All Things Vargr

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

A. The narrative implies that it's pretty easy for Vargr to transfer to their preferred career(s), voluntarily.

B. Which means, that anyone joining the, or a, Vargrian Guard understands what he's getting into.

C. Indogtrination would condition the trainees to accept an imposed pack leader to command their pack/platoon.

D. The most charismatic candidates from each intake might be segregated, and attempts made to teach them military sciences, and leadership.

E. You have a pool of ensigns, or cadets, that then can be tapped as assistants, runners, and pack leaders in waiting.

F. The cadet pool can be salted with offsprings from friends and family.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

G. Going by game mechanics, the draft is voluntary, and like Federation Service, the draftee gets placed into the (para)military service that he seems most suitable for.

H. With the Vargr, that's fifty percent Army, and the rest divided between Navy, Marines, and Law Enforcement.

I. I rather doubt that many Vargr actually are enthusiastic about serving in the Army.

J. I'd say draftees are economic refugees, who hope they get placed in one of the other three services.

K. And Vargr navies are rather small in comparison, and it's kinda hard to think they actually have any personnel slots open, not coveted by actual volunteers.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

L. Law Enforcement seems more internal security.

M. Marines suffers from the same problem as the Navy, which would be that there aren't that many spacecraft, and those wouldn't have that many personnel slots.

N. Naval spacecraft are likely paramilitarized civilian designs.

O. On the other hand, the name implies that they can be trained and used as expeditionary forces, which regional militias would resist.

P. Privateers, corsairs issued with a letter of marque, seems the more likely approach.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

Q. I think the problem with the Traveller draft, is that you volunteer for it, at a time of your choosing.

R. Whereas in real life, the draft chooses when it decides to inconvenience the draftee.

S. In any case, Vargr that are drafted need pack leaders.

T. You don't want pack leaders to develop organically from the draftee group.

U. Though, they could be selected as sub pack leaders.

 

[kilemall]

I had a potentially fun thought going with the Corsair/hunting pack theme-

What if the Pirates/Merchant careers were combined?

 

[Condottiere]

That is the business model for the Vikings.

Trade or raid.

My take on Vargr corsairs is that they are mercenary groups, looking for business opportunities, one of which would be uncompensated commandeering of goods.

In that sense, they can be both pirate and merchant, bearing in mind that they need to dispose of the spoils.