I seem to be running out of ideas for a contest, but, umm... Here I go!
This here contest is creating your own soldier type in medevil times. This soldier can be all types, like an archer, a swordsman, a spearman, as long as you keep it original, creative, and well written.
Here's a list of requirements:
Soldier name:
Soldier's allegiance: Which nation does he come from. If you are a part of my earlier contests, you get a creativity bonus if you use your made up nation. This goes to anybody whos' new as well, but you must say which type of nation it is.
Soldier's equipment: The soldier's arms nad armor.
Soldier's tactics: How these soldiers wage war. How they fight, and how they go into the fight. How they are used in either a battle or a skirmish.
Soldier's training: How the soldier becomes what he is.
Soldier's enemies: Their opponents. (Optional, but recommended)
Please include their sets of strengths and weaknesses in their armor and their tactics, please. Any extras are welcome.
Here's my submission!
Name: Sandlaf (which means "cut throat" in my made up language)
Soldier Type: The Sandlaf is actually a people, more or less, but they only have one soldier type, which is practically all the Sandlafs are. Soldiers.
Soldier's Allegiance: The Sandlaf are of allegiance to no one. They are a people who sell themselves to the highest bidder. They are mercinaries hired to do the tasks no one else would.
Soldier's equipment: The Sandlaff's arsenal can vary, but their main type would be lightly armed, having usually used in skirmishes or sabotage missions. They wield a bow (5 ft tall) with poisoned arrows at the start of their attack. They also wield a "half sword" (3 ft, hardened steel, two or one handed) and maybe a shield (round, 3 ft in diameter, wooden, coated in steel then covered with an oxhide layer laced with a fire proof oil). They also have a knife for very close combat (10 inches of hardened steel, can be thrown). They would possibly bring more than one knife, maybe three, maybe even four. They also wield a hatchet (can be thrown, hardened steel, axhead on one side and spike on the other). They are lightly armored, wearing hardened leather armor that is coated in the same oil substance that is on their shield, which makes it harder for arrows to penetrate and is fireproof. It may block a light swordblow, but nothing well placed.
Soldier's tactics: The Sandlaf fight mostly on hit 'n' run tactics, going in, firing their bows, throwing their knives, then coming in with sword and shield, attack, and then disappear like they had come. The Sandlaf may be cunning, well able opponents, but are no match for a well disciplined, well determined, or ready enemy. Their light armor makes them easy targets for heavy spearmen, swordsmen or cavalry, but not for archers.
Soldier's training: A Sandlaf child is born in a harsh enviroment, for their settlement is surrounded by enemies. Those who raid them, attack them, and that gives them their tough "exterior", so to speak. The Sandlaf are usually a cold, easily annoyed folk. Their main soldier is given little training, mostly by his/even her's father, to hunt, hide and fight, starting at thirteen (the hunting at six) to until they are drafted, which would be around eighteen or ninteen. They are armed, and then are shipped off, to fight for the "highest bidder".
Enemies: The Sandlaf are enemies with their neighbors, particularily with their southwestern neighbors the Voranites, and their western enemies the Gloians (a well civilized society) and the Shemarks (a tribal enemy, friends with Gloia). The Sandlaf are made usually to fight off the T'Keths, the Grethinites but mostly the Voranites, because they are always hired by the Nobles, the kings of the Lands of Black, who hate the "three kingdoms" and will use them to fight them. They don't have to win, though. They just don't have to lose.
Extra: The Sandlaf have no free will, their thoughts and dreams and wants turned around for a gold coin. Even their religion is sold to the highest bidder, so now the Sandlaf are made to worship the Nobles as gods.
Well, here goes. Name: Hunter swordsman Allegiance: The Hunter tribe of Merg, during the ages before they came into contact with modern, medieval society. Equipment: The Hunter swordsman is a rudimentary soldier in any Hunter clan's arsenal. They wield a stout, broad sword of around three feet long and a thick shield. They wear padded leather armor, and will willingly throw away their lives in service to their clan. Tactics: Hunters are usually predictable, but have many numbers of tactics. They are usually used as front line infantry. Training: Hunters join the Legions by choice, and will train for three months under watch of a new officer or chief and after that 3 months they will either be able to fight or not, depending on the skills or potential they may have. Some will are promoted militia or levies. They will train and be deployed in units under command by that officer, usually around up to one hundred men. Enemies: The Hunter clan of Merg is at war with the other two Hunter clans, one being the Serocona. Rankings: Hunter swordsmen usually don't have ranks, being simple, under the command of an officer or captain. They are, though, divided into minors (who have served from one to five months), regulars (5 months to a year) and majors (1 year plus).
Soldier name: Troopel's Elite Guards (commonly nicknamed TEGs by the people of the Outlands
Soldier's allegiance: As response to Nipon's very own SONS unit's overwhelming Charisma, Troopel Officer, the then sergeant James Frederick May arranged the formation of what would be one of the most feared part of Trropel's army. As such, they offer their allegiance to Troopel. However, when their mentor, James Frederick, swore fealty to Nipon, a large part of the TEGs marched under his banner, which would later overwhelm the armies at The Second Bridge.
Soldier's equipment: The TEGs are classified diverse fully into different clusters.
The Northern Hand, also known as the cold guards, are TEGs who guard Troopel's royalty. Unlike their foreign cousins, the northern hand equip themselves with special equipment to counter assassination techniques of other specialized units, such as Likar's Faranas Order. Most of them are commonly armed with light armor, known as 'catchers' who pin down assassins. They are armed with Crastian armor, which makes them very mobile and fast whilst having great protection from blades. They are also armed with shackling whips. However, many criticize that their use of heavy broadswords as their primary weapon will offer no protection from the katana, the preferred weapon of the SONS unit. However, a rumour exists that the northern hand have another class apart from the 'catchers' maliciously called as 'killer's'. Up to this point, their equipment and practices are not completely clear.
The Triangular Hand, also known as the foreign yetis, are TEGs who march away from their homeland, and into frontlines with Troopel's army. They wore bronze breastplate armor around 27 kilograms, while a helmet protected their head, the crests differed for where they were deployed. They carried a long, semi-circular shield. It was heavy but allegedly offered more mobility, which gave the user the ability for offensive capabilities. Their primary weapon was a spear, said to be long enough to 'kill a horse before it charges'. It had been said that using it overarm, it enabled an offensive advantage, while holding it underarm, enabled a defensive advantage. Because of this, the spear has been called as the 'two pronged-spear of the triangular hand' despite having only one point. They also carried a short sword as a secondary weapon, used when fighting alone, when the spears were lost/broken, or when the formation was broken.
Soldier's tactics: The Northern Hand TEGs of the Northern hand usually stand in watch in the castles of Troopel. They are entrusted with keeping the royalty of Troopel safe, and are usually the last line of defense. They are in par with retainers,
though with higher priveleges.
The Triangular Hand Contrasting heavily with The Northern Hand, or the other Elite units of Other City-states, The Triangular Hand march with Troopel's main army. They are very mobile, agressive, and almost impossible to break. This is very present in the Battle Of The Second Bridge, where a group of 500 Triangular Hand members
was able to hold back a 6000-7000 army under the leadership of "The Southern Fire". They were able to defend the bridge for three days until the reinforcements from Nipon came.
Soldier's training: The soldiers are said to be handpicked by James himself. A great general and soldier, James was picked not the strongest men of Nipon, but the most loyal. The TEG words are 'Under the bond of Unity' which is said to have enabled them to withstand greater adversaries. Their training is still kept secret up to this point, some say they are trained to climb the Farlands Mountains and are made to sleep outside through the cold winter of Troopel.
Soldier's enemies: TEGs enemies are what fate throws at them.
Equipment: Light weight sword made from the finest of steel with a slight curve and leather grip, Bronze daggers, and a bow and enchanted arrows.
Ranking: Swordsman
Tactics: Guerilla (pronounced like gorilla) Warfare (which is a hit and run technique the Americans used in the Revolutionary War against the Redcoats)
Training: His dad died if war and his mom died because of the plague. His uncle taught him everything he knows. When war came upon Panam and they didn't have enough soldiers they started pulling out residents. He was proved to be one of the greatest fighters of his country at the age of 17.
