All Things Vargr

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

Q. Challenging a subpack leader is like challenging the pack leader.

R. Only wat to do it successfully is by proving that the subpack leader isn't qualified.

S. Subpack leaders can temporarily appoint mission or task leaders.

T. These would be for upto fire team sized groups, he would be given a mission to accomplish.

U. Once the mission is accomplished, or failed, mission leadership ends.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

V. This likely applies more to an irregular military unit, rather than a regular Vargr one.

W. It's accompanied by a baggage train, made up of wives, girlfriends, kids, merchants, and hanger ons.

X. Corsairs packs might park them at their base camp, rather than actually taking them along.

Y. Merchants can sell them supplies, and give them quotes on any loot brought back.

Z. They can also provide other services.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

1. Since we're into organization, we should know what numeral system Vargr are using.

2. Apparently, wolves have eight back toes, eight front toes, and two dewclaws.

3. Presumably, they currently have opposable thumbs.

4. Were the two dewclaws modified into thumbs, or two of the front toes?

5. In which case, the dewclaws disappear.

6. If that's the case, it simplifies things, and we can assume they use the octal numeral system.

7. If the total remains at eighteen, that likely unbalances calculations.

8. Or, maybe they actually don't have thumbs, opposable or otherwise,

9. They could use their claws like tweezers.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

A. Group numbers based on eight start resembling computer memory size.

B. Five hundred and twelve look remarkably battalion like.

C. One hundred twenty eight, company.

D. Sixty four, possible the higher end of packs.

E. Thirty two, probable pack size.

F. Sixteen, minimal acceptable pack size.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

G. Subpack leaders also have an optimal number of Vargr that they can lead.

H. Larger than that, their effectiveness in leading them drops.

I. As it does, if the pack leader is absent too long

J. As the pack leader has authorized them to act on his behalf.

K. Rather than their normal charisma exerting itself.

 

[Murph]

One problem is the inherent instability of Vargr governments.

Any civilian administration is going to worry about a military coup, and the more competent their military is, the more they'll worry about it, which incentivizes them to maintain a minimized military, and possibles co-opt military commanders into their hierarchy.

While Vargr might take to the military life more easily than some other species, one major downside is the lack of a military institutional memory, and very few military units manage to retain that long enough to maintain but the barest continuity to both what they might believe is their genesis, or all the hard fought accumulated institutional knowledge, since all that can easily be lost by just by an unexpected change in leadership.

Since a professional military is sustained by a well run economy, which requires political stability, it's almost a given when the economy collapses, the existing military, as it is structured, will disintegrate.

And this is why the utterly ridiculous "Vargr Incursions" of the mega Traveller age are just beyond the suspension of disbelief with canonical Vargr.

 

[Condottiere]

The ambition exists.

What the surprising part is, is that they manage to overrun Depot.

Give me about a year, and I think I may be able to craft out some rational.

 

[bookwyrm]

What the surprising part is, is that they manage to overrun Depot.

Humans might say that the Vargr overran Depot in spite of their Charisma.

Vargr might say that they overran Depot because of their Charisma.

It might be possible for both of them to be correct.

It might also be possible for one of them to be wrong.

 

[Condottiere]

I suspect that the stars aligned.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

L. A city state usually has a citizen militia.

M. In the Vargr case, this would mean basic military training for upto the eligible forty percent of their population, if you include all military age male and female Vargr.

N. In theory, only for defending within the borders of the city state, and usually regionally zoned.

O. Used expeditionally, would be somewhat unpopular, and require quite a lot of convincing.

P. Presumably, would need a referendum.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

Q. As stated, local militia are raised and militarily trained to resist invasions.

R. However, it's actually hoped their larger numbers would keep locally based corsair packs in check.

S. Or, revolting peasants.

T. Usual assumption would be that the forty percent foreign resident demographic would stay neutral.

U. And that by being decentralized, the regional militias keep each other in check.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

V. Recalling Italian history, you could divide the city state into four quarters, and have them support different sports teams.

W. Make that support fanatical.

X. That should create enough rivalry, that they won't normally support each other.

Y. Don't quite let it get so far as the Nika Riots.

Z. Smart Khanines and Doges know not to express favouritism to specific sports teams.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

1. The great Vargr political philosopher, Machvallhund, was extremely sceptical about employing corsairs as mercenaries.

2. In his great work, The Doge.

3. I say, therefore, that the arms with which a doge defends his city state are either his own, or they are corsairs, auxiliaries, or mixed.

4. Corsairs and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious, and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of Akela nor fidelity to Vargr, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy.

5. The fact is, they have no other attraction or reason for keeping the field than a trifle of stipend, which is not sufficient to make them willing to die for you.

6. They are ready enough to be your soldiers whilst you do not make war, but if war comes they take themselves off or run from the foe; which I should have little trouble to prove, for the ruin of Lair has been caused by nothing else than by resting all her hopes for many years on corsairs, and although they formerly made some display and appeared valiant amongst themselves, yet when the barbarians came they showed what they were.

7. And as they were the sins of doges, it is the doges who have also suffered the penalty.

8. The corsair pack leaders are either capable men or they are not; if they are, you cannot trust them, because they always aspire to their own greatness, either by oppressing you, who are their master, or others contrary to your intentions; but if the pack leader is not skilful, you are ruined in the usual way.

9. And if it be urged that whoever is armed will act in the same way, whether corsair or not, I reply that when arms have to be resorted to, either by a doge or a republic, then the doge ought to go in person and perform the duty of a khanine; the republic has to send its citizens, and when one is sent who does not turn out satisfactorily, it ought to recall him, and when one is worthy, to hold him by the laws so that he does not leave the command.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

A. I don't know how ten percent corsair demographic was arrived at, but it's canon.

B. And as one observed in politics, it's usually better that when the subject ion question is urinating, it's better that it's out of the tent, rather than into it.

C. What you could have is a hybrid arrangement, where selected Vargr are sponsored by the city state, to recruit corsairs as part of their pack, in which, of course, these sponsored Vargrs would lead.

D. The pack would be contracted to the city state, and the corsairs contracted themselves to the sponsored Vargr.

E. Corsairs don't appreciate being cannon fodder, so the sponsored Vargr would need to balance the interests of both his sponsor, and his underlings.

F. Reasonably equipped and supplied as mercenaries, but not enough to achieve independence.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

G. Almost certainly, the hybrid corsair pack wouldn't crew a starship.

H. Unlikely, a spacecraft.

I. The doge would consider a starship just a tad less valuable than his person.

J. Only the most loyal, not necessarily competent, of his retainers would man that.

K. Spacecraft would be a tier down.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

L. Speaking of sponsoring, there is the letter of marque.

M. In the Vargr context, that's less than permission to go hijack someone, and more a safe haven post hijack.

N. And a place where to fence the booty.

O. For it to be recognizably legal, or valid, it does need to spell out as to who can be attacked and hijacked.

P. Usually, subjects and objects from a recognized enemy of the issuer, at the time of issuance.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

Q. Which brings to mind, how large is/are Vargr navy/navies?

R. Depends.

S. What does the doge want it to do, and how much money does he have?

T. If one had to find a comparison, it must be the Sword Worlds.

Y, Except, the Sword Worlders are more organized.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

V. In my opinion, Vargr tend to view life as a zero sum game.

W. And that includes permitting a rival city state in have an instrument of power projection.

X. You have a Navy to protect your space trade lanes.

Y. Rivalling city states would view those merchantmen as both a threat, and free lunch.

Z. Which, at this point, the corsairs come in.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

1. Haven't figured out how many toes they have, but Vargr have mutated hands with four fingers and a thumb.

2. They probably don't need big toes, so that remained natural, except for the part where they were mutated to stand upright.

3. Eighteen could be the same as a dozen, for the Vargr.

4. So, I'll assume they use the decimal system.

5. Tails don't count, except when playing poker.

6. Group sizes aren't constant.

7. They tend to expand, unless controlled.

8. Grouping sizes tend to reflect the prestige the pack leader currently believes he is held in.

9. It requires organic charisma to maintain, plus the usual boosts from secondary sources.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Military Organization

A. Nomadism seems intrinsic to the Vargr.

B. However, You have to wonder how they'd be able to afford that at the interstellar level, considering Imperium passenger rates.

C. Also, packing up and leaving at any time, tends to be frowned upon in military organizations.

D. I think that at one end, pack size is limited, and at the other end, you won't lack for applicants for spacecraft slots.

E. Therefore, spacecraft personnel efficiency is not a requirement.

F. Since you can always just throw more Vargr at a task.