RuneScape Forum Archive | Possible Lore if MA is removed

Deltaslug

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We may get an upcoming poll where the Jagex devs asks if players are OK with removing Mobilizing Armies.

On the offhand chance the MA goes, here are some possible lore explanations devs can use.

ARMS (MA) was created several years before the World Guardian became active. The group is a mercenary military group based out of the southern area of the Feldip Hills.

At one point it was mostly made up of human mercenaries. But due to an attempt at a coup, and some other issues, Lord Marshal Brogan was forced to look for new recruits. Luck would have it when he eventually reached agreements with the elves, dwarves, and goblins.

Fast forward to the late 5th Age and 6th Age.

Most of their operations have been training scenarios, launching sieges on a rogue knight's castle, stealing from dragons, and rescuing TzHaar. (it's possible there have been other operations, but they have not been made public.)

So why would A.R.M.S. close?

29-Aug-2017 03:33:05

Deltaslug

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1) During training, especially during operations against rogue knights, the officer cadets would turn their cannons on their own units. Attempts at sieges would quickly fall apart after a few minutes as the assaulting forces would take well over 75% casualties. A loss rate many military forces would have a hard time recovering from.

2) The Dwarves - due to events over the last few years with the Red Axe, and other deployments (Ice Mountain, Coal Trucks near Seers Village), the Black Guard has begun a recall of all available men ... er ... dwarves. While the old agreement had ARMS acting as a training opportunity, their shortages in manpower requires them to bring back all available units for their long list of outposts and duties. The Black Guard will begin training the recruits according to their own regimens.

3) The Elves - with the end of the Civil War and regrowth of Prifddinas, many of the elven units within ARMS felt a need to bring their fractured society back together.

29-Aug-2017 03:33:14

Deltaslug

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4) ARMS opened up recruitment to other races. With their losses, Lord Marshal Brogan once again began seeking out new groups willing to enlist enmasse. However, he found few races who were willing to join up due to everyone focusing on or recovering from all of the 6th Age Conflicts. And those that did, lacked the professionalism the Elves and Dwarves brought to the table.

It's not that Orges, Trolls, and others lacked enthusiasm ... it's just ... they all didn't make the best 'professional' soldiers (or at least in Brogan's mindset.)

It's possible that the final blow to ARMS may come from them taking on one contract too many. Perhaps a march out to the Wilderness to deal with warbands, rogues, and bandits? Maybe a run in with a Demonic Mob loyal to Zaros or Zamorak?

Stretched too thin, and no longer able to replace his forces, Lord Marshal Brogan is forced to shutter the operations once and for all and wishing his remaining soldiers good fortune in the wars to come as he finally retires.

29-Aug-2017 03:33:26

Deltaslug

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With the losses ARMS has suffered, their numbers go down.
While it is possible that many of the Elves and dwarves could leave/get recalled, it's not guaranteed that ALL would walk out.

So assuming that ARMS maintained a true 1/3 split of their forces between Dwarves, Elves, and Goblins on a regular unit to unit basis, this would mean that ARMS could easily dip below 50% of the remaining strength (33% Goblin, and possibly being generous if ~ 1/4 of the elves and dwarves each stayed.)

Having to refill that many troops and train them to work as a cohesive unit is a challenge, especially with an assortment of races.

29-Aug-2017 03:38:29

Deltaslug

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Trouble with races:
- resorting to using humans again as a front line unit would require having to undo nearly 20 years of doctrine in recruiting policies. this is stacked with many of the kingdoms focused on their own issues (ie: White Knights vs Kinshra, misthalin on multiple fronts)
- gnomes are currently dividing their forces between border patrol and fighting the armies of Khazard. 1 elite squad is watching the monkeys on ape atoll
- Cave Goblins are not exactly known for being the most aggressive race
- Vampyres and Werewolves have difficulty crossing the River Salve, let alone enough crossing to create a viable squad to fight with
- Undead are an option, however it would a be a question of whether or not ARMS is comfortable employing Necromances and squads of the undead. it would also raise questions of how many kingdoms or groups would be willing to hire them after they start the policy.
- Trolls and Orges are probably willing to join and would easily make good front line soldiers, as mentioned earlier, there might a question or 3 about their ability to handle tactics above "charge".
- Apes/monkeys might be more of a communications issue (needing an amulet of monkeyspeak) and getting around some of the mistrust between monkeys and other races
- Demons have traditionally followed Zamorak or Zaros. Linking up with humans might require ARMS to nominally pledge themselves to one faction or the other. Demons also carry a similar stigma as undead among the more Saradominst worshipping kingdoms.
- TzHaar and Tok-Haar aren't known for leaving the volcano often, and were stated to be on the "brink of extinction"
- It's unknown just how many Ga'al are around, despite their numbers having been culled by TzHaar for a long time
- Avianese are an interesting option, but unknown how many are actually alive (they could be a step away from the TzHaar issue)

29-Aug-2017 03:44:24 - Last edited on 29-Aug-2017 03:48:40 by Deltaslug

Deltaslug

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As each race has their own peculiarities and possible limits, it wouldn't be a stretch for ARMS to recruit several 1 or more squads from certain races due to their individual senses of adventure, or wanting to go out into the world, or wanting to just get away from their own culture for some reason.

But it would remain to be seen if they would have to maintain racially focused units (ie: Gnome only squads, Demon only squads, Ogre only squads) or if they could truly mix and match races (ie: Ogre, Troll, and Human heavy melee squads. Gnome, Human, and TzHaar-Mej light magic units. etc)
Again, would remain to be seen how well the mixed units could/would work together.

29-Aug-2017 03:51:53 - Last edited on 29-Aug-2017 03:52:20 by Deltaslug

Nov

2012

Summerleaf

Posts: 3,313 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Meh.

I've always said to just replace it with an Adventurer's Guild that you become guildmaster of after so many quest points, and at least lv. 5 in each skill, which unlocks one Adventurer for each.

Then make it a minigame hybrid of Three's Company and Temple Trekking, and have them complete quests, and stuff. The "Tutorial" would be fighting off an organized group of rogue Goblins, Elves and Dwarves that are planning on taking over the world, or some other evil villain trope.

~~~~

Your story is fun lore tho, and would be much easier to incorporate via a book.

30-Aug-2017 17:34:22 - Last edited on 30-Aug-2017 17:37:46 by Summerleaf

Solanumtinkr

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I always like to throw a Void Knight bone in, in the hopes that it'll get picked up some day..and the Guthxian army can finally come home. SO:

The Void Knights have called in every favour they can for the final big push against the Pest Stronghold in the Void Realm. Crack that and the Pests have nowhere left to run and it will just be about mopping up. The only place you will ever find Pests then is the training isles of the Void Knight Outpost. Just for training purposes and to remind people of how dangerous they once were. The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

31-Aug-2017 18:21:27

Deltaslug

Posts: 32,671 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Solanumtinkr said :
I always like to throw a Void Knight bone in, in the hopes that it'll get picked up some day..and the Guthxian army can finally come home. SO:

The Void Knights have called in every favour they can for the final big push against the Pest Stronghold in the Void Realm. Crack that and the Pests have nowhere left to run and it will just be about mopping up. The only place you will ever find Pests then is the training isles of the Void Knight Outpost. Just for training purposes and to remind people of how dangerous they once were.

That would be another viable option for using one of the only large mercenary forces in game.

31-Aug-2017 21:22:39

Nov

2012

Summerleaf

Posts: 3,313 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Solanumtinkr said :

The Void Knights have called in every favour they can for the final big push against the Pest Stronghold in the Void Realm. Crack that and the Pests have nowhere left to run and it will just be about mopping up.

I'm pretty sure it's been stated 10000000 times that it's not that simple, and the pests will be there for the indefinite future. The Void is massive, and if we kill one queen, another will just grow up somewhere else in the emptiness.

01-Sep-2017 00:19:56

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Possible Lore if MA is removed