Feeding The Gorgon War Machine????

Dungeons & Dragons The Royal Library
1

This is more of a post for the GM’s amongst us, but players please feel free too comment!

Ive been running my campaign since 97 and my players still cant get enough of it… :smiley:

My players demand a certain level of realism and accountability from myself, which is something i encourage, my NPC regents never draw from inexhuastible resources/troops in times of war and if questioned i have evidence to prove my figures.

But to my question:
How do you feel the Gorgon feeds his mighty armies in times of peace? Obvously when war has commenced the forces subsist on the lands they conquer… But how do you think he builds the numbers and feeds the numbers required for a military campaign???

Current Gorgon empire: Gorgons Crown, Mur-kilad, Markazor and Kiergard!

I have my own opinions but id be very interested in hearing yours.

Thanks

The Chamberlain

2

I have always portrayed Kiergard as the primary breadbasket of the

Gorgon.

Cheers

Bjørn

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Sent: 20. oktober 2003 12:35

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Subject: Feeding The Gorgon War Machine??? [2#2023]

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TheChamberlain wrote:

This is more of a post for the GM’s amongst us, but players please

feel free too comment!Ive been running my campaign since 97 and my

players still cant get enough of it… <img

src=http://www.birthright.net/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

border=0 style=vertical-align:middle alt=biggrin.gif> My players

demand a certain level of realism and accountability from myself, which

is something i encourage, my NPC regents never draw from inexhuastible

resources/troops in times of war and if questioned i have evidence to

prove my figures.But to my question:How do you feel the Gorgon feeds his

mighty armies in times of peace? Obvously when war has commenced the

forces subsist on the lands they conquer… But how do you think he

builds the numbers and feeds the numbers required for a military

campaign???Current Gorgon empire: Gorgons Crown, Mur-kilad, Markazor and

Kiergard!I have my own opinions but id be very interested in hearing

yours.ThanksThe Chamberlain

Birthright-l Archives:

http://oracle.wizards.com/archives/birthright-l.html

3

I’d say Kiergard as well. Kiergard has a resonably large population and most are slaves that work the fields and fish along the coast, all under the eye of the Gorgon’s sevants. The description for Kiergard even mentions this, in the section on guilds, saying that all the food produced is shipped from Daum into Fellport, the Gorgon’s second largest city. From there it would be distributed to the rest of the Gorgon’s holdings.

The Gorgon has only controlled Kiergard for the past 200 years, so I imagine that before then the long standing orog, goblin, and gnoll tribes inside the Stone Crown mountain range would undoubtably have resources of their own to keep their villages and towns running. After all, if the dwarves can keep themselves alive in the mountains of Baruk-Azik, then I imagine that the orogs of the crown have similar methods. Most of the food taken from Kiergard today would probably go to feed the Gorgon’s armies and to the major cities of Kal-Saitharak and Fellport. If you note that the Gorgon has no guild holdings inside the Gorgon’s Crown itself, so I would assume that food comes from Kiergard and weapons and armour are bought it by caravan from Mur-Kilad, but nothing goes in the other direction except soldiers and armies.

4

TheChamberlain schrieb:

> This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.

> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=2023

> TheChamberlain wrote:

> This is more of a post for the GM’s amongst us, but players please feel free too

comment!Ive been running my campaign since 97 and my players still

cant get enough of it…

My players demand a certain level of realism and accountability from

myself, which is something i

encourage, my NPC regents never draw from inexhuastible

resources/troops in times of war and if

questioned i have evidence to prove my figures.But to my question:How

do you feel the Gorgon feeds

his mighty armies in times of peace? Obvously when war has commenced

the forces subsist on the

lands they conquer… But how do you think he builds the numbers and

feeds the numbers required

for a military campaign???Current Gorgon empire: Gorgons Crown,

Mur-kilad, Markazor and

Kiergard!I have my own opinions but id be very interested in

hearing yours.ThanksThe Chamberlain

Pillaging and foraging in the enemys lands during war, raiding the

neighbouring province even in “peace” times. Carrying supply/food from

Kiergards fields to the barren lands of Markazor…

However following the texts in some of the books it sounded as if the

Gorgon is NOT able to feed all his troops and that his troops constantly

grow - just as if he has no need to muster goblins but that the goblins

all serve only him and they reproduce in a speed that gives him

additional units even when he has no need of them. And to get rid of

“excess” units which would starve or turn against their own he stages a

major war from time to time.

bye

Michael

5

[b]Pillaging and foraging in the enemys lands during war, raiding the
neighbouring province even in “peace” times. Carrying supply/food from
Kiergards fields to the barren lands of Markazor…

However following the texts in some of the books it sounded as if the
Gorgon is NOT able to feed all his troops and that his troops constantly
grow - just as if he has no need to muster goblins but that the goblins
all serve only him and they reproduce in a speed that gives him
additional units even when he has no need of them. And to get rid of
“excess” units which would starve or turn against their own he stages a
major war from time to time.
bye
Michael
[/b]

The BRCS has some interesting rules for humanoid troops and native forces based on source levels. Since these “natives” are mainly goblins and gnolls, all of which are mercenary units, they can be called on at any time without needing muster time, yet normally they would subsist off the local flora and fauna (the source potential). This might explain why the Gorgon hasn’t ruled all those provinces to higher levels in the past 1500 years - it would cut into his “free” troops whose obedience he can command.

As for his standing armies, which would include the more professional forces like orog infantry & pikemen, Stonecrown Ogres, elite goblin guards, gnoll infantry, etc., I think he taxes the hell out of his own and his vassals’ lands. Markazor, Mur-Kilad, and Kiergaard would all be taxed to the max!

Plus, I think he’d require the vassal states to provide troops of a certain quantity and quality during times of war - Brechts, dwarves (engineers, infantry, crossbowmen), and goblins would be called up from each state, in addition to the troops he keeps raised in the Crown.

That’s how I’d imagine he’d get his numbers up to really epic numbers when he goes a-ravaging the lowlands of Anuire…it’s how (as a DM) I justified a much larger army than Ruins of Empire suggested, and that was necessary to really threaten the combined forces of Anuirean regents who marched forth to face him. Because as much as the Anuirean regents bicker, fight, scheme, backstab, etc., there’s one enemy who scares them more than any other: the Gorgon.

It’s always been said that a grave outside threat is the greatest impetus toward creating a united front in opposition to that front.

-Osprey