Morale after a generals death

**Horatius Flaccus** · 07-26-2009, 11:35

I'm pretty sure this is all hardcoded...

**antisocialmunky** · 07-26-2009, 14:33

Originally Posted by Horatius Flaccus

I'm pretty sure this is all hardcoded...

Yup.

You could just the elite guard sky high morale(which they have in EB anyways).

**Phalanx300** · 07-26-2009, 15:12

I've been reading this book on Google books: Germanic Warrior 236-568 AD. Time period isn't EB but Germanic values and stuff are the same.

And here is a piece of text from it:

The warrior was bound to his lord through a code of loyality. Tacitus says that 'the chiefs fight for victory, the followers for their chief'. The chief, as the strongest and most able warrior, led by example. The followers had to 'defend and protect' their chief, never deserting him and fighting to the death if necesarry since 'to any fighting man death is better then a life of dishonour' (Beowulf). An example of this was noted by Ammianus Marcellinus after the defeat of the Alamanni at the battle of Strasbourg in AD 357. The defeated king Chnodomar and his comitatus attempted to evade persuit but were cut off and surrounded by Romans. Chnodomar, accepting the inevitable, 'came out of the wood alone and gave himself up. His attendants to the number 200, together with tree very close friends, also surrendered, considering it a disgrace to survive their king or not to die for him if the occasion required it'. Attitudes regarding the duty of a retainer changed little over the centuries.

And from examples above as well we can conclude why Germanic bodyguards were wanted by Roman emperors.

**Alsatia** · 07-27-2009, 00:31

But not loyal enough however to the empire to keep it intact..

**Phalanx300** · 07-27-2009, 13:40

I doubt foreign tribes would feel any loyality to the empire rather then their warlords.

Also the Varangian guard is another good example, and the Germanic bodyguard was more loyal then the Preatorian guards!

**Cartaphilus** · 07-27-2009, 20:03

Originally Posted by Alsatia

But not loyal enough however to the empire to keep it intact..

The decline and fall of the roman empire was not a matter of guards' loyalty.

**Alsatia** · 07-27-2009, 23:03

Originally Posted by Cartaphilus

The decline and fall of the roman empire was not a matter of guards' loyalty.

True, true. Economy, money, barbarians invading, corrupt officials, inept emperors.....

The list goes on...

**Vasiliyi** · 07-30-2009, 05:23

Originally Posted by Cartaphilus

"Thought must be the harder, heart the keener
Spirit shall be more - as our might lessens.
There lies our chief all cut down,
Good man on the ground; for ever may he grieve
Who now from this war-play thinketh to go.
I am old in years - hence I will not,
But by the side of mine own lord,
By my chief so loved, I think to lie."

Thats beautiful. I love war poetry.