Welcome to Italy, Captain. The richest lands in Central Europe, and birthplace of the renaissance.
Take on the mightiest armies of Europe, and live to stuff your stockings and boots full of the finest booty that Italy can offer, or be crushed under the heel of an empire!
Welcome to Italy, Captain. The richest lands in Central Europe, and birthplace of the renaissance.
Take on the mightiest armies of Europe, and live to stuff your stockings and boots full of the finest booty that Italy can offer, or be crushed under the heel of an empire!
Choices, big and small, made during the initial character creation will be Consequential™
Choose carefully.
28th of April, 1503 - Cerignola, Naples
"This is madness!"
"Madness? Captain, we're getting paid."
"You're getting paid. I'm leaving you to handle this suicidal nonsense on your own." You raise your voice as you finish, and turn to the rest of the company. "Anyone who wants no part of this, come with me. Duc de Nemours is dead, and I won't have my men meet the same inglorious end because some greedy upjumped fool of a captain thought he had the chance to earn some fame."
As you address the troops, d'Alègre, the moustache-twirling idiot, looks affronted at the mere suggestion that charging headfirst into an entrenched position, with the allied artillery still in transit, is a bad idea. Ignoring the twit, you turn to your second in command and grin.
"Congratulations, lieutenant. You've been promoted to Captain."
Your second in command is…
[X] Jean-Claude, a brave (sometimes overly so!) and gregarious cavalry lieutenant, known for his ability to make the mercenary life seem glamourous.
[X] Giulio, a jolly (sometimes at the expense of others) crossbow lieutenant whose generous build stems from his family background, one heavily invested in Italian cuisine.
[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
"As you say commander." He starts issuing orders to return to camp and start packing up.
Another two captains decide that sticking around with d'Alègre is hazardous to their health, and link up with you. One of them is a pike captain you've struck up a friendship with on the road, and the other is… (Pick 2, first one is the Pike Captain)
[X] A German Captain
[X] A French Captain
[X] A Swiss Captain
[X] An Italian Captain
The other captain's regiment is… (Pick 1)
[X] A Pike Regiment
[X] An Arquebus Regiment
[X] A Crossbow Regiment
The four of you make your way back to the camp, hearing the Swiss charge up the hill to the entrenched Spanish army. The poor sods are as good as dead, and their baggage train takes the hint as your company marches into the camp, linking up with your column as you make your way…
[X] Go North
-[X] to Ferarra, the tiny French ally
-[X] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry
-[X] to Venice, where money is no object
-[X] Write-in
[X] Stay in Naples Fuck No, you're out of here.
You are…
[X] a Skilled Skirmisher - Skirmishing Combat
[X] Eagle Eyed - Scouting
[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
[X] a Rampant Recruiter - Replenishing Units
[X] an Arms Acquirer - Arms Efficiency
[X] a Food Fixer - Food Efficiency
[X] a Support Supplier - Support Efficiency
and you now command a mercenary company named…
[X] Write-in Company Name
For your commander stats, choose in order which you prioritise these (Pick 2): [X] Personability: Your character interacts with other characters using this stat
[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat
[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
[X] A nice Company
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A German Captain
-[X] A French Captain
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Ferarra, the tiny French ally
-[X] Manfred
-[X] Baden -[X] Company of the Shield
-[X] an Arms Acquirer - Arms Efficiency -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
[X] Plan Logistics is King, but Money is Exalted (Alt. Title: Suave Spaniard Seeking Silver)
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A Swiss Captain
-[X] A German Captain
-[X] An Arquebus Regiment
-[X] to Venice, where money is no object
-[X] Raul Bobadilla
-[X] Valencia
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X] Bobadilla's Bastards
-[X] Personability
-[X] Stewardship
The basic core of this plan is simple. We're good at contracts and money, but slightly weaksauce in combat. That's where Johannes comes to the fore. The first Captain is Swiss because Swiss Pikemen is just marketability. Arquebuses are good for the ranged option. And Venice has no lack of dosh so there we go.
Company name is amendable to change but being bawdy is just par the course for the line of work, no?
[X] Plan Local Condottiere
-[X] Jean-Claude, a brave (sometimes overly so!) and gregarious cavalry lieutenant, known for his ability to make the mercenary life seem glamourous.
-[X] A Swiss Captain
-[X] An Italian Captain
-[X] An Arquebus Regiment
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry
-[X] Federico of Sienna
-[X] Sienna
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X[ The Grey Company -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
Edit- Changed our destination to Venice because I forgot that Milan is soon to be under the influence of France. And we did just leave their service.
Edit2- Back to Milan after the explanation form QM.
[X] A nice Company
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A German Captain
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Ferarra, the tiny French ally
-[X] Manfred
-[X] Baden -[X] Company of the Shield
-[X] an Arms Acquirer - Arms Efficiency -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
[X] Plan Red Banner
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A Swiss Captain
-[X] A German Captain
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment
-[X] to Venice, where money is no object
-[X] Raul Bobadilla
-[X] Valencia
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X] The Red Banner
-[X] Personability
-[X] Stewardship
Basically Vocalend's plan, but with some changes since I want a non-swearword name for the company and I like the idea of a crossbow regiment, especially since it fits the name that I have decided to go with.
Maybe a hundred years ago it was normal and expected for mercenaries to be bawdy and crude. But in this time period most successful condottiere are men of culture, learned, and know their etiquette. After all they will be interacting with the Pope, Kings, Dukes, Princes and more. And it is the Renaissance after all
You went to battle with the Duke, who is the holder of your contract. When he died, and some random Swiss mercenary decided he wanted to continue the fighting because he liked the odds, you were well within your rights to bugger off. It's more of a question of how pleased you are with the French managing to charge their heavy cavalry into an entrenched position and consequently get them all killed. Plus, you know, the French are now short on troops in Italy, a situation that does give a mercenary some leverage.
Cool I wasn't aware we could leave after the Duke died. So in that case its fine that we left I though we would be seen in a bad light for leaving and it would be dangerous returning to French territory. Thanks for the clarification.
Edit- @Vocalend would you be open to charging the company name to something like Bobadilla's Sons? Or basically anything less crude.
I am very excited to see a Condottiere Quest, and I hope it's not too late to throw my own plan into the ring. Mine is all about emphasizing the 'selfish contractor' aspect of the condottieres.
[X] Plan: The Red Roosters
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A Swiss Captain - Swiss pikemen are the pikemen of the period.
-[X] An Italian Captain
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment - arquebuses are cool, but crossbows are much more common and reliable, IIRC.
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry - Let's see if we can't link up with the Sforzas.
-[X] Iacopo... no fancy surname or title as of yet.
--[X] of Rome
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X] I Galli Rossi (The Red Roosters), with an appropriate standard of a red rooster on a green and gold field. -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
I am very excited to see a Condottiere Quest, and I hope it's not too late to throw my own plan into the ring. Mine is all about emphasizing the 'selfish contractor' aspect of the condottieres.
[X] Plan: The Red Roosters
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A Swiss Captain - Swiss pikemen are the pikemen of the period.
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment - arquebuses are cool, but crossbows are much more common and reliable, IIRC.
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry - Let's see if we can't link up with the Sforzas.
-[X] Iacopo... no fancy surname or title as of yet.
--[X] of Rome
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X] I Galli Rossi (The Red Roosters), with an appropriate standard of a red rooster on a green and gold field. -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
[X] Plan: The Red Roosters
-[X] Johannes, a pike lieutenant whose impish youthfulness belies a keen tactical mind, despite his fascination with cities, particularly those on flat ground.
-[X] A Swiss Captain - Swiss pikemen are the pikemen of the period.
-[X] An Italian Captain
-[X] A Crossbow Regiment - arquebuses are cool, but crossbows are much more common and reliable, IIRC.
-[X] Go North
--[X] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry - Let's see if we can't link up with the Sforzas.
-[X] Iacopo... no fancy surname or title as of yet.
--[X] of Rome
-[X] a Nuanced Negotiator - Negotiating Contracts
-[X] I Galli Rossi (The Red Roosters), with an appropriate standard of a red rooster on a green and gold field. -[X] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat -[X] Tactics: Your character interacts with the battlefield using this stat, such as opposing rolls or fortifying.
Primarily due to Milan being near the Po Valley and the heart of the fighting. Venice additionally has the issue of being very wary of the great condottiere - rising fast and high is suboptimal there. Milan also allows potential French or Spanish employment, and either of them pay very well indeed.
[] Shot and Pike
-[] Jean-Claude, a brave (sometimes overly so!) and gregarious cavalry lieutenant, known for his ability to make the mercenary life seem glamourous.
-[] A Swiss Captain
-[] A French Captain
-[] An Arquebus Regiment
-[] Go North
--[] to Milan, the heart of Italian industry
-[] John Doe (Placeholder)
--[] Sienna
-[] a Skilled Skirmisher - Skirmishing Combat
-[] Hughes's Heroes (Placeholder) -[] Personability: Your character interacts with other characters using this stat -[] Stewardship: Your character interacts with money & supplies using this stat
Don't know if anyones mentioned it, but is our choice of XO affect our first company?
