A mercenary general is a mercenary commander with great experience and martial acumen who commands entire mercenary armies. They are bold adventurers and hard-bitten campaigners. They fight for money, for conquest and for the love of battle. This gallant figure leads the Dogs of War in pursuit of victory and plunder![1a]
Role[]
In any mercenary army one is likely to find many diverse races, united behind their general by the prospect of war and loot. Although many mercenary generals are human (frequently Tileans), there are many others of very different origins. Some, of course, are also men, either from the Old World, or more distant lands. Others come from among the other warlike races of the known world, such as the Orcs, Hobgoblins and Ogres, or from the ancient races of the Dwarfs and Elves.[2a]
Some of the most eccentric mercenary generals are renowned far and wide for riding into battle on exotic mounts such as chariots, various species of monsters, war camels, war mammoths, Albion loch monsters, giant starfish, and five-tier palanquins.[2b]
Humans[]
The majority of mercenary generals at large in the Old World are humans. Most of these are from Tilea but not all. The Empire produces excellent fighting men, many of whom find their way into mercenary armies to fight as dogs of war. Sometimes expertise and determination enables an individual to rise up through the ranks and lead his own mercenary army. Mercenary generals whose origins lie in the Empire usually begin their career among the Border Princes, rather than in the Empire itself, except perhaps during a time of civil war.[2a]
Few Bretonnian knights have ever become mercenary generals, and the honour of those who have must certainly be deeply suspect! However, it is possible that some notorious generals began as Bretonnian commoners. There are, however, several Arabyan mercenary generals, which is not surprising in a land ruled by warring tribes of dubious loyalty. It is quite possible for a Sheikh or Emir and his entire tribe to suddenly appear out of the desert and offer their swords to the highest bidder. Almost all the corsair leaders are of course mercenary generals likely to change sides for a chest full of gold. Finally, let us not forget the frozen wastes of Kislev and the brooding fjords of Norsca, from which have come some of the cruelest mercenary generals the world has ever seen - warlords who learned their trade collecting heads of Chaos Warriors and flaying Beastmen for their pelts.[2a]
Dwarfs[]
Few Dwarfs become mercenary generals. This is because any Dwarf with the qualities of a general will be utterly loyal to clan and ancestry. Dwarf mercenary generals are likely to be outcasts for some reason, or cherishing some terrible grudge against all their kin. What else could force a Dwarf to associate with the kind treacherous scum who became mercenaries? Furthermore, the payment of gold to hired sell-swords and the sharing out of plunder is something that would tear at the heart of any true Dwarf. Indeed then, any Dwarf who becomes a mercenary general, must have a strange saga to tell. It would be wise not to delve too deeply.[2a]
Orcs and Hobgoblins[]
Orcs live to fight and rejoice in war. Burning settlements, fields strewn with the newly slain, wolves and crows tearing at flesh, cries of anguish and the din of battle - these are the things that Orcs like. It is no surprise therefore, that there are many Orc mercenary generals roaming the known world. Their only problem is finding mercenary regiments reckless enough to follow them. Few humans can bear to share a camp with Orcs, and so Orc mercenary generals tend to lead armies of particularly savage, uncouth and primitive mercenaries such as, for example, Ogres.[2a]
Hobgoblins also delight in war and there are rumoured to be several Hobgoblin mercenary generals. Most of these are rampaging in the east, but some are said to be moving westwards. These are warlords of the nomadic Hobgoblin tribes who roam the barren steppes east of Kislev. Some have undoubtedly been sent forth at the bidding of the great and rightly feared Hobgobla-Khan, and have gathered up various followers among the vanquished tribes and peoples. Others are lesser Khans who have displeased or rebelled against their overlord and now seek to escape his wrath.[2a][2b]
Elves[]
The few High Elves or Dark Elves who become mercenary generals are often exiles, banished from their realms for dire misdeeds or forsaking their kindred with a self-imposed exile. One or two have had the misfortune to be shipwrecked and stranded in distant lands. After trying in vain to fight their way across the known world, they have been forced to sell their fighting skills in order to survive. Often the inhabitants of the lands through which they pass are woefully unable to distinguish between High Elves and Dark Elves and think they are all the same. Thus the High Elves are often blamed for the vile cruelty of the merciless Dark Elf generals, while cities which have been saved in the past by noble High Elf generals, throw open their gates in welcome to Dark Elf generals, unaware of the dire consequences.[2b]
Ogres[]
Ogre Mercenary General
Many Ogres follow the way of the mercenary. As a race, they are just as brutal and warlike as Orcs, in some cases, more so. Few survive long enough to command an army of their own, but those who do are formidable indeed. A lone Ogre mercenary general can often cause an entire enemy army to tremble, just by glaring at them in close quarters! Many mercenary regiments cannot bear sharing a camp with Ogres and certainly would not follow an Ogre general. Others, especially Orcs, Goblins and savages of similar ilk, gather in droves to Ogre generals, often following them just for plunder and not pay(which would be erratic or nonexistent anyway).[2b]
The noted historian Ummler of Carroburg tells the following anecdote, which may be apocryphal but illustrates well the Ogre's view of victory. A hugely fat Ogre general surveyed the stricken field, took a sniff of the stench of victory, and said, "Bring me the head of the enemy general," and it was done. Indeed it was very well done with garlic butter by the general's best Halfling cook, and the general belched loudly with deep satisfaction.[2b]
Notable Mercenary Generals[]
- Borgio the Besieger - Borgio was a Tilean mercenary general who was the former Prince of Miragliano. During his life he fought against every major principality in Tilea. He established Miragliano as the most powerful principality in Tilea following three great, decisive victories. After these, his enemies usually avoided open battle and shut themselves up behind the walls of their cities, only to succumb to Borgio's siege techniques. He was equally astute as a politician, but rather tyrannical. His opponents and rivals rarely troubled him for long.[1b]
![A Tilean mercenary general [1]](/wiki/File:Mercenary_general.jpg "Mercenary general.jpg (47 KB)")
![Converted mercenary generals of different mortal races.[2c]](/wiki/File:Converted_mercenary_general.png "Converted mercenary general.png (972 KB)")
