All Things Vargr

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Daekvagul and Foreign Relations

Daekvagul maintains a trade link with the Imperium world of Plunge B5409CC-C Narrows (Corridor 2505):

The name Plunge was given not in honor of this world's oceans (it has none), but because it stands at the head of the great Ushamla main that spreads commerce coreward of the Great Rift. Many of the planet's eight billion people live in tunnels hollowed into the planet's crust. Trade has brought great wealth to Plunge, and the businessman are the leaders of the government. Their powers are dictatorial, but they have the respect of their underlings.

rather precariously through the non aligned Vargr world

Ackaeck 2502 B586757-9 C Ag Ri 314 Va K7 V

which hosts a corsair base (corsairs not being the most favoured among the Daekvagulians).

The corsairs are paid off indirectly to avoid preying on Daekvagulian ships through favourable trade terms to the Ackaeckian government, and transitioning Daekvagulian navy ships who patrol through their nearby rimward cluster.

Daekvagulian feel that beyond trade ties with the Imperium, expansion isn't worthwhile rimward, besides coming up against the Imperial monolith, the systems that would be within their sphere of influence would have little strategic or economic value.

However, they maintain a patrol through:

Kidagir 2503 E542364-5 He Lo Po Fo Mr R 522 Va M2 V
Ngaethaena 2403 A666278-B Lo Ga 413 Va M1 V
Double Sun 2304 E000403-7 As Ni Va Fo R 911 Na A7 V M6 V
Voegrr 2303 B587201-C Lo 401 Va M3 V
Dzaedenforr 2202 A877479-D Ni Pa 601 Va F4 V M1 V
Foengos 2102 C662574-4 Ni Pr 614 Va G7 V

bypassing Vikenngis and Dhouthits, as these are within the Arr Laen sphere of influence, and Chosen at the other end, as it is an Imperium client state.

These low populated systems may be acting as bases for corsairs, or could, and though cynics believe the actual reason Daekvagul cycles it's squadrons through there is more to acquire operational experience, it's also true that Daekvagul annually sends through a hospital ship, as part of it's soft power approach to diplomacy.

 

[samuelvss]

Fifty or less?!? A couple of thousand dT at most? No cruisers and battleships? Vargr navies comes in all sizes according to the GWP of their world/nation, of course. But given a high- or high-medium population to support it, why shouldn't a Vargr navy have ships ranging all the way up to battleship size?

Note that Rebellion Sourcebook features a 10,000T Vargr heavy¹ cruiser with a crew of 130 and a 30,000T battle cruiser with a crew of 930 (p. 78-79).

¹ So-called.​

Hans

I agree that the departments would have to be subordinate "packs," but there may in fact be not an absolute, but a practical limitation. This would limit how many echelons this "packs of packs of packs" organization, based on charisma rather than technical expertise, can support without decaying into a raucous rabble of those not quite as competent as they might otherwise be.

 

[rancke]

I agree that the departments would have to be subordinate "packs," but there may in fact be not an absolute, but a practical limitation. This would limit how many echelons this "packs of packs of packs" organization, based on charisma rather than technical expertise, can support without decaying into a raucous rabble of those not quite as competent as they might otherwise be.

I don't see why departments would have to be packs at all. Why would a military organization, or any large organization for that matter, be run as a pack or a group of packs? Seems to me it would not only be inefficient but downright counterproductive.

I think that large organizations not being run as packs is the reason why Vargr organizations don't decay into raucous rabbles at the drop of a hat.


Hans

 

[Condottiere]

It's a lot easier to apply the pack system to military organizations, since they tend to have standardized sizes, roles, duties, and chains of command.

In a disciplined organization, some of the structure is also imposed from the top. You probably can't challenge the pack leader in the beginning or middle of a firefight.

For the corsairs, there might, and probably is, a twist.

A very large corsair organization is even more disciplined, and challenges to leadership are both easier and harder to make, since they would have to be Mortal Kombat, so the challenger would have to assess the mood of the pack, so that the majority were either in favour or ambivalent.

 

[rancke]

It's a lot easier to apply the pack system to military organizations, since they tend to have standardized sizes, roles, duties, and chains of command.

Unlike packs.

In a disciplined organization, some of the structure is also imposed from the top. You probably can't challenge the pack leader in the beginning or middle of a firefight.

You probably can't do that in a pack-style pack either.

For the corsairs, there might, and probably is, a twist.

A very large corsair organization is even more disciplined, and challenges to leadership are both easier and harder to make, since they would have to be Mortal Kombat, so the challenger would have to assess the mood of the pack, so that the majority were either in favour or ambivalent.

Even the largest corsair organizations are small compared to most navies.


Hans

 

[Condottiere]

I don't think that actual wolf pack organization is applied across organizations or situations, but adapted to fit the circumstances, and the capabilities and tastes of the Vargr leaders, and inclinations of the pack members.

I do believe that Vargr have a span of control, which would vary by organization, role and individual.

Our own military units vary in size and organization, depending on their role or mission, or some other integral factor, such as transport capacity.

Now it probably happens that every Vargr organization has it's own ideas as to how it should be organized.

My view is that the optimum number that a pack leader can control, or maybe more precisely, can keep under control, is around twenty five to forty individuals, which is around platoon size.

After that, it becomes pure speculation.

This can be demonstrated in that I've stated that the next formal organizational level up is the band, which can be anywhere upto fifty packs under the control of a band commander and his staff, and the next level up from that, the corps, which could be upto fifty bands coordinated by a Marshal, and his staff.

That's my view that the Vargr prefer flat hierarchies, and don't really want to be micro-managed.

Both the Imperium and the Vargr themselves see corsairs as threats, but that may be due less than their total number, than their inherent ruthless efficiency, the larger they get, reaching a maximum with maybe fifty ships in a band.

Pack leaders, like pack members, are probably not confined with leading only one pack, but could lead several, the down side being supervision, or lack thereof. These could be parallel organizations.

A Vargr leader could be wearing many hats.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Daekvagul and Foreign Relations

Daekvagul sees it's direct sphere of influence trailing, basically in it's backyard.

Anglorr/Daekvagul (Provence 2640)uc=C546877-7}}

Is it's direct trailing neighbour, and hosts a corsair base; too large to bother to occupy, not an actual threat or competitor, and as a member of the Irrgh Manifest, can't be interfered with directly. Daekvagul dominates it in every aspect, socially, culturally, technically, militarily, so they've gone for soft power and decided to charm the inhabitants.

Gzong/Daekvagul (Provence 2740)uc=B698658-A}}

Gzong is the bread basket of Daekvagul, and in name all but owns the system, having parked a large squadron there and leased most of the starport. They're still charming, but everyone is very aware of the steel gauntlet under the velvet glove.

Thuezou/Daekvagul (Provence 2840)uc=B66A755-B}}

A rich world, and valuable trading partner, it's a target for Daekvagulian cultural imperialism. Hosts a Manifest naval base, though no one is quite sure if it's to protect against corsairs and the Imperium, or against the Daekvagulians.

Garogag/Daekvagul (Provence 2839)uc=B7648DA-9}}

The unpopular religious theocrat sups with a long spoon with his Daekvagulian trading partners, whose visitors are carefully sequestered from the rest of the populace, so that their secular ideas don't contaminate the faithful.

Gnoersuk/Daekvagul (Provence 2940)uc=B637620-9}}

Seems ripe for a takeover, being anarchic even from a Vargr perspective, and a population that can easily be assimilated. But there is the issue of a Manifest military presence. No major trading links, though Daekvagulian entrepreneurs do conduct business there.

Vugkaer/Daekvagul (Provence 2939)uc=CA8947C-5}}

Hosts a major corsair base and is within range of Daekvagulian strike craft, and considered a live fire exercise. Easily taken over, as demonstrated by the corsairs occupation.

Eghgvun/Daekvagul (Provence 3039)uc=C7B5300-9}}

Outside of Daekvagulian strike range, outside the Manifest, and with nothing to offer. Hosting a mid sized corsair base in a corrosive atmosphere, seems too much trouble to bother.

Utsi/Daekvagul (Provence 3139)uc=C362558-8}}
Aeson Sog/Daekvagul (Provence 3140)uc=C585436-7}}

The Daekvagulians send a hospital ship annually to cement relations.

Alang/Daekvagul (Provence 3238)uc=B896543-B}}

An agricultural world, and outside the Manifest, the Daekvagulians have carefully cultivated relations, and built up a considerable expatriate presence, buying up all produce. It's seen as a springboard to the Ngath Confederation, which seems ripe for Daekvagulian products.

2701 Hesaim B424451-E Ni { 1 } (734-3) [151A] - - - 801 9 NaHu M0 V

A non aligned human world with a superior tech level, Daekvagulians have cultivated relations with the megacorporation owned world, with an interest in technology transfers.

2801 Vellutsaer E9B3531-8 Fl Ni { -3 } (C41-5) [1214] - C - 123 18 NaVa A8 V

A major corsair base, and a very unpleasant place to live.

2901 Oqwee B423452-D Ni Po { 1 } (A34-3) [1519] - N - 404 8 CsIm M4 V

Imperial client state, with a naval base presumably to constrain corsair raids, so generally ignored.

2902 Oegoerrvu D410456-8 Ni Huma7 { -3 } (831-4) [3147] - C- 602 8 NaVa K0 V

Another unpleasant world, which the corsairs have taken over.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Daekvagul and Foreign Relations

Outside of Daekvagul's immediate spher of influence lies:

3202 Kotsingdifir C544697-6 Ag Ni Da { -1 } (853-1) [6556] - A 301 9 NaVa F4 V M2 V

which can be reached through transit in Thuezou; Kotsingdifir is an unaligned Vargr agricultural planet, a resource that Daekvagulians feel is strategic to their system's survival, and maintaining relationships with such planets is a cornerstone of Daekvagulian diplomacy.

3201 Esuto A572674-9 He Ni { 0 } (954-2) [4637] - - - 401 5 NaVa F5 V M1 V

Esuto neighbours Kotsingdifir; it's rich, and both are markets for Daekvagulian goods. It's also next to Aakhorn, another agricultural world but belonging to the Imperium.

2903 Uerrgno D867996-4 Hi Ga Pr { -1 } (B86-2) [8843] - - 601 8 NaVa K9 V K5 V

Uerrgno has a captive consumer base of billions Vargr, though non-aligned. It can be reached through Hesaim. It borders:

2904 KrroughfD577522-5 Ag Ni { -2 } (742-5) [1311] - - - 302 8 CsIm M0 V M1 V

An agricultural world, though an Imperium client state.

2804 Neghu Oug C63A641-9 Ni Wa (Ojehshodu)4 { -1 } (A53-5) [2515] 602 8 NaVa M3 V

Cordial, if distant, diplomatic relations are maintained.

3104 Salite B554300-B Lo { 1 } (621-3) [1416] - - - 910 11 NaVa M3 V M0 V

Too few Vargr to bother.

3004 Rustsoura C400102-B Lo Va { 0 } (611-4) [1117] - C - 812 10 NaVa M3 V

Minor corsair base; everyone is surprised that the Imperium hasn't wiped them out by now.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Uekhourg and the Game of Bones

Frustrated at being blocked from any type of expansion, except spinward, the ambitious conglomerates of Uekhourg found that even in that direction, they ran up against the fanatics of Taarskoerzn, though not before annexing the rich planet of:

Arrgarrg/Uekhourg (Provence 2236)uc=C581677-8}}

where the one percent of the one percent have set up their holiday homes, and the agricultural world of:

On Uenlang/Uekhourg (Provence 2337)uc=B546777-9}}

that is Uekhourg's bread basket. The Uekhourgian Navy is on guard against intrusions from:

Koen/Uekhourg (Provence 2034)uc=C000325-8}}
Aknae/Uekhourg (Provence 2135)uc=C223543-B}}
Ang Vueng/Uekhourg (Provence 1936)uc=B355489-8}}
Tsaerzouth/Uekhourg (Provence 2037)uc=D7968BD-5}}

who host major corsair bases in their systems., while there's nothing holding onto in:

Kuegh Dan/Uekhourg (Provence 2036)uc=B8B0333-A}}

and in fact, would place any garrison there in an untenable position.

It's not that the ruling families have many scruples in dealing with corsairs, their inability to completely control them makes them at best an unpredictable tool, and at worst, vulnerable to their predations. Which leaves only:

Kughoelvor/Uekhourg (Provence 2139)uc=A657978-C}}

as a worthwhile takeover candidate, but they have a mutual defence pact with

Aerraekoukh/Uekhourg (Provence 2339)uc=A868553-C}}

and any war that involves Aerraekoukh will bring in the Daekvagulians, who would not want to see that agricultural plum fall into Uekhourgian hands.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Irrghstrn Manifestos or Game of Bones

http://www.travellermap.com/?options=25591&x=-45.007&y=85.574&scale=61.8203125

Since I didn't find much material, canon or otherwise, on this particular region of space, a lot of the foregoing was speculation based on the UWP. I tend to take the default Traveller setting as turn of the century, and as I understand it, the Glory of Taarskoerzn expanded late or later, which means that the map is inaccurate for this period of time.

Trying to draw lines of communication from Western and Eastern Manifestos seems impossible, without touching on a Glory controlled system.

That would imply, for a polity that is heavily concerned with centralization and central control, that it's authority is even remoter, even if you don't assume it sets up a huge, heavily defended space station(s) anchored in empty hexes, connecting both halves, instead of detouring around Glory.

This seems to leave the Vargr systems in Eastern Manifestos pretty much on their own, excepting naval bases in the important systems.

The most significant two systems appear to be Daekvagul and Uekhourg, equally powerful, both that could be perceived to have diametrically opposing forms of governance and ideology, and surrounded by any number of other systems that can be sources of minor or major annoyances.

Uekhourg's power bases are close together, ironically considering their more chaotic form of governance, but frustrated from expansion, whereas Daekvagul has a powerful navy, but prefers the soft power approach.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Buying a Spaceship

Due to the unstable nature of Vargr economics, financing options for spacecraft are somewhat limited. Characters wishing to acquire their own spacecraft must either have the credits or a wealthy patron or employer who is willing to provide a ship in return for services, a cut of their profits or some other benefit.

Here's where pack membership comes in useful, in networking and acquiring contacts that will get you in touch of a patron willing to oblige.

But being a member of the right pack might also be a possible way of getting a bank loan, since the pack as a whole stands guarantor, though considering the size of the loan, a group of inter-related packs.

Defaulting on the loan would have to result in something humiliating and painful happening to the principal defaulter, inflicted by the pack(s), beyond the ritual expulsion, and a loss of charisma by the pack leader.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Animal Magnetism

If Social Standing caps out at eighteen, when you are the anointed ruler of twenty one sectors, I'd suppose that Alexander the Great Dane could have conceivably reached a charisma of eighteen.

At charisma sixteen, you could comfortably count on the loyalty of most of your subjects on a subsector level.

At charisma thirteen, you have the urge to unify a planet behind you.

At charisma twelve, your ambitions expand continent-wide.

With charisma eleven, you want to march at the head of your countrymen.

At charisma ten, you feel that your local community, and all that you can see, would benefit from your leadership.

At charisma nine, you want a say in the running of the community.

At charisma eight, everyone in the neighbourhood looks up to you.

At charisma seven, your wife and children will listen to you.

At charisma six, you are a respected member of your pack.

 

[SanDragon]

Vargr: Animal Magnetism

At charisma ten, you feel that your local community, and all that you can see, would benefit from your leadership.

"What about that shadowy place?"

 

[Condottiere]

"Hey everybody, let's form a posse and find out!"

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Animal Magnetism

At charisma five, people are polite to you, but you are faceless cog in the machine.

At charisma four, you view being a faceless cog as a definite improvement in your condition, knowing that you and your dependants might be in a social trap that you need to break out of, but find few opportunities to do so.

With three charisma, you are at the lowest rung of Vargr society, and anxious to please in order to receive the smallest crumb of praise.

At charisma two, you have fallen through the cracks in Vargr society, desperate to be a part of it, but unable to find that connection, wondering if it's possible to fall much further.

At charisma one, you have become an untouchable, invisible to most other Vargr, pitied at best by your unfortunate status, but mostly avoided to be prevent being infected by your appalling luck.

If you lose all your charisma, you literally die of shame.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Warships


Dreadnought

The equivalent of the Death Star programme, with probably the same implications for all neighbouring Vargr polities. If word leaked out, we can look forward to another Endorian re-enactment. Probably would only be authorized by a supremely confident Vargr dictator, though as experience indicates, even the closest confidants may be plotting to replace him.

On the whole, too risky to entrust to any underling to command, or even diplomatically to construct.

No interstellar polity would gift any Vargr with even an obsolete one, and capturing an in tact one which then a Vargr shipyard could repair would seem unlikely.


Cruisers

It would seem that I skipped over battleships and battlecruisers.

Constructing a battleship would have the same diplomatic penalties as a dreadnought, but you end up with a much less powerful warship, so you either go all out or have the equivalence in lesser units.

Battlecruisers can be vaguely defined, so your neighbours might be concerned, but not alarmed, if you build one.

To command a cruiser must be the wet dream of any number of Vargr captains, and probably the largest sized craft that a Vargr polity will risk building. The major feature would be the spinal mount, and the Vargr wouldn't be too picky which type was installed, since they like closing the range, and a twenty tonne ball leaves an impressive hole through most armours.

Packs can be entire departments, or even shifts within them. The Marines onboard may be far more loyal to the political entity that built it, rather than the Vargr they assign command to.

 

[kilemall]

Vargr: Animal Magnetism

At charisma five, people are polite to you, but you are faceless cog in the machine.

At charisma four, you view being a faceless cog as a definite improvement in your condition, knowing that you and your dependants might be in a social trap that you need to break out of, but find few opportunities to do so.

With three charisma, you are at the lowest rung of Vargr society, and anxious to please in order to receive the smallest crumb of praise.

At charisma two, you have fallen through the cracks in Vargr society, desperate to be a part of it, but unable to find that connection, wondering if it's possible to fall much further.

At charisma one, you have become an untouchable, invisible to most other Vargr, pitied at best by your unfortunate status, but mostly avoided to be prevent being infected by your appalling luck.

If you lose all your charisma, you literally die of shame.

This seems a bit harsh, and missing a story opportunity.

Wouldn't they be more like lone wolf/ronin of Japanese legend, cast out but the surviving ones are that much tougher and feared precisely because they don't need a pack?

 

[Condottiere]

The last one might not be actually literally true.

In a parallel society, they reform packs since they're all are similarly socially stigmatized and rebuild their self-worth. There are a lot of different ways you can play this, including having them live underground like Leela's parents, very separate from predominant society above.

Any charisma accumulated would apply to their own compatriots, and depending how ruthless and unforgiving the above world is, and how fecund the lower one is, you might be heading for a civil war.

Ronin and lone wolves still need to interact with the society that spawned them, so they'd be heading off to very distant parts where they wouldn't be known; still, it could be that charisma level have distinctive flavours, so those parts might be alien.

 

[Meteoric Assault]

Condottiere,

I wanted to say thanks for sharing all of your suggestions. I am going to incorporate some of these.

 

[Condottiere]

You're welcome: use it in good health.