It is Sunday. The year is 1400 and the place is any of a number of villages throughout England. Men are at their local archery range putting in their legally required time. They fire arrow after arrow from their powerful longbows into targets. This is the bow that has sown fear into the hearts of knights and armored foot soldiers. The 100+ pound draw weight of the bow allows the projectile they fire to pierce armor with relative ease.
Since 1252, all English were required to keep bows and other arms. This, combined with the archery law of 1363, meant that England had a massive supply of trained archers at their disposal. This allowed royalty to supplement their standing forces of men-at-arms and armored knights with warriors, as needed. As conflicts increased and became more routine, the ability of the crown to recruit these citizen warriors became more critical.
Gone were the days where kings called on their vassals to gather their warriors and create an army comprised mostly of professional soldiers. Instead, citizen warriors from all walks of life answered the call when troops were needed to form bigger and bigger armies. Today, we’d call these men mercenaries.
A Glamorous Career
At the time, the label of “mercenary” didn’t have the same baggage that we associate with guns-for-hire today. Instead, many of these men choose to sign on for a season or two of campaigning to make some money, see the world, and capture plunder. The latter was intended to give them a much needed head start as they began their lives as various types of tradesmen or country farmers. Some men, however, would find the military life appealing and remain as active troops. They would begin by participating in active conflicts and then serve as garrison troops in newly conquered territory until the next cycle of conflict started. However, the English didn’t have a monopoly on early mercenaries.
Most of Europe had mercenary companies that were contracted to bolster the forces of one kingdom or another, especially as the late Middle Ages gradually gave way to the early modern period. One example of this were the German warriors known as the Landsknecht. The Landsknecht were German pikeman who proved to be quite deadly to both infantry and cavalry forces due to their weaponry, discipline, and training. These were armored soldiers who typically wielded pikes and short swords (called Katzbalgers) but were also armed with other polearms and their trademark, massive two-handed sword, the Zweihänder. New Landsknecht were expected to bring their own armor and weapons when they signed on.
Like the English, many new Landsknecht recruits were young men who wanted to see the world and earn some money. Also like the English, some found a taste for the soldier’s life and even enjoyed the social status attached to being one of these mercenaries. Landsknecht were not confined by social customs and often wore loud, flashy clothing and were looked up to by much of the populace. This was very appealing to some who found themselves locked into a lower social status.
Mercenaries in Your Game
The English and German mercenaries of the late medieval and early modern period are a great example to draw from when creating a warrior for an RPG. The key questions to ask when crafting a warrior is where did the character come from and how did they come to be a soldier?</p.
When addressing these questions, you can create a warrior that is more than just a meat shield. Mercenaries can bring valuable skills to the table along with their prowess in combat. The flip side is true too. This also allows you to build well-rounded NPC.
Perhaps the tanner or builder you meet in town isn’t just some defenseless peasant. Perhaps he served in a few campaigns before settling down into the life of a skilled tradesman. He just might know his way around a sword, polearm, or bow. He may have even been a hero of a battle long since forgotten. Before long, the peasant that your party has tried to intimidate is giving you the fight of your life.
However, beyond the ability to craft better NPCs is the value that the historical example offers in terms of character creation. These countless examples show us that many mercenaries did have skills beyond those found solely on the battlefield. Some apprenticed as blacksmiths, builders, and a whole host of other skilled positions. They brought these skills with them and applied them to their life as a soldier in a mercenary company. Some professional tradesmen would even return from time to time to take part in short campaigns as a way of taking a break from their life to see the world and earn some additional coin. These men brought with them the experience of campaigning and the knowledge of their various crafts.</p.
Looking back at that young farmer, tanner, or other craftsman who held his bow and fired arrow after arrow into the target at his village archery range every Sunday, we learn a valuable lesson that we can bring to the table. That lesson is simple. People are not flat caricatures — they have many layers that make them who they are. This holds true of the warrior who has hefted an axe on a campaign or the NPC who is a master carpenter but still maintains his prowess with a bow.
I hope these brief examples encourage you to give thought to who your character is and where they came from. I hope you take the time to think about what their father taught them and what path they choose to take.
However, whatever you do, always remember to craft a character with which you can have fun!
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Charles A White
I am the co-founder of Fabled Environments. We are a Savage Worlds Licensee that publishes modern floor plans and various Savage Worlds products. I have written several gaming adventures and worked on other projects for Savage Worlds including Olympus Inc and Buccaneer: Through Hell and High Water. I hold a Master of Arts in Religion with a focus on Church History as well as an advanced masters (Master of Sacred Theology) focused on American Religion and Culture. I am also hold certification from AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks).