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The Yendorian army is comprised of

  • @, soldiers
  • @, sergeants
  • @, lieutenants
  • @, captains

They are generated with weaponry varying from short swords to silver sabers and armor varying from leather armor to crystal plate mail (depending on their experience and rank); most are also generated with gloves, boots, helmets, shields, wands (especially dangerous), and C- or K-rations (the only source of these food items in the game). Those ranked above soldier also have a chance of carrying a bugle, which they can use to awaken all mercenaries on the level.

Very large contingents of mercenaries are guaranteed to appear in the castle and Fort Ludios (especially the latter); regular soldiers are therefore extremely likely to be extincted. Barracks are also populated by mercenaries.

Because mercenaries normally wear gloves, they can wield cockatrice corpses against you.

Mercenaries can be bribed, turning them peaceful, by throwing a certain amount of gold at them. The amount of gold necessary for this is

X + ((gold left in inventory) + (1-5 times your experience level)) / charisma)

where X is 150 for soldiers, 250 for sergeants, 500 for lieutenants, and 750 for captains. Mercenaries only have a two in three chance of accepting the offer.[1]

Equipment[]

Weapons[]

Ordinary soldiers have a 1/3 chance of being generated with a random weapon from the set of all polearms, plus lances and mattocks. If this is the case, they will always get a secondary weapon: either a knife or a dagger (50% chance each).[2]

Otherwise, a plain soldier's primary weapon will be either an ordinary spear or an ordinary short sword, with equal probability. These soldiers have a 3/4 chance of taking a knife as a secondary weapon, or else have no secondary weapon at all.

Higher-ranked soldiers randomly take one of two primary weapons, with equal probability. Sergeants choose either a flail or a mace. Lieutenants choose either an ordinary broadsword or a long sword. Captains choose either a long sword or a silver saber. All of these higher-ranked soldiers also have a 3/4 chance of taking a knife as a secondary weapon.

Like many other monsters, soldiers of all ranks are eligible to be given a random offensive item, such as an attack wand or an offensive potion. This will occur if the monster's level is greater than or equal to the roll of a d75.[3]

Armor[]

Each rank of soldier has a particular target AC as follows:

Rank Target AC
soldier 3
sergeant 0
lieutenant -2
captain -3

The game uses a complicated procedure to outfit each soldier with a selection of armor giving roughly the target AC. If the soldier is unlucky, he might be given less armor; if he is lucky he might be given enchanted armor that takes him beyond the target.

Each soldier is generated with one suit of body armor. Lieutenants and captains are eligible for (but not guaranteed) plate mail or crystal plate mail. Sergeants and above are eligible for splint mail or banded mail. All ranks are eligible for ring mail or studded leather armor. Soldiers of all ranks are guaranteed to receive at least leather armor.

In addition, soldiers of all ranks can be randomly generated with zero or more items from the following list: helmet, dented pot, small shield, large shield, low boots, high boots, leather gloves, leather cloak. There is no guarantee that any particular slot will be filled, and soldiers will be given multiple items for any slot.

Other equipment[]

Soldiers of all ranks have a 1/3 chance of being generated with a K-ration, and an independent 1/2 chance of being generated with a C-ration. Sergeants and above also have a 1/3 chance of being generated with a bugle.[4]

Unlike all other monster types, ordinary soldiers have a 12/13 chance of missing all of the rolls for being generated with random defensive items, miscellaneous items, and gold.[5] Other ranks are unaffected.

Description[]

The soldiers of Yendor are well-trained in the art of war,
many trained by the Wizard himself. Some say the soldiers
are explorers who were unfortunate enough to be captured,
and put under the Wizard's spell. Those who have survived
encounters with soldiers say they travel together in platoons,
and are fierce fighters. Because of the load of their combat
gear, however, one can usually run away from them, and doing
so is considered a wise thing.

SLASH'EM[]

In SLASH'EM, mercenaries always wield firearms of some kind.

References[]

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