[H66] Pack Roles and Pack Warfare

[H66] Pack Roles and Pack Warfare

My goal is to have the Pack Roles inspire out-of-conflict role-playing while also directly tying into the Pack Warfare rules. I’m seeing the latter as an almost Diplomacy-like minigame of strategy and moves, involving the Roles themselves as chesspiece-like tools in the battle.

First, let’s address the roles specifically. These are separate from the pack Ranks, mind you. Ranks cover things like Leader, Core Guard, Masked, and Prospect. Roles, on the other hand, describe your duties and responsibilities within the Pack, both in daily life and in Battle.

I’m wanting there to be at least seven roles available, each with its own narrative guidelines and battle mechanics. So far, here are the few notes I’ve drafted up last night on these Roles:

The Tail Gunner

  1. Always rides at the rear of the convoy, usually with a heavy and/or loud bike. Responsible for carrying medical and other important supplies for the Pack.
  2. When the pack retreats, the Gunner is responsible for issuing a “parting challenge” to the pursuing enemy, in order to stain their honor somehow. “Bet you can’t hit this target!” or the like.
  3. Battle Move: “Parting Challenge”

The Historian

  1. Responsible for keeping the Pack’s records, and maintaining their “mon” (badges)
  2. During Battle, the Historian chants the lineages of the members and the exploits of the Pack. This should be done aloud and in character. This is to both bolster the Pack’s confidence and intimidate the enemy.
  3. Battle Move: “Litany of Glory”

The Road Captain

  1. The Road Captain rides at the front of the convoy, and in Battle, he always leads the charge.
  2. This is the rider the enemy will see first, thus the Road Captain must be visually representative of his Pack’s spirit.
  3. Battle Move: “Rallying Charge”

The Trail Blazer

  1. A good ‘Blazer scouts out the battlefield in advance.
  2. When traveling, the ‘Blazer rides ahead of the pack, sometimes far, but rarely closer than just visible cresting that far hill.
  3. Battle Move: Undecided

The Armsman

  1. Responsible for keeping the pack in line, and enforcing Pack Law within the ranks at the behest of the Leader.
  2. Is rarely the leader, but more frequently the Leader’s right hand man.
  3. Acts primarily as a thug and enforcer.
  4. Battle Move: Undecided

The Errand Boy

  1. Usually filled by the Prospect
  2. Cleans the bikes, gets the coffee, packs the gear, executes all the items on the Honeydew lists.
  3. Battle Move: Undecided

The Den Mother

  1. Strong samurai packs keep their ranks free of women and avoid the wily affairs of the fairer sex. The strongest Packs dismiss this superstition, and ride with a strong Den Mother in their ranks.
  2. The Den Mother is a unifying force on the battlefield, bolstering those who ride with her.
  3. Battle Move: Undecided

I’m mulling over ideas on how to both A) further define these roles outside of combat, and B) further define the rules of actual Pack Warfare. I’m also considering having the rules be changeable in-game. Maybe give each role two special moves – one for whoever happens to switch into that role in the fly, and one additional move that only the true holder of that role knows (the guy who chose it during character creation).

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