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Old 12-24-2009, 05:42 AM   #11
Orion Deckrect
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

Actually, Gurps presents a few ways to do that, and you will have to choose what method you prefer.

The Mass Combat way (present on Horse Clans, Conan and Compendium II. Not sure where for 4th edition) present a way that becomes a little weird when you get a close look. But its perfect for abstarctions. If you plan to take a good portion of the campaing with lots of army combats and few Roleplaying, its very useful. I say that because the prices floats accordly to the equipment. So, the maintenance of a well equiped troop costs more. It may be true at long term. But nothing justifies a larger amount of upkeep if you just want to recruit a few guys you know and give them the equipment at hand.

Myself, i use this: Mass Combats rules for the recruiting and upkeep of armies for the kings and large government organizations. It also covers other spenditures on burocracy, but saves money at other sides, because uses the burocratic organization.

For smaller cases, much like the one you described, i sum the soldiers in numbers, asset a payment for them and check the cost for any equipment would be supplied to them if they have it not yet. This method foes straigh with the things the players use to deal with, like the market prices, and gives them the opportunity to bargain costs with the troops.

If your soldiers are outlaw soldiers, each increase of 10% on payment gives them a temporary morale rise of 1 for one month. A sudden good pillage may excite and increase the morale. But lower payment and missed payments gives you similar penalties.

Good luck in battle!
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Old 12-24-2009, 08:53 AM   #12
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

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Originally Posted by Orion Deckrect View Post
The Mass Combat way (present on Horse Clans, Conan and Compendium II. Not sure where for 4th edition)
GURPS Mass Combat.
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Old 12-24-2009, 02:46 PM   #13
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

There's two ways to do this by the book. Either extrapolate from Hirelings (B517) or use Mass Combat (p. 12).

I highly recommend Mass Combat.

Before Mass Combat came out, I used the Hirelings rules. Cost of Living tells you how much each person at a given Status level expects to earn each month. Decide on the kit you want each person to have. If you provide the kit add an extra Money Offered modifier to the hireling search roll. If you require they do, subtract the extra Money Offered modifier instead.

The only house rule I used was to increase the number of respondents per recruitment roll depending on the population size of the recruitment area. I used 4 minus the modifier for City Size like Rcl. Adjust or ignore this to suit.

With either method, don't expect to field more than a handful. Certainly not an army unless you secure a hefty income stream or make alliances and promises.

I wouldn't expect a successful coup to happen this way, but that's another topic.
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Old 12-24-2009, 09:32 PM   #14
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

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I wouldn't expect a successful coup to happen this way, but that's another topic.
It'd be a surgically-applied force; I'd use it to loot and assassinate while the real armies fought the real war.
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Old 12-24-2009, 10:08 PM   #15
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

The cheapest TL0-5 land combat unit from Mass Combat costs $25,000 just to hire and equip (Stone-Age Warriors), let alone maintain. With just $20k to spend, you're looking at a small group of individuals.

GURPS Fantasy has a number of job descriptions and occupational templates. For example, Archer ($340/month), Battle Wizard ($1,350/month), Mercenary ($700/month), and Knight ($3,000/month). If you are providing cost of living necessaries (food, shelter, clothing), possibly through their services (hunting, pillaging, etc.), then you might reduce their income by a similar amount.
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Old 12-25-2009, 05:37 AM   #16
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

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It'd be a surgically-applied force
At your budget low quality is about all you can afford. 'Low quality' and 'surgically-applied' don't often result in 'satisfactory' or even 'worthwhile'.

For your budget, depending on the number of targets in need of assassination, I'd think a few specialists would do a better job. Let the regulars and populace handle the looting.
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Old 12-25-2009, 08:58 AM   #17
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At your budget low quality is about all you can afford. 'Low quality' and 'surgically-applied' don't often result in 'satisfactory' or even 'worthwhile'.

For your budget, depending on the number of targets in need of assassination, I'd think a few specialists would do a better job. Let the regulars and populace handle the looting.
I got the same feeling.. Kill the monsters, steal the treasure, sounds like a job for PC's.
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Old 12-30-2009, 06:43 AM   #18
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

Hey... caution over there! I dont know about Gurps Fantasy's jobs table, but at the basic, it looks a little strange. I do recomment the Gurps Low-tech jobs table. Much more accurate for medieval/fantasy jobs.

Look that. A soldier, at the basoc, have an income of $700! Lets say our soldier have a living cost of $100. After a few years of service at the local army, it have enough money to retire or start a business... And i am talking about a few years, like two or three! LOL Unreal for medieval set. Speacially if we are talking about the most regular soldier at the army. It could be real for castle guards or elite protectors... not the foot soldier.

If you plan to have low level soldiers, i suppose $120 is a very fair payment. If we are talking about an irregular with no real fightin g experience that for any reason decided to join a combat force, i suppose anything from $60 to $80 sounds correct. In a medieval seting, the chance to live a few years earning $60 + living costs and get clothes and lodging for free means a lot! It may give many poor people the chance to change their lives! An ordinary peasant who uses to have the sulpurs of $10 per month, may use an opportunity like this to gather arround $1200 after two years of service and then, perhaps, start a family!
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Old 12-30-2009, 08:08 AM   #19
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

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There's two ways to do this by the book. Either extrapolate from Hirelings (B517) or use Mass Combat (p. 12).

I highly recommend Mass Combat. (...)
Interesting thread. There are good posts here. I also recommend 4e Mass Combat.
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Old 12-30-2009, 08:28 AM   #20
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Default Re: Raising an army in TL3-4 High Fantasy

Oh! If theres a mass combat for 4th edition, it have to be better! LOL
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