Mercenaries, to me, had been all the time capable of swap sides as a result of they’re motivated by money. Deadpool has all the time been a shifty bastard. – Rob Liefeld (originator of Deadpool)
Meet Your Merc
Mercenary corporations normally originated with troops from a particular area, however recruiting was sometimes a continuing exercise wherever the corporate went. Over time (with journey) it would turn out to be a bunch of numerous nationalities.
- Mercenary corporations had been widespread in Roman, Greek, and Persian instances, not as a lot within the Center Ages (maybe partly as a result of there was quite a bit much less precise cash obtainable). Xenophon’s “Ten Thousand” (described within the Anabasis (March Upcountry)) are one of the vital well-known mercenary bands, whose employer (a pretender for the Persian throne) died in battle, leaving the mercenaries with no selection however to battle their means out of Persia. The Hellenic successors to Alexander the Nice usually used mercenaries. A lot of the traditional Carthaginian military was mercenaries. A number of the late Roman Empire armies had been virtually mercenaries, with their very own commanders – “barbarians” from throughout the border.
- Individuals is likely to be most aware of the Hessian mercenaries working for the British Crown within the Revolutionary Warfare. Hesse was an impartial state in what’s now Germany; the kings of England had been initially from Germany (Hanover).
- William of Normandy’s invading military included many Flemish (now Belgium) mercenaries. The Flemings had been hoping to get wealthy from a profitable conquest of England, maybe “the jackpot” for mercenaries.
- Mercenaries referred to as the condottieri dominated Italian warfare across the time of the Renaissance. The condottieri had been generally referred to as troopers who didn’t do a lot precise combating however quite a lot of maneuvering. Niccolo Machiavelli (writer of The Prince) hoped that Italian metropolis states would elevate their very own armies slightly than relying closely on mercenaries. They didn’t, and finally Italy fell underneath French, Spanish, and later Austrian management.
- The Swiss didn’t stand out on the European stage till their spirited protection and supreme win over their masters in late medieval instances. Swiss pikemen then turned referred to as the best mercenaries in Europe, derived from their victories over Austrian knights. To this present day, Swiss mercenaries guard the Pope.
- The Varangian guard of Byzantium was an instance of particular person mercenaries largely from Scandinavia becoming a member of collectively to turn out to be a well-known unit. Harold Hardrada, the Norwegian king who died at Stamford Bridge earlier than Hastings, had been a Varangian.
- Probably essentially the most well-known mercenaries of fantasy are Glen Cook dinner’s Black Firm, which existed in its world for hundreds of years (and a minimum of 10 novels). I’m not giving an excessive amount of away after I say the Black Firm epitomized the alternative of conflict as sport; and in addition discovered themselves combating for a trigger slightly than for cash, and later managed a big nation. In 2004 Inexperienced Ronin issued The Black Firm Marketing campaign Setting (d20) that features a lengthy synopsis of the books in its greater than 300 pages.
Unreliable Allies
How usually did mercenary corporations swap sides earlier than their contract is fulfilled? It actually occurred; but when it had been widespread, who can be silly sufficient to rent mercenaries?
Sure, mercenaries had been motivated by money, however they needed to keep a great fame or nobody would pay them (and generally didn’t pay them even when they remained loyal!). Mercenaries had been extra prone to abandon their employers earlier than a battle, slightly than throughout. And in any case, even allies generally switched sides, or locals betrayed their metropolis to besiegers. I doubt that the likelihood that mercenaries would possibly change sides was usually a robust fear for individuals who employed them.
Mercenaries would possibly finish one contract after which change sides, maybe promoting their providers to the best bidder. Occasions round such a chance may very well be adventures in themselves. Even when mercenaries didn’t betray their employers in battle, they may very well be sufficiently undisciplined to loot and pillage the theoretically pleasant space they had been dwelling in.
Usually, in a miniatures or board wargame there can be a die roll sooner or later to find out whether or not mercenaries deserted a battle, and even switched sides. I’m not a fan of make-or-break die rolls, which can be why I not often use mercenaries in RPGs.
Making the Massive Bucks
Within the excessive, a mercenary firm turned a giant participant within the politics of the time. The Catalan Firm within the Byzantine Empire’s days of weak point within the early 14th century, unusually giant on arrival (5,500? troopers) regularly turned an impartial energy, finally controlling the Duchy of Athens for many years.
At instances a whole nation (such because the Swiss) is likely to be considered by contemporaries as mercenaries. In a fantasy world there could also be species who’re pure mercenaries. The commander of an organization might turn out to be well-known, in fact, however even the Catalans prospered via a number of leaders earlier than controlling the Duchy.
Adventurer or Mercenary?
There’s a advantageous line between an adventurer—who usually searches for journey within the hope of buying treasure—and a mercenary, who will get paid by another person to carry out a particular job. The 2 actually have overlap: what number of adventurers have gotten a reward for performing a job?
Being a mercenary is extra of a way of life, and with it a versatile ethos that seemingly doesn’t mesh properly with lawful- or good-aligned characters, significantly when and if an evil employer dangles a hefty reward. Mercenaries are sometimes as a lot rivals as they’re enemies, the less-ethical variations of adventurers who will do no matter it takes to get the job completed. After all, relying in your marketing campaign, this is likely to be the popular tone and elegance of the sport.
Life as a mercenary tends to be brutal and quick, lending itself to some playstyles greater than others. Most vital, mercenary corporations tended to be giant, so giant teams of hirelings lend themselves to this type of sport — one thing extra prevalent in earlier editions of D&D and solely returning not too long ago in 2024 with Bastions.
Nonetheless, the final default of heroic fantasy is emphasis on the “heroic,” so mercenaries normally do not take heart stage. However as Glen Cook dinner’s Black Firm demonstrates, it is totally doable. We will say, then, that mercenaries might add curiosity to a marketing campaign, however will not often turn out to be a giant a part of it – except the participant characters are members of a mercenary firm!
Your Flip: How do mercenaries issue into your marketing campaign?
