- “This is a lot like that siege in Ostland. There weren’t many survivors. I was one of them. Stick with me, kid, and we’ll be among the survivors here, too.”
- —Anonymous Veteran[2a]
A professional Soldier or Mercenary who survives a great many battles, but cares not in the slightest for rising up the ranks, eventually finds himself a Veteran. Veterans are, first and foremost, survivors. They don’t volunteer for suicide missions and they don’t take unnecessary risks, but when the time comes to get stuck in, they’re some of the toughest troops on the field. Off-duty Veterans are always good for old war tales. They carouse with a will, knowing that their time may be short and there’s no sense in dying with gold still in your pockets.[1a]
A Day in the Life[]
Veterans have three distinct lifestyles: at camp, at war and at rest.[2a]
At camp, the Veteran is usually the taskmaster for the recruits and less experienced Soldiers – not an officer, but directly reporting to them. He makes sure all the jobs are done, that weapons are maintained, the horses cared for and orders followed. He drills the Soldiers, and judges and evaluates them, making sure everyone is fit for the tasks they’re assigned. He also keeps his own skills sharp with constant drilling among his fellow Veterans. At night, he may relax with some drink or gambling, but never to excess, not when the enemy might be near.[2a]
At war, the Veteran fights. If he does his job well, those he fights alongside will help keep him alive. He is a brutal combatant, showing and expecting no mercy, but he does not waste time in battle with petty cruelty. A clean, fast, kill and on to the next. If he’s tasked with holding ground, he holds it until all hope is gone – but no longer. He’s a Soldier, not a martyr. If forced to retreat or surrender, he will do so in preference to dying, but he will not drop his sword unless he is certain, based on surviving many battles, that fighting on is just a messy way of slitting his own throat.[2a]
At rest, the Veteran sets aside his veneer of hard-bitten discipline. He might have died yesterday; he may die tomorrow; today is for the joy of being alive! He will take what he has earned and indulge in every drink and debauchery imaginable. A rare few Veterans will use “quiet time” to hone the arts of war, finding skilled partners to duel with or even taking work training a local militia, but most indulge until they are broke, then seek out the next battle.[2a]
Notable Veterans[]
- Adelbert Greft – Adelbert was a sniper-for-hire. He used to be an Outlaw, and, given time, he hoped to become an Assassin. He had no regard for life, whether Human or otherwise, but he was somewhat more opposed to Chaos than most people because Beastmen killed his father when he was young. He was noticeably tall and thin, sporting a day’s growth of stubble. He wore ordinary-looking clothes in neutral shades and a large hood. He put this up while shooting, as it cut out his peripheral vision and helped him concentrate.[6a]
- Kurt Steiner – Kurt Steiner had fought since he was just a boy. A scrapper in his youth, he was famous for his left-hook, earning the nickname Lefty. Lacking an appreciable skill and being a bully, he found life in the pits to his liking, at least for a while. He eventually met and befriended Istilam and they left Altdorf to seek their fortunes.[5a]
- Norskin – While on his way to Middenheim to lend support to the Manling city, a group of Orcs ambushed his unit and took him captive. Firmly in their clutches, he expected to be their next meal, but then the strangest thing happened: a group of Beastmen ambushed the Orcs. Totted along like a piece of baggage, the Orcs fled to the west into the mountains. Once there, Norskin escaped their clutches and to mislead them, he headed down the other side of the mountains and into Bretonnia. He’s not sure about this land and now that the Storm’s over, he had nowhere to be and fast.[3a]
- Otto the Ox – As a mercenary, Otto's first battle saw all but himself slain. Otto managed to impress the commander of the opposing forces, and found a place with them. Surprisingly strong for his youth, he became stronger with each passing year, earning the title “the Ox”. He also moved a lot between mercenary bands. Each battle lost, he learned some new tricks and tactics. He never turned coats during a fight – that is death to a mercenary – but if the fight was lost and prisoners were being taken, he learned the knack of convincing the victor that he belonged with them. He often replaced men he had personally slain, arguing that the fact he was standing and they were not was proof he could do their job better.[1a]
- Otwin Beschlager – Otwin grew up in a small village in the province of Ostland, where he learned the smithing trade from his father. Due to his size and strength, Otwin was recruited into the local militia. He used to enjoy it, too. The marching, the weapon practice, the uniform—it was almost like a game. He could only shake his head at his naïveté. When the Storm of Chaos broke, the province mustered his militia unit and he learned the realities of war. Otwin watched his childhood friends die before his eyes; he watched the villages and towns of the Empire burn. The army left Otwin for dead in Untergard, but somehow he survived, though the scars on his face made the price plain. With his village wiped off the map and his militia unit destroyed, Otwin now had only his sword and a few friends to help him make his way in the world.[4b]
- Rolf Vogt – Though he concealed his appearance beneath the finery of the upper class, Rolf had a muscular build. He had long brown hair starting to turn grey prematurely after his experiences in the Drakwald. Good looking, relaxed, with intense blue eyes and a strong chin, he’s friendly and personable, and would likely have been a highly sought after bachelor if it weren’t for his father’s recent disgrace. He wore clothing appropriate to one of his station, in the colours of his city: black.[4a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Core Rulebook (2nd Edition)
- 1a: pg. 86
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Career Compendium (2nd Edition)
- 2a: pg. 219
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Barony of the Damned (2nd Edition)
- 3a: pg. 94
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Forges of Nuln (2nd Edition)
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Karak Azgal (2nd Edition)
- 5a: pg. 43
- 6: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Spires of Altdorf (2nd Edition)
- 6a: pg. 82