Regiments and Morale

[davecake]

The purposes of the (incredibly powerful) Morale spell, what is the definition of a regiment? 

The spell affects an entire regiment, but is a bunch of lay members of Humakt who band together a group? Or do you need a regimental wyter or similar?

 

[Akhôrahil]

On 9/16/2019 at 4:59 PM, davecake said:

The purposes of the (incredibly powerful) Morale spell, what is the definition of a regiment? 

The spell affects an entire regiment, but is a bunch of lay members of Humakt who band together a group? Or do you need a regimental wyter or similar?

Going by p. 287:

I don't imagine you have to have a wyter. And the recipients don't even have to be Humakti, right?

Casting it on the Fyrd should surely be fine (and the best use of 2 Runepoints you can possibly make in that situation)? 

Further: is there a lower size requirement to a regiment, so that you can't just cast it on the PC party?

Edited September 17, 2019 by Akhôrahil

[HreshtIronBorne]

 

2 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

Further: is three a lower size requirement to a regiment, so that you can't just cast it on the PC party?

We use it this way quite often. Anytime we know there will be good chances of combat. Too expensive to maintain all the time but, before raiding an enemy temple or a big battle it works really well. 

[Brootse]

On 9/16/2019 at 5:59 PM, davecake said:

The purposes of the (incredibly powerful) Morale spell, what is the definition of a regiment? 

The spell affects an entire regiment, but is a bunch of lay members of Humakt who band together a group? Or do you need a regimental wyter or similar?

 

I'd define a regiment as a group of soldiers under the same commander who move together on the battlefield as a unit. I wouldn't use a minimum size, but perhaps the max size of 1000 or so would be ok. And in almost all cases a unit like that would have a wyter. I wouldn't allow the spell's use on a normal clan fyrd, but only on humakti.

[davecake]

6 hours ago, Brootse said:

I wouldn't allow the spell's use on a normal clan fyrd, but only on humakti.

If your clan fyrd all become lay members of Humakt?

(becoming a lay member of Humakt is more of an obligation than most cults - you need to be Honorable)

 

[Brootse]

3 hours ago, davecake said:

If your clan fyrd all become lay members of Humakt?

(becoming a lay member of Humakt is more of an obligation than most cults - you need to be Honorable)

 

Well, then it wouldn't be a normal fyrd imo, but yes, then I'd allow it. And yeah, for a while I've used the 2nd ed Cult Compendium rules for lay membership. In addition to the Honour code there's this funny rule:

Lay Members are expected to tithe ten percent of their current silver every cult holy day (many use this as an excuse to go on sprees just before the holy day)

[davecake]

23 hours ago, Brootse said:

Well, then it wouldn't be a normal fyrd imo, but yes, then I'd allow it.

It isn't that abnormal - Orlanth also wants his initiates to be Honorable, so the Humakti take a slightly harder line on it, but not much. 

[Brootse]

3 minutes ago, davecake said:

It isn't that abnormal - Orlanth also wants his initiates to be Honorable, so the Humakti take a slightly harder line on it, but not much. 

What's cool and good for an Orlanthi, isn't necessarily the same for a Humakti. Hit and run ambushes is the preferred tactics for Orlanthi slingers and javelineers, but is abhorrent for Humaktis. And Orlanth is famous for killing his ruler, stealing footwear, and rebelling.

[davecake]

34 minutes ago, Brootse said:

Hit and run ambushes is the preferred tactics for Orlanthi slingers and javelineers, but is abhorrent for Humaktis.

Skirmishing isn't ambushing. I'm sure many Humakti will be happy to explain the difference to you in exact detail. 

 

35 minutes ago, Brootse said:

And Orlanth is famous for killing his ruler, stealing footwear, and rebelling.

He killed A ruler, I think Orlanth would deny it was HIS ruler. And stealing from an enemy is just a less violent way of raiding an enemy, its not as if you are violating a hospitality oath or anything. Rebelling is just recognising when rulership has become Dishonorable and so on. Sure, there are differences in Humakti and Orlanthi practice, I don't think they differ too much on what is Honorable. 

[Brootse]

 

1 minute ago, davecake said:

Skirmishing isn't ambushing. I'm sure many Humakti will be happy to explain the difference to you in exact detail. 

 

He killed A ruler, I think Orlanth would deny it was HIS ruler. And stealing from an enemy is just a less violent way of raiding an enemy, its not as if you are violating a hospitality oath or anything. Rebelling is just recognising when rulership has become Dishonorable and so on. Sure, there are differences in Humakti and Orlanthi practice, I don't think they differ too much on what is Honorable. 

Fighting in a skirmish formation isn't ambushing, that's why I wrote hit and run ambushes.

[Bill the barbarian]

19 minutes ago, Brootse said:

Fighting in a skirmish formation isn't ambushing, that's why I wrote hit and run ambushes.

Alas mon ami, Brootse I am sorry to disagree seeing as I just corrected you in another thread. I really am not picking on you :).

I just put a post on Prepping Greembrass that quotes from what was once official sources that might not agree...

From Cults of Prax Biturian is writing about a humakti duel in Tourney Alley

Quote

 

Each circled a while, undoubtedly casting spells. The swords glowed, their armor wavered, the air inside the circle seemed to ripple, and Alain sheared away Naimless' shield despite her parry. Naimless' sword glanced off Alain's iron armor. Alain struck again, but was parried. There was no return attack as Alain drove in, hoping to take blood before Naimless' next magic took effect. 
He was too slow. A small salamander stuck him from behind before his sword thrust home. Naimless had to dodge his falling body. A moment later the elemental disappeared. The combat had taken less than a minute. 
Despite the damage, Alain rose. I could see his scorched flesh heal on his unarmored leg. Naimless used healing magic to put her fingers back in place. 
Alain accused Naimless of un-Humakti conduct, working himself into a rage. Naimless now was backed by her friends (including another Sword) since the fight was over, and she waited calmly, then said that Humakt could judge it. The god made no sign, so Naimless claimed victory. 

 

It looks like a split decision, Brootse, Alain agrees with you while Naimless (Greg’s character, I believe) disagrees. The God remains silent.

Cheers 
 

 

[Joerg]

1 hour ago, Brootse said:

What's cool and good for an Orlanthi, isn't necessarily the same for a Humakti. Hit and run ambushes is the preferred tactics for Orlanthi slingers and javelineers, but is abhorrent for Humaktis. And Orlanth is famous for killing his ruler, stealing footwear, and rebelling.

Ambush from hiding is against Humakti mores. Hit and run attacks depending on superior mobility (or obstacles covering the distance between the skirmishers and the targets) are perfectly allowable. So is the lone Humakti blocking the road challenging the arrivals, and then skirmishers joining the fray.

Orlanth killed a tyrant of people he cared for (Ernalda and her kin), but not his own ruler. If Yelm had acknowledged Umath, a lot of subsequent events would have needed a different excuse.

Humakt is a thief, too. That's how he obtained Death. Footwear versus terminal change of existence... methinks that Humakt's theft weighs a little heavier.

[Brootse]

1 hour ago, Joerg said:

 lone Humakti blocking the road challenging the arrivals, and then skirmishers joining the fray.

This is the kind of Humakti ambushes that I've allowed.

[Akhôrahil]

4 hours ago, davecake said:

And stealing from an enemy is just a less violent way of raiding an enemy

It's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I raid, you loot, he/she steals.

[soltakss]

On 9/19/2019 at 9:19 AM, Joerg said:

Ambush from hiding is against Humakti mores. Hit and run attacks depending on superior mobility (or obstacles covering the distance between the skirmishers and the targets) are perfectly allowable. So is the lone Humakti blocking the road challenging the arrivals, and then skirmishers joining the fray.

Q. Do I have the Gease "Never Ambush"? 

A. No

Then I can Ambush, by definition.

 

[soltakss]

On 9/16/2019 at 3:59 PM, davecake said:

The purposes of the (incredibly powerful) Morale spell, what is the definition of a regiment? 

The spell affects an entire regiment, but is a bunch of lay members of Humakt who band together a group? Or do you need a regimental wyter or similar?

We used to play that it couldn't be used on one person, or just a group of people.

Something like the temple of the Wooden Sword would count as a regiment for the purposes of Morale. 

Similarly, if a PC had a Humakti Battle Standard, then any Humakti following that PC would count as being a regiment for the purposes of Morale.

A Humakti Hero Band, in HQ terms, would probably count as well.