higgins wrote:
Prestige
A - captaincy plus three of latter: good horse, good firearms, good rapier, uniform of finest silk
B - three of latter: good horse, good firearms, good rapier, uniform of finest silk
C - one of latter: good horse, good firearms, good rapier, uniform of finest silk
D - standard equipment
E - one of latter: poor horse, poor firearms, poor rapier, ragged uniform
F - three of latter: poor horse, poor firearms, poor rapier, ragged uniform
I like this! If I may make a suggestion, perhaps think of the table entries as mutually exclusive (that is, there is only one of each within the Guard). This will get the players talking about which positions as a group that they really need to occupy within the Guard.
Also, while the characters may all be Guard now, this table could reflect their military past. Did they come from the foot or the horse, the artillery or even the spahis perhaps? What rank did they hold before they were offered a position within the Guard? Soldat (soldier), Caporal (corporal), Sergent (sergeant), Adjudant (adjutant - NCO aspiring to become an officer), Aspirant (cadet officer), Sous Lieutenant (second lieutenant), Lieutenant (lieutenant), Capitaine (captain), Commandant (major), Colonel (colonel)? In which army did they serve in? Flanders, The Rhine, Italy, or The Pyrenees? Are they French? Or do they come from one of the elite military countries -- Weimarians, Hessians, Swedes, Hungarians?
So, perhaps a table along these lines:
Prestige:
A Capitaine: You are a Captain of Cardinal Richelieu's Guard. You have served in Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar's Weimarian Army. Family connections bought you a cadetship in the Gendarmes (heavy horse) -- an ability to learn, an iron will, and a clear aptitude for command saw you promoted to Captain. You returned to France to serve in The Army of the Rhine. First Minister Cardinal Richelieu's attempts to reform the army along the lines of the Swedish army were resisted at every turn by the aristocracy -- yet your experience had taught you that reform was necessary. Your efforts to implement reform brought you to the attention of your commander. You soon received an invitation to join the Cardinal's Guard -- while welcome, you understood that this was as much an invitation to leave as an invitation to join.
B Sous-Lieutenant
You were a Sous-Lieutenant in the Army of Flanders, a member of the carabins (mounted musketeers). You have a reputation for exceptional bravery under fire. Since joining the Guard you much prefer the term Carabin as Musketeer has unfortunate associations. You are a good horseman and an excellent shot, skilled in the maintenance and use of all gunpowder hand weapons.
C Adjudant
You were an Adjutant in the Army of the Rhine. Ten years of service brought you to the point where you were permitted to attempt to join the officer corps. With no money and no connections you remained there for a further five years, coming to the understanding that you would never be promoted. With the arrival of a young Captain (Priority Pick A) you found yourself assigned to him -- a humorous joke on the part of your superiors. The man was full of new ideas, in particular the removal of aristocratic connections, privilege, and precedence in the administration of the army. It was like speaking with the First Minister himself. Before you could truly prove yourself to him he was gone, transferred to Cardinal Richelieu's Guard no less. Four months later a letter arrived, requesting that you join the Guard. It turned out that you had indeed proved yourself. As an Adjutant you have great skill in logistics and administration, are highly organized, have a sound knowledge of who's who within various battalions and armies, and are well connected to other Adjutants and Sergeants.
D Caporal
You are a corporal in Cardinal Richelieu's Guard. You are responsible for ten soldiers. You were a chevau-légers (or light horseman) in the Army of the Pyrenees. You speak Spanish fluently. You are a superb horseman, accustomed to riding long distances over difficult terrain. You also served in the Army of Italy before joining Cardinal Richelieu's Guard.
E Soldat
You are a soldier in Cardinal Richelieu's Guard. You served in the Army of Italy as an artilleryman, part of the cavalry. You have great experience with gunpowder and artillery. A quirk of fate has brought you into the Cardinal's Guard; a far easier life than that of an artilleryman.
F Soldat
You are a foot soldier in Cardinal Richelieu's Guard. You have a checkered past much of which is not known to your superiors (you hope). You had wealthy middle class parents with business interests in New France (Canada) -- but that was all a long time ago. In your late teens and early 20s you led a profligate life, spending much more than your allowance provided. Your companions were drunkards and whores. You liked to gamble, which led to debts and unpayable loans. This in turn led to working for a loan shark; a life of crime. When an attempt to collect a debt went badly wrong your father managed to get you on a ship to Port Royal in New France -- and waiting at the other end was a name change and a commission. Through a knack for working with the natives you served with distinction. After ten years you resigned your commission and returned to France -- with a letter of recommendation from your commander, addressed to the Colonel of Cardinal Richelieu's Guard. You have picked up some of the native language as well as the native martial art of Savate. You are a survivor, well able to cope in a bad situation and able to make the best of a difficult situation. You are very familiar with the ways of those who live on the fringe of society.
Regards,