My Kingmaker players have become embroiled in the long-simmering Brevoy civil war, and it looks like it's head towards a big massive battle. And so I come here looking for ideas!
This is my question for the super-creative posters of the Kingmaker forums: if each of Brevoy's surviving Great Houses - Surtova, Lodovka, Lebeda, Garess, Medyved, Orlovsky, along with the city-state of Restov - had a unique or unusual army unit that the others did not, a unit that represented their character or skills or reputation, what do you think those army units would be? (and if you have the time, why did you chose that particular unit?)
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Lebeda - I think of them as being known for their finery and elegance, so I imagine they would focus on knights. Maybe even war chariots, finely carved and rolling out in a perfect lines. Chariots would be suitable in the lowlands Lebeda controls, though less use in more rugged areas.
Garess - With their (vanished) dwarf alliance and their hammer-and-anvil symbol, I imagine they would focus on heavy infantry. Plate armour, polearms, heavy crossbows. They might field phalanxes (which per the Phalanx Fighter archetype would use polearms and tower shields at the same time). Their armies might even be supported by some iron golems.
Orlovsky - I like the idea of Orlovksy having squadrons of giant eagles. This gives them an advantage in reconaissance and mobility, though they are cautious of sending the eagles into battle directly because they can easily be picked off by archers. On the ground, I imagine their forces to be well-drilled and professional.
Medvyed - They are forest people, hunters and woodsmen. They eschew heavy armour, favouring stealth and mobility. Their armies include many rangers that specialize in ambushes and hit-and-run attacks. I imagine their armies are also supported by some druids or by clerics of Erastil.
Lodovka - They are very attached to the sea, so maybe they field special units armed with hooks, nets, and tridents, like Roman gladiators? That's all I've got. I imagine Lodovka being less orderly and more rowdy, so they probably don't have such organized and regimented armies.
Surtova - If I recall, their armies are statted out already in Kingmaker 6.
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Here is my take on the Houses and their favoured Units. (along with a brief explanation from my wiki page that describes all of the political players. However, I have other units in play as well.
HOUSE SURTOVA - “Intent on defending themselves both at sea and on land, the Surtova train both heavy-blade and light-blade warriors.” (marines to defend ships and heavy infantry to defend the city)
HOUSE LEBEDA - “They are considered to be the Brevic noble family that epitomizes Rostland; they have a significant amount of Taldan blood, an appreciation for fine things, and a love of sword fighting. There are Rondello and Light Blade duelling schools in their stronghold of Silverhall, while it is seen as desirable for aristocrats to know Rondello, most of their combatants are taught light blade skills suitable for use on their trade.” (Or Marines and Rondello Duellists)
HOUSE MEDVYED – “Their people are farmers, hunters, trappers and woodsmen – good solid stay at home folk with with simple tastes and few pretentions. Their patron deity is Erastil, and their warriors tend to be archers or axe-men.” (ie . Rangers and lightly armoured woodsmen)
HOUSE LODKOVA – “Like most of the other ‘Issian’ houses, the Lodkova revere both Gorum and Abadar, which helps maintain the tradition of skirmishing & raiding (particularly with the Surtova across the Lake) whilst helping them to maintain the fishing and trading concerns around their islands. They prefer light combat styles that are suitable for shipboard fighting.” (or marines and other light fighters)
HOUSE GARRESS – “They still value those who can fight to defend themselves or their interests, but they were one of the least aggressive of the houses. Their military strengths are based on heavy armour and the heavy-blade fighting techniques that work so well in defence.” (So heavy infantry – good heavy armour, big shields, and hand weapon)
HOUSE ORLOVSKY –“ Because of the mountainous terrain of their home territory, they tend to favour skirmishers rather than other types of combatant - although there is a tradition of training most of their nobles in some elements of fencing and pretty sword play.” (So duellists, and skirmishers with light armour, short bow and light weapon).
RESTOV – Clearly their army is lead by Duellists of all types, Aldori, Rondello and even Rapier & dagger. However, they (in my world) also have fairly traditional mounted Knights (mainly because Knights are much more effective on plains that any other type of terrain – and Rostland has all of the plains)
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Last time I ran the Civil War there were some other troops at the decisive battles as well.
BRUNDERSTON can certainly turn out a company of traditional Dwarf infantry in Heavy armour, shield and battleaxe / hammer.
DUMA THE SLY came out of the woods with a company or two of ‘Robin Hood Like’ archers.
NEW STETVEN – a metropolis that size must have its own military – and for me that was companies of well organised Medium Infantry with Light Armour, spears, Halberds, and other pole arms. But can Surtova trust them? (In my game there was some politicking going on behind the scenes and New Stetven changed sides at the last minute :P)
HOUSE KHAVORTOROV – who were an Aldori off shoot who made their fortune turning coat and working for the Rogarvia. They have companies of Aldori Mercenaries and Guards. (although the grunts are just Warriors with Aldori Duelling Swords)
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In my current game, I have all of the same players plus the left overs of House Rogarvia. (while everyone ‘of the blood’ disappeared – there were husbands, wives, adopted children etc left behind. Most lost their lands and titles - but there are a few who have held on to some vestiges of influence.
And there will be other units - they won't change the outcome - bit they will add flavour. People like ..
The New Stetven Dock gang.
The Temple of Iomedae (on the side of the Law? or on the side of least evil?)
The Priests of Gurum - bloodshed during every attempt at a parley or truce.
and I am sure there will be others as I think of them :)
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My campaign is a bit more southern focused (one of my players has a kingdom in the Stolen Lands, another player rules the River Kingdom of Artume), so our focus has been more on the River Kingdoms.
Nonetheless, war in Brevoy draws near.
In Brevoy, the major Houses all have either Issian or Iobarian roots. Even the Lebedas trace their roots back to Issian stock - Choral the Conqueror was not going to assign Rostland land to one of the Aldori Swordlords that tried to stop his conquest! To distinguish Brevoy from other countries, and to add to the Russian/Polish influences in Brevoy, I have the main Brevish cavalry unit as being Winged Hussars.
All the main Houses have a large number of infantry trained with bow, spear or sword.
--- Fighters, basically.
House Orlovsky - something of a paradox, House Orlovsky is the most Iobarian of the noble houses, yet also home to Brevoy's major magical academy - Skywatch. Although Skywatch has sealed itself away from the world ever since the Vanishing, nevertheless House Orlovsky has the largest number of wizards of any of the major houses, old Baron Pol Orlovsky himself being a former student of Skywatch. Yet alongside these trained spellcasters are the rough hillfolk that make up the common citizenry of House Orlovsky lands.
House Orlovsky technically has no cavalry, but for a specific reason - their hussars ride griffons! And griffons love the taste of horses.
Despite the aerial advantage, House Orlovsky have not been able to fully escape their origins, and so typically engage in aerial charges with long lances, disapproving of attacking from the sky with ranged weapons.
Pol Orlovsky's granddaughter and favored scion Natasha Orlovsky may be changing this tactic though, as she prefers the crossbow to the lance.
--- So barbarians, wizards and cavaliers with griffon mounts
House Garess - once a major power, House Garess has fallen far ever since the Vanishing and their lost contact with the Golka dwarven clan. Once, they had legions of heavily armoured dwarves to call upon in times of war, but no more. Now their army is the most basic - mostly infantry, and not a lot of cavalry.
--- Basic infantry, with a few remaining units of heavy troops in dwarven-forged armour. Fighters, and higher level, better equipped fighters.
House Lodovka - largely a naval power, House Lodovka's land forces are small. Instead, they focus their large navy and marines/raiders on securing the Lake of Mists and Veils, then working their way down the River Sellen.
--- Ships and lightly-armoured marines. A mix of rogues and fighters.
House Medvyed - a House built upon the wood of the Gronzi Forest, house Medvyed favours rangers above all other type of soldier.
--- Rangers all the way. Also, some clerics/warpriests of Erastil.
House Lebeda - House Lebeda struggles with a split identity: an Issian House that has long ruled over Rostlandic land. Though the plains over which they rule has proven beneficial for cavalry, they also count some who ape the swordsmanship of the Aldori. There are even rumours that House Lebeda counts Aldori Swordlords in their numbers, a rumour that House Lebeda, since the recent marriage of Elanna Lebeda to King Noleski Surtova, has publicly tried to dissuade.
House Surtova - currently the ruling house, House Surtova has augmented their hussars and pikeman with the former sworn soldiers of House Rogarvia.
The quarreling between House Surtova and House Orlovsky has left House Surtova lacking in arcane spellcasters, a problem they try to compensate for by maintaining a strong friendship with the major temples of Brevoy.
--- House Surtova has the largest army of the major Houses.
The Red, Black and Gold (the temples of Gorum, Pharasma and Abadar) are the dominant faiths in Brevoy. They currently side with King Noleski.
--- Clerics and warpriests of three faiths.
The Dragon Wings - A legion of hussars sworn to serve the Dragonscale throne, the wings of their armour not feathered but bat-like, currently serve House Surtova.
--- Higher level cavaliers.
The Aldori Swordlords - Rostland Rises! This is the rallying cry of the former aristocracy of Rostland, the Aldori Swordlords, who have kept the swordpact despite the cowardice of the Mivonese deserters, the horrors of the Valley of Fire and two centuries of losing land and title to the hated Issians.
--- Aldori swashbucklers because parrying is fun (and a Dexterity-based warder, because I love third-party materials). They count some of the highest level soldiers on their side, but they are hugely outnumbered by the combined might of the Issian Houses.
House Khavortorov - from Knights of the Inner Sea - "We Won't be Saddled" - my version of this House is a sworn house to the Rogarvias. After the Vanishing, they found themselves somewhat adrift. Their holdings situated in eastern Rostland, they found themselves able to stand on their own. Though opposed to the Aldori, none of the major Houses can quite say with which of them House Khavortorov will side should the day war be declared. And House Kharvortorov is quite happy with that.
--- Very well-trained hussars (cavaliers), some of whom have dabbled in stolen Adlori secrets (daring champion cavaliers).