Introduction/Paraphernalia

=="Should I hire healers, or buy carts or banners?"==

Uncle Freddie ponders the question for a while before answering.

"Well, that all depends. Healers are pretty darn useful to have around. Speaking as a soldier, I'd say yes absolutely -- having one around makes it much more likely that a wounded man will see another day. I hate to admit, though, but it's not always a great idea. Healers charge a good half dozen gold a week, and if your unit is so small that hiring a healer would eat up all your expenses, then maybe not. On the other hand, it's a heck of a lot cheaper to keep a healer on staff than to bury a man and hire a replacement. Better for morale, too, and it's easier to get to know the other men if they're not dropping off and getting replaced once a week."

You ask him about other sorts of equipment, what's useful to have around.

"If you need to get out of a battlefield in a hurry, carts are always nice. Soldiers with broken legs and internal bleeding don't walk too fast, y'know. As long as someone's around to pull the carts, you can make pretty good time. Unless of course you've got old Fotheringay with you. Every time they made him pull a cart he managed to hurt himself, even got caught up in the wheels once...

"Oh, sorry. Banners! Oh goodness yes. There's nothing like looking out over an army and seeing those bright-colored banners waving in the breeze. You'd be surprised how effective they are, too. In the middle of battle, when everything's just total chaos, being able to look up and see your regimental banner is a boost. As long as that banner's still flying, you know some of your buddies are still alive and fighting. Of course, I suppose they're not much good for archers."

"What about caravans and siege engines and all the others?"

"Well, siege engines are mighty useful, but they have their time and place. And usually it's not 'here and now', you get me? They're just too damned heavy and hard to move around. And caravans? Well, my master was a Cavalier, he didn't have much use for trading. I gather the Traders put a lot of stock in them, though." He winks. "Get it? Stock? Traders? Never mind."