Unit Name: Packblades
Credits: Image 1
Consolidation Thread: N/A
Unit Description: When a Warlord gathers his Clan for war, the Packblades are front and centre, occupying a key place in the battle line. They are slightly smaller than man-sized, standing four to five feet high. They range between lithe and scrawny and are possessed of a constant energy, most commonly seen in a nervous twitching of their hairless, worm-like tails. A single Packblade is not a fearsome opponent. When banded together in a large pack, however, each individual Eshkin would bolster each other's confidence and fuel their feral ferocity to a highly aggressive level. This allows the individually cowardly ratmen to form massive units that will recklessly hurl themselves into a fray against obviously superior troops. Senior Packblades are known as Packleaders, and each one is given dominion over his own troop of Packblades. Though they are more experienced and better able to wage war than their subordinates, most Packleaders compare unfavourably to Bloodskins.
ATTRIBUTES
- Armour: Average
- Gear: Metal weapons, ragged clothing, scavenged shields, and wooden fortifications.
- Speed: Average
- Melee: Average
- Weaponry: Swords, Spears, Clubs, Axes, Knives
- Ranged: N/A
- Morale: Average
- Size: Extreme (76-100 members per unit)
- Number: Regional
- Recruitment & Replenishment: Packblades are recruited from various Eshkin strongholds across their underground empire. They are easily replenished due to their vast numbers and rapid breeding.
- TvM Requirement: 2v1
Sheer Numbers: Packblades overwhelm enemies through their sheer volume, creating a relentless tide of attackers. in addition, their large numbers can be deployed in a variety of tactical roles, from frontline fodder to flanking manoeuvres.
Fear-driven Motivation: Their terror of Eshkin leaders pushes them to fight desperately, often past their breaking point.
Adaptability: Packblades can quickly scavenge or repurpose any battlefield debris into makeshift weapons or shields.
WEAKNESSES
Unruly: Without strong leadership, Packblades quickly descend into chaos and infighting, reducing their effectiveness.
Lack of Discipline: Their disorganized nature often leads to sloppy manoeuvres and friendly fire incidents.
Low Longevity: Due to their poor equipment and lack of training, Packblades have a short lifespan on the battlefield, necessitating constant replenishment.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Packblades have been a core to the Eshkins army since the very beginning. Their presence is a testament to the Eshkin's breeding capabilities and their ruthless, expendable nature. Even at the infamous battle of the Bamberg, the usefulness of the Packblades was demonstrated as both their corpses and those of the Eshkin ruts stacked so high at the walls of the Bamberg castle that it created a makeshift bridge for the Bloodskins to overwhelm the defenders. Despite their ill-equipped and disorganised nature, many great warriors fell to these vermin. Though individually insignificant, Packblades are an indomitable embodiment of the Eshkin way of life. They march to war not out of loyalty, but driven by fear and the promise of survival in a brutal world. In the shadows of the Eshkin Empire, where power and death are inseparable, the ceaseless tide of Packblades remains a grim reminder that in the world of the Eshkin, even the weakest can drown the strongest in a sea of claws and teeth.
