TROOPERS

 

Troopers are mounted on thoats, the eight-legged Barsoomian steed. All green males belong to this profession.   Less than 1/3^rd of a modern red Martian nation’s ground forces will be cavalry or troopers.   For most red nations, cavalry is a tertiary branch of the modern military utilized primarily for protecting and policing the citizenry.  The lonely and dangerous task of patrolling the white highways and turnpikes of Barsoom is an honorable assignment often reserved for sons of nobility.

 

Troopers are courageous, dependable and honest; they will seldom shrink from a fight.  They are proficient with a large variety of weapons and are skilled at infiltration, telepathy and tracking.

 

                       NPC                          Skill        Hit

 Level   ATTK       Title                Save   Rank      Dice

 

 1)             +1        youth              +1        +0         1d10

 2)             +2        trooper            +1        +1        2d10

 3)             +3        padwar           +2        +1        3d10

 4)             +4        o-mad            +2        +2        4d10

 5)             +5        dwar               +3        +2        5d10

 6)             +6        dwar               +3        +3        6d10

 7)             +7        chieftain         +4        +3        7d10   

 8)             +8        chieftain         +4        +4        8d10

 9)             +9         jed                 +5        +4        9d10

10)            +10    jeddak              +5         +5       10d10

                    und so weiter

 

“And his mount! How can earthly words describe it!  It towered ten feet at the shoulder; had four legs on either side; a broad flat tail, larger at the tip then at the root, and which it held straight out when running; a gaping mouth which split its head from its snout to its long massive neck. 

“Like its master it was entirely devoid of hair, but was of a dark slate color and exceeding smooth and glossy.  Its belly was white and its legs shaded from the slate of its shoulders and hips to a vivid yellow at the feet.  The feet themselves were heavily padded and nailless, which fact also contributed to the noiseless of their approach, and, in common with a multiplicity of legs, is a characteristic feature of the fauna of Mars. . .and there are absolutely no hoofed animals in existence.”  (PM, III) 

            If he foregoes his mount and a shield, at fourth level and higher, a trooper may attack twice with a melee weapon (normal to hit & damage rules apply) held with two hands such as a sword or spear. This bonus attack occurs concurrently with his regular attack.

Primary ability for a trooper is strength.

This is the preferred class for green Martians.