Mercenaries |
| A mercenary is essentially a warrior who fights for money. They generally
do not fight for a Home Stone or even honor. Most mercenaries on Gor are
little more than armed thugs or cutthroats. It is often tough or even dangerous
to try to control such men. They must be assured of receiving ample loot
and promises of booty are a major inducement for recruitment. A silver tarsk
a month for a hired sword is a high price for such a man. Many would not
receive such a wage. Their strategy and tactics are more indicative of organized
brigandage than sound military theory. They do not wear uniforms though
they might wear armbands, scarves, ribbons or plumes of certain colors to
identify their employer. These though can be easily discarded or changed
during a battle. Some have been known to turn on their employer. Mercenaries generally form into mercenary companies, also known as Free Companies. There are dozens of such companies and they vary widely in size, skill level and trustworthiness. These companies obtain war contracts, sometimes by competitive bidding. They recruit men, usually willingly, though some have been known to impress men to meet their quotas of forces. Impressment is the recruiting of men, against their will, through deception or force. Lure girls might be used for this impressment. Famous mercenary captains can easily fill their companies with men. Some companies will supply weapons for their men. If you own your own weapons, you may get a preference as it is assumed you know how to use them. Companies often number no more than one or two hundred men. A force of a thousand would be an unusually large force. Many companies are disbanded during the winter. The Captain will retain only a cadre of officers and professionals. In the spring, the company will start over with training and recruiting, almost from the beginning again. They frequently move their camps to avoid being located easily by their enemies. Mercenaries in a battle may also be paid by both sides. Their contract may specify certain actions that must be taken but omit others. The sides in a battle may begin a bidding war over the mercenaries. Another potential problem is that it is not difficult to infiltrate spies into mercenary troops. Mercenaries are men from different backgrounds, castes and cities. Little is asked of them other than their ability to handle weapons and obey orders. Few get questioned much about themselves. So, why would you want to hire mercenaries? First, there are some well respected mercenary companies that can be trusted. They are usually the more expensive groups. Second, you might need a certain type of force you lack such as tarnsmen. Not all cities have armies of tarnsmen and such a force can aid a war effort thus a city may seek out to hire such a force. Third, your own army might be significantly weaker than your opposition so you need an additional force to create more parity in your forces. Despite such needs though, it is always better to rely on men who fight for a Home Stone over those who fight only for money. Some of the most well known mercenary captains include Raymond of Rive-de-Bois, Conrad of Hochburg, Pietro Vacchi, Terence of Treve, Oleg of Skjern, Leander of Farnacium, William of Thentis, Artemidorous of Cos, Ha-Keel and Dietrich of Tarnburg. Terence of Treve helped Port Kar in their epic naval battle against the combined forces of Cos and Tyros. Terence agreed to store tarns on Port Kar ships and then release them in the middle of the sea battle. The tarns fought well, ignoring the fact they were far from land, and helped Port Kar prevail. Ha-Keel of Port Kar was originally banished from Ar. His true origins are misted in legend. He wears a gold tarn disk of Ar around his neck. Some say he cut a man's throat for the disk to buy silks and perfumes for a woman he loved. Allegedly, the woman ran off with another man. Ha-Keel pursued them and might have killed the other man. He then either sold the woman into slavery or never found her. Ha-Keel is a true mercenary and works for the highest bidder. He commands a force of one thousand tarnsmen. He has even worked on the side of the Kurii. Dietrich of the city of Tarnburg is a legendary mercenary captain, probably the most famous captain on Gor. He is one of the most feared and skilled commanders on Gor, mercenary or otherwise. His victories are very well known. He has won battles on the fields of Piedmont and Cardonicus. He led the Forty Days' March relieving the siege of Talmont. He crossed the Issus River in 10122 C.A. in the night evacuation of Keibel Hill. He has been the victor in the battles of Rovere, Kargash, Edgington, Teveh Pass, Gordon Heights, and the Plains of Sanchez. His standard is a silver tarn and his force numbers about five thousand men, far larger than most such armies. His contracts are very expensive and his is choosy in which battles he will fight. His campaigns are studied in war schools throughout Gor. He is an innovative military leader and has created many new tactics and strategies for war on Gor. |