| Troops and terrain | Types of lords | Summary of modifiers | Leaders table | Using the troops table |
| Troop Table I: Plains | Troop Table II: Forest | Troop Table III: Hills | Troop Table IV: Mountains | Troop Table V: Marsh |
| Troop Table VI: Desert | Troop Table VII: Maritime | - | Troop Table VIII: Dwarven Lord | Troop Table IX: Evil Half-Orc Lord |
| 1st Edition AD&D | Dragon magazine | - | Dragon #99 | Classes |
One area in which the AD&D®
game
rules could be expanded is that of determining
followers for upper-level fighters. 2
small
tables in the Dungeon Masters Guide
cover the acquisition of leaders and troops
for fighters, and their range of outcomes
are
exceedingly narrow. This method takes
nothing into account but the results of
two
rolls of percentile dice, with the result
that
most lords will have remarkably similar
forces. What is needed is a system of generating
leaders and troops that offers more
variety and takes into account the various
factors influencing a body of soldiers
and
their officers.
Troops and terrain
Where a character decides to set up a
freehold should have a strong bearing upon
what types of troops will be attracted
to
him. Someone who sets up house on a
steep, rocky island has little use for
a troop
of heavy cavalry, and a company of plate-mailed
pikemen would be at a disadvantage
in a desert.
Terrain has always determined
the types of troops that reside in it.
A character
organizing a freehold should be given
the opportunity to attract troops best
suited
to the terrain of that particular freehold.
At the end of this article are several troop
tables, each representing the predominant
terrain of any given freehold: plains,
forests,
hills, mountains, marshes, deserts, and
maritime areas. Terrain types such as scrub,
rough, and depression have been omitted,
since they can easily be included within
one
of the terrain types listed. Climate
is not
taken into account because it cannot substantially
alter the prevalent terrain, only
the creatures which reside in it. Special
troop tables for dwarves and evil half-orcs
are also included.
Use of these tables will assure a greater
variety of forces from one lord to the
next.
It will also force player characters to
think
more carefully about where they wish to
set
up a freehold, since certain terrain types
are
more advantageous for certain purposes
than others. Now high-level fighters and
their minions can be more than just so
many statistics. Great lord of the forest,
mighty master of the mountains, feared
sea
baron, noble sheriff of the desert ? the
choice is up to you!
Types of lords
Just what a lord is like also helps to
determine
what sorts of troops he will be able to
enlist into his service. Is he an uncaring,
lazy, murderous poltroon or a sympathetic,
<poltroon: "An ignoble or total coward;
a dastard; a mean-spirited wretch">
hard-working Mr. Nice Guy? A wide range
of factors determines the loyalty of a
person
?s followers once they have been obtained.
It?s logical that at least some of these
factors should play a part in determining
what types of followers a lord can obtain.
The Players Handbook says
that a character
who
builds some type of castle and
clears
the surrounding territory of hostile
creatures
for a radius of 20-50 miles will
automatically
attract a body of men-atarms,
and
will earn the right to collect taxes
from
every inhabitant of the freehold.
Someone who has cleared an area with a
50-mile radius will rule more than twice
the
land of a lord who only clears the bare
minimum necessary to fulfill the requirements.
It seems only fair that the industrious
should be rewarded for their time and
effort and the indolent should be penalized
for their sloth. This translates into a
positive
or negative die roll modification on the
leaders and troop tables.
A lord?s alignment should also play a
minor part in determining the number and
quality of his followers. No matter how
well
he pays or what threats or promises he
makes, it is a reasonable assumption that
soldiers will not trust a chaotic evil
lord. We
are talking about men-at-arms here, not
orcs or bugbears. No matter what their
own
alignments may be, men-at-arms would
show reluctance in signing on with a master
who disembowels the sergeant of the guard
just because his drilling of the troops
disturbed
the lord?s breakfast.
Certain other facts about the prospective
lord should have an influence upon what
he
receives. The lord?s level should be considered;
a fighter of 14th level will almost
certainly have more prestige than a fighter
of only 9th level. Higher-level lords are
granted a positive die roll modification
for
each level above 9th on the leader and
troop
tables. This may encourage player characters
to continue adventuring instead of
settling down to cushy lives as barons
as
soon as they hit 9th level.
Charisma is also important. The more
charismatic the leader, the more followers
he will have and the greater their loyalty
will be. Alexander against Darius, Napoleon
against Louis XVIII -- history is full
of examples of charismatic leaders who
succeeded against seemingly impossible
odds to topple foes who had all the charisma
of a mollusk. Conversely, someone with
a
low charisma will have a difficult time
retaining
the loyalty of his followers without
resorting to threats or other inducements.
One final point which may influence the
leaders and troops a lord receives is race;
dwarves and half-orcs can become lords,
too. High-level dwarven fighters use a
different system for obtaining officers
(they
do not roll on the leaders table), and
their
troops will be almost exclusively dwarven
in
race.
Half-orcs are a different matter. Not all
of
them need to be nasty and evil; it is quite
possible for a player to have a lawful
good
half-orc. Nevertheless, a half-orc is still
a
half-orc. The vast majority of them will
be
homely, at best, in the eyes of most humans,
and most members of other races will have
a strong prejudice against them. Only a
rare, exceptional half-orc might be capable
of overcoming this handicap.
Summary of modifiers
Territorial modifiers: These approximate
the size of the freehold
the lord has established.
The figures in square miles have
been rounded off to the nearest 50, and
are
used for those lords who weren't obliging
enough to clear a perfect circle around
their
castles.
Area cleared has a radius greater than 45
mi. or is more than 6,350 sq. mi. = + 5
%
Area cleared has a radius greater than 40
mi. or is more than 5,000 sq. mi. = +2%
Area cleared has a radius less than 40 mi.
or is less than 5,000 sq. mi. = 0%
Area cleared has a radius less than 35 mi.
or is less than 3,850 sq. mi. = -2%
Area cleared has a radius less than 30 mi.
or is less than 2,8000 sq. mi. = -5%
Area cleared has a radius less than 25 mi.
or is less than 1,950 sq. mi. = -8%
Alignment modifiers:
Lawful good = + 3%
Lawful neutral = + 2%
Lawful evil = +1%
Neutral good = 0%
Neutral = 0%
Chaotic good = -1%
Chaotic neutral = -2%
Neutral evil = -3%
Chaotic evil = -4%
Characteristic modifiers:
Each level above 9th
= +2%
Each point of charisma
above 13 = +1%
Each point of charisma
below 9 = -2%
Half-orc = -10% (this
modifier is not
used in conjunction with the evil half-orc
troop table)
On both the leaders and troop tables, any
modified score of less than 01 is treated
as
01, and any modified score greater than
00
(100) is treated as 00.
Using an extreme case, a 9th-level chaotic
evil half-orc with a charisma of 6 who
has cleared a paltry 1,600 square miles
of
territory would have negative die roll
modifiers
of -28% for leaders and -18% on the
evil half-orc troop table. Going towards
the
opposite extreme, a 15th-level lawful good
human with a charisma of 18 who has
cleared 7,000 square miles of territory
would have a modifier of +25% for both
leaders and troop rolls. A rare and exceptional
half-orc, say a 10th-level lawful good
half-orc with a charisma of 12 who has
cleared about 6,800 square miles of territory,
would have no modifiers for either the
leaders or troop tables. Somebody a bit
more average, an 1lth-level neutral good
human with a charisma of 14 who has
cleared 4,000 square miles of territory,
would have a modifier of +5% on both the
leaders and troop tables.
Leaders table
Roll percentile dice and add or subtract
any modifiers that the lord might have.
Once the leaders have been selected, determine
any arms and equipment they might
possess. "Capt."
and ?Lt.? are abbreviations
for captain and lieutenant respectively;
the number accompanying each
entry is the experience level of the leader
that has been gained.
-
| Modified dice roll | Result |
| 01-40 | Capt. 5 |
| 41-60 | Capt. 6 |
| 61-70 | Capt. 5, Lt. 2 |
| 71-80 | Capt. 7 |
| 81-85 | Capt. 5, Lt. 3 |
| 86-90 | Capt. 6, Lt. 2 |
| 91-95 | Capt. 8 |
| 96 | Capt. 6, Lt. 3 |
| 97 | Capt. 7, Lt. 2 |
| 98 | Capt. 8, Lt. 2 |
| 99 | Capt. 7, Lt. 3 |
| 00 | Capt. 8, Lt. 3 |
Leaders have the following chance per
level of having magical arms and armor
(typically +1 in power):
Shield: 16%
Chain
mail: 15%
Banded mail: 12%
Plate mail: 10%
Dagger: 5%
Edged weapon (select
type): 15%
Blunt weapon (select
type): 7%
Pole arm (select type):
9%
Missile weapon (select
type): 6%
Miscellaneous magic
item: 4% (roll
until a usable item is obtained)
All leaders are allowed separate rolls to
see if they possess the various sorts of
magical
accoutrements: a shield, one type of
armor (of the DM?s choice), a dagger, and
one miscellaneous magic item. Captains
roll
for two types of weapons; lieutenants roll
for only one type of weapon (of the DM?s
choice in both cases).
Multiply the level of the leader in question
by the percentage chance to possess a
particular item, then roll percentile dice;
if
the score rolled is equal to or less than
the
percentage, the leader has the item. If
any
leader has a percentage greater than 100%
of having an item, the percentage above
100% is the chance of the item being +2
in
power. It should be noted that only captains
of 7th or 8th level have any chance of
receiving
a +2 item, typically a shield, a suit
of chain mail, or an edged weapon. If no
magic armor or weapons are received by
a
leader, the DM may outfit that leader with
any armor or weapons deemed suitable.
Some of the percentages used might seem
a bit high. It should be remembered that
these leaders are professional soldiers
who
have been around for awhile. They could
easily have picked up a magic shield or
weapon on some battlefield. These percentages
give the lieutenants a moderate chance
of receiving some sort of magic item, and
they give the captains an excellent chance
of
having magic arms and armor.
Specific weapons were not listed to insure
greater versatility among the leaders.
A
leader of cavalry would probably want a
large, heavy sword, while a leader who
is
going to serve aboard a ship would probably
want a lighter weapon. This method permits
the DM to select weapons that will fit
the terrain or circumstances in which the
leaders will most often find themselves.
Using the troop tables
First, the player or the DM (if creating
a
freehold
for an NPC) selects which troop
table he wishes to use. The table must
correspond to the predominant terrain of
the freehold, although this is open to
the
DM?s interpretation. A freehold with a
+2% modifier for leaders and troops would
be larger than the state of Connecticut;
more than one type of terrain may exist
in
that area. A mountainous freehold in a
wilderness region might be heavily forested
as well. When more than one terrain type
exists, the DM must decide which troop
table is used, keeping the wishes of any
player character involved in mind. After
all,
it?s that person?s freehold.
Once the terrain type has been chosen,
the percentile dice are rolled and modifiers
are applied. The final result will show
the
number of troops of various types which
will form the nucleus of the lord?s fledgling
army. The higher the result, the more and
better equipped the troops will be. A high
score will also gain bonus troops who will
greatly improve the quality of the lord?s
f o r c e s .
A score of 66-85 on every troop table
except the dwarf troop table means that
one
out of every ten troops received is a sergeant.
A sergeant is a 1st-level fighter incapable
of progressing beyond that level
Each sergeant can command as many as ten
soldiers as an independent unit, or he
can
be used to extend the command ability of
a
lieutenant or captain. A score of 86-00
means that one out of every five troops
received is a sergeant.
A score of 96-00 means that the lord
receives a small detachment of special
scouts
(except on the dwarf or evil half-orc troop
tables) which, depending on the lord?s
alignment, will usually be demi-humans
or
humanoids. These special scouts are optional;
if the DM feels they should not be
given to a lord, then they are not given.
Some final notes on the troop tables. An
evil half-orc doesn?t have to roll on the
evil
half-orc troop table, although that would
be
his best shot. Also, these troop tables
are
not tablets of stone. DMs should feel free
to
alter them in any way they see fit. Sergeants
could be added earlier and doubled earlier.
Special scouts could be added earlier or
increased in numbers. You might even wish
to add more exotic troop types, like war
elephants, chariots, or even rhino riders!
Unless otherwise stated, all troops given
in the tables below are 0-level human menat-
arms. Each soldier has 4-7 hp.
Troop Table I:
Plains
?Plains? represents prairie, steppe, savanna,
etc. The horse has always been the
primary mode of transport to most plains
people, be they Sioux, Gaucho, or Mongol.
Rapid mobility is of the utmost importance
and a large proportion of all plains troops
will be cavalry. But because you can?t
defend
a castle from the saddle of a horse,
some of the troops will be infantry.
<In AD&D,
the Sioux and Mongols are barbarian cultures>
<barbarians
do not gain followers in the same manner that fighters do>
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 40 light cavalry ? 30 with leather
armor and shield, lance and sword; 10 with leather armor, light crossbow and sword; and, 20 infantry with leather armor and shield, sword and spear |
| 41-65 | 50 light cavalry ? 30 with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; 20 with leather armor, composite bow and sword; and, 30 infantry with ring mail and shield, sword and spear |
| 66-85 | 40 medium cavalry with ring mail
and shield, lance and sword; 20 light cavalry with studded leather, light crossbow and sword; and, 40 infantry with scale mail and shield, sword and spear |
| 86-95 | 50 medium cavalry with chain
mail and shield, lance and sword; 25 light cavalry with studded leather, composite bow and sword; and, 50 infantry with chain mail and shield, sword and spear |
| 96-00 | 30 heavy cavalry with banded mail
and shield, lance, sword, and flail; 60 medium cavalry ? 30 with chain mail and shield, lance and sword; 30 with ring mail, composite bow and sword; and, 60 infantry ? 40 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with ring mail, light crossbow and sword; plus special scouts* |
* ? If the lord?s alignment is
good or neutral, the special scouts
will be 5 normal centaurs led by 1
leader type. If the lord is evil, the
scouts will be 5 goblins mounted
on worgs.
Troop Table II:
Forests
"Forests" represents woods, groves, and
jungle. Large masses of cavalry do not
perform well in forested terrain, and fewer
mounted troops will be found. Hacking
your way through a thick wood in plate
mail could be tedious, to say the least;
most
troops found in the forests will have lighter
gear. Forests abound with game, and a fair
amount of troops in the forests will be
armed with bows, to help ease the commissariat
?s situation.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 10 light cavalry with leather armor
and shield, short bow and sword; and, 50 infantry ? 30 with studded leather and shield, pole arm (select type) and hand axe; 20 with leather armor, short bow and, sword |
| 41-65 | 15 light cavalry with studded
leather armor and shield, lance and sword; and, 60 infantry ? 40 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with studded leather, long bow and hand axe |
| 66-85 | 20 light cavalry with studded
leather, short bow and sword; and, 70 infantry ? 40 with scale mail and shield, sword and spear; 30 with studded leather, short bow and hand axe |
| 86-95 | 25 medium cavalry with ring mail
and shield, lance and sword; and, 85 infantry ? 50 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 35 with ring mail, long bow and axe |
| 96-00 | 30 medium cavalry ? 20 with
chain mail and shield, lance and sword; 10 with ring mail, short bow and sword; and, 100 infantry ? 60 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 40 with chain mail, long bow and sword; plus special scouts * |
* -- If the lord?s alignment is
good or neutral, the special scouts
will be 6 1st-level elf fighters led
by a 2nd-level fighter/magic user.
If the lord is evil, the scouts will be
10 normal orcs.
Troop Table III:
Hills
"Hills" represents rolling ridges and the
flat land between them. Some hills are
quite
rugged, while others are low and flat.
Hill
country requires a good mix of forces;
it is
often open enough for cavalry and missile
troops to be used effectively, yet broken
enough to allow infantry a chance to stand
against such troops.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 20 light cavalry with leather armor
and shield, lance and sword; 40 light infantry with studded leather and shield, 2-4 javelins and sword |
| 41-65 | 25 light cavalry with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; 60 infantry ? 45 with ring mail and shield, pole arm (select type) and mace; 15 with leather armor, heavy crossbow and sword |
| 66-85 | 30 medium cavalry with ring mail
and shield, lance and sword; and, 70 infantry ? 50 with scale mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with studded leather, long bow and sword |
| 86-95 | 40 medium cavalry ? 30 with
chain mail and shield, lance and sword; 10 with ring mail, light crossbow and sword; 40 heavy infantry with banded mail and shield, sword and morning star; and, 40 infantry ? 20 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with ring mail, heavy crossbow and sword |
| 96-00 | 20 heavy cavalry with banded mail
and shield, lance, sword, and morning star; 30 medium cavalry with chain mail and shield, lance and sword; 40 heavy infantry with plate mail, pike and sword; and, 60 infantry ? 30 with chain mail and shield, sword and mace; 30 with chain mail, long bow and sword; plus special scouts* |
* ? If the lord?s alignment is
good, the special scouts will be 5
0-level halfling fighters led by a
1st-level halfling fighter. If the lord
is neutral, the scouts will be 5 1stlevel
gnome warriors led by a 2ndlevel
gnome fighter/illusionist. If
the lord is evil, the scouts will be
10 normal hobgoblins.
Troop Table IV:
Mountains
?Mountains? represents very high, steep
masses of land with valleys or canyons
beneath them. Cavalry and missile troops
become less important and infantry becomes
the predominant military force in
such terrain.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 60 infantry ? 30 with ring mail
and shield, sword and spear; 20 with studded leather, pole arm (select type) and hand axe; 10 with leather armor, heavy crossbow and sword |
| 41-65 | 10 light cavalry with leather armor
and shield, lance and sword; and, 70 infantry ? 30 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with scale mail and shield, sword and mace; 20 with studded leather and shield, 3-6 javelins and sword |
| 66-85 | 15 light cavalry with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; 30 heavy infantry with splint mail, pike and hand axe; and, 50 infantry -- 30 with scale mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with ring mail, short bow and sword |
| 86-95 | 20 light cavalry with ring mail and
shield, lance and sword; and, 90 infantry ? 60 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 30 with ring mail and shield, 3-6 javelins and sword |
| 96-00 | 25 medium cavalry with chain
mail and shield, lance and sword; 50 heavy infantry with banded mail and shield, sword and mace; and, 55 infantry ? 30 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 25 with chain mail, short bow and sword; plus special scouts* |
* ? If the lord?s alignment is
good, the special scouts will be 9
1st-level dwarven fighters led by a
3rd-level dwarven fighter. If the
lord is neutral, the scouts will be 5
1st-level gnome fighters led by a
2nd-level fighter/illusionist. If the
lord is evil, the scouts will be 10
normal hobgoblins.
Troop Table V:
Marsh
?Marsh? represents marshes, swamps,
bogs, and so on. Cavalry will be few in
such
treacherous terrain. Missile troops are
useful because the overland movement of
any enemy forces will be slowed. Infantry
will tend to be light (one false step in
a suit
of plate mail could prove fatal) and there
will be a larger proportion of bashing
weapons,
for smashing the hordes of creepycrawlies
that infest such places.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 50 light infantry ? 30 with studded
leather and shield, sword and mace; 20 with leather armor, military fork and hammer |
| 41-65 | 60 infantry ? 40 with ring mail
and shield, spear and mace; 20 with studded leather, short bow and hand axe |
| 66-85 | 10 light cavalry with leather armor
and shield, lance and flail; and, 70 infantry ? 40 with scale mail, pole arm (select type) and sword; 30 with studded leather and shield, 2-4 javelins and mace |
| 86-95 | 15 light cavalry with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; and, 80 infantry ? 50 with ring mail and shield, sword and mace; 30 with studded leather and shield, 2-4 javelins and sword |
| 96-00 | 20 light cavalry with ring mail and
shield, lance and flail; and, 90 infantry ? 40 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 25 with ring mail, military fork and mace; 25 with ring mail, short bow and hammer; plus special scouts* |
* ? If the lord?s alignment is
good or neutral, the special scouts
will be 5 ?moss troopers? (1stlevel
human fighters native to the
region) led by a 2nd-level ranger.
If the lord is evil, the scouts will be
6 of the superior type of lizard
man.
Troop Table VI:
Desert
?Desert? represents barren lands, sand
seas, and so forth. Nowhere is mobility
more vital than in the desert. The vast
majority of troops in such lands will be
mounted, as a mount often means the difference
between life and death to people in
these regions.
Missile troops will be plentiful in the
desert. Infantry will be few in numbers
and
many of the cavalry will be forced to serve
as such in the defense of the lord?s strong
hold. Armor will tend to be light due to
the
extreme heat.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 35 light cavalry ? 20 with leather
armor and shield, lance and sword; 15 with leather armor, light crossbow and mace; and, 15 infantry with leather armor and shield, 2-3 javelins and sword |
| 41-65 | 45 light cavalry ? 25 with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; 20 with leather armor, composite bow and sword; and, 20 infantry with studded leather and shield, sword and spear |
| 66-85 | 55 light cavalry ? 35 with ring
mail and shield, lance and sword; 20 with studded leather, light crossbow and mace; and, 25 infantry with ring mail and shield, sword and spear |
| 86-95 | 40 medium cavalry with ring mail
and shield, lance and sword; 25 light cavalry with studded leather, composite bow and sword; and, 30 infantry ? 20 with chain mail and shield, sword and mace; 10 with studded leather, light crossbow and sword |
| 96-00 | 45 medium cavalry with chain
mail and shield, lance, sword, and flail; 30 light cavalry with ring mail, light crossbow and mace; and, 35 infantry ? 20 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 15 with ring mail, composite bow and sword; plus special scouts* |
* ? If the lord?s alignment is
good, the special scouts will be, 9
0-level human fighters led by a
2nd-level cleric. If the lord is
neutral or evil, the scouts will be 5
1st-level human fighters led by a
3rd-level thief. All will be
mounted on camels or light
horses.
Troop Table VII:
Maritime
Strictly speaking, this table is not just
used for sea-going Lords.
To qualify for this
table, the freehold must be on the coast
of a
sea or ocean, border or contain a major
lake, or border or contain a major river.
It
will be up to the DM to decide whether
or
not a freehold fits the bill. Cavalry will
be
few and most troops will have to double
as
sailors (rowers, marines, etc.). Arms and
equipment will be on the light side, reflecting
possible service on the water.
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 70 infantry ? 25 with ring mail
and shield, sword and hand axe; 35 with studded leather and shield, sword and spear; 10 with leather armor, light crossbow and sword; and, 1 patrol galley (see below) |
| 41-65 | 85 infantry ? 30 with ring mail
and shield, sword and mace; 40 with studded leather and shield, sword and spear; 15 with leather armor, short bow and hand axe; and, 1 patrol galley |
| 66-85 | 10 light cavalry with leather armor
and shield, lance and sword; 95 infantry ? 25 with chain mail and shield, sword and hand axe; 20 with ring mail and shield, battle axe and mace; 35 with studded leather armor, heavy crossbow and sword; and, 1 patrol galley |
| 86-95 | 15 light cavalry with studded
leather and shield, lance and sword; 110 infantry ? 25 with chain mail and shield, battle axe and mace; 50 with studded leather and shield, sword and spear; 15 with leather armor, light crossbow and sword; and, 1 patrol galley |
| 96-00 | 20 light cavalry with ring mail and
shield, lance and sword; 125 infantry ? 30 with chain mail and shield, sword and hand axe; 25 with ring mail and shield, battle axe and mace; 50 with studded leather and shield, sword and spear; 20 with ring mail, short bow and sword; and, 2 patrol galleys (see below) plus 1 mate* |
* ? The mate is the replacement
for the special scouts on this
table. A mate is a 4th-level fighter
and he can command a patrol
galley. This assures that a lord
who has 2 patrol galleys will have
captains for both of them without
having to act as one himself. A
mate has the same chances as
other leaders for having magical
arms and equipment.
The patrol galley grants the maritime
lord a useful vessel without forcing him
to
strip the stronghold to man it. The patrol
galley is similar to the Greek pentekinter,
only somewhat smaller. It has a single
bank
of oars, a large square sail, and is equipped
with a ram and a ballista mounted in the
bow. The vessel is about 60? long and 12?
wide. It has a hull value of 10 and corresponds
to the small galley
in the Dungeon
Masters Guide in all other
respects.
The crew of the patrol galley is drawn
from the maritime lord?s troops. It consists
of 1 captain, 1 steersman, 1 timekeeper,
3-4
deck-hands, 30 rowers, 2-4 archers, and
2-4
men to crew the ballista (it is assumed
they
are trained in this function). A patrol
galley
can carry up to 10 additional soldiers
besides
its crew. Each patrol galley must be
commanded by either a lord, a captain,
a
lieutenant, or a mate.
Troop Table VIII:
Dwarven Lord
Dwarven lords are rare and powerful <link
to a later article>
individuals, and any dwarf
who becomes a
lord will be a true hero of his race. His
troops will be drawn from dwarven clans
and the lord will take over primary responsibility
for any clans within his freehold.
This is one of the most powerful troop
tables, because every soldier on it is
at least
1st level (having 6-9 hp).
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 50 infantry ? 30 with chain mail
and shield, battle axe and hammer; 20 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear |
| 41-65 | 65 infantry ? 35 with chain mail
and shield, battle axe and hammer; 20 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 10 with ring mail, light crossbow and sword |
| 66-85 | 80 infantry ? 40 with chain mail
and shield, battle axe and hammer; 25 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 15 with ring mail, light crossbow and sword |
| 86-95 | 95 infantry ? 45 with chain mail
and shield, battle axe and hammer; 35 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 15 with ring mail, long crossbow and sword |
| 96-00 | 110 infantry ? 50 with chain mail
and shield, battle axe and hammer; 40 with ring mail and shield, sword and spear; 20 with chain mail, light crossbow and sword; plus 10 pony-mounted infantry* |
* ? These 10 pony-mounted
infantry are all 2nd-level fighters
with chain mail and shield, battle
axe and mace. They use their
ponies only for transport and do
not fight as cavalry. These troops
can be used as scouts or as a special
bodyguard for the lord.
Dwarven lords do not roll on the leaders
table; instead, they receive officers according
to the number of troops they receive.
For every 20 dwarves received, there will
be
an additional 3rd-level dwarven fighter
to
serve as a sergeant. For every 40 dwarves,
there will be an additional 4th-level fighter
to serve as a lieutenant. If the lord has
65 or
fewer dwarves, he will receive an additional
5th-level fighter to serve as a captain;
if 80-
95 dwarves are commanded, a 6th-level
fighter; if 120 or more dwarves, a 7th-level
fighter. In addition, no matter how many
dwarves the lord receives, there will also
be
one 3rd-level dwarven cleric/fighter to
serve
as chaplain.
All these dwarven officers have the same
chances as other leaders for having magic
items and equipment. If no magic armor
is
received, all dwarven officers will have
plate
mail.
Troop Table IX;
Evil Half-Orc Lord
Evil half-orc characters may always use
this table, regardless of the local terrain
around their stronghold. When using this
table, the half-orc does not incur the
-10%
negative die roll modifier for being a
halforc.
This is a strong table due to the number
of orcs gained by it, which are superior
to 0-level human men-at-arms. A word of
caution: the half-orc who picks this table
had better be extremely tough; an iron
hand
will be required to keep the human and
orcish troops from each others? throats.
Human troops are 0-level and have 4-7 hp;
orcs have 5-8 hp
| Dice | Result |
| 01-40 | 30 human infantry with leather
armor and shield, battle axe and flail; and, 34 orcs (30 normal and 4 leader types) |
| 41-65 | 10 light human cavalry with
leather armor and shield, lance and sword; 35 human infantry ? 25 with studded leather and shield, sword and spear; 10 with leather armor, light crossbow and hand axe; and, 34 orcs (30 normal and 4 leader types) |
| 66-85 | 15 light human cavalry with studded
leather and shield, lance and battle axe; 40 human infantry ? 25 with ring mail and shield, sword and mace; 15 with studded leather, short bow and sword; and, 51 orcs (45 normal and 6 leader types) |
| 86-95 | 20 medium human cavalry with
ring mail, lance and sword; 45 human infantry ? 30 with chain mail and shield, sword and spear; 15 with ring mail, heavy crossbow and flail; and, 51 orcs (45 normal and 6 leader types) |
| 96-00 | 25 medium human cavalry with
chain mail and shield, lance and sword; 50 human infantry ? 30 with banded mail, pike and mace; 20 with chain mail, short bow and sword; and, 68 orcs (60 normal and 8 leader types); plus 5 ogres* |
* ? These ogres are in lieu of
any special scouts. The lord will
find them quite useful in bullying
his orcish cousins to help keep
them in line. They will also give
his human troops something to
think about.
JULY 1985
THE FORUM
The
article, "Tables and tables of troops," in
issue #99, was excellent,
but I believe that Mr.
Yates may have inadvertently
misled some readers
with the statement, "Climate
. . . cannot
substantially alter the prevalent
terrain, only the
creatures which reside in
it." In fact, climate,
along with bedrock structure,
is the primary
factor in terrain development.
Compare the steep
canyons of the arid Midwest
with the rolling hills
of the more humid Northeast,
and it can be seen
that changes in climate will
cause changes in the
topography of a region.
Dan Swingley
Webster, N.Y.
Dragon #101