think I'm going to keep as a stereotype for any future fantasy games I run: Orcish Engineers.

So how would you give them a niche while making them the scotties of your fantasy world?

 

[aco175]

Perhaps give us some on how that system does things. I have never played or heard of it.

In 5e I might just give them an ability. Like in LotR movie where they had the olympic runner with the torch and Legolas shooting him. Depends on how rare they are might depend on how rare. If it is a whole unit of soldier orcs that can do one more thing or a special commander of orcs and can do a few more things.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

well the main purpose of engineers are to make roads, but I think I could extrapolate to include earthworks and other fortifications.

Engineers

Orcs are one of six species that can actually do it.

I'm thinking they also can build those fun war machines like in Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow over Mystara.

 

[Umbran]

I imagine a typical horde of orcs, within which there's a squad of Orc Artificers...

 

[MGibster]

A long while back when I was a wee undergraduate, I was reading about medicine in Britain circa the 17th century, and it was noted that surgions working for the military oftentimes didn't give a flip about Hippocrates four humours or other conventional beliefs at the time as leaders were most interested in anything that got soldiers and sailors back on their feet again. So maybe orcs could be the same way. They're good engineers because they're not hidebound by old traditions, they're more willing to try something and aren't afraid to go with it if it works.

 

[Umbran]

... They're good engineers because they're not hidebound by old traditions, they're more willing to try something and aren't afraid to go with it if it works.

Or, they're good engineers because Darwinian selection takes out the ones who choose the wrong traditions to challenge

 

[Ulfgeir]

Or, they're good engineers because Darwinian selection takes out the ones who choose the wrong traditions to challenge

Like a friend of mine, who is an electrician, said: electricians are a self-regulating job. If you are not a good electrician, then you will not be an electrician for long (especially If working with high power)

 

[aramis erak]

Like a friend of mine, who is an electrician, said: electricians are a self-regulating job. If you are not a good electrician, then you will not be an electrician for long (especially If working with high power)

The same can be said for USN BT rates, and for Bush Pilots.
The classic for Pilots is "There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots." (The reality is there are a few old-bold pilots, but the types like Chuck Yeager or Greg Boyington are the rare exceptions.)

Orc Engineers to me means sappers, not so much construction types, which are even more so "Do it right or die!"