Re: reference for equipment and cows

From: Shannon R. Wright <shwright17sons_at_...>
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2001 20:21:11 -0000

> While looking for some information about shield structures in Ian
> Heath's "Armies of the Dark Ages, 600 – 1066" (published by the
> wargames research group) I came across the following, unfortunately
> without reference to the original source.
> "Some idea of the cost of such full equipment as is illustrated
> can be got from the following assessment of 9th century arms in
> cows: the helmet was worth 6 cows; the brunia {corselet of metal
> scales or possibly chainmail} 12 cows; sword and scabbard 7 cows;
> greaves 6 cows; spear and shield 2 cows; and the horse 12 cows.
> total of 45 cows (which, admittedly, can be reduced to 15 by
> assessing in terms of the dearest cows) should then be compared to
> the bovine population of some of the richer individual royal
estates, which had at the most only about 50 cows (excluding oxen, heifers, and bullocks)."

But unfortunatly in most FRPG's (GM depending), it is hard to get Charaters (players) to think of anything besides hard coinage as treasure or of worth. In todays Credit/cash society we exchange money or the promise of money for goods and food. And everything has a set price. The only time a price is not set usually is when the item is being sold used or previously owned. Then some bartaring can occur. Like at estate auctions, yard/garage sales, etc..  But even then we want money still for our property. We are usually trying to get rid of stuff and we do not want stuff in exchange for it. Like Bryan's example I could not exchange 45 cows for my armor they'd laugh at me. But if I took the cows to a Slaughterhouse ,sold them and got enough money to then go and pay the armorer that would be OK.

          It is this "cash for goods" attitude that we have today that makes players forget that there is more treasure than just Wheels, Lunars, and Clacks.
  My group just recently took out a Troll bandit gang and recovered 5 merchant wagons and 10 work horses. We then took them to town and have contracted them out to the local Traders Guild , so they haul goods back and forth and the guild pays us a percentige of the profits. So now we have a small, steady source of income. But over hal the party wanted to just leave the horses and wagons not realizing their potential. It was at my insistance that they even got the wagons back to town.  

> (by the way, I recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy
> games in general, it surveys a broad range of cultures and gives a
> good feel for typical organization, tactics, and equipment, as well
> as casting a moderately skeptical eye on how often reality lived up
> to the intentions. I'm not sure how easy to find it is, however, I
> bought my copy around 15 years ago.)

I wish I could find a copy, but where I'm located I'd sooner find the cows than the book. If anyone has a web link for this and other books please pass it on. Thanks :)

I suppose my remote location has it's advantages. We have had no murders in our county this year.  

> While the costs are obviously not the same as in Hero Wards
> glorantha, this seems to me to be a handy reference .
> --Bryan

 Thanks for the info Bryan.

        Sloth

 "Never tell me the Odds!!"