phalanx and magic

From: Durupt Jean <durupt_at_cc.ec-lyon.fr>
Date: Thu Mar 20 10:06:28 1997

Hi all,

I found the debate on granite phalanx interesting.

Here is my opinion on the subject

When we speak of the granite phalanx regiment we must acknowledge two facts:
1) granite phalanx is a phalanx regiment of the lunar army.

It means three things:
- - when the soldier is accepted, he is trained as a
hoplite, ie to use a spear, to use the shieldwall tactics, to build a camp, etc..
- - the same soldier is taught example of loyalty to
the emperor by heroic hoplites from the past (think about it, the french foreign legion was created in 1830, the granite phalanx is at least 1000 years old)
- - the young soldier is taught to obey the orders
shouted by his sergeant.

The soldiers don't need spells to be good hoplites. But they use the three magic of training, morale and discipline. They are magic because Glorantha is a magic world.

2) Granite Phalanx is a god and more to the point a phalanx god, so the magic he teaches is a phalanx magic.
Hence the spells of standfast and shieldwall. Thus the granite phalanx hoplite who is already a good hoplite is even better thanks to his cultic ties.

	Cheers
		Jean

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