Beggar Army

[capthugeca]

I know that the rules include a dozen armies but I'm never satisfied  so I'm thinking of knocking up a Beggar Army loosely based on Nadsokor, Michael Moorcock's City of Beggars.

Here's my thoughts so far:-

Command Unit
Beggar kings achieve their position through challenges and duels so tend to be the strongest. Tactical qualities therefore vary considerably. Style of dress is equally varied, being reliant on what has most recently been looted.

Magic User
Sorcerers will usually be simple casters of simple magic, used mostly to performing spells to earn food or to distract while accomplices pick the pockets of onlookers. Occasionally a beggar army may attract a disgruntled more powerful sorcerer very adept at calling demons from other planes.

Core Units
Warriors form the mainstay of the army, mostly made up of masses of poorly equipped beggars who rely more on their numbers than they martial skills. Occasionally a unit will be formed of assassins or 'heavies' who will be much more able to handle themselves in melee.
Skirmishers will use anything as missile weapons. Some will use bows or any other weapon that they have managed to pilfer but the majority will simply throw stones.
Cavalry form the 'elite' of the army and so have the pick of animals abandoned by fleeing townspeople. Hence their mounts tend to be mules, donkeys, old nags, etc. The poor quality of their steeds limits their effectiveness in battle.

Optional Units
Catapults are occasionally used if the beggars have the necessary carpentry skills. They tend to be not so powerful as those in other armies.
Lepers form their own separate units because of their affliction which is still greatly feared in the land. Because of their suffering, death is often seen by them as a release so they will throw themselves into the battle.
Rats, on being drawn by magical flute-playing beggar sorcerers, will form huge swarms to overrun their opponents.
Rabbles are units made up of the weakest of beggars – the women, children, cripples, etc plus any captives.
Demons are conjured up and bound by the more powerful sorcerers.

I've got my ideas for stats, some of which match those of units in the rules, though the catapults, lepers and demons, I think, are unique.

Any thoughts or comments would be very welcome.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Superb idea!
Think hordes would be a main troop and cavalry an option. After all there will be followers looking for spoils, but horses are hard to come by.
That's a reference I would never have remembered too!

If you want a slightly different take on the HQ units:
Discworld Beggers:
King:
Small mangy dog, looking innocent. Answers to Gaspode...

Mage:
Foul old Ron, let's face it, no one is attacking that! Spell effects based on gas weapons.

Rats:
Maurice and the amazing educated rodents.

[Luddite]

There should definitely be a pied piper in there too!

And maybe some gargoyles that infest the roof rafters of the beggar towns.  An some swampy or marshy gribblies with water walking.

[capthugeca]

Cheers, Lemmey

I'm afraid that I have never read any Discworld so wouldn't know where to begin on that one.
My thoughts about magic would be that they would be curses and so would all be detrimental to the enemy rather than beneficial to the beggars.

Luddite,

I envisioned the pied piper being amongst the magic users.
I know that gargoyles form part of the Pendraken Beggars Army offering but I'm not sure unless perhaps I could use them as the demons. 

[Orcs]

Gargoyles were said to scare evil spirits away from churches - Perhps they could be used as an Anti -demon?

Demons not alowed within  a certain distance of the gargoyles, or they get a minus on combat if demons within a certain distance.

[capthugeca]

Gargoyles were said to scare evil spirits away from churches - Perhps they could be used as an Anti -demon?

These days Mr & Mrs Scroggins (on the left, second row from the back) manage to scare everone from the church - no need for gargoyles! 

[Techno]

No...No..No...You DO need them.

I've just sent some new gargoyles up to Leon.
Cheers - Phil

[capthugeca]

No...No..No...You DO need them.

Sorry, my mistake. I DOOOOOOOOOOO need them. 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Pooh!

[JimLeCat]

Yes, they do smell a bit, don't they?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Auto correct fail; that was meant to be ooooooohh!
Bloodyphone

[Bodvoc]

Magic effects could include plague, leprosy and such? Swarms of rats?

[capthugeca]

Magic effects could include plague, leprosy and such? Swarms of rats?

Yup, fleas, nausea, etc

[Techno]

You'll be wanting one of us to make 'Foul old Ron' soon, then ?
Cheers - Phil (Buggrit, Millennium, Hand & Shrimp.)

[capthugeca]

Finally got my act together and started painting.

Here's the cavalry:







A few changes of weapons, shields, clothing and hairstyles amongst them.

Next it's the unit from the leper colony.