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This is included in the [[Jeweled Amber]] pages in order to put a basic description of troops for the use of GM & Players. 
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'''Unit Distinctions'''
 
 
 
 
'''<big>Unit Distinctions</big>'''
 
  
 
It is sometimes useful to describe a unit in a manner that quickly gives an idea of the units skills, training, and equipment. While there is a vast amount of diversity in various fighting groups these descriptions can be seen at first as a judgment on the unit; but its not.  It is merely shorthand for describing a unit's state.  
 
It is sometimes useful to describe a unit in a manner that quickly gives an idea of the units skills, training, and equipment. While there is a vast amount of diversity in various fighting groups these descriptions can be seen at first as a judgment on the unit; but its not.  It is merely shorthand for describing a unit's state.  
  
A unit can be described using 3 terms that reflect their equipment, training and on-field discipline.   
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A unit can be described using 3 terms that reflect their equipment, training and on the field discipline.  A modifier reflecting the units Morale can also be included if desired. These terms are as follows:  
 
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*'''Regular/Irregular'''
These terms are as follows:  
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*'''Grade'''
*'''Regular/Irregular''' Disciplined or Undisciplined
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*'''Style'''
*'''Grade''' A, B, or C
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In Usage a unit would be described thus: Regular "B" Medium Infantry,  Irregular "A" Heavy Cavalry, Irregular "C" Light Infantry,  
*'''Style''' Infantry or CavalryLight, Medium and Heavy
 
  
In usage a unit would be described thus:
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'''''Morale''''' is some time included if it is distinctive to the unit.  Knight Templars: ''Regular "A" Heavy Cavalry with High Morale''.  Peasant levies:  ''Irregular "C" Light Infantry with poor morale.''
*''Regular "B" Medium Infantry''
 
*''Irregular "A" Heavy Cavalry''
 
*''Irregular "C" Light Infantry''
 
*''Regular "A" Light Cavalry''.
 
  
A unit weapon usage can also be included if it is important to describing a unit.
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===<big>Regular & Irregular</Big>===
*''Regular "B" Light Infantry Crossbowman''
 
*''Regular "A" Medium Infantry Pike Phalanx''
 
*''Irregular "A" Heavy Cavalry Lancers''.
 
 
 
'''''Morale''''' is some time included if it is distinctive to the unit. 
 
*Knight Templars: ''Regular "A" Heavy Cavalry with High Morale''. 
 
*Peasant levies:  ''Irregular "C" Light Infantry with poor morale.''
 
 
 
'''''Names''''' are often included if the unit is known by a name
 
*Benedict's "Wild Weasels":  ''Regular "A" Medium Infantry Sword & Buckler "Wild Weasels"''
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===<big>'''Regular & Irregular'''</Big>===
 
  
 
'''Regular or Irregular Units.'''
 
'''Regular or Irregular Units.'''
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===='''Regular Units'''====
 
===='''Regular Units'''====
''''' Regular Units''''' are ones that have the interior cohesion to remain together regardless of circumstances.  
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*''''' Regular Units''''' are ones that have the interior cohesion to remain together regardless of circumstances.  
*They train as a unit for multiple purposes.
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*They train as a unit for multiple purposes.  
*They obey orders regardless of personal opinions of the orders.  
 
 
*They are able to transition from one role to another quickly and easily, upon command.  
 
*They are able to transition from one role to another quickly and easily, upon command.  
 
*They maintain contact with each other and their stragglers, moving as a group.  
 
*They maintain contact with each other and their stragglers, moving as a group.  
 
*They can take orders from commanders other then their own on the field.
 
*They can take orders from commanders other then their own on the field.
 
*They have logistical support for on and off the field or while in transit.
 
*They have logistical support for on and off the field or while in transit.
 
 
===='''Irregular Units'''====
 
===='''Irregular Units'''====
'''''Irregular Unit''''' has many of the opposite virtues of a regular unit but has some advantages compared to them as well.   
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*'''''Irregular Unit''''' has many of the opposite virtues of a regular unit but has some advantages compared to them as well.   
 
*They tend to be more loose, leaving stragglers behind as fighters move at their own speeds.   
 
*They tend to be more loose, leaving stragglers behind as fighters move at their own speeds.   
 
*They may not follow orders reliably, either from their own commanders or from commanders outside their group.  This may be expressed as an unwillingness to recognize the army chain of command. Some irregular units may have little or no command structure of their own.
 
*They may not follow orders reliably, either from their own commanders or from commanders outside their group.  This may be expressed as an unwillingness to recognize the army chain of command. Some irregular units may have little or no command structure of their own.
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*A unit comprised of fighters unfamiliar with each other such as a group collected from unaligned fighters during the establishment of sides on the day of battle.  
 
*A unit comprised of fighters unfamiliar with each other such as a group collected from unaligned fighters during the establishment of sides on the day of battle.  
  
''Calling a unit ''Irregular'' may be seen as an insult but it is a judgment based on the units infrastructure.  If a unit or a unit leader argues this designation it can often mean they do not see the problems that make the designation accurate.  Also it needs to be stressed that this is only one part of their over all unit description and it is one that can be changed with training.''
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*Calling a unit ''Irregular'' may be seen as an insult but it is a judgment based on the units infrastructure.  If a unit or a unit leader argues this designation it can often mean they do not see the problems that make the designation accurate.  Also it needs to be stressed that this is only one part of their over all unit description and it is one that can be changed with training.  
  
===<big>'''Grade:'''</big>===
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===<big>'''Grade:A,B,C'''</big>===
 
'''A, B or C Grade'''- This distinction list lists the fighting ability of the unit expressed in the average level of fighting ability of the fighters.  This is not a judgment of a unit worthiness since many units serve different roles on the field. It is an expression of the nits regular level of practice and fighting skills.
 
'''A, B or C Grade'''- This distinction list lists the fighting ability of the unit expressed in the average level of fighting ability of the fighters.  This is not a judgment of a unit worthiness since many units serve different roles on the field. It is an expression of the nits regular level of practice and fighting skills.
===='''A'''====
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*'''A''':Elite, Extremely well trained with weapon usage. Experienced in Battle, reliable In battle, able to meet large units on equal or better terms. Well Equipped with arms and armor.  Professional. Uniform look or identifiable aspects.  
Elite, Extremely well trained with weapon usage. Experienced in Battle, reliable In battle, able to meet large units on equal or better terms. Well Equipped with arms and armor.  Professional. Uniform look or identifiable aspects.  
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*'''B''':Trained. Somewhat trained and familiar with arms and armor. Equipped with mixed quality of weapons and equipment.  Able to meet forces on equal terms. Situationally Dependable. Amateur to semi-professional.  Often wearing similar or mass produced tabbards and colors.
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*'''C''':Untrained.  Poor weapon skills. Inadequate equipment.  React poorly to situational morale.  Unreliable.  Units assembled by force.
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===<big>''' Style'''</big>===
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'''Unit Equipment or Style'''-this style describes the equipment the unit uses and its mobility in it. 
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* '''Light Infantry''': no armor or light padded armor. shield and one hand weapon.  spear. 
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* '''Medium Infantry''': Partial metal armor, full leather armor. Leather and Chain.
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* '''Heavy Infantry''': Full metal or heavy armor.
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* '''Light Cavalry''':
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* '''Medium Cavalry''':
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* '''Heavy Cavalry''':
  
An '''''A''''' Grade unit is one comprised of individuals that train frequently to better their individual fighting skills.  They may attend and fight in tourneys to better their personal abilities and their personal and unit prestige.  This means an '''A''' Grade unit may have a large number  seasoned warriors.  It may mean the unit has a large number of fighters that have years, if not decades of war-field experience.  Long periods of war-field experience can be as effective as regular tourney experience as veteran fighters shepherd newer fighters on the field during actions.
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Most units can move quickly when needed but a cavalry unit can run far and fast when needed with a small amount of members falling out of order.  
  
An '''''A''''' Grade unit can take heavy stress on the field being sent to deal with royal units and reserves, To overwhelm larger less skilled units, and otherwise shock a tactical situation. 
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With these a unit may be described as Regular A Medium Infantry, or Irregular C Light infantry, Regular A Medium Cavalry, or other variations.
Such a unit might be famous in the sense that they are well known, or filled with well known and even feared fighters.
 
  
===='''B'''====
 
Trained. Somewhat trained and familiar with arms and armor. Equipped with mixed quality of weapons and equipment.  Able to meet forces on equal terms. Situationally Dependable. Amateur to semi-professional.  Often wearing similar or mass produced tabards and colors.
 
  
A '''''B''''' Grade Unit is one with a mixture of skilled individual fighters.
 
  
A '''''B''''' Grade will be the most common grade of troop on the field, displaying a mixture of training, equipment and experience and will fill most actions on the field.
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'''A,B or C Grades'''
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The Grade of the unit denotes the degree to which the fighters make the effort to become better individual and group fighters.
  
A '''''B''''' Grade unit can stand, fight or run away as the situation demands.
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'''A Grade'''
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An '''''A''''' Grade unit is one comprised of individuals that train frequently to better their individual fighting skills.  They attend and fight in tourneys, both in the lists and on the challenge fields.  This means an A Grade unit may have a large number of Knights and Squires as well as other seasoned warriors.  It may mean the unit has a large number of fighters that have years, if not decades of war-field experience.  Long periods of war-field experience can be as effective as regular tourney experience as veteran fighters shepherd newer fighters on the field during actions.
  
===='''C'''====
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An '''A Grade'' unit can take heavy stress on the field being sent to deal with royal units and reserves, To overwhelm larger less skilled units, and otherwise shock a tactical situation.   
Untrained. Poor weapon skills. Inadequate equipmentReact poorly to situational morale.  UnreliableUnits assembled by force.
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Such a unit might be famous in the sense that they are well known, or filled with well known and even feared fighters. A Duke and his companion knights and squires, whatever their other distinctions, is an example of an A Grade unit.
  
A '''''C''''' Grade Unit is comprised of a few skilled regular fighters, usually the unit leadership, and is filled out with fighters who may only practice a few times a year, if at all.  The unit has little experience in field drills, little understanding of battlefield commands, and may have a stubborn desire to not listen to commands even if they understand their purpose.  It will often have a large number of new fighters, or even fighters who have been put in armor and rushed to the field with as little as one practice.   
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'''B Grade'''
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A B Grade Unit is one with a mixture of skilled individual fighters, knights, squires and veterans, and a number of newer or less regular fighters. Many units have a number of fighters that practices very little during the year but attend a few practices before a war to “Shake out the Cobwebs.” In these cases the veteran fighters may feel they have learned everything they need to fulfill the war-field roles the unit is assigned and can usually be relied upon to be steady in battle and helpful to new fighters.
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'''B Grade'' will be the most common grade of troop on the field, displaying a mixture of training, equipment and experience and will fill most actions on the field.
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A B Grade unit can stand, fight or run away as the situation demands.
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'''C Grade'''
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A C Grade Unit is comprised of a few skilled regular fighters, usually the unit leadership, and is filled out with fighters who may only practice a few times a year, if at all.  The unit has little experience in field drills, little understanding of battlefield commands, and may have a stubborn desire to not listen to commands even if they understand their purpose.  It will often have a large number of new fighters, or even fighters who have been put in armor and rushed to the field with as little as one practice.   
  
 
These units may not follow orders and may spread out in a manner that interferes with better trained units.  While they may be large, due to quickly armed fighters, they may be less effective in a press then a smaller unit.
 
These units may not follow orders and may spread out in a manner that interferes with better trained units.  While they may be large, due to quickly armed fighters, they may be less effective in a press then a smaller unit.
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A C Grade unit is effective for holding positions where they are not stressed.  Flag points, uncontested bridges, crossings and sally ports.  Defending stationary features like artillery, or resurrection points. As such this means that they are effective to be seen by an enemy to be serving a role but may not be effective once battle comes to them.
  
A '''''C''''' gade unit may be its own worst enemy. Not supporting itself in battle.
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Unit Equipment or Style
   
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The Style describes the equipment the unit uses and its mobility in it. 
A '''''C''''' Grade unit is effective for holding positions where they are not stressedFlag points, uncontested bridges, crossings and sally portsDefending stationary features like artillery. As such this means that they are effective to be seen by an enemy to be serving a role but may not be effective once battle comes to them.
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The Styles are Light Infantry, Medium Infantry, Heavy Infantry & Light Cavalry, Medium Cavalry and Heavy Cavalry. While this discussion is on unit styles an individual fighter may also be described using one of these 6 styles.
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Infantry
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Most SCA units will be styled as Infantry units due to mobility and equipment.
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Light Infantry is a unit that fights purposefully in the very minimum of legal war-field armor but is not highly mobile.  
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A historical example of Light infantry is unarmored peasant levy using a single weapon and shield or improvised farm implements. This is your basic unruly mob of villagers with pitchforks.
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Since the SCA has strict rules for armoring this Style is unlikely on an SCA battlefield. Units that arm in a Light fashion tend to do so for the sake of mobility, such as the Tuchux.
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Light Infantry units might be those that specialize in archery or artillery where their mobility is not necessarily as important as their ability to effectively manipulate bows and equipment.
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Some banner-bearers might be classified individually as light infantry while lightly armored knights would be classified as Light Cavalry.
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Medium Infantry are units that meet the SCA armor guidelines and include other protective gear for personal defenseBody armor, leg armor, and other gear may be of heavier then legally required. 
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Most SCA fighters will fall into this Style.  It is a complete rig of armor that will include metal and leather as well as other materials and will effectively cover the fighter.
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This is Style may or may not represent a specific period and can be called SCA Period.   
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Heavy Infantry is a unit that has a specific goal of wearing either heavy armor or armor of a specific period. They may be trading authenticity for mobility.  
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Roman Units, or units with a lot of similar heavy equipment fall in this style.
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Cavalry
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While describing an SCA unit as cavalry may seem silly on the surface it represents the tendency of the unit to run in combat.  Most units can move quickly when needed but a cavalry unit can run far and fast when needed with a small number of members falling out of order.  Running any distance shows that the unit has a better level of fitness and aggressiveness.
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Light Cavalry units arm in the lightest armor possible and trade protection for mobility.
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Elements of Tuchux can be seen as Light Cavalry.  They purposefully wear as little equipment as legally required and run to every conflict they can.  Speed is the key.
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While Light Infantry may be the fastest unit on the field, they can be less effective in a hard pressed or tight situations.  Not effective for bridge battles or castle battles. 
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Effective in open fields, broken fields, woods battles, or battles where speed in taking a position or flag point is needed.
  
==<big>''' Style: Infantry /Cavalry'''</big>==
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Medium Cavalry units are those that are reasonably armed and can to move fast and far on command. This will be the most common style for SCA units that show great mobility.
'''Unit Equipment''' or '''Style''': This style describes the equipment the unit uses and its mobility in it.
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These units are excellent units for flanking, filling gaps in a fight, supporting units that take heavy losses.
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A Medium Cavalry unit will have a lot of fast moving, probably younger fighters, but may suffer attrition as they get tired throughout the day.
  
==='''Light Infantry'''===
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Heavy Cavalry are those units with a mixture of heavy armor, speed, and almost certainly high unit morale and esprit de corp.
No armor or light padded armor. shield and one hand weapon.  spear. 
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A Heavy Infantry unit is probably one dedicated to representing a particular period.   Norman Cavalry might be described as a unit in heavy chain-mail, shield and sword, willing to run to a target.
==='''Medium Infantry'''===
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Extremely few units will be of this style. The ones that are will have heavy attrition as the day wears on but almost certainly include a strong fitness program as part of their training.
Partial metal armor, full leather armor. Leather and Chain.  
 
==='''Heavy Infantry'''===
 
Full metal or heavy armor.
 
==='''Light Cavalry'''===
 
Light or No armor, mounted on a beast of some kind.
 
==='''Medium Cavalry'''===
 
Partial metal armor, full leather armor. Leather and Chain. Mounted on some beast
 
==='''Heavy Cavalry'''===
 
Full metal or heavy armor. Mounted on some beast
 
  
=='''Morale'''==
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==Morale==
 
Morale-the confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time.  
 
Morale-the confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time.  
  
Morale is an expression of the character of a unit.  Are they eager? Pessimistic?  Do they come to the field together or in ones and twos?  Do they leave the field together?  Do they march together to the field, waving banners, singing songs?  Are they proud of each others efforts and of their leaders?  Do they complain that their foes outnumber them.
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Morale is an expression of the character of a unit.  Are they eager? Pessimistic?  Do they come to the field together or in ones and twos?  Do they leave the field together?  Do they march together to the field, waving banners, singing songs?  Are they proud of each others efforts and of their leaders?  Do they complain that their foes outnumber them or didn't follow rules?
  
 
A unit may show elements of both good and bad morale and its the average of the various influences that gives a commander a sense of how to judge a unit as having bad or good morale.  
 
A unit may show elements of both good and bad morale and its the average of the various influences that gives a commander a sense of how to judge a unit as having bad or good morale.  
  
==='''Good Morale'''===
 
 
A unit can be said to have Good Morale if it does some of the following:
 
A unit can be said to have Good Morale if it does some of the following:
*Is eager to get to the field. Fields regular numbers on successive days.  
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Is eager to get to the field. Fields regular numbers on successive days.  
*Has equipment in good order. Makes a point of getting weapons checked promptly.  
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Has equipment in good order. Makes a point of getting weapons checked promptly.  
*Marches to the field together and shows esprit de corp in singing, war crys, and showing their war colors boldly.
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Marches to the field together and shows esprit de corp in singing, war crys, and showing their war colors boldly.
*Leave the field together, or in small groups.
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Leave the field together, or in small groups.
*Includes water bearers, and support personnel.
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Includes water bearers, and support personnel.  
*Rarely experiences desertion.
 
 
   
 
   
==='''Bad Morale'''===
 
 
A unit can be said to have Bad Morale if it does the following:
 
A unit can be said to have Bad Morale if it does the following:
*Comes to the field and leaves the field individually and without informing their unit leaders.   
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Comes to the field and leaves the field individually and without informing their unit leaders.   
*Argues among themselves on the field. Gets angry and vocally abusive on the field.  
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Argues among themselves on the field. Gets angry and vocally abusive on the field.  
*Complains about actions on the field.  
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Complains about actions on the field. Enemy outnumbers them. Others ignoring rules.  Blow acknowledgment. 
*Loses fighters do to attrition.  This may be differences in fitness, training.
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Loses fighters do to attrition.  This may be differences in fitness, training.
*Does not field on successive days do to hungover fighters.
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Does not field on successive days do to hungover fighters.
*Experiences desertion regularly.
 
 
 
 
 
=='''Name'''==
 
While most units will have a name used among themselves and their army some will be famous. 
 
 
 
*Benedict's "Wild Weasels":  '''Regular "A" Medium Infantry "Wild Weasels"'''
 
*Diaga's "Jeweled Walkers":  '''Irregular  "B" Medium Cavalry "Jeweled Walkers"'''
 
*Ranger of Arden: '''Irregular "A" Medium Cavalry "Rangers of Arden"'''
 
*Borlak's Flowing Horde: '''Regular "A" Light Cavalry "Flowing Horde"'''
 

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